The concept of an architectural folly is usually a highly ornate structure that has no clear purpose, other than to simply be. It is to be viewed, the very word defined as foolishness or madness.
Turning this concept on its head, Mark Bellingan, creative director of Durban-based design practice, Common Architecture, created a folly in a KwaZulu-Natal garden that is not only unseen, but that has function beyond the programme.
Place vs space
It is Bellingan’s belief to practise restraint in design. By not expressing every detail, the structure finds its own place. The Folly, nestled in its hilly perch, exemplifies this belief. In doing so, it creates something that wasn’t part of the brief, yet it fulfils the dreams of the homeowners in a fundamental way.
Walls & Roofs explores this whimsical design, which exemplifies the creation of place above that of space.
Beyond building
Sitting on a deckchair on a hillside at the back of a friend’s garden in the Dunkirk Estate in Salt Rock, Bellingan and his hosts enjoyed the views that extended from this spot. From the day’s discussions, the dream of a secret place was born – one that would include an artist’s studio, a wine cellar, a space for entertaining and for the last partygoer to sleep over.
Given the beautiful experience of that location with no more than a deckchair, Bellingan was determined that the design had to deliver more than just a building. “We are fighting placelessness. Our goal at Common Architecture is a design of tactile commitment to place versus a creation of space,” he explains.
Five keys
Bellingan and his team focus on five elements within their design philosophy:
- Respect for place.
- Calmness and complexity.
- Designing for flourishing, with a focus on people.
- Unbound by convention.
- Care for craft that embraces the craft of creating a building.
The site
The angle of the existing slope informed the choice of how to craft something that didn’t change the fundamental beauty of the site. Keeping this angle, a concrete bunker was dug into the slope, hiding it yet respecting the view.
“A huge amount of man hours went into the construction, as every inch was dug out by hand,” says Bellingan. All materials for the build were also carted up the hill by the builder and his team.
Functionality and materiality
The concrete house below informed the choice of materiality. Using concrete in different finishes, yet still the same material as the house, creates a link between the two.
The bunker opens onto the view, with unobstructed access. An open courtyard area fronts the main room, which features a timber clad bench along the length of the room. This bench provides seating, and through a series of drawers and hidden compartments, transforms into a sleeping platform for those guests who need it when the party ends.
A concrete wall is both a backrest and a divider between the kitchen and the rest of the space. It also defines the public area, while hiding the entrance to the more private studio and wine cellar behind.
Scalloped edged light shafts
The standout feature within the Folly are the concrete tubes, which bring northern light into the recesses of the south-facing structure. The scalloped edges create shifting patterns on the walls and floor, changing with the passage of the sun through the day.
These distinctive tubes were creating with gum poles and concrete shuttering. The original concept included burning out the gum poles, leaving a burnt patina on the concrete scallops. Following an adventurous attempt by the homeowner to do this himself, the idea was however abandoned. The tubes nevertheless bear the marks of making, giving an authentic and rustic feel.
The tubes within the social areas of the Folly are angled, maximising the changing light and angled patterns. In the pottery studio, the bases of the tubes are level to ensure a broader diffusion of light better suited to the needs of the ceramicist homeowner. She has taken inspiration from these, including scallops and ridges, in her latest designs.
Above ground
The tops of the tubes are topped with frameless glass at 100mm for ventilation. The glass keeps the rain out of the building below, without interfering with the passage of light. Grasses and plants aid in hiding the structure, keeping the Folly as a delightful surprise for guests.
Whilst not part of the brief, the courtyard hidden by the planting either side of the Folly, and up the hill, has resulted in a secret garden. This unlooked-for element is a happy addition for the homeowners. It is a very personal place in which to while away the time, in peace.
In crafting the Folly, only the essentials were kept, in an abject exploration of architectural restraint.
For more information, contact Common Architecture:
Tel: +27 31 880-2008
Email: studio@commonarchitecture.com
Website: https://www.commonarchitecture.com/
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