A Casa Ecológica Iluminada | Nico Van der Meulen Arquitetos
Discover this stunning house designed by Rudolph and Van Der Meulen Theo Bothma. Located in Inanda (South Africa), this eco house has a view of the skyline of Sandton (the richest area of Africa).
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As you approach the house at first glance it is a porte cochere swaying with screens suspended steel pipes with double sliding garage doors and lined in dark limestone stone to blend in with the wall.
The steel sculpture by Regardt van der Meulen rotates on a platform next to the door of the special glass entrance for privacy
Upon entering the transparency of the house becomes apparent with the view to the multilevel entrance hall, living room, spa, pool and its water features and the garden ahead as well as the large volume of the TV room, dining room , balcony and kitchen. From kitchen to living room and breakfast opens entirely through the use of unhindered hinged doors to the balcony and garden.
Although the spa, pool and waterfall are three separate bodies of water, the effect created was that it is an interconnected system that flows to one another. Sliding glass panels hide the bar and kitchen when not in use, creating a more intimate setting while a walkway with lighted skylight between the master suite and the guest bedrooms allows for views of living spaces and the garden through the brise in the North side. On the catwalk, the intimate and study lounge and kitchen are hidden behind sliding wood panels. The intimate and study lounge leads onto a large private balcony.
The LED illuminates the polished concrete and wooden staircase swinging out of the wall with vertical steel bars acting as handrail and bracket at the same time. A handrail with recessed lighting forms a graphic line on the wall, while a concealed horizontal sliding door allows the owner to separate the top floor from the ground floor for safety.
The porch and brise of the north side anchors 18 by 6 feet of columns, partially over the pool. The balcony consists of a living area, dining area and barbeque bar, perfectly connected to living and kitchen spaces, while the brise consists of suspended steel pipes, to create privacy and sun protection. The breakfast room is situated in the northeast corner of the kitchen to enjoy the morning and winter sun.
The master suite was also positioned in the northeast corner of the first floor, divided by smoked glass sliding screens. The bathroom with spa bath gets the sun in the morning and winter while the room is exposed to the winter sun. The extensive male and female changing rooms are located behind the bedroom and bathroom.
On the opposite side of the house there are two guest suites, both facing north with private bathrooms and spacious closets.
A geothermal system is used to heat and cool the house, and also to heat the pool and spa. Nine wells were dug to a depth of 100 meters for this purpose and a special room created in the basement to house the equipment. Photovoltaic panels on the roof have a 10KVA output, while rainwater is captured and the whole house is double-glazed except for frameless hinged doors.
There is also in the basement a home theater with an adjoining skylight that allows the winter sun to penetrate this space even through the atrium sliding doors created in the part The kitchen and built-in cabinets were custom made by Dada and Porro respectively and imported from Italy by M Square LifestyleNecessities, while interior design project was done by M Square Lifestyle Design.
All furniture was also provided by M Square LifestyleNecessities.
Available at: www.nicovdmeulen.com/portfolio/one-forrest-road . Accessed on: 08/14/2017
Location: Inanda, South Africa
