Kruijd by Kraak and DDS Projects
Slow, considered, organic, and luxurious… This is the essence of Kraak’s take on the spice of life. Growing in great strides, the event planning powerhouse was on the lookout for an ‘untouched’ location where they could curate a barefoot luxury hospitality experience as close to nature as possible. On a charming plot in Bainskloof, Wellington, DDS Projects embarked on a reinvention of a meadow garden to curate an idyllic integration between man and nature.
Treading lightly
Founder of Kraak, Hannes Maritz, saw the property 14 years ago and fell in love with it. He knew that one day when the time was right, the business would grow to make space for this property with its unique presence and definite energy of being an oasis in nature. With the space’s slow and untouched presence, and the surrounding wild landscape, the goal was to integrate their hospitality approach into nature, and the other way around.
Ethos brought to life
Previously used by Sir Harry Pickstone to test fruit varieties for suitability to the Boland climate, the garden had stood derelict for years before being chosen as a location for bespoke events. Located on the upper reaches of the Bovlei Road in Bainskloof, it was dubbed Kruijd, the Dutch word for herbs. Appropriately, the fate of the garden was for the previously cultivated areas to be nurtured into wildflower meadows using a variety of herbaceous plants and herbs, a thoughtful nod to the space’s namesake.
With a standing relationship with Danie Steenkamp and the team at DDS Projects, Hannes knew that his ethos and approach to nature resonated with theirs. He invited Danie to the farm to hear his views on the property before sharing his own ideas and finding that they were immediately aligned. With a few inspirational images and thoughts, Danie interpreted it into the bigger plan that was brought to life and that surrounds the property today.
After much time spent on the site, Danie and his team entered into the endeavour with the realisation that the landscape as it was didn’t need to be improved. Instead, small, honest, and understated interventions were necessary to make the space more practical for its new purpose — hosting functions.
The old farmhouse that is the key structure on the property is surrounded by a large field to the east, south, and west, which was previously used for grazing and vegetable farming. This space offered a wonderfully simple agricultural feel that the team wanted to maintain, and so it was decided that a meadow with colour in summer (when Kruijd is at its busiest) would do the space most justice.
Sourcing on-site
The site was a key source of materials. Stone was used for the new channel and harvested poplars were used to weave the terraces. The team also completed alien clearings, such as black wattle which was then chipped and used on site for mulch and pathways. The meadows were sown with a variety of local grasses, most notably Ehrharta calycina grass. The ongoing management included tweaking the watering and mowing regimes to make sure that the already-present Kikuyu grass and Verbena bonariensis did not become too dominant.
Crossing the bridge
The site could only be accessed over a small historic bridge that had limited weight capacity, making it challenging to plan the project with the season so that access and preparation could happen in time for seeding. However, once the laterite pathways were added, movement around and over the property gave easy access to areas previously unexperienced by the teams.
Although the meadow has a care-free, agricultural character, it is a complicated system which requires very specific maintenance. To keep it artificially grassy it must be mowed regularly and the more aggressive species must be managed on an ongoing basis. What has been particularly interesting is that each year so far there has been a different plant that takes centre stage in summer (as a result of the timing of mowing, seeding, and rain), offering a variety of colours and textures every year.
The restraint of human intervention on Kruijd is tangible. As you cross the little bridge, you are met with a sense of the magic of these farms that have existed for decades. Through careful planning, sustainable practices, and a deep respect for the land’s natural beauty, Kraak and DDS Projects have created a serene, luxury haven that celebrates the untouched essence of the local landscape.
Photography by LA DICHOSA & Daniela Zondagh
This article is an extract from our July issue. Read the full issue here.
