Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa January/February 2015 | Page 65

The grassland sweeps
over the architecture,
and it in turn merges
with its surroundings by
exploiting the slope of
the land to intentionally
reduce its scale

Design
The grassland sweeps over the architecture,
and it in turn merges with its surroundings by
exploiting the slope of the land to intentionally
reduce its scale. The fragmentation of the
building components enhances its connection
with nature by juxtaposing the buildings
organic shapes with the highveld landscape.
This achieves a harmonious symbiosis
between nature and the architecture which
nestles within it.
Materials and Structure
Concrete was the perfect choice for the
project as it was the only material that allowed
for the creation of organic shapes, which
fulfilled the ‘blend into nature’ concept. An
integral part of the design was the building’s

Steyn City Clubhouse

large concrete green roof. Supported by
an engineered slab, the green roof allows
the building to blend seamlessly into
the landscape.
Not only aesthetically pleasing, the
landscaped concrete roof helps to regulate
the thermal mass as it absorbs solar energy
during the day and then shifts the load
entering through the roof at night when the
rest of the external loads are not present.
The activated concrete slab for the
clubhouse lounge also acts as thermal storage
and removes the peak cooling load of the
west facing facade. This system is also more
energy efficient than cooling/heating with an
air based system when the doors are open.
This allows the passive ventilation system
to function optimally and allow for the

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