When architect and designer Georg van Gass was commissioned to build a second dwelling on a sprawling family property in the upmarket Johannesburg suburb of Westcliff, he was up to the challenging task. This structure would have to nestle into the ground’s natural rocky ridge, remaining hidden from the main house, and, at the same time, exploit the incredible views across the canopy of the world’s largest man-made urban forest.
The site came with specific challenges: the local heritage association had to be consulted to give consent to build on the slopes of the elevated ridge; and municipal bylaws also meant that, as an additional dwelling, the total enclosed area of the new building could not be more than 110m2. Rather than limiting Georg’s design, these two factors informed the…
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Australian Country Homes (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue 22