Saota

Stradella Ridge House

Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley

Stradella Ridge House

SAOTA

ARCHITECTS
SAOTA

ARCHITECT OF RECORD
David Maman

LEAD DESIGNERS
SAOTA & David Maman

CONTRACTORS
JAL Construction Inc.

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS
CEG

LANDSCAPING
Landscape by Diane

LIGHTING DESIGNERS
Moon Lighting

INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
Dieter Vander Velpen Architects

COPY
Graham Wood

DEVELOPMENT MANAGERS
PLUS Development

CIVIL & STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Structural Design Plus Inc.

PROJECT TEAM
Mark Bullivant, Kerian Robertson, Arthur Lehloenya

PHOTOGRAPHS
Mike Kelley

YEAR
2023

LOCATION
Los Angeles, United States

CATEGORY
Houses

Cape Town's SAOTA, alongside US architect developer David Maman and Belgian interior designer Dieter Vander Velpen, designed this Bel Air residence, perched on a steep, triangular site with striking canyon views extending from Century City to the ocean.

Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley
Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley

Inspired by the site's geometry and orientation, the exterior has a robust angular form. The upper floor is enclosed in white aluminum vertical screens – a pristine, clean element that floats above a monolithic concrete base.

This mass element, which gives the building's primary street character, is interrupted by a single undulation in its otherwise uniform surface, its lightness contrasting with the solid, tactile concrete it hovers over.

Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley
Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley

Entering the property, the architectural character changes. Clean lines persist but are now fragmented, with angled mass walls guiding visitors towards the entrance, and the materiality shifts from metal and concrete to earthy travertine surfaces.

The contrast between the containment of the street entrance and the release into the living space, with its architectural lines reinforcing the expansive views over the pool terrace and down the canyon's flanks, is powerful.

Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley
Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley

A memorably large living space is focused toward the view. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls seamlessly connect indoor and outdoor spaces, merging the main living areas with the pool terrace.

The architecture shapes the views, providing privacy where necessary while drawing the landscape's calmness and serenity into the home's heart.

Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley
Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley

Inside, fluid, curved forms and a simple palette of stone, timber, and bronze create a unified, sculptural quality.

Natural materials and organic shapes infuse warmth and well-being, from the kitchen island to the circular marble bath carved from a single piece of marble.

Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley
Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley
Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley

Architecturally, the design balances solidity and lightness, angularity and curvature, street presence, and scenic views, resulting in a powerful architectural statement and a cocooning nurturing environment.


Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley
Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley
Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley
Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley
Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley


Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley
Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley
Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley
Stradella Ridge House
© Mike Kelley


Stradella Ridge House
Sections
Stradella Ridge House
Elevations


Stradella Ridge House
Plan - Basement Floor
Stradella Ridge House
Plan - 1st Floor
Stradella Ridge House
Plan - 2nd Floor
Stradella Ridge House
Plan - Roof
Stradella Ridge House
Plan - Site

Saota
T +27 21 4684400
Saota
109 Hatfield St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa