Georg van Gass, principal architect at Gass Architecture Studios, designed Hillside, a home located on the hills of Helderberg Mountains in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa. The house is nestled between rolling vineyards, with a koppie (a small granite hill) on one side and a river below.
Travel up a steep driveway through the vineyards to reach the home, what appears to be a modern, stone version of a traditional home with farmhouse features.
When you’re closer to the house, you realize there’s nothing traditional about it. Massive, floor-to-ceiling doors that measure 14.5 meters long slide away to completely open the living room/dining room/kitchen up to the patio deck and pool.
The interior space doubles when the doors are open making the living room feel like an indoor patio.
Stacked granite that was harvested from the site covers a good portion of the exterior walls.
An interior courtyard provides a private green space for the family of five.
A giant picture window lets you see right through the home to the other side.
The decked walkway connects the family’s upstairs bedroom wing with the studio/office space.
The dining room faces the deck and vineyard so you can enjoy wine at dinner while you look out to where said wine comes from.
Appliances are hidden within the scullery keeping the room nice and clean looking.
Across the large room is the living room with a cool window that’s cut out from the corner so you can watch the views while enjoying TV.
Wooden shutters slide open and closed in the master suite to help protect from direct sunlight.
Photos by Kate Del Fante Scott.