South Africa 2005: Utopia. Nowhere. Close.

The Cradle Restaurant
The Cradle of Humankind, World Heritage Site, Gauteng - Daffonchio & Associates Architects

The mountain ridges to the north west of Johannesburg are the site of the oldest finds of hominid fossils in the world, and have been given World Heritage Site status. The Cradle Restaurant is one of numerous architectural interventions supporting the long-term financial sustainability and the medium-term tourism potential of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site. Situated in the 3000 ha Cradle Nature Reserve, the generating idea of the design is the creation of a “viewing platform” onto an unspoilt indigenous valley. The projection of a ‘trip back in time’ in the mind of the visitor, by framing the visual panorama of the raw highveld landscape, is compelling in this valley of ancient history.

> Contact The Architects