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Nico Van Der Meulen Architects have designed the Glass House in Johannesburg, South Africa. This unique house looks like the hotel, but it is not. The house is situated on a 4000 sq.m site, with a total floor area of 2500sq.m. The owner requested a modern, glamorous, open plan, light-filled house with views from all rooms into the garden.

The shape on the south side is a half circle, forming a horseshoe on the north side. Approaching the house form the gate the driveway is elevated to allow glimpses thru’ the house to the garden and raised water feature on the other side of the house.

The porte cochere is a suspended glass and stainless steel structure, with view into the house and a stainless steel and glass staircase, suspended over a heated pond, (which in summer acts as a temperature stabilizer, and in winter as a giant heater) with a circular, raised glass water feature in the background, framed by a beam two storeys high.

To the right is a small sunken formal lounge, and to the left a timber-clad lift tower. The dining room is raised a couple of steps above the family room. The window to the dining room is a 6m high curved glass enclosure, where each sheet of glass leans over further than the previous sheet, with glass fins holding it in position.

The frameless glass folding doors starts at the dining room, and stretches for nearly 70m around the dining room, family room, lanai, indoor pool and gym.

The family room is partially double volume, flowing seamlessly into the lanai and heated indoor pool, with a bar, pizza oven, gas and wood braai.

VIA