Oct
2014
In the past, I’ve used big, expensive words, visual metaphors and mental paintings worthy of Picasso, in order to entice a sense of want with regards to the areas I’ve written about.
Today is different.
Today I feel no need to enthral you with descriptions of lavish and grand settings. Today I do not wish to appeal to the homeowner, the parent, the economist in you. Today I speak to the human.
I have, quite recently, come to realise something about how where we live speaks of who we are, in a very real way. And I’m not talking about the size of our house or the price tag attached to it. I’m talking about how we as people interact with our environment. You see, as homosapien sapiens, we are the only species, past or present, to actively construct the habitats that we, for lack of a better word, inhabit. We do not, perhaps cannot, accept the “way things are” without casting a curious eye over the world before us, unconsciously realising ways in which that world may be improved upon. And it is that improvement that has been achieved through the construction of this latest – it fits the description thus far – habitat, Silver Woods Country Estate. Don’t believe us? These properties for sale in Silver Woods will confirm everything
The estate speaks for itself – the feel of a close knit, integrated village is one that springs to mind upon first sight. Strength indeed in numbers, the layout of the enclosure ensures that even without walls, residents feel secure in the knowledge that the society that has been created around them stands in unity – all for one and one for all, if you will. The idea behind security at Silver Woods extends beyond the physical barriers to incorporate the people living within them. The idea of “having each other’s backs” is one that is certainly exemplified when looking at the residents of Silver Woods. Neighbourliness is encouraged, and a friendlier bunch you have never met. The layout of the estate affords privacy to each and every individual, yet not so much to alienate home owners from one another. In urban geography (under who’s watchful eye I had toiled for near five years), this idea is called public surveillance, and is based on the concept of mutual responsibility of space in order to create a feeling of safety. This is perhaps no more true than in the case of Silver Woods - and its developers, keenly aware of the direct impact that safety has on our modern quality of life, have incorporated this ideology into the construction of the enclosure.
Still, there is only so much you and I can do against the forces of evil seek to destroy the bonds that hold our communities (and security gates) together. At times, we need assistance. Fortunately, the men and women entasked with your protection at Silver Woods stand ready to oblige. Goliath-like walls topped with high voltage electrical fencing are the first of many obstacles to be encountered by would-be intruders. Strict access control regulations seem nought but words on paper, until we see the steely glint of the black gates (not unlike the entrance to Mordor), poised as the physical manifestation of said words, over the portals to this paradise. Infra-red motion sensors stand as sentinels of the night, peering through the darkness with a penetrating gaze. Finally, regular patrol routes, taken by professional security personnel, ensure that, in the unlikely (excuse me, impossible) event that an intruder manages to circumvent the vast array of protection protocol in place, said intruder would not be able to move about undetected. The best of both man and machine, you’re more or less being guarded by Robocop.
Of course, we would not have you believe that Silver Woods Estate is built in the midst of a swamp of demons and dangers. Much like the enclosure itself, the Pretoria east area that it occupies ensconces a feeling of safety, reflected by the gated neighbourhoods. Situated in close proximity to the prestigious Silver Lakes Golf Estate, possibly amongst the most sheltered areas in all of Gauteng, one would enjoy weightlessness of freedom from crime and concern if one chose to make one’s home here. Local amenities bask in the economic value attached to crime levels approaching zero. And with office parks as well guarded as residential areas, one need not fear the slightest intrusion whilst at the old salt mines.
You see, I have, quite recently, come to realise something about how where we live speaks of who we are. It speaks of our concerns, our fears, our anxieties. Yet it also speaks of our efforts, our triumphs, our victories in conquering unease. It speaks of a human spirit undying in nature, never idle never complacent with mediocrity. And all of this defines who we are as people, as a species. We are human, and it is human nature to seek out the best, the greatest, and in the lack thereof, to create it.
It is with great pleasure that I can say that in this instance, we have created the best. We have created Silver Woods Country Estate, and we’ve created it for you.
