House Pengilly: The house that dares to be different

Few designers have had as profound an impact on modernist architecture as visionary John Lautner.

Through his masterful integration of daring architecture with the natural environment, his iconic homes, such as Elrod House in Palm Springs, featured in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, continue to influence generations of designers.

“I’m inspired by how architects [of the 1960s and 1970s] merged expressive design with liveability – creating spaces that were at once dramatic and deeply human,” says architect Silvio Rech of Johannesburg-based practice Silvio Rech + Lesley Carstens (SRLC).

“Experimentation and individuality are something that still feels radical today.”

It’s an approach that Rech, along with Peerutin Karol Architects, brought to their project, House Pengilly.

Perched on Cape Town’s Nettleton Ridge and clinging to the rugged Atlantic seaboard mountainside, this daring Clifton home draws inspiration from Lautner’s work. It offers a striking glimpse into the future.

Framed by concrete, vast panes of glass and cantilevered forms, the home harmonises with the extraordinary beauty of its natural surroundings.

“The mountain and ocean aren’t just backdrops – they’re living, breathing elements that shape the identity of the place and the people,” says Rech.

“Even as we leaned into futuristic design, we made sure it didn’t feel disconnected or imposed. The natural elements had to guide the vision, not be overshadowed by it.”

The vast form, which sits on an unusually wide site, combines sculpture and function with a feeling of movement, fluidity, spaciousness, and supreme liveability.

Spanning four levels and split both horizontally and vertically, its form rises dramatically from the mountainside: the bottom two floors clad in stone to mimic the terrain, and the upper levels floating like “concrete ribbons, dancing, twirling in the wind”, blending the indoors with the natural environment.

Entry begins at the garage and flows through a copper-clad door into a sleek and theatrical lobby.

An open spiral staircase sweeps upward to reveal a bar, an indoor pool lined with marble and granite, and guest rooms.

Rising above the solid, stone-clad base, the upper two levels – encompassing living, entertaining and bedroom spaces – take the form of light, sculptural, free-form elements that blur the line between indoors and nature.

The soaring top-level features two sweeping flying-saucer forms linked by a bridge. Beyond a “green lawn in the sky” lies an indulgent, circular, off-shutter concrete party pavilion straight out of a James Bond set, complete with a swimming pool, spa and sunken bar.

The interiors are fresh, inviting, and bathed in sunlight and shadows.

Detailing and materiality are clean and pure, from the raw, off-shutter concrete of the architectural shell to the slatted Palissandro wood panelling lining the walls, which adds warmth and calm.

Large sheets of granite are a nod to the rugged mountainside, while white terrazzo floors introduce a polished drama. Throughout, copper highlights and black mirror add a sense of the unexpected.

“The selection of materials was guided by a desire to create a rich sensory experience while maintaining a strong architectural presence,” she says. “Each material was chosen for its unique tactile and visual qualities.”

Much of the furniture is bespoke, designed by SRLC. It sits comfortably alongside original mid-century icons, including a Platner table and chairs featuring mustard upholstery in the kitchen, the most notable hint of colour in the space.

Contemporary pieces inspired by both past and present include Patricia Urquiola’s Husk Armchairs for B&B Italia and Tom Dixon lighting.

Nature finds its way inside in the form of a lush indoor garden that sits at the foot of the staircase and stretches deep into the void above.

The strength and beauty of this home’s design lies in the epic contrast between the extraordinary – the manmade and the environment.

House Pengilly captivates with energy, drama, and surprise, yet perfectly complements its tiny part of the world – a masterful balance that celebrates both architectural ambition and the pristine landscape it inhabits.