Text from Kate Otten Architects:
Gabriel’s Garden Pavilion, Johannesburg, South Africa (Home Office Pavilions in Historic Garden of a National Monument)
The site for this home office is the lowest garden platform of the Historic Terraced Garden of a 1930’s house – now a National Monument – on the Westcliff ridge in, Johannesburg.
The building is conceptualized as a landscape; as part of the language of the garden. Garden and building interchange, reflecting and framing each other.
The pavilion is made of two rectilinear forms that nestle against, but do not touch, two powerful ramped stone retaining walls. These existing garden walls became the edges of the building – thus starts the blurring of boundaries between inside and out; between garden and building.
The new building, while quite large, does not impact on the existing historic house or its setting. It is carefully sited and the height specifically designed such that, even from the lowest terrace, the full view of the existing historic house and the garden terraces is maintained.
The two pavilion buildings are heavy ‘boxes’ with 3 sides of masonry and one of floor to ceiling glass that opens to the garden. The fifth facades, the roofs, are shallow ponds that reflect the trees and sky and are visible from upper terraces. Excess rainwater from these ponds is collected in tanks and used to water the garden.
The gap between the ‘boxes’ and the Existing Stone Retaining Walls is taken up by a light timber pergola-type structure on the one side and a narrow sloping glass roof on the other. The trapezoidal shape between the two ‘boxes’ is again timber moving into the garden to become a pergola – the irregular rhythm of the structure imitates an avenue of trees.
The building is naturally cooled in summer, with large overhangs protecting the glazed facades and large opening sections allow for ventilation. The large windows also reduce the need for artificial lighting. In winter the sun penetrates deeper into the spaces. Additional heating comes from gas heaters.
During the day, the glass façade reflects the garden; at night or when open, it allows an un-hindered view through the building revealing the old stone walls beyond. From inside, the glass allows the garden to be the boundary of the space.
