Living Testament

PHOTOS: Lien Botha | WORDS: Elna van der Merwe

A wife has built herself a beautiful house in the country so that her husband knows she’ll be taken care of when he’s no longer there.

‘All the loose ends have been tied up,’ says Zebeth van der Westhuizen of her new house in Philadelphia.

The village is 45km outside Cape Town – after leaving Durbanville behind, it feels as though you are driving through a 19th-century Dutch landscape poem: rolling green fields as far as you can see under a never-ending blue expanse. In summer the fields turn golden with corn and canola.

‘With thousands of blue flowers,’ says Pieter van der Westhuizen, using the poetic licence of a true artist. ‘Yellow, husband dearest,’ smiles Zebeth.

The house is in a new part of the village – on one of the 43 plots measured out in 2003 on former church grounds that now sell for up to R700 000 each.

Architect Raymond Smith drew his inspiration from Zebeth’s vision to keep to the 19th-century rural architectural style of the area, which includes a corrugated-iron roof, wooden window frames and a distinct absence of pretentiousness.

The massive front door, which was used in a previous incarnation at the Bellville prison, opens from the street onto the inner courtyard, which is flanked by verandahs on two sides. There is a clear view through the house to the vineyard at the back. The cool courtyard, with its rectangular pond and fountain, is reminiscent of a cloister.

‘The inspiration actually came from a Roman bath and an Italian church from the Middle Ages,’ says Zebeth. ‘After a few crises in 2001, we went to San Gimignano in Tuscany for three weeks. It was just after 9/11 and I had recently finished reading a book about the conflict in Afghanistan – events that caused a lot of pain. It brought me to the realisation of a meaningful centre.’

‘She discovered a sense of place,’ affirms Raymond.

‘It was the symbolism of the ritual bath that appealed to me – a healing process,’ explains Zebeth. ‘That’s why there is a seat in the pond and all the rooms have doors that open onto the verandahs, so that one not only looks out over the landscape but also over the cleansing process.’

19th-century model meets new style

The main house consists of the living areas, while the remainder (bedrooms, bathrooms and garage) looks as if it was added afterwards – as often happened in the old days. The open-plan design is one of the few departures from the 19th-century model and was adopted to fit in with a more modern lifestyle. Coupled with the open ceilings, this creates a sense of space.

The woodwork is one of the most attractive features and reclaimed wood was used for the doors, window frames, staircase, cupboards and ceiling beams. One of Zebeth’s greatest finds was Erik Bartholomeusen, a Belgian master carpenter who lives in the village. He even made the ceiling beams without using a single nail, only the precise grooves that are testament to his workmanship. 

The living area downstairs comprises a living room, dining area and kitchen. The kitchen really looks like another lounge due to the unobtrusive cooking area, the work surface on wheels, a cupboard that doesn’t betray its storage secrets, and a washing-up area concealed by doors. Also downstairs in the ‘added on’ section are two en-suite bedrooms with doors opening onto the courtyard.

The wooden staircase with its copper balustrade – also Eric’s work – leads to a gallery-like walkway in the double volume above the living room. This is the ideal display area for a collection of paintings, with 360-degree views of vineyards and the faraway mountains. The rest of the roof space was used for another bedroom, living room and bathroom.

The house requires little maintenance, says Raymond. ‘The outside walls were plastered with white cement and sand, creating a natural colour that will age beautifully. Inside, the top layer of the cement floors was mixed with Cemcrete, a pigment that lends a stunning colour. It is very easy to keep clean and, if you want a change, you can cover it with tiles or carpets. The interior walls were plastered and painted.

‘Zebeth was very hands-on – she visited the building site every day to keep an eye on things. On one occasion she spotted too much vegetation mixed in with a load of delivered sand and got the workers to sift through the entire load with water!’

The ‘vineyard house’ up on the hill is now complete but Zebeth and Pieter have rented it out to a friend and still live in their enormous home in the heart of the village. It is situated beside the community hall and within walking distance of the church and the few shops – in fact, they are within walking distance of just about everything.

‘I am content,’ says Zebeth. ‘And I am glad that my friend is happy in the house – it suits her.’

So why was this house belonging to Zebeth ‘the frustrated architect’ built if she and Pieter are not living there themselves? ‘It’s for when I’m no longer around,’ says Pieter who, at 76, is 23 years older than his wife. ‘I want to rest assured that she has her own place.’

And Zebeth? She is also at peace. All her loose ends have now been tied up.

• Raymond Smith: 083 251 9467

• Erik Bartholomeusen: 073 189 1109