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nelson mandela bay's family lifestyle
author:
theunis pienaar
come in! these are the du toits!
photography:
zuko, lifegate photography
issue:
9, easter 2009
With every issue of peopletalk magazine we invite you into an exceptional Nelson Mandela Bay home, allowing you to be privy to the story of this home and the people who live in it. “House Du Toit” is a modern home, nestled amongst indigenous vegetation, in Port Elizabeth's Walmer. It was designed by Adrian Beyleveld of Hix Architects and translated into reality by Wouter van der Westhuizen of Chris Howes Construction. Riël and Zonia du Toit spent a lifetime living in Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth. Three years ago a new period of their life arrived, enhanced by their move to a new home, built especially for them, overlooking the pristine Baakens Valley. “We've always lived in large traditional homes”, says Riël. “I grew up on MacLean Street in a massive old Mill Park Mansion. Zonia grew up on a Langkloof farm, in a large Langkloof farm house. Except for the short stint just after varsity, when we lived in Johannesburg, we raised our family in a very similar home. In the early 90's Adrian Beyleveld and Hix Architects planned an extensive modernization of that home. Wouter van der Westhuizen of Chris Howes Construction did the renovations, back then. A renovation is, however, always limiting and very different from starting from scratch. The style and period of an existing house in many ways dictates what you are able to achieve.” When creating your ideal home, it is always a beneficial if the architect and builder who, would eventually translate the plans into reality, know you. Since the 90's Riël, who has extensive business interests in the hospital, medical services and pharmaceutical industry, worked on various projects alongside Adrian Beyleveld. “We've worked on commercial projects, but your home is something very different.” “Our two sons had grown-up”, Zonia explains. “They had left for university and the time was right to create a new home for a new phase in our life. We often travel and were looking at creating a home that would be easy to maintain in our absence, yet welcoming and warm on our return. One of the aspects about this home's location that really attracted us was the unspoilt land with its abundance of indigenous vegetation. When you live in an old house in an established neighbourhood, everything is formal and a lot is pre-determined by previous generation's habitation and the neighbourhood's history.” “That was one of the biggest challenges of translating Adrian's architectural plans into a reality”, said Wouter van der Westhuizen about this project. “Riël and Zonia were serious about protecting the existing indigenous vegetation, later shaping it into an indigenous garden, and we had to work on a very small footprint, constructing this home without damaging the natural environment. It was also one of the first projects we worked on where the owners gave thought to how rain-water could be conserved and utilized. We involved Dave Collins, who added a lot of value, as project manager.” Due to Wouter's effective approach, House Du Toit rests within a very natural indigenous garden that almost extends into the Baakens Valley, creating the impression of an estate. Looking at House Du Toit you could not be blamed if you thought this home was constructed utilizing alternative methods. Varied and contrasting texture is an eye-catching characteristic. “It is a traditional brick and concrete construction,” explains Wouter. “The wood, steel and rock, as well as the marmoran plaster finish and stainless steel balustrades are clip-on elements employed to give this home its individuality. The floating steel roof, accompanied with strategic interior lighting, is one of the elements that contribute to this home's personality. In keeping with the magnificent views and immediate indigenous vegetation, the house successfully creates synergy with its environment, interior living spaces flowing onto extensive and well planned exterior living spaces. There are lots of large windows and sliding doors that open-up completely, so that interior and exterior living spaces become integrated areas.” Balau wood was utilized for all the decking and exterior decorative wood-elements, adding not only low maintenance outside areas, but longevity and character. “At Chris Howes Construction we've always aimed at creating a product of quality”, explains Wouter. “Builders often blame the quality of the product they create on the quality of available labour, skills and materials, but through insistent and involved management of our projects we've been successful at creating a product that exceeds even the highest expectations. We hope to leave a legacy of unmatched quality with homes, such as House Du Toit. After all, a home is a very personal building, where a family lives and makes memories.” Riël did most of the shop fitting for their new home. “It is a hobby and in doing the cabinets and cupboards we made this our home, creating new memories and investing our own sweat and energy into its existence.” One exceptional element to the Du Toit's home is the shower in the master bedroom's en suite bathroom. It has no interior shower doors, featuring exterior sliding doors, which completely opens-up the corner of the bathroom and shower, inviting the lush indigenous vegetation into the upper level bathroom, enhancing a singular living experience. The main living area comprising lounge, dining room, kitchen, pantry and scullery is designed for comfortable open plan living, affording Riël and Zonia enough space as well as privacy areas to entertain guests, without creating “reserved spaces” that would be locked-up or hidden when not entertaining. The master bedroom, situated on the same level as this main living space, fits perfectly into the lifestyle they envisioned at this phase of their life. The lower level of the home contains two studies, additional bedrooms, bathrooms and another lounge area, enabling Riël to have adequate privacy for those times when he is working from home, as well as creating the opportunity to welcome and receive their adult children, with comfortable ease, for years to come. “It was easy working with Adrian and Wouter on creating this home,” said Riël. “When your professional team understands your personality, what is designed and translated into reality, speaks of who you are.” “Good communication between architect and builder is vital,” said Adrian. “It can easily and does sometimes happen that an architect designs a home, but the builder is at a loss as to how to bring the drawings to life. You need a special kind of builder for this. Wouter is exceptionally skilled at this and his uncompromising demand for quality exceeds the expectations of the most discerning client.” “It was a big change to move from Summerstrand where we had raised our family and made friends for more than two decades,” said Zonia, “but it was a good change. We love this new home and already have new memories here. It is more 'ours' than any previous home we lived in.”
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