FROM THE FARM TO THE SEA: THE CONRADIE FAMILY'S LIGHTHOUSE HOME IN L'AGULHAS
The Insider SA chats to a farming couple about the inspiration behind their dream home at the Southern Tip of Africa in Struisbaai.
The Insider SA heads to L’Agulhas, the Southernmost town in Africa. It’s here where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans officially meet. Early Portuguese seafarers named this dangerous point L’Agulhas, meaning Cape of Needles, because of its jagged and rocky coastline. Today, it’s a beautiful and historic destination for many visitors, including farming couple Colin and Dominique Conradie who decided to build their holiday home in this little town.
If Colin and Dominique could describe themselves in one word, they would proudly remark, “Plattelandsemense!”. The couple grew up, fell in love, and currently live in Robertson. Colin comes from a long line of family farmers that dates back to over a hundred years. For this family, farming is in their blood.
But, as luck would have it, both Colin and Dominique holidayed with their families in Struisbaai when they were children. Since both have a deep, nostalgic love for the town, they decided to build their own holiday home here to enjoy Struisbaai’s peace and quiet.
Colin shares, “What I enjoy about the place is that you can let your children ride around safely. They really enjoy it here, and you can keep yourself occupied the whole day!”. Dominique adds, “It’s very quiet because it’s not a thoroughfare to other towns, and it’s really safe”. Here, the Conradies enjoy catching fish, visiting local restaurants, swimming, and for mom and dad, enjoying a glass of wine while appreciating their 180° view of the sea.
Their holiday home, named The Lighthouse, took 18 months to complete from design till the end of construction. The architect who brought the home to life was Louis Delgado, a Robertson-based architect from Mount Moriah Architecture.
Louis walks The Insider SA through his creation. “The Conradies wanted a house that’s private for them, a house that’s for their family, and a getaway place just to come and relax. They wanted this house for the views as well because it’s on a nice, scenic plot on the edge of the southern tip of Africa”.
Louis delivered a home that perfectly met the needs of the Conradie family. Louis put great care in ensuring a sense of simplicity and order with the design where every element had a purpose.
The house presents a clean, minimalist style and is also symbolic of the family’s roots in farming. By creating a staggered portico look, Louis designed an exterior that gives the feel of a barn. These staggered columns also help protect the outdoor area from the South-Easterly wind, making the outdoor space an area to use in every kind of weather. And, in the indoor areas that were south-facing towards the sea, Louis made sure to warm up the spaces with plenty of lighting.
Louis goes on to explain, “This house is divided into two wings: the living area and the entertainment area. The bedrooms and the private space is on the other side, so if they have a nice party and someone wants to go to bed early, they can still retreat to their own private area”.
As one of his first clients, Louis looks back at The Lighthouse with pride. “The best part of the whole journey for me is to see Colin and Dominique happy with this house”.
True to Louis’s statement, the Conradies can’t get enough of their holiday home in Struisbaai. Colin shares, “These days we drive here almost every weekend to spend time with our kids”. Dominique adds, “We’ve definitely realised what’s most important in life”.
