Night House, Johannesburg

This original sculptural piece was designed for the Night House project and hangs as the feature element in the entrance hall of the home. Its conceptual base is highlighting deforestation in tension with the sustainable harvesting of timber. The design of the Night House has a unique timber first floor made from Saligna, derived from the Eucalyptus species of tree. This tree species is exotic to South Africa and has unfortunately become invasive in some areas. It is a good quality hardwood and so is still considered a sustainable source of timber, when grown and harvested correctly.

The architect discovered a piece of ocean-soaked Eucalyptus driftwood on the south coast of KZN. This piece was transported up to the Highveld and sculpted by hand to represent both the amount of biodiversity found in forests as well as the climate change consequences of not preserving indigenous forests. This is relevant in a home that utilizes the same species of timber to both showcase its natural beauty and remind a visitor of sometimes forgotten connection between climate change, biodiversity and timber construction.