House Steffens

House Steffens is located on a nature estate east of Windhoek, Namibia, where games such as springbok, kudu, eland and warthog roam freely between residences. Key design requirements included a small building footprint and taking full advantage of the surrounding panoramic views. Set within the sloping natural landscape, the house is geometrically composed of concrete containers placed at 90 degrees to each other. A V-shaped steel column supports the 8m cantilever of the ground-floor box, while the first-floor box is carried on three points to ensure an uninterrupted vista from the ground-floor patio and a spectacular framed view of the majestic Auas Mountains from the cantilevered first-floor master bedroom. Open plan in- and outdoor living areas connect seamlessly by means of large sliding doors. The pool deck features an automated sliding cover which, when open, serves as a sun-lounging deck. Architecturally speaking, a brutalist design approach showcases bare materials and structural elements over decoration, aspiring to create a simple, honest and functional building with a limited palette of robust finishes and overall visual coherence.