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A busy, professional couple approached us soon after buying a rather rundown heritage property in Parkview, with a fantastic location close to a popular park. 

They needed to convert the existing dilapidated outbuildings into two offices, which also had to accommodate overseas family visiting for extended periods of time. 

Updates from the early 2000s, which weren’t in the spirit of the original 1940s house, also had to be reconsidered and improved on. 

Some of the original pressed ceilings were still intact, but structurally unsound and had to be looked at by a specialist subcontractor. Plan approval from the heritage committee took months longer than expected and delayed the building plan application to council, which, thankfully, went smoothly and quickly.

We were careful to not make any further drastic changes to the internal layout of the home, only removing portions of internal walls to improve the quality of flow, light and ventilation. 

A lot of effort was put into retaining, restoring and improving what was left of the original structures, and all unnecessary and unsightly additions were stripped away.

We joined the two existing outbuildings and updated their finishes to create a divisible office space, a lounge/ kitchenette, bathroom and generous bedroom. 

In the main house, we repositioned the existing guest toilet to increase the area of the new pantry. 

Avid foodies, the couple's tastefully updated kitchen has become the star of the show - not only as the focal point of the open plan living areas, but also as a space where they can test out new recipes and host friends.

This husband and wife duo dreamt of a small but bespoke forever home for them and their beloved dog. They love and support simple and well-considered design and are passionate about local art. Their brief was to create a calm, grounded cocoon where they could enjoy their classical music and books over a glass of excellent red wine. 

How to best capture this sense of comfort, respite, and rest drove every design decision made along the way. 

The subdivided stand is set in Linden, Johannesburg, with a relatively flat terrain and an existing swimming pool, which had to be accommodated. 

The panhandle offers privacy from the street, secluded from the hustle and bustle amongst well-established trees. This all set the scene for an essentially introverted home, a place to withdraw to and escape the stress of city living, recharging surrounded by nature. 

The design underwent major iterations as we investigated ways in which to accommodate, decrease, or even remove the existing swimming pool. In the end it was decided to keep the pool but reduce its footprint, which required engineer’s details and signoff.

The final design in reddish face brick features beautiful curves to soften and juxtapose the bricks’ rough texture. 

Internally, higher than normal ceilings, industrial-esque doors and power floated floors ensure a cool interior mimicking that of a gallery space, with two fireplaces countering the frosty Highveld winter nights. 

Barely-visible rooflines strengthen the notion of a simplified, minimalist ‘box’, in keeping with the clients’ wish for a paired-down solution, while the generous timber deck around the pool invites you to linger longer on lazy summer days, book and drink in hand.

On this project, a family had begun to outgrow their home. Their preteen wanted space to hang out with friends, while their toddler still needed an afternoon nap. 

The brief was to expand the existing house by incorporating contemporary aesthetics and amenities whilst embracing specific period details of the existing 1958 heritage house. The clients needed a flexible space to accommodate their young family’s various needs and interests. 

The challenge was to sculpt a comfortable, adaptable family home using a tight building footprint as a base within a limited timeframe.

We responded to the brief by adding a new first floor with a main bedroom, en-suite bathroom and dressing room, as well as a new family room cum home office. 

Our client's background in film drove the experiential concept behind the somewhat quirky design. 

Framed views of the surrounding trees emulate a cinematic experience - with predetermined views changing as you move through each space in time.

Strategically placed windows open up into the established trees surrounding the house, channeling cool air throughout the space. The double volume central space maximises passive cooling and offers a visual connection between the ground and first floor.

One of the marks of a good renovation is that the garden often ends up as another room in the house, providing more living space for different times of the day, for different seasons. 

Here, the newly extended kitchen opens up towards the landscaped courtyard to allow for indoor/ outdoor hosting and alfresco dining. The extension features a translucent roof and steel windows that seemingly dissolve to connect to the outside. 

The new barn-like first floor with insulated, composite walls comprising external steel cladding, thermal barrier, double skin masonry and a variety of internal finishes introduces a new visual language to the face-brick-and-stone-clad home originally designed by an architect for his own family. 

In the words of the owner, "It's such a stunning renovation. You created a beautiful space, and we love it."

By adding on a total of only 55 m² we managed to transform a cramped 2 bed/ 2 bath house into a flexible and adaptable 4 bed/ 4 bath family home.

This Parkhurst couple needed a new WFH office where they could receive clients at home without compromising security or professionalism. 

As neighbouring properties are located close to the site boundaries, the clients insisted that the design had to respect their neighbours’ privacy while framing the beautiful treetop views to the north of the site. 

Using the ground floor footprint up to the property's boundary for the new first floor required permission from the city council and consent from the neighbours. 

Working with the City’s strict heritage and building codes we generated a viable, considered, and thoughtful design solution that navigates intense level changes over a small area. Obtaining the various permissions and consents proved very time consuming, adding around 13 months to the building programme.

After an intensive design review process, the clients gained a new first floor office hidden amongst the treetops with views over a park-like suburban canopy to the north and sunset views to the west.

The generous new double-volume circulation space links ground and first floor, providing controlled access between the new office and the existing house. A glass brick feature wall along the staircase offers privacy, structural strength and insulating properties, while allowing softly diffused light into the entrance foyer.

A narrow balcony with French doors along the southern facade provides a cosy, sheltered spot in the treetops where the couple can enjoy a cup of tea while observing the street below.

This extension sensitively responds to its context, becoming a neighbourly asset. Our clients have told us that locals walking their dogs have stopped to tell them how much they're enjoying the upgraded facade, and that it beautifies the street. 

→ Read more of Komala's kind words here.

This active family-of-5 bought a beautiful double storey home in a mature lifestyle estate. They commissioned us to optimise the house's existing flow and layout to better accommodate their young family's specific needs. 

Investigating the existing floor plans and visiting the site revealed obvious spatial bottle necks and wasted floor space that were straining the clients' day-to-day needs and lifestyle.

The downstairs kitchen needed to be streamlined to better flow and connect to the living areas, while the vast open floor space upstairs had to accommodate a properly defined family room/ pajama lounge and a bedroom for their third child. 

The sense of light, open space is carried through the upstairs circulation and bedroom areas by its mezzanine, loft-like feel. 

Views into the entrance foyer and kitchen below visually link the upstairs family spaces and the downstairs entertainment areas.

After a few strategic changes and floor plan updates, the spatial flow improved significantly, unblocking pinch points, and unlocking new spatial configurations.

The leisurely open plan living areas allow mom and dad to host their guests, while the kids have ample space to roam outside or upstairs.

The design was also phased to be implemented as time and budget allow.

→ Read Christo and Adèlé's testimonial here.

Tucked away in verdant Craighall Park, this existing house’s warren of rooms and passages needed more natural light, better flow, and access to the generous, indigenous garden bordering the Braamfontein Spruit.

After assessment, non-structural internal walls were removed and the internal layout not only opened up, but flipped 180 degrees by moving the kitchen and entertainment spaces from the back (south) of the house to the front (north), capitalising on the rolling garden views and northern breeze. 

Indoor living spaces now open onto an airy alfresco deck that can accommodate bigger or smaller gatherings as needed. 

Aluminium-frame windows and doors fold away to create a seamless indoor-outdoor entertainment zone encompassing the north-facing breakfast nook, kitchen with servery window, dining room and living room together with an outdoor open-air deck and braai area so one can always see and feel connected to the garden. 

The harmonious flow for entertaining encourages get-togethers on the shaded porch, to enjoy Joburg's temperate climate with a morning coffee or post-dinner drinks.

Good architecture always adds tangible economic value to your property. 

Upon emigrating in 2023, the clients sold their property and generated a whopping 36% ROI. 

The strategic internal changes and upgraded finishes enabled the client to sell his house in a slow and saturated residential market, underlining the fact that architect-designed houses generally have higher resale value because they more considered. 

→ Read what David and Jenny had to say about working with us here.