BLOCKVIEW INVESTMENTS RECENTLY ENGAGED SMART BUILDING SOLUTIONS FOR TWO CLUSTER HOMES FOR ONE FATHER AND HIS SON. THE CLIENT’S BRIEF WAS NOTHING LIKE SMART BUILDING SOLUTIONS HAD ENCOUNTERED BEFORE WITH SPECIFICATIONS THAT THE TWO HOUSES SHOULD BE IDENTICAL IN EVERY DETAIL INCLUDING THE SQUARE METERAGE AND THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR DESIGN.
Architectural designs were provided by renowned design firm Sarah Morgan Architects with Smart Building Solutions acting as the main contractors and project managers. The houses are built on the remainder of plot 5AC Ridgeway South in Highlands, Harare, a portion of land sold to Blockview Investments. The previous land owner more or less halved his plot and a boundary wall was built to set the parameters. That same remainder of the plot which Blockview Investments bought was further subdivided into two with a high dividing wall for privacy and separate entrances for the clusters.
Although the two houses are identical in size – 232 square metres – one plot is slightly bigger than the other. Construction began in June 2021 with Frank Makombe from Smart Building Solutions overseeing the project from the start to its completion in June this year. The project was completed on time and on budget with great attention to detail evident from the landscaping to the exterior and interior fifinishes.
Entrance to the properties is through tall, swinging gates. The brick paved driveway leads past the entrance porch, the courtyard and the carport to the back garden. From the driveway two steps lead up to the entrance porch and a front door with an S-shaped handle. On opening the door, a minimalist space in neutral tones is revealed.
The first room you encounter is an intimate TV/study room suitable for a small family. Beyond that there’s an open plan kitchen, lounge and dining room under a high tongue and groove ceiling, with exposed trusses set below a Chromadek roof. Floors throughout are laminated timber. The kitchen is big enough to fit a good sized fridge, a stove and a dishwasher. Stylish upper and lower cabinetry with quartz countertops were supplied Billcoat Carpenters and provide adequate storage space.
The living room is linked to a veranda at the back of the house to create a seamless connection to the outdoors. This can be used as an additional dining area for entertaining guests or for family meals when summer approaches. Ceiling lights allow for the veranda to be used in the evenings. There’s a central passage with lounge, dining room and kitchen on one side and bedrooms on the other side. The houses have three bedrooms in varying sizes with the master having an en suite bathroom and there’s a second, shared, family bathroom.
Smart Building Solutions is a construction company which offers an array of building services and products. They pride themselves on delivering top end projects that meet and exceed clients’ expectations. The matching pair of clusters on Ridgeway South are a testament to their expertise and attention to detail.
To have Smart Building Solutions on any of your construction project:
Visit: 6 Borgward Road, Msasa, Harare, Zimbabwe
Phone: +263242447748, +263242447749,
+263 242 447757, +263 242 447758
Cell: +263 7185 82917, +263 7827 22395
text by Farai Chaka
photos by Structure & Design
