This guest post is by Giuroiu Anton of Homesthetics.
Located near the city of Pretoria in South Africa, this modern mansion is exquisite and exciting in every way, offering a great deal of luxurious interior space and a very stylish backyard landscaping design.
The project was a delight to both architects and owner. His demands were very simple and to the point: an extraordinary, one of a kind design and an indoor swimming pool. No designer could be happier; basically, they were given a 10,000 m² site on which they were able to build the most beautiful structure they could come up with. At first this task sounds very easy but, actually, it’s a bit more complicated than that. When a designer is given a clear task, he only has to make an object that would fulfill all those needs. But when there is almost no starting point for an architectural project, the options are almost infinite and there are countless ways to do it. It’s just pure creation. Almost no other factors involved other than basic creativity. In this case, the architect’s delivered what the customer demanded and created a modern mansion in which any of us would love to live. It has it all.
At first sight, the building appears very imposing and striking, especially because of its great dimensions, and doesn’t give away the impression that it is in fact a home. Or, at least, not a regular one. However, it doesn’t affect the perception of the backyard because there are no vertical accents. The roof is flat and follows the same height, except for the oblique volume which contributes to its dynamic characteristics. In it the designers placed the living room, dining area and the lounge, offering the best view possible towards the backyard through large windows. The interior space benefits also in terms of lighting, just as the day area should be like. In fact, every element contributes to the enhancing of the interior space’s attributes, making it feel welcoming and aerated. Apart from bedrooms, kitchens and sanitary groups, this modern mansion includes a home theater, an open patio, atrium, kid’s living room and several balconies that connect it to the beautiful landscapes.
Despite all of its luxurious and outstanding features, speaking strictly from an architect’s point of view, this dream house is not as interesting in terms of design. It doesn’t feel very unitary; there are too many elements that don’t look as part of the same design. It looks as if a few very different parts, of different structures, were put together. And the result is, naturally, not very satisfying. It’s too “Jack of all trades”. But, in the end, it’s still striking.
