Situated on the busy Problem Mkize Road (Previously Cowey Road) in Durban, this site is owned by a true professional, with years of experience in the built environment industry. The Client was looking for an upmarket development, housing four residential units which would be private and spacious. With three bedrooms, a dining area, lounge, kitchen and double garages each, the units were looking quite tight.
The fact that the site sloped from the North, down towards the South, was not ideal for the orientation as it restricted the amount of North light that we could bring into the building. However, this slope provided the opportunity to create three terraces, which allowed us to divide the building appropriately, and assisted with creating private spaces for each unit. Furthermore, the slope allowed us to introduce a basement parking area under the middle terrace, thereby increasing the available habitable space in each unit, creating more spacious units.
The overall aesthetic is contemporary, with the use of vertical gardens and roof top gardens that not only break up the façade, but also inject life into the façade. As energy efficient designs are critical to our environment, the design solution for this project takes into account the benefits of green designs and reducing carbon footprints.
