Top Billing features an incredible container home in Cape Town
African innovation has turned shipping containers to every use imaginable and one of those is in cutting edge home design. Now we’ve seen one or two of these over the years but for re-cycling, re-purposing and genius DIY – this one takes the cake.
When renowned photographer Stephan Smith was asked to do a shoot of this site for an estate agent, he was so taken with the property that he decided to build his new home here. Having sailed the Atlantic and seen pollution’s impact on the planet, he resolved that this house would be about inspiring change in how we build and live.
He has made every choice about his home with the focus of re-cycling and up-styling. Flagpoles from Hout Bay were used to support the deck and horse manure and woodchips from Noordhoek stables have established flower beds for indigenous plant life. Eighty year old Oregon pine has been reclaimed for the floors and the kitchen is a woodworker’s dream.
Complimenting the surrounds, the furniture and fittings are by Eastern Cape farmers turned designers Chris Eaton and Brad Greef.
The interiors are lined with offcuts of insulation material used in refrigeration and every space offers up-cycling opportunities.
In the bathroom rescued Beech wood flooring gets to enjoy a second life along with the mirror moulds taken from the stern of an old pirate ship on a film set. Each piece tells a tale.
In the study, Stephan’s desk is made from an old barn door, the shelving from logs and reclaimed steel. Behind the rustic finishes, all rain, bathroom and kitchen grey water runs into tanks to fill the cisterns and water the garden. Nothing is wasted.
The team challenges others not to leave it up to governments to save our environment. Re-use, find the beauty in up-cycling, jump in and make a change.
