WATERBERG ESTATE HOUSING
CONCEPTS AND STUDIES
The Client asked for a number of prototype houses earmarked for a residential development in the Waterberg, where numerous houses were to be inserted on defined, virgin sites within a larger conservation area.
The four design concepts submitted by Gabriela Seco Architects all placed the environmental context in the foreground, making the mitigation of developmental impact on the local ecology a design imperative.
The four design concepts submitted by Gabriela Seco Architects all placed the environmental context in the foreground, making the mitigation of developmental impact on the local ecology a design imperative.
Houses were conceived of as structures that “touch the earth lightly”, and that could, after expiry of their lifespan, be removed and allow for full environmental rehabilitation. Environmental sustainability also informed the planning and articulation of the architecture, with buildings tailored optimally for passive thermal control, and minimum reliance on natural water and energy resources.
