- Project: Horizon Villa
- Architect: SAOTA, ARRCC
- Location: South Africa, Cape Town
- Year: 2021
- Area: 1500 m2
- Photography: Adam Letch
Perched on the dramatic slopes of Bantry Bay, Horizon Villa by SAOTA & ARRCC captures the full beauty of Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard while redefining luxury family living. This multi-level residence, designed for a young family, combines architectural precision with interior warmth, offering panoramic ocean views, a resort-like pool terrace, and thoughtfully curated living spaces.
Transforming Potential into Presence
The site initially hosted an underwhelming structure that failed to leverage its setting. The client’s brief called for a complete reinvention—a home that would embrace outdoor living, preserve privacy in a densely populated area, and maximize usable space across the steep terrain.
SAOTA responded with a vertical composition arranged over multiple levels, placing the main living spaces at the heart of the home (levels 4 and 5) and situating the bedroom suites on the sixth floor for maximum views and separation.
A Living Space Designed for Impact
“The main double-volume living level is a dynamic and sculptural composition,” says ARRCC Director Mark Rielly, “defined by intersecting volumes, floating elements, and visual connectivity.”
This level features:
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A Nero Marquina marble feature wall
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A bold red flue acting as an architectural focal point
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Seamless flow between kitchen, dining, and living zones
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A garden courtyard with water feature and sculpture
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A glass wine cellar below the study, visible through the open volume
The living space opens directly to the pool terrace, which includes both shaded and open lounging zones, a bar and braai area, and a striking gazebo perched on the edge, offering cinematic views of the ocean.
Upper-Level Sanctuary
The sixth floor houses the master bedroom and two en-suite children’s rooms, each designed to take in 180-degree sea views. These restful spaces are private yet visually linked to the dynamic lower levels via double-height volumes and curated material continuity.
A glass elevator connects all levels, while a secondary external stair provides discrete access throughout.
Materiality & Mood
The interior design by ARRCC balances sleek modernism with comfort. A neutral color palette—walnut timber, charcoal linens, and earth tones—is layered with:
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Vintage leathers
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Woven rugs
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Textured stone and mosaic cladding
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Exposed off-shutter concrete ceilings
These materials bridge the exterior and interior, reinforcing the architectural language while softening the home’s sculptural form.
Furniture throughout the villa includes 20th-century icons and custom-designed ARRCC pieces, chosen to complement the spatial volumes without overpowering them.
A Gallery Within a Home
The client’s eclectic art collection is seamlessly woven into the design, adding emotional resonance to the crisp architectural envelope. Artworks enliven the space without overwhelming it, serving as both background and focal points across various zones.
“Our brief was to create a home that’s comfortable, uncluttered, and functional—yet capable of acting as a foil to the dramatic architecture,” says Rielly.
Conclusion
Horizon Villa by SAOTA & ARRCC is more than a home—it’s an elevated lifestyle experience, sculpted into the mountainside above the sea. With its layered levels, panoramic views, and masterful interplay of form, texture, and light, the villa represents the pinnacle of contemporary South African residential design.
Drawings
