Gubbins House – Bridle Road Residence Cape Town

The Bridle Road Residence is nestled at the base of the Table Mountain and just off the coast of the Atlantic ocean in the distance. Cape Town, South Africa represents one of the most ecologically diverse locales in the world, and the landscape consultants who developed this project focused on the local ecology for this home’s magnificent garden. The heart of Bridle Road’s landscape is the Fynbos, a collection of fine shrubs that are native to a small track of land encapsulating much of Cape Town. As Fynbos becomes increasingly threatened by fire and alien plants introduced by immigrants, the landscape architects for the Bridle Road project have created a safe commune for the plant around this home. The result, as you can see, is lush, beautiful and most importantly–local.

Beyond the landscape, the home itself an absolute dream. It is surrounded by naturally preserved land on three sides, providing privacy to its occupants. The public side is mostly hidden by design, while the bay-facing section of this home is open to the air and otherwise sealed by picturesque windows. The rear deck and garden features a natural swimming pool, ecologically balanced and self-cleaning using plants, sand, gravel and a waterfall built into the side of the home. Water in the natural pool circulates upward into a reflection pool in a private courtyard above, then washes over the side of the house in a waterfall that flows over the window of an indoor bathing room and sauna. The flowing waters provide a natural curtain for the privacy of the guests in the bathing room within.

Bridle Road Residence by Antonio Zaninovic, Rees Roberts and Partners, David Kelly (ASLA)
via: TheCoolist

Sunday, December 12th, 2010

Previous Entry Next Entry

Imaginatio Fabric by Cristian Zuzunaga

Spun Stools by LifeSpaceJourney

Editor's Picks

Brick Flip Clock
The classic vintage flip clock, reinvented and redesigned, made from a stainless steel case and a precision machine. Mount it on the wall or simply place it on a desk. [more...]

Design Icons

Fjordfiesta Scandia Senior
by Hans Brattrud
A Norwegian furniture design classic from 1957, Scandia Senior is a comfortable high-back easy chair with a leather head cushion, on a satin swivel base. [more...]

Resources

More Books

Case Study Houses
“It’s a huge coffee-table book, which analyses each of the houses in chronological order, with plans, sketches and glorious photographs.” [more...]
Buy it here: Amazon

The Eames Lounge Chair
The book examines the evolution of a design icon and places it in its cultural, historical and social context. [more...]
Buy it here: Amazon

The U.N. Building
Symbol of world humanitarianism, a beacon of unity after the Second World War. More than 50 years on, the 39-story building is regarded as one of the pinnacles of mid-century modernism. [more...]
Buy it here: Amazon

Loblolly House
Including a DVD of the film "A House in the Trees", a real-time documentary of the design, fabrication, and assembly of this amazing house. [more...]
Buy it here: Amazon

Desire
The Shape of Things to Come. An up-to-date comprehensive survey on furniture and object design today, showcasing the crème de la crème of designers. [more...]
Buy it here: Amazon

Marcel Wanders
Behind the Ceiling is the first monograph on one of the most influential, prolific and celebrated international designers today. [more...]
Buy it here: Amazon

How to Wrap Five Eggs
A mid-60s classic of Japanese design. Stunningly laid-out paean to traditional Japanese packaging is rife with sumptuous black and white photos of all manner of boxes, wrappers and containers that appear at once homely and sophisticated, ingeniously utilitarian yet fine and rare. [more...]
Buy it here: Amazon

Follow Daily Icon

Email Address:

Categories

Imaginatio Fabric by Cristian Zuzunaga

Spun Stools by LifeSpaceJourney