Timber iQ Dec 2017 - Jan 2018 // Issue:35 | Page 22

PROJECTS
Luxury cabin accommodation in the Helderberg Mountains of Stellenbosch.
A hidden gem on the
slopes of Helderberg
A wine farm located on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountains near
Stellenbosch, Cape Town, has a gentle approach to its craft, leaving
much up to the dance between soil and climate to dictate the outcome
of its highly acclaimed wine and olive produce.
By Werner Slabbert, director at Rustic Homes | All images courtesy Rustic Homes
A
gainst the backdrop of this pastoral setting it makes
sense that Hidden Valley Wine Farm’s brief for luxury
cabin accommodation called for timber frame
construction, not only for natural aesthetic appeal, but to
allow for environmental considerations as well.
Nestled in a valley rich in indigenous flora and fauna,
Hidden Valley Wine Farm’s architecture pays careful
homage to its surroundings. With the same approach to
commissioning the guest accommodation on the farm –
20 DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 //
Rustic Homes – leaders in timber frame construction, were
briefed to build two luxury wooden cabins, including a deck
and pool area seamlessly connecting the two, above the
farm’s olive groves.
CARVING THE FARM OUT
The site chosen for construction of the main lodge and two-
bedroomed cottage was along an overgrown and unused
farm road, which was the only level piece of available land