PROJECT
One on Herrwood
The building is composed of a range of apartment
typologies in response to changing market conditions
ONE ON HERRWOOD
Parkside Umhlanga Ridge,
Durban
CLIENT
Trapezoid Investments
FINANCIERS
Nedbank
PROJECT MANAGERS
Alexander Projects
ARCHITECTS
PGA Architects
QUANTITY SURVEYORS
BTKM Quantity Surveyors
CONSULTING ENGINEERS:
STRUCTURAL & CIVIL
Arup
ELECTRICAL
SNA Consulting Electrical
Engineers
MECHANICAL/WET SERVICES/
RATIONAL FIRE DESIGN
Mahesh Khoosal and
Associates
GEOTECHNICAL
Drennan Maude and Partners
O
ne on Herrwood is a 12 storey luxury apartment building comprising 98 residential
units situated prominently on Umhlanga Ridge, Durban. The sixth and largest
building to date for the developers, Trapezoid Investments, the building was
conceived in 2009 during the low point of the economic downturn for property in South Africa.
Brief
The original brief to PGA Architects called for a modern, upmarket development, aimed at
maximising the sweeping sea views from the site. Each of the 98 units in the building were
to respond to the setting with large balconies and higher than average ceilings. Based on
a cabana format, the design was to be centred on an extensive entertainment deck and
lobby that would echo the feel of a sophisticated resort hotel. The core of the brief called for
creating a sense of arrival that heightened the feeling anticipation of visitors and owners to
the building.
Site
As the first building to be designed and built in the new Parkside residential precinct, the
latest offering from Tongaat Hulett Developments, the building was subject to a rigorous
review process to establish arguably one of the jewels in the crown of the well established
Umhlanga Ridge Town Centre. Situated high on the ridge above Umhlanga Rocks, the site was
centrally placed minutes away from the sprawling Gateway Theatre of Shopping and major
through roads. Originally three sites, the scope of the development called for the erven to
be consolidated to create a unified platform, to achieve the buildings cabana configuration.
INTERIOR DESIGN
Jossi Design (Lobby)
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
JH Landscape Design
Consultants
LAND SURVEYOR
Crawford & Associates
MAIN CONTRACTOR
Stefanutti Stocks Building KZN
TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY
Courtesy of PGA Architects
Grant Pitcher
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One on Herrwood
One on Herrwood is a 12
storey luxury apartment
building comprising
98 residential units
situated prominently on
Umhlanga Ridge, Durban
NORTH WEST ELEVATION
However, just 5 months prior to construction
commencing, the developers were presented
with the opportunity of acquiring a fourth site,
which would allow One on Herrwood to assume
a central position with frontage across the full
city block, thereby enhancing access and the
stunning ocean views. While the developers
grasped the potential of the larger site, the
professional team were pushed to redesign
large parts of the building to remain on schedule
for the ground breaking in March 2011.
Design
The elegant and robust proportions of the
building reflect the ethos of PGA Architect’s
director, Prakasen Govender and senior
architect, Craig Atkins, to create buildings suited
to their environment. They note that “while it is
tempting to create an iconic silhouette, practical
aesthetics are preferred as the building is going
to be home to a wide range of occupants and
will have to withstand the elements on an
One on Herrwood
exposed, coastal site over its lifetime”. The
building exploits the extensive 7m slope across
the site to create an arcaded plinth, housing the
developments, parking, gym and games room;
the plinth also allowed for the introduction of
sheltered courtyards for a children’s play area.
Access to the parking plinth is straight off the
surrounding streets and ensures a quick and
secure transition for occupants.
An impressive canopied entrance is located
at the raised ground floor level and is accessed
through what will become a landscaped
courtyard when the adjoining buildings are
completed. The symmetry of the building’s
entrance façade is deliberately incomplete to
the north east to allow for a sliver of oblique
views out of the communal parking courtyard
and for the prevailing cool north east breezes
to circulate.
The building is composed of a range of
apartment typologies in response to changing
market conditions. The developers and estate
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The sequence of
public spaces on the
ground floor has been
carefully orchestrated
for maximum effect
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agents had originally thought that apartments
would be acquired mainly as holiday residences,
but have been delighted that more owners
are permanent residents, which speaks to the
central location and desirability of the Parkside
precinct. The smallest apartment is the one
bedroom at 48m², while two bedroom - two
bathroom apartments have several variations
between 68m² and 76m². The three bedroom –
two bathroom apartments also have a range of
options available, from 80m2 to 108m2.
The interiors of the apartments have been
finished to a high specification, with owners
being given a pallet of choice finishes from
which to select and personalise their spaces.
Several of the apartments were also customised
for disabled access and facilities to meet the
needs of the owners. All of the apartments
feature three meter tall ceilings which is a rarity
in Durban where lower heights are preferred
to allow for extra floors of apartments. Added
height creates the illusion of more space which
complements the subtle, neutral pallet of
materials. The soft earth tones are continued to
the exteriors facades and public spaces of the
building, which are complimented by the rough
quartzite stone cladding and red brick.
The building is crowned by two exceptional
penthouses that optimise the use of glass to
enhance the penetration of light in the open plan
spaces and provide connections with the ocean
views from all vantage points. The penthouses
level is entered through a private, access
controlled, elevator lobby tiled in travertine,
while access to the apartments is through 3.4m
high walnut veneered double doors. The open
plan is carefully controlled to screen the kitchen
and passage to the bedrooms. An extensive
scullery space is provided for back of house
services that allow the kitchens to have modern
clean lined aesthetics with the minimum
of clutter.
The passage through the bedrooms and
study wing is alleviated by three skylights with
a timber filigree screen that filters out glare. The
master suite is entered through the dressing
room which has a lower ceiling to compress
space so that the dual aspect windows of the
main bedroom have a greater impact. The
master en suite is a generous light filled space
that allows the owner to experience the view
from the shower or the bath as if they were on
an ocean liner.
Public Interfaces
Due to the scale of the development which
occupies the frontage of an entire city block
and its prominent position on Umhlanga Ridge,
the architects sought to create a human scaled
interface with the surrounding sidewalks and
buildings. The three storey plinth is treated
as an arcade of red facebrick that is a feature
of traditional architecture in KZN; the plinths
anchoring function is enhanced by the use
of natural quartzite stone laid as drystack
cladding to provide a contrasting texture. The
landscaping is soft and is based on planting in
massed drifts. The courtyards and perimeter
of the building are articulated through the
planting of indigenous trees to give variety of
forms, foliage and scale through the year. On
the elevated ground floor deck, the planting
is more abstract, structured and architectural
as a response to the strong symmetry and
architecture of the building.
The sequence of public spaces on the
ground floor has been carefully orchestrated
for maximum effect. The porte-cochère’s steel
canopy is suspended from a two story stone arch
that provides the focal point of the landscaped
parking court. As you enter the lobby through
the automated sliding doors, the quiet bubbling
of water features marks the transition. Internally,
the lobby is a quiet refined space for the
buildings occupants to meet guests and use as
a spring board to access the extensive 1000m²
entertainment deck. The lobby is a blend of
sophisticated forms and robust materials in a
neutral blue grey pallet that echoes the ocean
and sky beyond the glazed walls. The porcelain
tiles are accented by marble and timber insets
that create defined seating zones. As with
any development in South Africa, security is a
primary concern and the lobby is the holding
area for visitors to the building and access is
strictly controlled from the richly appointed
reception desk.
One on Herrwood
While the full impact of the glazed wall is
evident, the visitor’s eye is drawn out onto the
timber entertainment deck, past the lounge
furniture to the lap pool’s longest edge which
has a rim flow to bind the ocean and the pool
together visually. Once out on the deck,
individual activity areas are defined by low
planters and subtle changes in the floor levels
and finishes. Timber is the dominant finish and is
echoed in the timber pool fence that separated
the ground floor apartments from the pool area.
Greenery is provided through heavy drifts of
planting and the addition of synthetic grass, as
a practical option for children to play and for
sunbathers to recline on.
The ground floor entertainment deck may be
the focus of the building, but additional outdoor
areas have been created on the fourth and ninth
floors, to allow the building’s occupants to
experience all of the sweeping views on offer.
Sheltered court yard spaces have been created
within the buildings plinth and are accessible
from timber decks.
Technical and Construction
While the spaces created may be simple and
elegant, realising them on such an exposed site
within budget and on time was a challenge for
the professional team and the contractor. The
muddy and unstable soil conditions from the
infamous Brea red soil on the site were overcome
through persistence, while the remainder of the
structure was built during one of the wettest
periods in Durban for the last 25 years.
Providing water to the building proved
challenging as Durban’s municipality has
installed a new low flow water system to alleviate
pressure on the system and reduce leaks. Water
is pumped to a tank in the basement which then
feeds water to tanks located in service rooms on
the tenth floor and the roof. To reduce energy
and wasteful water consumption, the domestic
and fire supply were combined into a single
system managed by a simple BMS system. The
building was also fitted with a generator.
The building is shaped and stepped in profile
to minimise solar gain and maximise ventilation
to the apartments. The building’s fenestration
and position mean that it can be passively
ventilated, reducing the need for artificial
cooling to almost zero. Solar gain on coastal
sites is extreme, as orientating towards the
view exposes large areas of glass; here, this was
mitigated through the use of overhangs, deep
balconies and solar performance glass.
SOUTH EAST ELEVATION
ELEVENTH FLOOR PLAN
THIRD FLOOR PLAN
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
PARKING FLOOR PLAN
Conclusion
The development has been a success in the
face of economically challenging times and,
with its restrained contemporary aesthetics, is
set to age well in its prominent location. The
dedication of the contractor, the professional
team and the developers has resulted in the
creation of a prestigious address, synonymous
with quality and breathtaking views.
One on Herrwood
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