Try Not To Drool Over This South African Estate

As if you needed another reason to move to South Africa (The wildlife! The wine! The DIAMONDS!) here's one more: House Serengeti, a spectacular, modern villa situated on a picturesque wildlife estate in Johannesburg. Who wants to go in on this place with us? I mean, just look at it.

Constructed from wood, steel, stone, and glass, the minimalist 4,600-square foot pad—designed by Nico Van Der Meulen Architects—features a long, wooden walkway entrance that's complete with a fully stocked koi pond. Think about that next time you schlep past the trash bins into your fourth floor walkup.

It's not just a looker, though; it's also eco-friendly. The Western-facing wall is made of stone two feet thick, which acts as a natural heat absorber to keep things toasty during the cooler months. Plus, the windows are recessed with wooden slats that are strategically cantilevered to bring in warmth from the sun during the winter and block it out in the summer. Beautiful and brilliant.

Another clever touch? This rusted steel wall, which is set on rollers and can be easily moved to reveal the two-car garage.

We're getting some strong, safari lodge vibes here. Also those orb chandeliers? The coolest.

This is what a tile-less bathroom looks like. For the floors, they used balau wood, and the shower is fashioned from back-sprayed glass. Classy looks all around.

Gratuitous koi pond porn.

A view from the back. As you can tell, the architects' made good on their goal to maximize the indoor/outdoor living spaces. Most areas open up visually, if not literally, to the outdoors. And that's a good thing, when you consider South Africa's year-round moderate temps.

Spending the night here wouldn't suck.

Or here, for that matter.

Just a casual hangout nook. 

*Frantically searches get-rich-quick schemes and flights to Johannesburg*


Joe McGauley is a senior editor at Supercompressor. He's curious how severe the penalties for squatting in South Africa are.