Capetown Series Thatched Roofs

This trimmed, coarsely textured and longer reed replicates the beautiful appearance of African yellow grass thatch. A unique color blend mimics the red, purple and yellow hues of the native grass to capture the authentic style of South African thatching.

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Thatch huts are an African icon. Perhaps no other place on earth conjures imagery of reddish thatch huts nestled among acacia trees and exotic wildlife.

Since antiquity, the native people of sub-Saharan Africa have been using native reeds and grasses to provide shelter. Most commonly these buildings present as round, single-room dwellings known as a “rondavel.” These can still be seen as primary dwellings in remote areas. However, the style is now typically used in accessory buildings or vacation cottages.

The Yoruba people of West Africa also used thatching in their traditional buildings. Marked by large, open courtyards, the Yoruba style was typically a large square structure. Thatched roofs covered smaller, internal sleeping spaces while cooking and socializing were done in the central courtyard area.

In the 1600s Dutch traders settled in what is now known as the Western Cape of South Africa. The homes they built were an elegant mashup of traditional Dutch styles using local materials. Tall, whitewashed, and ornate walls flanking thatched roofs are hallmarks of what is commonly referred to as the Cape Dutch Style. While many original examples of the style have been lost, modern architects have recreated the style throughout the modern world.