Ellerman House – Architectural Mirror Television Installation

THE BRIEF

A landmark mirror television installation created for Villa Two at Ellerman House in Bantry Bay, Cape Town.

First discussed in March 2012 and completed in 2013, this project brought architecture, sculpture and audiovisual engineering together around one exacting objective: integrate a 65-inch television so completely that it became part of the room when switched off.

Mirror Edge Networks worked alongside architect Michael Dennet, Christiaan Beukes of Sphere Custom Design and sculptor Angus Taylor to resolve the display, video distribution, structural preparation and sculpted Hematite surround as one coordinated feature.

A television designed to disappear

The client had already experienced mirror televisions internationally and understood the visual result that could be achieved. The challenge was therefore not simply to supply a screen, but to create an installation worthy of the architecture and material palette of Ellerman House.

The final mirror measured 1,700 mm × 1,100 mm and incorporated a 65-inch display behind the reflective surface. When the screen is operating, the picture is visible through the mirror. When it is switched off, the technology recedes and the installation reads as an architectural mirror within the bar.

Collaboration from the earliest stage

Successful concealed technology depends on early coordination. Discussions began with the architect before the surrounding wall treatment had been finalised, giving the project team time to consider the display dimensions, supporting structure, cable routes, ventilation, power and access requirements together.

Sphere Custom Design was responsible for the Crestron automation and high-definition video feed, while Mirror Edge Networks coordinated the mirror display and its physical integration. This collaborative process allowed the visible design and the hidden technical infrastructure to develop in parallel.

Matching mirror and Hematite

Angus Taylor developed a sculpted Hematite cladding design to surround the mirror. Because the polished stone and reflective glass would meet directly, their colour and finish needed to feel deliberate rather than merely similar.

A 100 mm × 100 mm mirror sample was shipped to Cape Town for comparison with the polished Hematite before the final order was placed. Only once the two materials were confirmed as a suitable visual match did the team proceed with manufacture.

The sculpted cladding took approximately three months to complete. The result is the defining element of the installation: screen, mirror and stone appear as one composed architectural feature.

Preparing the structure before the display arrived

Mirror Edge Networks marked out the exact display and mirror position on site before installation. Angus Taylor’s team then mounted a metal support frame for the Hematite cladding around that reference.

A temporary television “stunt double” was fitted within the frame while the stonework was completed. This maintained the required opening and protected the dimensional relationship between the future display, the mirror and the cladding throughout the sculpting process.

This kind of preparation is essential for bespoke audiovisual integration. Millimetres matter when several independently manufactured elements must meet cleanly in a finished architectural surface.

Hidden video distribution and control

High-definition video was delivered through a Crestron DigitalMedia system. The room controller and the display power supply were concealed above the screen, behind the Hematite cladding, keeping the technical equipment out of sight while maintaining the connection to the central video matrix.

The project is an early example of the principle that continues to guide Mirror Edge Networks’ integrated home technology work: the infrastructure can be sophisticated, but the finished room should remain visually calm and straightforward to enjoy.

A carefully managed installation

The bespoke mirror and display arrived in Cape Town shortly before the first event at the villa. After unloading, customs clearance and final delivery to site, the crated mirror had to be carried down four flights of stairs to the bar area by a six-person team.

Specialist glass-handling equipment was selected with a carrying capacity well beyond the 23 kg mirror weight. The installation was temporarily configured for the event, then completed once the final connections and surrounding works were ready.

Final cleaning alone required more than an hour of careful work with a suitable spirit-based cleaner and microfibre cloths, ensuring that the large reflective surface was handed over without marks or scratches.

Legacy technology, enduring integration

The original installation used an ad notam mirror display and Crestron video distribution, reflecting the specialist technology selected for this project in 2013. The equipment is part of the project’s history; the enduring value lies in the design process, coordination and craftsmanship required to integrate it convincingly.

More than a decade later, the project remains a useful demonstration of what is possible when technology is considered as part of the architecture from the outset.

The result

The completed feature transforms from a reflective sculptural surface into a 65-inch television without introducing a conventional black screen into the room. Its success depends equally on the concealed engineering and on the careful relationship between the mirror and the hand-finished Hematite cladding.

Ellerman House demonstrates that discreet technology is not simply about hiding equipment. It is about resolving structure, materials, services and control so thoroughly that the technology belongs in the space.

Planning a discreet audiovisual installation? Discuss your project with Mirror Edge Networks.

Read the original installation journal. Professional photography by Robert Miller and Jon-Erik Munro. Additional photo credit: Rolls-Royce Media Archive.