“For us a house becomes a home when it carries the marks of how you live and what you love. Art, objects, books, textiles, colour, laughter and conversation all become part of the atmosphere and identity of the space.”
Christelle Colman, CEO and founder, Ami Underwriting Managers
Some houses are simply places to live. Others become something more - an expression of their owners’ lifestyle, identity and way of hosting. These are homes that do not fit neatly into standard categories of value or risk. They are layered, deeply personal spaces - extensions of taste, creativity and lives intentionally lived.
“We understand these kinds of homes and the people who create them,” says Christelle Colman, CEO and Founder of Ami Underwriting Managers.“ Here, value lies not only in price but in rarity, craftsmanship and personal significance.”
A home that fully embodies this philosophy is Louis Jansen van Vuuren and Hardy Olivier’s extraordinary house in Riebeeck Kasteel- something truly unique - the world’s first private residence constructed entirely from commercial ZeroCrete waste.
Louis and Hardy have always transformed every space they inhabit into a source of joy and creativity. Their homes, whether in South Africa or France, are not simply places of residence but reflections of their infinite imagination. Creators and collectors of beauty in all its forms, they have built their lives around art, literature, food and hospitality, earning recognition both in South Africa and abroad.
For Hardy, a house becomes a home when it is filled with items and articles that have meaning. “We often travel and return with objects and art that give us great pleasure and hold beautiful memories.”
With Louis being an internationally renowned artist and writer and Hardy a collector and restorer of 17th- and 18th-century Aubusson tapestries, their homes become living story books. There is beauty and narrative. As Hardy says their art collection and tapestries are hartsgoed - the objects they care most about. “That makes our homes places where we can live out our dreams.”
Over the past 27 years, Louis and Hardy have owned five homes in France, from a modest matchbox house in Lapeyrouse to a château in the countryside. Each space has carried its own story, shaped by their distinctive vision and innate sense of beauty.
Today, their French home is Le Rembucher, an old hunting lodge on the edge of a forest which they are transforming into something both magical and sustainable - a place of restoration and rewilding. In his latest book, Biltong en Dior, Louis describes the joy of watching birds, bees and wild plants return: “It is a safe haven on many levels; a place of peace - as it should be.”
That same philosophy of restoration and intentional living ultimately led them back to South Africa - to the Swartland. When they arrived in Riebeeck Kasteel in 2023, it was by Louis’s account, love at first sight and it is here that their remarkable eco-home took shape.
Described as an architectural triumph of both sustainability and style, EcoSpace challenges conventional notions of building. Thousands of thousands of kilograms of fabric, plastic and glass have been transformed into resilient, striking building materials.
Yet beyond its innovation it is the sensory experience of the home that truly captivates, as Louis explains: “Every texture, every finish is a tactile testament to transformation. From expressively rough-cast panels to sensual, polished surfaces that put Carrara marble to shame, EcoSpace is as much a gallery as it is a home. On one wall, a sliver of plastic - once a simple Shoprite bag - remains visible: an unexpected and hauntingly beautiful detail. It calls to mind the spontaneous gestures of Cy Twombly or the layered chaos of Jackson Pollock. Here, nothing is wasted; everything is reimagined.”
For Colman, homes like these require a different kind of understanding in the world of insurance. “These are not one-size-fits-all environments but carefully curated ecosystems of objects, materials and meaning. Insuring them requires time, curiosity and a willingness to look closer.”
Although Louis and Hardy have always created remarkable homes, from the West Coast to the French countryside, Colman believes EcoSpace represents something more. “It is a culmination of philosophy, artistry and environmental responsibility. In homes like these, creativity does not stop on the page or canvas - it extends into the way rooms are assembled, objects are chosen and spaces are lived in. The house becomes part of a larger expression of taste, discipline and legacy.”
She adds that EcoSpace illustrates why a thoughtful underwriting approach matters. “Because it’s such a distinctive construction it would be easy to make assumptions about the risk. Instead, we chose to understand it properly through meeting with the builder, examining the materials and assessing the structure in detail.” Colman says what became clear was that the fire risk was in fact lower than one might expect, even comparing favourably with many standard construction types.
“In homes like these, the story does not end with the walls,” Colman continues. “It lives on in the artworks, antiques, textiles and objects that give the space its inner life and character.” For Ami, this is where the conversation moves beyond standard household insurance. “Homes like these often contain collections and objects such as Louis and Hardy’s art and tapestries that require a more bespoke approach, particularly where value lies not only in price but in rarity, craftsmanship and personal significance.”
EcoSpace is exactly that kind of home and Louis and Hardy are clients that define Ami’s approach. “We’re interested in layered, personal and unusual assets - homes that reflect a life shaped by creativity, curation and stewardship and clients who understand what they own, why it matters, and how it should be preserved and enjoyed.”
Colman says EcoSpace is an extension of how Louis and Hardy live, create and host, a space where innovation and imagination meet. “The structure and interior are unique and inspirational as we’ve come to expect from these two visionaries. Their appreciation of art, whether found in nature or in a gallery, makes us excited to be their insurance partner.”
For Hardy, this partnership provides something very valuable: peace of mind. “After years of not having insured our properties, it was time to change our ways especially after we started renting out our West Coast home. Spending extended periods of time in France made insurance essential. When we met Christelle Colman, the decision was easy. Ami’s premiums were extremely fair but more importantly, they understood EcoSpace and what we were trying to achieve. Ami even covered us for any eventuality during the building process.”
Hardy says the fact that there wasn’t an increase in premiums after EcoSpace was established but were just brought in line, cemented the fact that they made the right choice in choosing Ami. “Now when we’re away, we can rest assured that our home is in safe hands.”
A final word from Colman: “A house may be built from materials - walls, beams, even recycled plastic and glass - but a home is something far richer. It is shaped by memory, layered with meaning and brought to life by those who inhabit it. And when a home carries that kind of value, it deserves to be understood and protected with the same care with which it was created. After all: Rien ne vaut son chez-soi. There’s no place like home.”
BIO: Christelle Colman is the founder and CEO of Ami Underwriting Managers (Pty) Ltd. Ami is an underwriting agency for Lombard Insurance Co, dedicated to providing bespoke insurance products in the personal lines space to our chosen market segments, namely affluent and the high net-worth, wealth market. www.ami.co.za.