MDWABA’S VIEW
A contemporary home, stepped across the landscape maximising views in a picturesque residential estate in Gauteng
2016, Monaghan Farm, Lanseria, Centurion, South Africa
Area: 700m²
Project Team: Nadine Clarke, Emma Hurst, Deandra Farinha
Contractor: Urban Creations
Photo Credit: SA Home Owner
Mdwaba’s View is a contemporary family home designed across a stepped landscape in the picturesque Monaghan Farm residential estate in Gauteng. Set on a northern slope with uninterrupted views of the surrounding Highveld, the home takes full advantage of its location, using multiple levels and carefully considered orientation to enhance both sustainability and liveability. The project was shaped by a deeply personal narrative, making the architectural journey as meaningful as the final result.
A Home Inspired by Personal History
The concept behind Mdwaba’s View is rooted in the client’s upbringing in the Eastern Cape, a region known for its vast open spaces, dramatic mountain ranges, and expansive views. These landscapes formed an essential part of his childhood, and he wanted his own children to experience something similar, a connection to place, openness, and nature. The stand he selected at Monaghan Farm provided exactly that: a northern slope with generous views, quiet surroundings, and enough elevation to echo the vistas of his youth.
This narrative became a central part of the design brief. The client wanted a modern, sustainable family home that would embrace the view and landscape, using architecture as a way to share memories across generations. The resulting layout positions the home as a stepped composition across the natural slope, with the public areas, such as the living spaces and entertainment zones, placed toward the western side near the road, while the private spaces sit more quietly on the eastern portion of the stand. This arrangement not only responds to privacy needs but also reinforces the home’s connection to its surroundings.
Orientation and Sustainability at the Core
Sustainability is a key principle throughout the design. To maximise thermal efficiency, the home is oriented to the north and constructed with cavity walls, shading devices, strategically placed openings for cross-ventilation, with double glazed windows and doors. These elements work together to regulate indoor temperatures naturally, reducing reliance on mechanical systems.
Hot water is produced by solar geysers, and the home has been pre planned for future photovoltaic installation, with reticulation already in place. Inside the bedrooms, hydronic underfloor heating provides warmth in winter, while evaporative cooling helps moderate summer heat. The main living areas are fitted with wood burning stoves that deliver both warmth and ambience, supported by deep shading and large openings that encourage natural airflow. Cool south facing courtyards further regulate temperature by drawing in breezes, enhancing cross ventilation and offering shaded retreat spaces on hot days.
Rainwater harvesting is integrated as well, with a significant portion of the roof surface designed to channel water into collection systems for reuse. These combined strategies allow the home to run efficiently while maintaining comfort throughout the year.
A Carefully Composed Approach to Arrival
The journey into Mdwaba’s View is intentionally designed to be memorable. A pathway leads visitors past a corrugated iron-clad carport, which forms part of the contemporary farm style palette, and guides them toward the architecturally considered front entrance. The entrance is framed by an off-shutter concrete canopy that gives the threshold a strong architectural presence while providing shade and protection. Stepping inside, one enters down into a double lobby volume and high-level windows that draw daylight deep into the interior. The combination of concrete, stone, glass, light, and proportion creates a welcoming yet refined arrival experience that frames the view.
Connection to the Landscape
A defining feature of the home is the extensive use of large glazing throughout the stepped levels. This glazing creates strong visual links to the site and the surrounding Highveld bush, allowing the landscape to feel present from nearly every room. The building’s stepped profile not only follows the natural slope but also ensures that different levels have unobstructed views, turning the landscape into an integral part of the home’s character.
Multiple courtyards thought the home allow create green lungs, privacy and light. A large zen courtyard central to the kitchen lobby and lounge is a defining feature of the home. The home offices courtyard allows natural light and privacy from the adjacent guest suite. The guest suite opens onto views of the Highveld surroundings and benefits from the same sense of openness that defines the rest of the home, without compromising the family’s privacy.
Indoor Spaces Designed for Family Living
Inside, the home offers a range of spaces designed for family life, entertaining, and quiet moments. The modern living room features a generous volume with high-level windows. These windows create a sculptural relationship with the roofline while capturing soft, filtered light throughout the day. Adjacent to this is a sophisticated open-plan dining room that visually and physically connects to the outdoor living areas. With the internal courtyard on one side and broad views over the Highveld bush on the other, the living and dining spaces are equally suited to everyday use and larger gatherings.
The internal landscaped courtyard anchors the home and brings a sense of calm to the centre of the layout. Architecturally designed paths and planting create a serene, zen like atmosphere, blurring the boundary between indoors and outdoors. This courtyard allows natural ventilation to flow through the home, contributing to the cooling strategies and anchoring the overall spatial organisation.
A Kitchen Designed for Everyday Comfort
The kitchen is a focal point of family activity and was designed as a modern, bespoke space with custom-made joinery. The room features a custom built banquette (kitchen nook) that functions as an informal gathering point, perfect for family meals or conversation during meal preparation. The architectural detailing and handcrafted joinery establish the kitchen as both a functional workspace and a warm, welcoming part of daily life.
Large openings around the kitchen and dining areas maintain visual connection to the landscape, ensuring that even interior moments feel connected to the Highveld setting. The kitchen’s relationship to adjacent living areas allows the spaces to flow into one another seamlessly, enhancing the open plan nature of the home. Level changes and cavity doors also allow for separation of the dining space from the kitchen.
Spaces for Work, Rest, and Retreat
The home office is custom designed and built to accommodate focused work in a setting that remains connected to the broader aesthetic of the house. Practicality, comfort, and architectural consistency all guided the design, resulting in a workspace that is functional without feeling isolated.
The master suite embraces a gentle contemporary aesthetic combining warmth, privacy, and openness. It is arranged as a generous split-level space with an ensuite lounge that offers flexibility for relaxation or quiet reading. The master suite opens onto a private patio, while steel liners frame the bathroom feature windows. This patio allows the homeowners to enjoy morning or evening views privately.
Storage was given strong consideration, with a custom designed dressing room featuring a roof pop up that brings natural light into the space. This design element ensures the area is bright and easy to use, enhancing practicality without compromising the home’s aesthetic.
Designed for Modern Living and Entertaining
Mdwaba’s View offers modern outdoor living and entertainment areas that take advantage of the home’s layout and views. Generous patios, shaded spaces, and landscaped courtyards allow the family to comfortably use outdoor areas throughout the year. The combination of indoor and outdoor living strengthens the connection to the landscape and reflects the client’s desire to share the openness of the Eastern Cape with the next generation.
Each design decision, from wall construction to window placement, contributes to a cohesive architectural language focused on sustainability, comfort, and connection to place. The home remains contemporary yet grounded, layered yet uncomplicated, and deeply personal while still universally inviting.
Ready to Build Your Dream Home? Let’s Talk.
If Mdwaba’s View has inspired ideas for your own home or confirmed your interest in creating a space connected to landscape, light, and family life, we’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re planning something modest or envisioning a bold architectural statement, we can help translate your goals into a home that reflects your lifestyle and works within your budget.
Get in touch to set up a consultation. Let’s explore your site, discuss your vision, and begin crafting a home that is thoughtfully designed and built to last.
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