A villa on two floors in a unique natural setting. The architecture blends into the landscape with minimum environmental impact. The materials are respectful of the location and in harmony with the customers’ lifestyle.House Field is a private villa built in an exclusive area within easy reach from Knysna, along the Garden Route in South Africa.
Knysna is a quaint town touched by the Garden Route, perhaps South Africa’s most famous scenic route. It differs from other coastal cities in that it overlooks a lagoon rather than the ocean. Just a short distance from this attractive tourist destination, the luxury residential area Pezula Private Estate concentrates the best of an extraordinary area of breathtaking views, sandy beaches, lush nature, all favoured by a mild climate and famous for whale watching.
The ground floor is partially embedded in the ground. Natural stone walls and green roofs help reduce the impact of architectural volumes on the landscape.
An idyllic landscape setting for House Field, a private villa designed by architect Nick Olivier of Olivier Architects firm. The project designer, considered to be one of South Africa’s most talented, has provided a personal and decidedly contemporary interpretation of modern Brazilian architecture. Located in an elevated position at the top of the cliff, House Field is built to suit the landscape: the sensational view of the ocean to the south and the hills to the north is the real protagonist of the project. The building seems to disappear into the landscape, the impact of the architectural volumes is mitigated by the partial insertion of the ground floor within the building site. A designer’s choice enhanced by the outside walls in natural stone and green roofs. Arriving from the north the illusion is perfect: only the upper floor is visible, designed to be crossed by the eye.
The landscape is the protagonist inside and outside House Field. Views of the Indian Ocean and the surrounding green hills can be enjoyed from every room. Large openings, interior courtyards and skylights allow continuous contact with air and light.
The strong, wild nature of this land and its evocative colours have found a chromatic and material harmony in the Monocibec porcelain stoneware surfaces of the Dolomite collection. Inspired by a selection of natural stones and quartzites, Dolomite offers a versatile texture and neutral colour palette that proved perfect for the interior and exterior floor tiling of House Field. Dolomite Moon, White and Grey accompany the people living in the villa in all their daily activities, from the ground floor dedicated to living together to the upper floor where the bedrooms and bathrooms are located. Porcelain stoneware harmoniously blends with the natural materials chosen to define the style of the house, achieving the desired aesthetic result and combining it with the safety and hygiene requirements of such a special place.
Dolomite porcelain stoneware by Monicibec features an elegant aesthetic, drawing inspiration from natural stone, in refined neutral shades. Installed on the interior floors of the large villa overlooking the ocean, it offers the right mix of functional requirements, also linked to the presence of the swimming pools on the ground floor, and visual appeal.
The floor plan features a concatenation of internal courtyards and skylights allowing continuous contact with air and light, while water – the ocean blue before the eyes – is incorporated into the project design through two pools dedicated to relaxation and well-being.
Bathrooms are no exception to the rule of visual contact with the landscape. Dolomite porcelain stoneware contributes to the immersive effect even in those areas dedicated to maximum privacy. Mosaic walling in showers is a simple but effective decorative solution, reminiscent of walls covered with split stone.
The natural stone chosen to clad the exterior of the ground floor also enters the interior spaces, characterising the design of the kitchen, living room and billiard room, making it impossible to forget the rocky earth on which the house stands. On the upper floor, where people can relax and enjoy their privacy, the architects opted for exteriors finished with plaster in more delicate, almost feminine tones, reflected in the finishes of the large bathrooms walls, tiled with the Dolomite ceramic range.
Partner of the project and supplier of ceramic surfaces is Stiles, by Stevie Joubert, based in George.
The photographs are by Johann Lourens.
