Professional team
Client and developer: Growthpoint Properties Ltd Project managers: Growthpoint Properties Ltd Architects: Elphick Proome Studio (Pty) Ltd
Interior designers: Novospace
Quantity surveyors: FWJK Consulting Durban (Pty) Ltd
Structural and civil engineers: NJV Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Electrical engineers: DBA Electrical Consulting Engineers
Wet services engineers: NJV Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Fire engineers: Umlilo Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Facade engineer: NJV Consulting (Pty) Ltd Earthworks: Atomic Demolishers
Town planner: Christine Platt
Contractor: Rubro Building (Pty) Ltd
Low-rise landmark
Located in the heart of a well-established suburban node, Kent is an apartment block that exhibits a simple language emphasising its linear expression in response to climate and lifestyle.
Leading Architecture + Design Feb/March 2024
Photography: Maxine Elphick Photography
Durban’s suburbs seldom offer opportunity for urban densification, but the La Lucia Mall site in Durban North provided the ideal development canvas for the creation of Kent. This 10-storey apartment block set on the fringes of this well-established low-rise mall capitalises on its prominent location and panoramic views of the Indian Ocean.
The awkwardly shaped site, once an open carpark on the edge of a verdant park, offered a superb location with inherent design constraints, which shaped the apartment footprint.
Set on a three-level structured parking podium, Kent has become a landmark in its low-rise suburban context, yet quietly assumes its presence without dominating the neighbourhood. By elevating the apartments on the screened podium, all east-facing spaces enjoy expansive sea views, while the studios on the west visually connect to the park. The block displays a strong linear elevational treatment with randomly scaled striations that define spandrels, windows and balconies variously.
This simple façade arrangement characterises the block, which subtly plays homage to a well-known, heritage-protected apartment building set high on the Berea. A diverse range of sixty-three apartments all exhibit similar interior crafting with expressed brick walls, raw concrete soffits, black secondary elements and complementary joinery. This interior design strategy clearly differentiates Kent and delivers a warm, funky quality that is extended to the public areas and shared pool courtyard.
Kent’s design solution exhibits responsiveness to Green Building principles in simple ways. It uses passive climate control to reduce solar heat gain by creating recessed fenestration and optimising balconies to facilitate shading, but still maximising natural light ingress for the apartments. Circulation occupies most of the western edge of the building, thus setting back apartments from solar exposure. Natural ventilation has been promoted internally with large opening fenestration sections capturing prevailing ocean and inland breezes. The structural and enclosed aspects all deploy locally available materials and use simple techniques to create an economical and effective outcome.