Attention, all burgeoning supervillains: A gorgeous — er, I mean wicked — cliff-side house in a “secret” location in Africa has all the makings of becoming your new favorite evil lair. Privacy? Check. Lots of square footage? Definite check. Uber-private location? Check, check. While this house would tickle any movie baddie pink, the residence was actually constructed to lure musicians to its pristine setting as its architects designed the house to boast a state-of-the-art recording studio. The view isn’t half bad either.
Designed by the London-area Studio Seilern Architects and renowned architect Muzia Sforza, Gota Dam Residence: A House on a Rock (their name, not ours) is an incredible architectural achievement. From its overhanging timber-clad, cantilevered floors which perfectly frame views of the mountainside to its dual transparent enclosures which allow the owner to feel they’re living among the landscape, GDR has it all. Furthermore, those same timber slabs also protect the home’s main living spaces from the harsh African sun.
“The area is, to say the least, breathtaking and awe-inspiring, and deserved a piece of architecture that is equally awe-inspiring,” said the architects to Dezeen. “The cantilevered roofs and stretched terraces give the house the appearance of being gently floating above the rock. The views and the drama of the granite cliff plunging into the dam were the inspiration for the concept.”
Though it was designed to house the creative genius of some lucky musician, one can’t help but imagine what it would be like to live in this luxurious and secluded abode. Fancy a dip? Gota Dam Residence also comes standard with a refreshing pool that features a lot of the same gorgeous views as the house itself. Moreover, the home’s 16,145 square feet of space — which also includes a decked patio, enclosed library and piano room, and an abundance of open-air foyers — assures that anyone can find peace even if they aren’t the only residents.
“All elements are oriented in such a manner as to create physical adjacencies and visual privacy where required,” the architects continued.
It may look like the stuff of dreams, but Africa’s Gota Dam Residence is the beautiful creation of an inspired architect who’s likely watched a few too many Bond flicks.
