20 Homes That Are Habitats

Hidden amidst the dense trees of a private reserve in Waterberg, South Africa, is a long, narrow building that appears to grow from a steep cliff out into the treetops. Crafted from local brick that evokes the sandstone rock face and capped with a green roof, the House of the Tall Chimneys is a guesthouse by Johannesburg-based architecture studio Frankie Pappas that celebrates a visceral connection with nature. "This space is shadier than the surrounding forest, so it creates a different microclimate for different species to flourish in that area," says architect Ant Vervoort. "It’s an area that we have cultivated."