A Mies van der Rohe-Inspired Cottage in Johannesburg

Architect Georg van Gass could have stopped the special effects after creating an elevated foundation that allows the prefab home to hover over the landscape. Instead, he went one step further by adding a delicately poised cantilevered exterior wall that appears to slice the deck in half. The impressive visual balancing act relies on a concealed steel truss and has a multitude of uses: The wall prevents visitors from seeing the surrounding vistas until they enter the home, shields the Farnsworth House–inspired bedroom from outside eyes, and carves out a private sanctuary from the main patio space.