Erf size: 2110 m²
| Hectares |
0.211 |
|
| Acres |
0.521 |
BEAUTY AND TECHNICAL ART COMBINED
50 years ago the Dutch wood merchant, Kees Bruynzeel, wanted to show what you can do with wood. He commissioned a brilliant young architect, Aart Bijl, to design his home.
Aart Bijl was a student of the well known architect Pius Pahl and both were influenced by the Bauhaus tradition. But where the typical Bauhaus building has a flat roof, Aart Bijl used a technical wonder: a roof in the shape of a hyperbolic paraboloid (saddle shape).The roof, constructed with teak rafters, was raised first fixed on just two pillars. The community of Stellenbosch was fascinated and watched the building activity closely; especially when shortly after the roof stood a raging storm was devastating the area for days. But the roof stood firm. Then the rest of the house was built with flat face-brick, specially made for this house, teak panels and enormous glass windows set in teak frames. The walls were fitted into the roof in a way that left free movement for the roof. When this super modern building was completed it met with a similar reaction Paris greeted the building of the Eiffel tower in 1889: outrage in the conservative population, sheer delight from architects and engineers. Today, Stellenbosch is proud of the famous Bruynzeel House and architects from many countries have come to admire it. The materials used for the construction of this building are of unsurpassed quality: Teak, yellow wood, copper, glass and a slim face brick that was commissioned and specially made for this house. The quality of workmanship is equally stunning. The face brick walls were built with a slight slope of 3 degrees, which is a costly procedure but so much more elegant. The bedrooms have molded plaster ceilings. 30 years ago, a German family bought the house, utterly overwhelmed with the beauty of the building and its setting on the north facing slope of Stellenbosch berg.
LifeStyle
Dual Living, Eco Estate, Winelands
Property Style
Architect-designed, Balinese
Security
Security Gate, Intercom, 24 Hour Access, Perimeter Wall
Temperature Control
Air Conditioning Unit, Cooling Fans, Fireplace
Special Features
TV Antenna, Satelite Dish, Driveway, Paveway, Open Plan