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It`s entitled the Bridle Road House, it has been envisioned by Antonio Zaninovic along with Rees Roberts + Partners LLC on interior design and Rees Roberts + Partners LLC on the supreme backyard landscaping design. It`s located in Cape Town, South Africa, a heaven in maters of design and architecture, located on a highly privileged site in Cape Town, at the base of the Table Mountain guarded by the mountain in the back and opening up to the sea and harbor. The privileged site is situated near a ravine where dense vegetation flows uninterrupted from the mountains down to the ocean, the perfect setup and, from our point of view, the perfect site, ready to host proper architecture.
While the position is perfect the rough landscape raised real challenges for the structure and as a result the structure tried to integrate as much as possible in the topographic setup. The courtyard had to be excavated to provide access to the home, with this ensuring total privacy from the street and nearby neighbor, protecting inhabitants from the rather strong southern winds as well. The landscape has been completed by a pond and breathtaking indigenous trees to articulate the connection between design elements, sculpting desired focal points envisioned by architects in this manner.
The public living spaces are extending towards the north on the cantilever, offering extraordinary views to the garden, swimming pool, forest, city harbor and ocean, all in the same snapshot. In the south, the kitchen and service rooms are enjoying the protection provided by the mountain side from rough natural elements developed in that area.
The home features state of the art energy and functional programming, the center of these being located in the foyer, in which different process are allowing the home to be highly efficient. An extraordinary example efficiency could be the reflective pond that is filled with borehole water, water that flows through the interiors and comes back out, this path cooling the floors during very hot summers. In the same manner breezes are allowed to travel through the very low windows, naturally ventilating the interiors when needed. In the exterior the pond pours into a super waterfall that acts as a filter for the natural swimming pool underneath and for the sauna room behind the waterfall.
The establishment also hosts solar components meant to provide additional underfloor water heating during the winter months, beside the hot water the whole year. The home also benefits from partially buried rooms who’s temperature is controlled by the earth’s quality of climatic moderator. The heat is captured or repelled by highly insulated glass,depending on the position. And to be more eco-friendly and sustainable, all the materials use are regional and all the craftsmanship and techniques are local.
The context has not been neglected either, the Fynbos a natural heathland vegetation was used through out the b awkward landscaping design, small pathways leading you through the variety of indoor and outdoor created spaces. A beautiful waterfall, a naturally created swimming pool which filters the water using plantings come together to harmonize this beautiful mansion with the surrounding landscape.
The exterior is mimicked inside, the decor containing a mixture of rich colorful carpets placed over rough concrete floors. The furniture was created based on simple clean lines accentuated by sculptural complex pieces meant to create a unitary design. The color scheme is also a simple one letting the exterior shine and offering the home a relaxed, comfortable feeling and style.
P.S: This amazing design won 2010 Honor Award from the American Society and Landscape Architects. Its sustainable character and the strong connection with the natural environment defines this project.
Architect: Antonio Zaninovic Architecture Studio
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Project Architect: Antonio Zaninovic
Interior Design: Rees Roberts + Partners LLC
Landscape Design: Rees Roberts + Partners LLC
Project Area: 4,500 sqm
Project Year: 2009
Photographs: Antonio Zaninovic, Nikolas Michael
