The Glasshouse: A Beauty in South Africa

From Nico VanDer Meulen Architects website: "In Johannesburg, South Africa, Nico Van Der Meulen Architects designed this spectacular 26,000 square foot home. They are the versifiers of enchantment, the makers of splendor in house designs, creators of fairy tale like habitats, spreading their pixie dust of mastermind over this mesmerizing Glasshouse planned to infuse charisma into the hearts of its viewers.
It is an open, light filled house where views of the backyard are seen from all rooms. The architects devised a massive complex of living spaces, arranged in a semi-circular pattern to envelope the garden. Immense concrete framework is arranged in a radial pattern, emanating from the center of the home. The framework complements outdoor living spaces, including the decks, patios, pools and fountains.

To meet the owner’s demand, this house was built with a modern, glamorous, open plan, light-filled with views from all rooms into the garden. The shape on the south side is a half circle, forming a horseshoe on the north side. Approaching the house from the gate, the driveway is elevated to allow glimpses through the 

house to the garden and raised water feature on the other side of the house.

You can jump from the main bedroom into the pool, swim to the gym, swim back and use the steel spiral staircase to go back to the main bedroom, or tip a tipsy friend into the pool from his barstool!

A basement under the house has parking for about twelve cars, with a view into the pool, and a top-lit art gallery which forms the passage between the garages and the lift.

The kitchen leads off the family room and dining room, with a pair of automatic, frameless sandblasted doors leading from the dining room to the kitchen. A breakfast area and playroom are adjacent to the kitchen, allowing the younger children to be supervised from the kitchen and family room, and allowing direct access to the bar and barbeque area from the kitchen."

Source: http://www.nicovdmeulen.com/2011/10/05/nku-bryanston/ &  http://www.nicovdmeulen.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/GlassHouseTouchMagazineBeirut.pdf

Beautifully Renovated Residence in South Africa

From freshome: "An outdated residence in Limpopo,South Africa, became a sleek semi-transparent modern residence the owners can be proud of. The Aboo Makhado Residence (or House Aboobaker) was designed by Nico van der Meulen Architects. Their task was to reconstructing an old residence while taking into account the excessive heat and need for natural light. Welcoming the inhabitants and guests with a special water feature on the facade, this South African home benefits from a 1132  square meters plot. The renovation increased the living surface from 343 square meters to 494 sqm.



The vaulted roof with heavy masonry was replaced with steel and glass and the spaces were opened to the outside, where a wrap-around set of water features – including a swimming pool- were given the chance to offer relaxation. Here are a few words from the architects: “Extensive use was made of steel in varied forms, and large expanse of opening glass and double volume areas, to allow as much natural light in as possible, with sun control to allow sun into the house only in winter as well as a lightweight, well insulated structure that cools down fast in the evening, thereby enhancing the feeling of space while creating natural cooling through the use of water features and the pool.” "
 

For more photos check out: http://freshome.com/2012/02/16/completely-transformed-south-african-residence/