If you are lucky enough to have a house that overlooks the sea in any area, you are living your best life and that is rare and magical enough. However, even more rare is that dream home overlooking the sea - and may an island or two - that offers 360-degree views of water and mountains, and also borders a majestic national park. It might sound like a unicorn, but this stunning house exists and it's in South Africa. The home, by the architects at SAOTA, is truly an architectural feat to behold, from the inside out. Let's look inside.
The house was built on a mountain ridge below Cape Town's Lion's Head peak. The area offers views of Robben Island, Camps Bay, and the Twelve Apostles. The setting is steep and the southern boundary of the land actually shares a border with a National Park, which meant the team had to be sensitive not only to the needs of their clients, but also to the needs of the land and its natural beauty.
In order to deal with the steep pitch of the land, the home was created in a layered design, with guests entering through a central level of the home and private spaces being hidden below, nestled in the side of the mountain itself.
In a space this beautiful, any architect would strive to maximize the experience of outdoor spaces. A sparkling pool and expansive outdoor terrace is inviting during warmer months, while a winter lounge off the kitchen offers a relaxing space for entertaining when temperatures drop.
Even the bedrooms manage to maximize the views, making it impossible not to get a good night's sleep, safe from nature but also deeply entrenched in its splendor.
