丨南非丨Common Architecture

Architects:Common Architecture

Area:60m²

Year:2022

Photographs:Stephanie Veldman

Category:Cabins & Lodges,Residential Architecture

Office Lead Architects:Cyril Marsollier, Wallo Villacorta

Design Team:Miriam Zungu, Leigh Bellingan, Marc Oswell, Farai Dlamini

Construction:KR Projects

Landscaping:Land Art Studio

City:Salt Rock

Country:South Africa

Text description provided by the architects. Located in the middle of an upward-sloping garden in Salt Rock, South Africa, *The Folly* is a small, multi-purpose retreat designed for both private enjoyment and shared moments. Commissioned by a couple seeking a dedicated space for creative work, entertaining, and storing their growing wine and whiskey collection, the project reflects a desire for seclusion without detachment.

The structure is largely hidden—built into the hillside without a driveway or formal entry, and accessed on foot. From the main house, only the tops of its cast-in-situ concrete skylights are visible. Light filters into the interior from above, creating a quiet, luminous atmosphere within.

The building accommodates a ceramic studio, a cellar, and a gathering space that transforms to host dinners, music, and the occasional overnight guest. A concealed bed and integrated storage help the compact footprint serve multiple functions while preserving a sense of calm and order.

Materially, *The Folly* is restrained: off-shutter concrete forms the primary shell, paired with black brick and warm timber accents. Acoustic qualities were prioritized in the design, allowing the space to double as a music chamber. Every component—from the hand-built construction to the minimal material palette—was chosen to reflect the site's character and the client's lifestyle.

Rather than dominate its setting, *The Folly* is a modest intervention—embedded, elemental, and tuned to its surroundings. It offers a distinct contrast to the main house: a self-contained haven for creative otium, designed to be both introspective and social.

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