Modern South African homes take advantage of the weather to bring forth architect’s skills on designing a home customized to the specific topography and requests of its owners. It seems that Metropole Architects spared no expense in creativity when creating the Albizia House in the Simbithi Eco-Estate in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Placed on a one acre lot, this modern house was intended to be “a home with an overriding sense of simplicity but with a high degree of sophistication.” Specified in the brief, this request was beautifully put into play by creating a stunning modern home perched on a hillside. From up the hill, the Albizia House looks down on a heavily forested site visible from all living and sleeping areas. Interiors are brightly lit by both natural and artificial lighting, creating a dynamic atmosphere throughout the day and night.
Water was introduced in the design as a means of relaxation, both physical and visual. Welcomed by a large shallow body of water at the entrance, owners walk through the glazed facade to enter a world of serenity and luxurious comfort. A 25 meter lap pool in the garden is visually connected to the basement cinema room: a glass panel mounted on the wall offers glimpses of the pool water and movements of anyone swimming outside. Natural materials like wood screens, decking and cladding, off-shutter concrete and stone cladding accentuated by glass insertions compose a collection of lines inspired by “Googie” architecture, giving the home a distinctive appeal.
