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Cliff house
Cliff house
Johannesburg, South Africa
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Other Projects by Architecture for a change - A4AC Architects
Cliff house
Johannesburg, South Africa
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2016
SIZE
3000 sqft - 5000 sqft
BUDGET
$100K - 500K
A4AC Architects Location: Northcliff, Johannesburg, South Africa Status: Built Typology: Residential / Adaptive Reuse Construction System: Repurposed Shipping Containers & Lightweight Steel Frame (LSF)
Project Overview
Perched on the precarious ridges of Northcliff, Johannesburg, this residence challenges the traditional methods of steep-slope construction. Rather than cutting into the mountain with heavy retaining walls, A4AC Architects utilized a hybrid system of repurposed shipping containers and lightweight steel framing (LSF) to float the structure above the landscape. The result is a home that sits lightly on its site, offering panoramic views of the city's northern suburbs while preserving the indigenous vegetation below.
Site Strategy: Touching the Earth Lightly
The defining constraint of the project was the severe gradient of the site. To minimize excavation and spoil removal—often the most costly and environmentally damaging aspect of hillside architecture—the house is elevated on a series of structural steel columns. This "stilt" approach allows the natural topography and water runoff to continue uninterrupted beneath the building, effectively suspending the living spaces within the tree canopy.
Construction & Materiality
The design leverages the structural integrity of shipping containers to create dramatic cantilevers that project out into the void.
Hybrid Structure: The rigidity of the container modules is paired with the flexibility of Lightweight Steel Framing (LSF) for the infill and roof structures. This allowed for significant components to be prefabricated and craned into position, reducing construction time and site disturbance.
The "Floating" Aesthetic: The exterior is finished in bold, industrial tones—deep maroon and charcoal—which contrast with the surrounding greenery while acknowledging the building's industrial origins.
Thermal Performance: Despite the use of metal, the envelope is rigorously insulated using a multi-layer system of Isotherm and reflective foil, ensuring the home remains thermally stable in the Highveld climate.
Living Experience
The interior spatial arrangement is dictated by the views. The design culminates in an expansive roof deck, transforming the footprint of the container into a usable outdoor living room. Surrounded by the treetops, this deck provides a private sanctuary high above the urban bustle, reinforcing the sensation of living in a "treehouse of steel
Project Overview
Perched on the precarious ridges of Northcliff, Johannesburg, this residence challenges the traditional methods of steep-slope construction. Rather than cutting into the mountain with heavy retaining walls, A4AC Architects utilized a hybrid system of repurposed shipping containers and lightweight steel framing (LSF) to float the structure above the landscape. The result is a home that sits lightly on its site, offering panoramic views of the city's northern suburbs while preserving the indigenous vegetation below.
Site Strategy: Touching the Earth Lightly
The defining constraint of the project was the severe gradient of the site. To minimize excavation and spoil removal—often the most costly and environmentally damaging aspect of hillside architecture—the house is elevated on a series of structural steel columns. This "stilt" approach allows the natural topography and water runoff to continue uninterrupted beneath the building, effectively suspending the living spaces within the tree canopy.
Construction & Materiality
The design leverages the structural integrity of shipping containers to create dramatic cantilevers that project out into the void.
Hybrid Structure: The rigidity of the container modules is paired with the flexibility of Lightweight Steel Framing (LSF) for the infill and roof structures. This allowed for significant components to be prefabricated and craned into position, reducing construction time and site disturbance.
The "Floating" Aesthetic: The exterior is finished in bold, industrial tones—deep maroon and charcoal—which contrast with the surrounding greenery while acknowledging the building's industrial origins.
Thermal Performance: Despite the use of metal, the envelope is rigorously insulated using a multi-layer system of Isotherm and reflective foil, ensuring the home remains thermally stable in the Highveld climate.
Living Experience
The interior spatial arrangement is dictated by the views. The design culminates in an expansive roof deck, transforming the footprint of the container into a usable outdoor living room. Surrounded by the treetops, this deck provides a private sanctuary high above the urban bustle, reinforcing the sensation of living in a "treehouse of steel
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