LODGES & COMMERCIAL

Drawn by the images of our work on Namibian Tranquillity this Cederberg based family approached us to design the Cederberg Ridge Wilderness Lodge. Situated on a 3,000ha farm in the Western Cape, Cederberg Ridge offers guests the ultimate escape. Owners Anton and Kate Bergh contacted Jenny Mills Architects with the dream of creating a “luxurious wilderness lodge” on their farm near Clanwilliam. Working in collaboration with interior decorator Nina Erasmus, Jenny designed nine spacious suites for the new lodge.

The seemingly traditional African farmhouse reveals itself to be a serene space on the inside. Exterior stone walls contrast with the bright interior spaces that include a restaurant, sitting room, bar, library and spa. Spacious, light-filled rooms look out onto the uncharted terrain of the Tankwa Karoo.

As with all our projects - the landscape is the hero, be it a beach house or a wilderness retreat. A balance of contemporary calm and earthy textures defines this project. Landscaper Danie Steenkamp of DDS Projects established the planted relationship between the buildings and the veld. The “agterplaas” or surrounding vegetation is reminiscent of the simple African farm. Site stone and laterite pathways surrounded by saltbush, spekboom hedges and olive trees allow the lodge to settle easily into the wider Cape Floral Region, a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Kate, who has been in the tourism industry for more than 20 years, says of the space, “Here you get raw, rugged beauty in bucket loads. Plus a sense of utter peace and tranquility.”

Client website credit: Cederberg Ridge

 

Set in central Greenpoint Casa Outlaws was a renovation to the former model agency of the same name - Outlaws. Extensive outdoor living and pool were added. Internally bathrooms and a general upgrade done to convert to a small villa rental able to sleep 10. The Interior decor was done by Beth Murray, founder of Origins Interiors.

 

Photography: Linley Meavers

 

 

This home is set in the magical and unspoilt Auas Berg south of the Namibian capital, Windhoek. Designed for the founder of the Tranquility Eco Estate – a busy figure in local and international mining - it was built to be a welcoming home for an extensive network of family and friends. At its heart is a uniquely Namibian tranquility which fluently speaks the language of the site and the country.

The estate comprises properties of 12 hectares or larger with strict guidelines governing building colour, aesthetics and the preservation of the natural landscape. Natural bush comes right up to the houses. Private courtyards or small, contained werf-style gardens are permitted.

Natural rock from the site was used on the stone walls, and the external terraces are also natural rock or decking. The landscape is truly inspiring and constantly changes as the sky creates endless plays of light and colour. The house opens up and steps outwards in wide gestures to allow the landscape to travel through the interior spaces. Walls create a feeling of shelter, balancing the open feeling.

Time was spent carefully walking over the original, pristine site. An existing tree became host to the entry courtyard and this space is a key visual point throughout the house. A close friend had the “king door” made in Kenya with the word shalom carved in it. This not only means peace but also completeness, wholeness, well-being, and welfare.

Sustainable timber, works of friends who are artists, and aerial photographs of Namibia and Etosha – (the client is also a pilot) - all make for a well-grounded feel. This project is a work of the heart.

New Photo’s – To credit Jenny Mills & Chris Rumbell

 

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