What was once an abondoned building, has been turned into one of the most trendy weekend spots in Pretoria. Situated on Rosemary Hill farm 10 minutes from Pretoria and 60 minutes from Johannesburg, The Greenhouse Cafe a is our Gauteng home for Late Bloomer wines.
The Greenhouse Café is the sister venue of the beloved Rosemary Hill, and was envisioned by photographers and designed by one of South Africa’s brightest young architects. The result is a modern take on a greenhouse with an asymmetric, double-pitched roof, sophisticated living walls and natural elegance that won a Loerie award in the Design - Architecture category.
The concept centered around covering the open internal space between the wings of an existing building, and making this new area usable as a venue. The existing building had a lot of potential, in the form of location (on a hill with views and indigenous trees), interesting internal spaces (haunched ceilings and skylights), as well as a pleasing dimension for the courtyard, which would lend itself well to becoming a new ‘in between’ space.
The original intention was to clad the roof completely in translucent polycarbonate, in reference to the older greenhouse on the farm – a space much-loved by wedding couples and photographers due to the softly diffused light. Studies showed that while this was technically possible, the likelihood of uncomfortable temperatures limited the usability of the structure during warmer months of the year.
The solution that presented itself was an asymmetric double-pitched roof, where a solid but lightweight northern roof was contrasted with natural light entering from the sharply raked southern roof clad in polycarbonate. Aesthetically, this created contrast and drama between the existing building and the insertion. Digital climate modeling was used to ensure a high interior comfort level.
Crucially, the landscaping surrounding the building was approached as integral to the architecture itself. Framed by large glazed doors on either side, the space can be opened completely on both sides in good weather. This creates long views right through, onto a backdrop of landscape which was carefully designed not only for visual appeal but also as a place to wander through. Inspired by the small but enveloping Japanese ‘promenade gardens’ of the Edo period, indigenous trees, grasses, and still water were used to create an idealised landscape. The ‘miegakure’ or ‘hide and reveal’ technique creates a winding path for strolling that reveals carefully framed views
The Greenhouse Café is any photographer’s dream. The contrast between impressive architecture and natural surrounds makes for spectacular photo opportunities. It really is the natural choice for any photoshoot, be it wedding, engagement, family, maternity or couple shoots. The Greenhouse Cafe is the best backdrop you could ask for.
Taste some Late Bloomer wines or sip on a freshly made cocktail available from The Bush Vine Bar while you sit back and soak in the amazing vistas and peacefull surroundings. Take a bike ride, do a Segway tour, go for a hike or just stroll down next to a budding vineyard right next to the Conservatory! Take a break and, spend a night in one of the breathtaking Pods, The stone cottage or Zenkhaya (featured in Visi Magazine in 2020).
The Greenhouse Café coffee shop serves freshly brewed coffee, delicious light meals and the best Pizza in Pretoria. The Greenhouse Cafe is also a proud partner of Arcrobranch, the greatest tree-top adventure in town. Acrobranch is a fantastic idea for children’s parties and team-building activities.
The Greenhouse cafe is really the place to be over weekends! To find out more about The Greenhouse Cafe visit: https://www.thegreenhousecafe.co.za/
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