location: Hawaan Estate, Umhlanga, Durban, KZN | architects: Kevin Lloyd Architects – Kevin Lloyd / Rowan Parry | interior designers: M&M Designs – Michele and Mark Metior | landscaping: Phil Page | photographer: Peter Oravecz

Originally coastal forest before being used by the colonial settlers for sugarcane farming, the land was slightly terraced by the developer and divided up into plots of around 1 000 square metres. This fairly small estate – with some 160 homes marketed as an environmentally sensitive development – adheres to contemporary architectural guidelines.

The 2 345-square metre site is moderately sloped in two directions. Views of the ocean extend to the east over neighbouring properties and to the coastal forest in front. To the north are rolling hills still under sugarcane and riverine forest.

The house and stand-alone studio consist of three bedrooms (en suite), two personal separate studies, an open-plan kitchen, dining room, lounge and covered terrace with a breakfast court; plus a scullery, laundry and service areas with double garage. The studio also has a double garage, open-plan bedroom (en suite), kitchen and lounge; total size of house and studio is approximately 750 square metres.

Says architect Kevin Lloyd, ‘The house was a very personally driven brief to include spatial interiors, maximising the views and overall property size; light, sun, and ventilation were to be uncompromising requirements. Estate living and modern property developments are challenged by reduced size, and often, that difficult to achieve privacy required in a very upmarket home.

‘Prerequisites were privacy and space, hence the sheltered courtyards and one with a suburban garden, lawns and substantial trees and shrubs. The architecture had to comply with the guidelines of the estate, with its requirement for natural materials: tones of grey, natural concrete and the use of hardwood. This together with the rectilinear forms and strong horizontal emphasis.

For the full article see Habitat #276 March / April 2020 | Habitat Online #7 April / May 2020

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