Pavilion architecture with floating stone wall

This striking glass and steel pavilion-style cottage in Westcliff, Johannesburg was designed by GASS Architecture Studios.

Architects statement: “We wanted to treat the ecosystem of the Westcliff Ridge very lightly, and didn’t want the building to impose or radically interfere with its surrounding. The goal was to allow the building to float above the ground plane, leaving as much of the ridge as possible intact. Besides the magical site with its arresting views across the city, the most impressive highlight is the floating stone wall that runs the length of the pavilion… With some creative engineering, the architects were able to suspend the floating wall off of the already lofted steel framed structure. Thus creating a floating wall on a floating building. The overall lofted effect and its resultant low impact on the surrounding ecosystem reflects the architects’ environmental goal for this project. In addition to the pleasing finished aesthetic, the low ecological impact on the site is satisfying to both the building’s owners and those responsible for the environmental protection of the Johannesburg ridges.
The resulting architectural aesthetic is elegant, simple and timeless.

[Photography by Bernard Viljoen]