The Owl House and Camel Yard - South Africa

3D Model

The Owl House is a celebrated example of outsider art, located in the small village of Nieu Bethesda in South Africa. It was created by Helen Martins (1897–1976), who transformed her home over several decades into a visionary installation of crushed glass, cement, and sculptural figures inspired by biblical imagery, Eastern philosophy and her imagination. After Martins’ death, the property was acquired and restored by the Camdeboo Municipality and is now formally protected as a South African National Heritage Site, curated as a house museum. GDHA documented the Owl House and Camel Yard spatially in October 2025. 460 laser scans with a Riegl V600zi scanner, and about 1000 drone images were used to create this model. The model is reduced in polygon and texture resolution to be able to display it in Sketchfab.

Special thanks to all at the Owl House Foundation & Amanda Snyman.