House Shumba – Gallant

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This was to be MILarchi’s first ‘green Build’ house and the design approach would be deeply routed in first principles and the site. The site is situated at the apex of the Northcliff Hill offering majestic views over the mine dumps, graveyard and inner-city of Johannesburg. This exquisite site is surrounded by massively expansive views and as a result we used this as the main point of departure for the design.  

The house is essentially comprised of 3 main boxes, two orientated on the ground floor and one stacked on top of these to maximise on the view. These boxes are programmed to respect privacy thresholds and as a result can all be closed off and used independently. Box number one is comprised of the garage, tack room, guest bathroom, 2 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms and a multifunctional study/ play room. The second ground hugging box hosts the main room with its ensuite bathroom and a private t.v room with open fireplace. The third box, which is staked on top in a Scandinavian inspired inverted living approach, is comprised of a large open plan dining room, lounge and kitchen. This then further spills out to a series of entertainment decks that make use of the lower spaces roofs offering stunning views across the landscape.  

The design is simplistic and follows the principle of ‘Form follows function’ closely. Spaces are sized minimally with no ‘wasted space’ to be found. Rooms are finished off in muted tones and materials are honest to themselves with a large part of the palette being simple concrete work. This is done to maximize the views and not to distract the eye when within the space. The architecture becomes a canvas for the surrounding landscape and nature routing this house in it environment. The house becomes the intersection between nature and the human, allowing nature to bleed throughout the project. This is a home that changes both with the seasons and the family it holds within.  

Project Details

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Type: Residential – Private Residence 

Client: Taona Shumba and Lumka Gallant  

Collaborators: MILarchi Architects, Structural Workshop and Bunani Construction.  

Size: 350 m² 

Location: Northcliff, Johannesburg  

Status: Construction 

 

Partners-in-charge: Ruiridh Mcload and Matthew Millar 

Project manager: Taona Shumba  

Project Leader: Ruiridh Mcload 

Team: Matthew Millar, Ruairidh Mcload, Gus Gordon, Craig Tyndall and Taona Shumba.  

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We wear our heart on our sleeves and design for the next generation in South Africa and across the continent. We pride ourselves on projects that are culturally rooted, relevant and sustainable, adding value to the communities and neighbourhoods we touch. We build across scales and we’re as comfortable executing a home renovation or an experimental urban concept, as we are developing a warehouse, shopping center or safari lodge.

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