Protea Lane Residence is located east of Pretoria’s city centre and borders a protected green belt. It is designed on one of the last open stands in the area, amongst mature trees and houses mostly dating from the 1960’s.

The house is primarily north-facing and elongated on the east-west axis, with views onto the conservancy.

Rounded exposed, concrete elements feature throughout the design as nodes, which are filled in-between with steel and glass.

A two and a half storey, curved, off-shutter, concrete wall leads to the entrance, while another curved concrete wall encircles a dramatic cantilever at the entrance. Steel louvres add depth, shade and create privacy from the neighbours on the south side of the house.

Entering the house through the double volume entrance hall, the view stretches across a water feature and the pool, which is flanked by majestic trees.

With 874 sq.m. under roof, the floor plan deviates from the normal floor plans, in that the main suite is situated on the ground floor and the family room is separate from the open plan kitchen and double volume dining room.  This area, which is adjacent to the pool, flows onto the covered lanai.

Also on the ground floor is an artist’s studio, a music room, a workshop, 6 hidden garages and a staff cottage.

On the first floor is a pajama lounge and two suites, all facing north towards the views and trees.

By leaving all major structural elements and materials exposed and in their natural state, honesty of materiality and structure were kept as the base rule throughout the project.