With elevated views of the river running through the valley below the site, the house was aptly named the River View House.

Located in Johannesburg, South Africa, the site is nestled amidst a small forest of thorn trees and grassland. The compact, yet steep site presented a gradient of 1:1 which brought with it many challenges, but at the same time Gottsmann Architects saw many more opportunities. This set the tone for the project and so the concept began. Upon approaching the home on street level, a person is led past finely detailed Scandinavian timber screens opening up and leading one across a bridge suspended over water. The large open-plan layout provides unobstructed views of the forest from within the interior spaces of the house. The seasonal colour palette of the tree canopy across the valley draws one to the large balcony, cantilevering into the valley, now 8 metres above the ground connects both the landscape and the person by bringing both nature in and the occupant out.

Powered by solar power and automated with smart technology, the house boasts a high level of sustainability and seeks to lead the way as a smart home. The basement level, named the turbine room by the client, satirically dressed with wall paper depicting a power station, houses the solar batteries and the smart components of the home.