Newlands 1971

At the foot of TABLE MOUNTAIN, a rare heritage-protected MODERNIST GEM by legendary architects ADÈLE NAUDÉ SANTOS and ANTONIO DE SOUZA SANTOS still brings as much joy to the owner as it did when he commissioned it in 1971.

- ANNETTE KLINGER

THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY HOUSE STEKHOVEN IS SPECIAL. Location, location, location are the first three. Situated in the suburb of Newlands, it has a front-row seat to the full parade of natural splendours at the foot of Table Mountain's eastern slopes.

River frontage, burbling spring, tranquil pond, private waterfall, closeup mountain view? Check, check, check, check and check. In short, it's the type of site that makes Cape Town property developers' hearts flutter.

Reasons four and five relate to the residence itself. The house was designed by renowned architect couple Adèle Naudé Santos and Antonio de Souza Santos during what's described as their golden era in South Africa between 1968 and 1973, before both went on to achieve starchitect status in the US – albeit each in their own right, after their separation in the 1980s.

Along with six other residences and two apartment complexes in the Southern Suburbs, House Stekhoven forms part of the Santoses' limited-edition portfolio of South African architecture, and its design (as well as the highly desirable plot it occupies) has secured it Grade IIIA status – the highest local heritage grading.

But perhaps the most special thing about it is the fact that it's still occupied by the same residents who commissioned it in 1971 – Mike Stekhoven and his wife Penny.