This holiday home in South Africa celebrates spectacular clifftop views

When you arrive at this low-slung, ground-hugging white holiday home just inland from Plettenberg Bay, its greatest asset remains invisible. In fact, the spectacular clifftop views the home commands from its rocky promontory have been deliberately obscured. As you cross the raised meadow of waving grasses from your point of arrival, the house forms a screen of sorts. It’s all part of what its architect, Christiaan van Aswegen, calls “an unfolding sequence of spaces” or “architectural tantra” – a carefully choreographed progression as you arrive.

The house belongs to South African-born British investor Julian Treger. “The landscape falls 1,000 feet, and you have caves and birds below you,” says Julian. “Sometimes you wake up and the cloud level is below the house.” There isn’t another building as far as the eye can see, and indigenous fynbos vegetation covers the meadows and ravines as they fade from view, transforming into layer upon layer of the receding Tsitsikamma mountains.

The kitchen's pared-back design echoes that of the house and places importance on the views outside; the artwork is by Cecil Skotnes.

The design of the main bedroom suite embodies elegant restraint; it includes further variations on Pierre Jeanneret’s Chandigarh furniture and a painting by Erik Laubscher. Another painting by Erik Laubscher hangs above the American Lane Altavista sideboard.

A covered outdoor area makes for a relaxing al fresco lounge.

The marine-grade stainless steel flat-bar cube complements the clean lines. The fusion between inside and out is seen in spaces such as the outdoor bath.

The deck extends to the edge of a cliff that drops away dramatically. Modern pieces such as the iconic Chandigarh chair is juxtaposed with rustic elements like cowhide.

In the dining room, a Tom Dixon Pylon table is surrounded by Diamond chairs by Harry Bertoia – both designs use welded steel in interesting ways. With white walls and slate flooring throughout, the home works as a gallery for Julian Treger’s furniture and art collection.

Photography: Greg Cox | Bureaux.co.za
Production: Sven Alberding | Bureaux.co.za