Article Sept 2008 the Cape etc Magazine

written by Vicki Sleet ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

When I was a child growing up in nearby Tokai, Noordhoek was a place far, far away, where horses roamed on the beach and people farmed vegetables. This semi-rural suburb that’s situated ‘beyond the tie-dye curtain’ has traditionally been populated with individuals who eat their own-grown produce and who have been recycling for far longer than has ever been fashionable and environmentally de rigueur.

As with the rest of the world, distances are shrinking and increasingly, Capetonians have friends who yes, even live there. In fact, where once the mountainside in this part of the world was home only to families of duikers and dassies, it is now clad in contemporary Cape homes and driveways with 4x4s aplenty. Those who love it here relish the community feel, the proximity to the beach, sprawling sea views and the fact that they’re the last to get the rays of the day. So far the suburb has managed to escape the notion of gated communities and a happy compromise between living in a safe and secure place and one that meets the needs of those wanting to live close to nature is in evidence at the still-in-progress Lake Michelle.

Here a strictly adhered to architectural code and still more notable ecological manifesto have combined to create a community where neighbours pop over the road (or lake) for drinks, and where birdwatching rather than curtain twitching seems to be the local hobby.

Formerly a dry salt pan that had filled up with water from the adjacent marshlands over the years, Lake Michelle’s man-made waterway and natural lake system is managed by a complex series of sluices that allow for the control of water levels from the surrounding wetland. Rumblings that the lake had arisen out of wetland reclamations were put to rest last year when the estate was nominated South Africa’s most ecologically responsible eco estate by the South African Property Owners Association. The estate’s strong eco credentials come as a result of the combined efforts of a team of botanists, aquatic specialists and geo-hydrologists who worked in conjunction with the architectural team to create this haven that lies a mere 30 minutes from the city. With the creation of a sound ecology so the return of small animals has also occurred, ranging from the Cape clawless otter to pheasant, small buck, a fox. Lakeside-view properties are most sought after here, but the addition of waterways in the design and a veritable sea of landscaped fynbos ensures each plot has scenic views.

On purchasing a plot at Lake Michelle, buyers are offered the prospectuses of architects approved to design homes here, among them Michelle Sandilands who designed the contemporary-styled timber-frame home in which the Smiths live. Some of the common factors that help create a sense of uniformity include wooden exterior cladding, shingle roofs and stipulated building heights. The notorious southeaster is a factor here and the use of courtyards and interior terraces cum- atriums is an essential factor in the house design. In keeping with the natural surrounds and desire to fit into the landscape, the predetermined colour palette is absolutely inspired by the environment – slate greys and greens mimic the fynbos, hues of earthy browns are prolific, and shades of olive green are fitting accents.

Each plan that is drawn up has to be passed by an architectural review committee before the council plans process can even begin. One of the reasons for the success of the estate lies in the strict landscape codes – construction teams have to follow the resident environmental officers’ guidelines (not to mention the 30 km/h speed limit) and factors such as the maintenance of a buffer zone of foliage on the water’s edge ensure the visual link of water to property is maintained. It goes without saying that all plants here may only be indigenous and alien vegetation must be cleared. The profusion of fragrant Cape honeysuckle, colourful proteas and the swish-swish of restios in the wind is intoxicating and, of course, they are suitably hardy in the face of the prevailing south peninsula winds. Plot owners have been given a specific limited time frame in which to start and complete their building. The focus is on encouraging them to undertake building operations over the next couple of years so as to develop Lake Michelle into a fully functioning community. As the numbers grow, so resident children discover what it’s like to leave their bikes on the lawn overnight, neighbours have each other round for midweek suppers and birdwatchers share notes on their latest cormorant, yellow-billed duck or coot. Idyllic indeed.