A traditional South African agricultural technique has been domesticated to generate moving and constantly changing spaces.

The most delightful parts of Seth Stein's house at Plettenberg Bay on the balmy coast of the Western Cape in South Africa are its 'latte' clad walls. These are made of untreated eucalyptus poles bound to a frame with finely worked copper wire, and are traditionally used to make fences and stock barriers in this part of the Cape. Eucalypts are Australian trees, but are now so much part of the South African flora (not itself rich in trees that produce useful timber) that their wood is not expensive, and it has the great advantage in being so naturally full of aromatics that it repels both fungi and insects. So it is very long lasting and can be exposed to the weather without special treatment.

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Here, the poles form both external fences and act as sun screens to protect the internal spaces of the house. In the building itself, they are backed by conventional system glazing in sliding panels. The whole upper (bedroom) floor is enclosed behind such screens, though it has panels that can be opened with a counterweight mechanism to offer uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean.

The building was submitted for this year's ar+d awards, and though the jury could not reach agreement on a commendation, every member was struck by the qualities of light provided by the latte screens, the striated luminance that animates the spaces into being huge sundials. And we were irresistibly reminded of the porch of Aalto's Villa Mairea, where the poles celebrate the forest from which they are cut, as well as offering welcome and domesticity.

Project teams London Seth Stein Architects: Fiona Henderson, Carla James, Jason Pritchard, Seth Stem, Paul Wallace

South Africa Hrabar & Hrabar Architects Andrew O'Grady