heart in Cape Town’s city centre

ArtistGreggPrice’sloveaffairwithNieu-Bethesdabegan almostthreedecadesago,longbeforeheboughtthetwo adjacentplotswherehisweekendhomeandgallerystand today.InspiredbyHelenMartins’OwlHouseandplaywrightAthol Fugard,whodidmuchofhiswritinghere,GreggmadeNieu-Bethesda hisregularstopoveronroadtripsbetweenJo’burgandthecoast.

Itwasononeoftheseovernightstays,whilewalkingdownMartin Streetandgazingatthestars,thatherealisedhisattractiontothetiny villagewithitsdustydirtroadshadgrownintosomethingbigger: “Naturehas amysticaleffectherethatspeakstomysoul. Ifelta connection;thisfeltlikehome,thiswasmyenvironment.”

OnecanonlyimagineGregg’sdelightwhen acornerplotonMartin Streetcameupforsalein2014,andhisofferwasaccepted.Therewas justoneproblem:“The‘ForSale’signwasonerf222, acornerplot, butwhenthetitledeedarrived,itturnedoutthat Ihadboughtthe adjacenterf221. Iwasshocked; Iwantedthecornerplotsomygallery wouldhave aseparateentrance.”

Gregg’sarchitectDrTheresaHardmandid abit ofsleuthingand establishedthatthecornerplotheoriginallyhadhiseyeonwaspartof adeceasedestateandwasalsoforsale.Ratherthanengaginginlegal battles,Greggdecideditwasworthwaitingfortheestatetobe finalised,whichdelayedhisplanstobuild aholidayhomebyabouttwo years.BythetimetransferwentthroughinOctober2016,hehadmet NicolaDeChaud, atelevisionproducer,andthecouplegotmarriedin October2017.>>

ArchitectDrTheresaHardmanpaidrespecttothesimple Karoolandscapewhenshedesignedthishome.Thegardenis waterwiseandthelawnisirrigatedwithboreholewaterfrom thepool;thedesignofthepoolwasinspiredby afarmdam. TheentrancetoGregg’sartgalleryisontheright.

reader home

The bedroom is north-facing and overlooks the garden. The artwork above the bed is by Walter Battiss.

Bedside table from Karoo Living; oversized cushions from Elsona; Flowers by Jacques Müller Design

A sculpture by Gregg titled There Is No Sun Without Shadow (2017) is one of a few that have found a permanent home around the labyrinth Gregg had commissioned (see page 33).

With the climate in mind

Despite Nieu-Bethesda’s chilly winters and sizzling summers, Gregg and Nicola find their home comfortable year-round; in part, this is thanks to good roof insulation consisting of Aerolite Think Pink 50mm fibre insulation as well as a layer of Sisalation.

And the house ticks all the boxes when it comes to good architecture: it features cross ventilation; a veranda along the northern façade that provides shade in summer; another veranda on the western façade that blocks the afternoon sun; a double-volume ceiling; and windows in the loft where hot air can escape.

Says architect Theresa: “In the Karoo, you must be able to close off the building so the interior remains cool during the hot summers and warm during the icy winters. Larger Karoo houses can be compartmentalised internally for this very reason. And, of course, an indoor fireplace is essential.

“Verandas are basically outdoor rooms; they’re perfect for catching the breeze in summer, while being protected from harsh sunlight, and for catching the sun’s rays on an icy winter’s morning. Here, the roof pitches and overhangs have been carefully calculated according to the angle of the sun to ensure sunlight during winter and deep shade in summer. “Karoo buildings cater for a lifestyle that’s particular to the Karoo. Nothing more, nothing less.” >>

Gallery Lounge Bedroom

Kitchen Bathroom

On hot summer days, Gregg and Nicola enjoy a “golden 10 minutes” when the sunset paints the mountains a burnt pink. The Heart Of Mine inset in the porthole window is Gregg’s handiwork.

Cocktail table and chairs from Garden Bleu [ R E S P E C T F OR CO N T E X T] Simple, unpretentious structures are appropriate in the Karoo; there’s no need for complexity, says Dr Theresa Hardman, an accredited professional heritage practitioner and the architect who designed Gregg and Nicola’s home. She completed a two-year research master’s degree in architecture on the history and characteristics of Karoo vernacular buildings.

“The landscape should dominate and buildings should be sensitively scaled in relation to the occupants,” she explains. “In the case of Gregg’s house, the Karoo typology is evident in its simple rectangular form, the pitched roof, lean-to verandas, relatively small windows in relation to wall space, and thick walls.”

This also explains why Gregg’s house has a freestanding garage. “By positioning the two buildings at 90 degrees to each other, a private courtyard is formed. If we had just added the garage onto the house, the overall proportions of the building would have been clumsy and inappropriate in the context of the village,” says Theresa.

“Respect for the overall scale and density of the buildings in the village is a necessity for sensitive design. Good architecture always takes context into account, no matter where.”

STOCKISTS AND CONTACTS

Cuer Projects farmerdux@gmail.com Elsona elsona.co.za Fireplace Warehouse fireplacewarehouse.co.za Garden Bleu gardenbleu.co.za Gregg Price Art greggpriceart.com Hadeda hadeda-tiles.com Jacques Müller Design jox.dsgn@gmail.com, facebook/JacquesMullerDesign Karoo Living 049 892 3744, facebook/Karoo Living Merge Designs 011 782 2140, mergesa.com Theresa Hardman (architect) 082 443 3840, theresa.hardman@mweb.co.za