This site for this home had no specific constraints being located on an open farm in Aloe Ridge. The brief was a rustic yet contemporary farmhouse. Orientation is always key to any new design and since there was no specific site limitations, the first response was to do a linear barn allowing all rooms northern light and openness to the vast garden.
With security being a concern to the client, we decided to create a courtyard instead, with the bedrooms to the south and living space to the north, both still having ample northern light.
The benefit of the bedrooms being on the inside of the courtyard is they can be completely open to the private garden at any time of day allowing complete inside outside integration central to South African lifestyle. The northern and southern glass walls of the double volume living space to the north of the courtyard completely fold away transforming the living space into an open pavilion further exemplifying this outdoor lifestyle.