Brick By Brick

In This Eco Village, Where All The Homes Must Be Built With Sustainability In Mind, An Inspired Couple Used Recycled Material From A Nearby Dump To Realise Their Dream!

- Kim Arendse

After purchasing a vacant plot in the Lynedoch Eco Village outside Stellenbosch in the Western Cape, Alta Vogel and Kristian Leisegang had to select building material in line with the sustainability ethos of the community. Not only were they committed to creating an ecofriendly home, but it had to be budget-friendly too.

They researched various options and decided on second-hand bricks, based on the look they wanted and the fact that this would suit their budget. They sourced the bricks from a nearby municipal landfill – and went to collect some every day for a few months.

“We would go to the dump, select the best whole bricks we could find and then meticulously count them and pay for them with cash,” says Alta. “We had to haggle over the price and ended up paying between R1.50 and R2 per brick (that was six years ago!). Some days there were plenty but on other days we had to wait and hope we’d get some.”

Alta and Kristian are both homeopaths; Alta runs a fulltime practice and Kristian teaches at the School of Natural Medicine at the University of the Western Cape. Both are whole-heartedly invested in a sustainable lifestyle and the ecofriendly nature of the village resonated perfectly with their green ideals.

“We wanted to be part of a diverse eco community that practices sustainable methods of living,” Alta says. “But we also love all the open space, the gorgeous views, the ‘freerange’ children and overall serenity of the village.”

And there are views aplenty! Alta and Kristian’s home overlooks the nearby vineyards and the Hottentots-Holland Mountains in the distance. Closer to home, there is the village’s Rietvlei Dam, created in 2017 to collect rainwater.