Untamed is the result of a collaborative process between a sculptor, writer, and architect. Dylan Lewis the sculptor, and originator of the project, had a strong intuitive idea about the subject Ian McCallum, the writer, discusses in his book, ‘Ecological Intelligence’. Dylan then researched architects who are environmentally conscious and who have collaborated with artists before and approached Enrico Daffonchio. The conceptual and briefing stages were held as workshops where the central theme of the internal psychological conflict between our rational mind and our repressed wildness was explored.

What makes this project architecturally unique is that the building was created for the pure purpose of communicating an idea or message. The narrative power of architecture is normally secondary to function, if not ignored altogether, so this was an extremely rare opportunity. The message was expressed architecturally by means of shape, materials, and light.

The architectural design process began with the relationship between the site and the structure. Given that the site was the Kirstenbosch botanical gardens, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it was important that the pavilion visually blended into the surroundings. The dominant shape of the building is therefore horizontal without any angles, in order to layer is subtly within the natural backdrop of Kirstenbosch. As it progressed, the plan of the building became informed by the ritual dance of San hunters who follow a spiral-like path in hunting ceremonies. At the centre of the spiral the 'become' the animal that they will hunt the next day. This narrative fitted seamlessly with Dylan's incorporation of skulls into his sculptures, as well as the idea of less distinct boundaries between animal and human nature. The walls and 'living wall' echo this too: the rusted steel wall elicits certain memories of industrial wastelands, while the 'living wall' introduces the idea of nature reclaiming control over the man-made.

In keeping with the overarching philosophy, the entire pavilion structure is 80% recyclable and mostly re-usable in a different location, and all its materials have been thoroughly researched to understand their broader environmental effects of the manufacturing process and use.

CIA Award for Architecture 2011

SAIA Award of Merit 2012

SAIA Award for Excellence 2012

Project Team: Enrico Daffonchio & Leigh Maurtin

The conceptual design for the Luxury Lake Lodge is deeply connected to sustainability and a profound respect for its natural context. The design is meant to impact the existing topography as little as possible. By raising the entire development off the forest floor, it ensures that the existing flora & fauna remain undisturbed, while creating a truly sensory experience for the guests, as they navigate through the jungle treetops and float out over the lake.

The development consists of 24 luxury units, a bespoke treetop spa facility, the main lodge with restaurant and dining facilities, as well as a boathouse that will allow for sunset cocktails and a host of activities out on the lake. The whole development is fully off-grid, supported by state-of-the-art water filtration & heating systems and a full solar PV array. All game vehicles and boats will be fully electric, ensuring that their operation remains silent, so as to not disturb guests or the abundant bird life on site.

In the most remote part of the Kruger National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in a wilderness previously undisturbed by visitors, lies the vast concession awarded to The Outpost as a result of a groundbreaking agreement between the Makuleke people and the South African National Parks Board. In 1969 the apartheid government forcibly removed the Makuleke people from their ancestral land in order to extend the Park to the borders of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. In the 1990s, after the return of democracy in South Africa, the Makuleke people instituted a land claim which resulted in the return of the title of the region to the Makuleke people provided that it remains part of the park. The conditions of the agreement stated that the land must remain in pristine condition with the Makuleke people holding a concession on twelve lodges that could be built in accordance with the Parks Environmental Guidelines for limited ecotourism. Private developers were allowed to commission developments that would be built and managed in collaboration with the tribe. The workforce involved with the construction and running of the lodges would come from the tribal community. The Outpost is the first lodge to be built in this vast region.

The lodge consists of twelve freestanding units, the main building with reception, a restaurant and dining, and lounge areas, and an outdoor swimming pool.

The main aim of the project was an architecture that would sit subtly in the striking landscape and would provide luxury accommodation and a compelling relationship with nature. On arrival, visitors are confronted by a long wall, which is entered through a small opening. On entry, visitors experience an explosion of view, with 300 kilometers of the Kruger National Park spread out beneath them. The 12 units are scattered along the long, narrow site, with a one kilometer long raised teak walkway connecting them. The walkway also conceals the water, electricity, and phone lines. In order to keep the environment undisturbed, the buildings are all raised on stilts.

The open-plan units, consisting of a bedroom, sitting room, and bathroom, have been designed to maximise their connection with the natural surroundings & views. This area is home to the magnificent Lanner Gorge, a natural wonder and one of the most dramatic viewpoints in the whole of Kruger which can be seen from the lodge and its private rooms. Most of the exterior walls are retractable creating a situation where the separation between ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ does not exist. The orientation and positioning of the units ensure that privacy is maintained despite the transparent nature of the design. Cooling is achieved by an environmentally sustainable water-based air-conditioning system.

The design and construction techniques used at The Outpost had to be tailored to the reality of an unskilled work crew from the Makuleke tribe and the remoteness of the site. Materials were prefabricated in Johannesburg and transferred to the site. The limited material selection consisted of local timber (teak and meranti), concrete, steel members, pre-painted corrugated-steel sheeting concrete floors sealed with beeswax polish. Workers were trained on-site.    

Wallpaper* Magazine Best Safari Lodge 2003

Project Architect: Enrico Daffonchio

The mountain ridges to the northwest of Johannesburg are the site of the oldest finds of hominid fossils in the world and have been given UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

The Cradle Restaurant is one of the numerous architectural interventions supporting the long-term financial sustainability and medium-term tourism potential of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site. Situated in the 3000ha Cradle Nature Reserve, the generating idea is the creation of a ‘viewing platform’ onto an unspoiled valley of indigenous vegetation. The projection of a ‘trip back in time’ in the mind of the visitor, by framing the visual panorama of the raw Highveld landscape, is compelling in this valley of ancient history.

The impact of the building on the environment is reduced by partially submerging one of the two levels of the structure. The restaurant is extensive, with seating for 180 guests, along with a bar, kitchen, administrative offices, and wine cellar.

The building is nonetheless unapologetic in the way it uses industrial materials as a counterpoint to the local massed stone. It is an appropriate and direct reminder of the other great and more recent history of the landscape of Johannesburg, that of gold mining and industrialization.

The projection of a crisply defined vast roof counter to the slope of the land creates a deep shadow and provides ample sun protection in the exposed veld. Materials were chosen to be sympathetic to both the visitor’s experience and the environment, and are generally used in their natural state without secondary finishing. Dramatic but muted night-time illumination makes it possible to sense the landscape of the valley beyond the illuminated deck at night.

The building is remarkable for the balance it strikes between two usually irreconcilable ambitions: it betrays deep-seated respect for the landscape in its sitting and material choices, while at the same time being bold enough to make an architectural gesture appropriate for the dramatic views of this valley populated with the ancient echoes and ghosts of time.

Asked to help the owners of Farmhouse58 design a structure that would fit comfortably into the narrative of the property, live well with the existing swimming pool and characterful barn that the clients wished to retain, Enrico Daffonchio opted for a minimalist distinctively grange-style design for the new clubhouse.

In keeping with the farms overarching motto of welcoming one to "a living space in nature" where "the design is led by comfort and simplicity, guided by the environment and history," he chose to expose the lapa to its bare bones, as a very well resolved, well-designed wooden structure.

Minimalist sliding barn doors are a key feature, and cleverly close off the service area. The structure has been extended and altered quite a bit with wooden walls and built in features. The simplicity and fluidity of the original design made these changes easily achievable.

The Club house project was small and well considered to ensure a symbiotic fit into the natural environment and existing handwriting of the farm. The owners have created "a place to reconnect to ourselves, others and nature."

Space was designed by Daffonchio & Associates as the new function and event venue for Ten Bompas, a boutique hotel and member of the ''Design Hotel'' group.

Constructed out of steel and glass, Space resembles a light-box that floats high above the ground. The minimalist design contrasts with the hotel’s lush gardens and tall trees. The western wall incorporates an integrated African pattern with irregularly spaced windows, while the south of Space overlooks the hotel’s lawn and organic vegetable gardens.

The design of Space employs energy efficient elements such as solar water heating, rainwater harvesting and LED lights.

The interior design is minimalist and fresh, with light bamboo floors and white walls, contrasted with colourful contemporary Italian furniture and South African art. Sleek bathrooms and a protruding terrace with a customised floating steel bench complete the design. 

A design proposal for a vintage car collectors’ services hub, housed in an Oscar Niemeyer building on the outskirts of Torino.

The hub accommodates a vintage car museum, a themed boutique hotel and restaurant, and a business offering various services for vintage car collectors.

Daffonchio was invited to participate in a competition to conceptualise a new microbrewery and beerhall on an established wine farm in Stellenbosch. Located at the foot of the Suurberg and Driekop Mountains, the site is surrounded by rows of tall trees to the south and west, a lake to the north and vineyards to the east.

The brief was to showcase the workings of and processes involved in the brewing of beer on a small scale, while at the same time providing an opportunity for the visitors to enjoy the various brews produced by the microbrewery.

Through a phenomenological approach to reading the site, an expression was derived from the abstraction of the dominant elements found on the site, in an attempt to capture the atmosphere and enhance the character of the site. The unmistakable presence of the mountain, the commanding verticality of the trees and the juxtaposition of the primary elements (fire, air, water, and earth) together, create a hyperawareness of the spirit of place.

When approaching the site, the building is completely hidden behind carefully positioned grass berms. The placement of these berms create a winding entrance path that twists and turns, deliberately framing dramatic views of the water and mountains, while slowly revealing elements of the building to the visitor.

The intention was to blend the structure into its environment by manipulating the textures of the materials used and mimicking elements found on the site. The strongly angled roof plane made from off shutter concrete is supported by a careful arrangement of slanted steel columns.

Internally, the bar and microbrewery stand as objects in the space, defining the relationship between the public and the private areas.

The undulating glass membrane sets up an interesting tension as it weaves through the slanted columns, defining pockets of space inside and outside the structure. When the glass is opened up, the definition between inside and outside is blurred by the seemingly irregular placement of the columns and the continuation of both the floor and roof planes. The warm colour and rich texture of the brick floor is emphasised and contrasted by polished brass strips that are laid into the floor. The underside of the concrete roof is illuminated by a sea of delicate lights made from glass balls of various sizes, creating the impression of thousands of beer bubbles beneath the roof.

A deliberate tension has been set up between the raw and rough materials of the roof, floor and columns and the very refined elements such as the glass, lights and copper fireplaces, resulting in an enriched sensory experience for the user.

Acting as an evolution of the ‘Untamed’ pavilion, currently at the Dylan Lewis sculpture park, this pavilion is a movable sculpture designed to expand on the complex themes explored in the first exhibition.

The forms of Enrico Daffonchio’s Pavilion are a representation of states of consciousness, and relate the themes of Dylan Lewis’s latest sculptures, which will be exhibited jointly.

Walking and pausing in the pavilion, the visitor experiences a sequence of spaces and emotive states. The creation of spaces of major expansion, expansion, non-response, contraction and major contraction alters ones experience as they traverse the maze. In the same way the pieces and forms can react to one another, where one is violent it may force a retreat of another piece, while soft forms may embrace on another and create a space of shelter.

Forms should not only respond to each other; they should respond to nature, opening and closing to it to alter the mood and experience of the user. The form’s nature can alter how it sees its environment, a beastly form might see it as a decaying landscape­ viewed through a self-inflicted wound, while a nurturing form may bring you in and embrace nature by open­ing completely to it.The control of nature and response to it creates a strong dynamic form with symbolic reactions, creating a window from which response affects nature.

The subtle contrast of materiality seeks to draw attention to the environment, while the structure itself flows from earth to sky emulating the forms found throughout nature, be it sea, cave or desert.

The materials have been selected for their product performance with regards to environmental sustainability.

The pavilion will be exhibited in various locations. The provisionally approved locations for the exhibit are:

1. First launch in the South African desert wilderness.

2. Itinerant locations:

NYC Central Park

Berlin Tiergarten

Florence Boboli Garden

Venice Biennale

The idea is to create an multi-leveled experiential route within a multi-layered pod, driving the viewer to experience Dylan Lewis’ art pieces in an intimate and ethereal manner. The movement through the space suggests a singular but progressive path that allows the art pieces to be experienced in a desired order or its reverse, making time a key theme within the pavilion's spatial arrangement.

A reflection pond and raised access further enhances a unique spatial experience driven by natural connections (water, earth, sky) and our place within these connections.

The pavilion will be located in Kirstenbosch, and has been proposed for the Natural History Museum in London, and Palazzo Pitti in Florence.

The Pape Nature Park in south-western Latvia opened in 2003 with the aim of protecting the region’s wetlands. The nearly-11,000 hectare park includes important nesting grounds for 250 species of migrating birds within the marshes situated at the limit between the Papes Lake and the sea. Participants were challenged with designing a new bird observation station in the Park. The observation tower will be used primarily to record annual migratory habits of an estimated 50,000 birds, as well as to allow park visitors the opportunity to observe the birds. In this light, functionality and sustainability were critical considerations. Firstly, the proposed structure must permit users the ability to observe birds and other migratory animals in a manner that is simultaneously protective –visitors must be concealed to some level from frightening off animals – and open to 360-degree views. Secondly, the observation tower must have the capacity to be built with minimal disruption to the Pape Nature Park habitat.

Our design challenges the notion of the tower, as we believe that it would feel like a foreign, insular object within the landscape, acting as an isolated point of destination. We therefore sought to place emphasis on the journey rather than on the destination. The Orniments aim to enable a series of phenomenological experiences by placing woven pods along an integrated pathway. The pods and pathway have been designed to sit comfortably within the natural environment of the bird and not the human.

The lightweight steel grid walkway ensures that the introduction of an access route does not impose any dominance over the landscape. The walkway will be suspended above the flora by means of light steel posts. The use of a permeable grid walkway ensures that the intervention does not hinder plant growth or access to rain and sunlight. Visitors will have the ability to walk amongst the reeds while hovering comfortably over the wetland.

Many of the pods are completely inaccessible to humans, ensuring that the Orniments cater to the needs of the both human and bird visitors in terms of viewing and nesting respectively. The pods are also supported by light steel columns and are created using simple pre-manufactured timber frames, over which wattle is woven in varying degrees of density. The viewing pods have suspended steel grid floors inside. The viewing pods have been designed and placed with the intention of immersing visitors within the realm of the birds. Each viewing pod provides a unique experience whilst still maximising views of the birds and the landscape and providing sheltered areas for viewing and photography. The design of the nesting pods in terms of their enclosed, sheltered interiors and woven wattle shells provide birds with the ideal environment within which to nest.

The proposed resort is located in the natural landscape of Tanzania in a prime position overlooking Lake Manyara. The brief was to design a holiday resort that provides a unique and cultural experience of both relaxation and entertainment.

The design concept derives from, and is a blend of, the diverse cultures of Tanzania, that being the indigenous Masai culture, the Swahili coast, colonial influences, and finally the infinite elements of the natural environment.

The architectural language originates from the shape of a leaf, which lead to organic yet structured building forms that utilise local materials and craftsmanship. The result is a natural yet contemporary architectural design that is organic and raw, while being luxurious and sophisticated.

The programmatic spatial order of the resort is arranged such that visitors are guided through a unique experience from beginning to end. Visitors arrive at the arrival square and enter into the reception area. Leading off the reception are various entertainment, recreational, and relaxation spaces.

The entertainment space includes a bar and pool, a discotheque, a variety of restaurants, and a circus, as well as a dedicated children’s entertainment area.

The recreational space includes a wide selection of sports and outdoor activities.

The relaxation space is specifically designed to create a place of passive activity and enjoyment through the use of a luxurious spa, gym, and calm pool.

Accommodation units range from clustered arrangements to private tented camps.