ARCHITECTURE
Create a greener future

• Innovative approach to a timeless earth lodge design.
• Compliant with the leading international green building rating tools.
• Passive solar and low visual-impact design.
• Low, flat roofs with large overhangs and living green rooftops planted with endemic wild grass.
• A contemporary application of a variety of natural building materials, most importantly rammed earth, compressed soil bricks, natural rock, FSC-certified and/or reused timber.
• "Views without being viewed" - large window surfaces to be double glazed, UV-treated and/or sufficiently protected by roof overhangs or suitable alternatives.
• "Touch lightly" - Suspended wooden floors and/or elevated concrete floors are being preferred in stead of filled foundations.
• Building materials and the delivery thereof will be audited, while construction activities will be strictly controlled.
• View the 360° Gate House
• View the 360° Show House image #1
• Follow the Show House Design Evolution image #2 image #3 image #4 image #5 image #5b image #6 image #6b
• View the Show House Green Building Credentials
• View the Show House (Winter) Solar Modelling. 

• View illustrative examples image #2 image #2 image #2 image #2 image #2 image #2 image #2 image #2of how the earth lodge design and some of the core elements that form part of our concept like natural building materials and flat green roofs have been used in other green buildings.
• Green house design that is compliant with the leading international green building rating systems (as listed on our page Concept).
• Passive solar design to keep the houses warm in winter and cool in summer. Orientation, shading, windows, circulation and creating adequate thermal mass therefore become critical design elements. View the Show House (Winter) Solar Modelling. 
• Separate standing structures are allowed and encouraged on sensitive building areas, but should be limited to 3 separate standing structures (excluding garage) with only 1 kitchen (in line with the local planning policy).
• Only single storey buildings with a low, slick design. Different levels and separate roofs with varied heights will be permitted.
• Horizontal lines to blend in with the terraces and the natural rock formations, therefore flat roof sections on various levels. Low-angled or low-curved roof sections will be allowed on certain parts of the building.
• Internationally designed and patented Safeguard green roof technology is being used, with the final roof covering consisting of endemic (wild) grass. In doing so the actual building footprint simply gets elevated while its original carbon absorbing qualities are retained.
• The concept provides for appropriately-designed roof overhangs in order to create deep shadows that will mitigate high summer temperatures inside the house (that occur as a result of either the direct sun radiation through windows or the latent thermal conductivity of the earth walls) and that will prevent sun reflections and excess night lights on- and from the windows, without spoiling the views.
• Walls may comprise of various natural materials. Preference will be given to rammed earth and/or soil bricks (for example Hydraform), but sand bags, exposed stone filled gabions, dry-packed (natural) rock cladding and dry walling (inside) will all be acceptable. Double cavity outside walls with natural/recycled insulation will improve thermal and sound insulation considerably.
• Although the intention will be to restrict the use of cement, it is practically impossible to do away with completely. Only Lafarge Buildcrete cement with a 40% fly-ash content (resulting in a significant carbon saving) will be used though.
• Large glass surfaces (windows or sliding doors) are acceptable, but these should always be protected by the roof overhangs or other approved coverings (for example "lattice"). Any large window surfaces should preferably be UV treated with dark (not reflective) film. It is highly recommendable to have double glazed windows for superior sound insulation, improved security as well as being one of the best ways to control the climate inside the building (resulting in considerable energy savings).
• A lot of research has been done to ensure the best thermal insulation solution for the roofs, walls, windows and floors and to achieve the prescribed R-values as listed in the 360° Energy Efficient Guidelines (refer to our page Concept).
• Shutters and louvers will be encouraged. It is an ideal means to control temperature and shield night lights while at the same time, it will accentuate the horizontal lines.
• Special attention should be given to the visibility of both inside and outside lights. Inside lights shining outwards should be screened by shutters or curtains as well as the overhangs. LED lights will be preferred over compact fluorescent lights.Outside night lights will have to be downward shining (eyelid type) and should not be positioned higher than 1 meter above the ground surface.
• Elevated/suspended floors instead of traditional foundations with fill-up in order to limit the impact on the natural ground level, its micro habitats and water flow, especially on sensitive sites and rocky slopes.
• All wood and timber to be used in the construction of the houses must either be re-used, or sourced from pre-approved sustainable forest (FSC-certified) industries, or from Work-for-Water alien tree specie removal projects. Treatment should be done with either boric acid or suitable prescribed wood treatment (instead of toxic chemicals) to ensure protection against fungus and to be borer resistant. Wood finishes should comprise of a mix of natural oils.
• Decks to be constructed from similar reused/alien/FSC timber or Eva-Last, a prefabricated composite material consisting of reclaimed wood fibre and recycled commercial polymers and industrial grade additives.
• Paints should have low to zero VOC's and be free of lead as well as solvents.
• All building materials and the delivery thereof need to be audited and should adhere to the Green Building Guidelines and Assessment System: Materials and Resources that ecocentric derived from multiple international green building tools (refer to our page Concept).
• Construction activities on the estate are strictly controlled in terms of the Sustainable Construction Guidelines. View summary thereof.

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