Home at last
With her 70th birthday on the horizon, Bafta awardwinning screenwriter Shawn Slovo decided it was time to come home to SA – after 56 years in Britain. She called on architect Carl Jacobsz to help create a unique eco-home under the African sky she had so longed for.
Shawn Slovo remembers her early years as turbulent. ‘My mom [Ruth First] and my dad [Joe Slovo] were very involved in the anti-apartheid struggle,’ she says. ‘My mother was arrested and detained under the 90-day detention law, and when they released her, she was banned and prevented from leaving the house. They took away our passports, so we applied for an exit permit.’
In 1964, the family arrived in the UK as political refugees. Then just 14, Shawn had to adapt to a new life and unfamiliar circumstances. ‘Although we had to leave our lives and friends behind, I can speak only to my own experience, and I’m very grateful. Others had it a lot worse, particularly black South Africans. I had a very good education in the UK, it was a tolerant society and it was a safe place to be, which was a positive transition, having grown up surrounded by danger.’
After spending most of her life in the UK working as a screenwriter, Shawn’s South African citizenship was eventually restored and she began to seriously consider coming back. ‘It was something of a nowor-never moment,’ she says. ‘As I approached the big 7-0, I thought how wonderful it would be to spend whatever is left of my life in South Africa. I’ve never lost the deep connection I have with this country, despite our complex history.’
While she had initially decided on the Cape, Shawn found herself captivated by Monaghan Farm in Lanseria, which ticked all her boxes. ‘It’s beautiful and serene, but more importantly, it’s eco-conscious. With no street lighting, strict building regulations and lots of safety, it was perfect for me.’
Working with architect Carl Jacobsz of C76 Architects, Shawn
provided a brief of what she wanted her home to look like and left the rest up to him and his team. ‘I was very lucky to find Carl; what’s really interesting and ironic is that, here I am, the daughter of a man who used to be considered as public enemy number one, being able to work and co-exist with someone from a completely different background: Carl is an Afrikaner from the Free State. I thought that was very satisfying,’ says Shawn.
The ‘floating’ house is made of reusable, sustainable materials, including two perfectly placed trees within the structure and a tranquil eco-pool. ‘To me, the most important thing was to maximise the light and the particular climatic conditions in SA, so that in summer I have shade protecting me from the sun, and in the winter I have the sun to heat the house. It’s a great plot with extraordinary views of the Magaliesberg in the distance, which is why Carl decided to “float” the house. As I walk through it, I get a feeling of the landscape because of the corridors and the glass doors.’
As a screenwriter, Shawn needed a workspace that would allow for seclusion. ‘Carl designed this wonderful kind of suspended box that faces a breathtaking view. It’s a place of great silence and birdsong, wonderful for the creative process.’
Shawn’s home includes a few unique eco-friendly features that both she and Carl are immensely proud of. ‘I love the way that the irrigation has been designed so that the run-off from the roof fills my huge water tanks to water the garden. And the eco-pool has always been my dream: it has zero chemicals, so it’s like swimming in a mountain lake. It’s just wonderful. I’m living the dream!’
Carl and his colleagues pride themselves on their strong ecorecord in terms of the materials they use to build homes. ‘He’s very aware of his footprint on the planet, so we were completely on the same page.’
In terms of the challenges encountered during the two-year build, Shawn says methodical budgeting was a crucial part of the process. ‘Of course, there were minor blips: you change your mind here or go over budget there, but it’s all part of the process. But you can’t embark on this kind of thing, then run out of money – it’s not only wasteful, but an entire workforce is suddenly unemployed. You have a responsibility to make sure that you can budget properly.’
When it comes to interiors, Shawn prefers a streamlined, hasslefree look. ‘I like to live very simply, without any clutter; I just don’t like a lot of things around. I’ve got some nice pictures, not a lot of them, and some photographs on the walls. Otherwise, I just like the space, the flow and the great simplicity of it all. No knick-knacks! When I left the UK, I got rid of a whole lot of
stuff and I keep shedding.’
Shawn shares her home with her two cats, Billie and Rufus, and Pablo, a poodle. ‘There are cat and dog beds throughout the house. I can’t live without animals.’
All in all, she’s truly happy to be home. ‘From the moment I arrived in the UK until the moment I left, I never really felt part of what the UK is. It didn’t feel like my home – and particularly now, with the Brexit situation, it feels quite alien. I’ve always identified very strongly with South Africa. I’m proud of my parents’ part in the Struggle and the extraordinary achievements of that generation, and I think “why would I not feel like I belong here?” I am very proud to be South African.’