High atop one of the largest hills of the Berea that surrounds Durban’s city bowl you will find an extraordinary group of 4 apartments joined together in a large cube shaped building. At first glance apart from the modern architecture there doesn’t appear to be anything particularly unique about the block, but… when you are up on the roof top these apartments have a special party trick that I have not seen in any other property I have photographed. The roof above the kitchen opens up entirely to the outside. Now that’s pretty neat!

So aside from the kitchen’s intriguing motorised sunroof, what else can I tell you about this property? Well, for starters it has undoubtedly the best views of Durban that I have ever seen. I say the best because not only do you have a totally unobstructed eastern view of the entire city from the Bluff all the way to the northern suburbs, but out on the rooftop you will also see all the way to the where the sun sets in the west. And it’s super private. Nobody is peering in at you from neighbouring high rise apartment buildings. It’s really high up without being a skyscraper itself.

I have photographed this home twice now, once for an agency client and most recently for the owner directly (who is also an estate agent). The thing that struck me on both occasions is the scale of the rooms. There are three under roof levels on the property. You enter at the rear of the building and make your way up a short flight of stairs to the master suite, which is a large open plan room. The owner has a sitting room for watching television in here as well as her desk, a sleeping recess next to the bathroom that can be closed off, and an enormous walk in dressing room. Up another shorter flight of stairs is the second bedroom with an en suite bathroom. Then up on the third level is the massive open plan living room with the kitchen and it’s motorised sun roof. Venture up onto the roof and you will find a perfect size plunge pool and entertainment area, along with a deck that faces that outstanding eastern view I mentioned earlier. 

The finishings are all very modern and the owner has recently had the kitchen re-done. The entire front of the building is glass, but there is a very clever wooden louvre covering that allows you to see out but prevents the high sun from dazzling you during the day. Who is it designed for? I think that this is the perfect home for an executive who wants the convenience of low maintenance city living without feeling cramped and who also appreciates a sumptuous blend of modern architecture, an outdoor space and total privacy.

Have a look at some of the photos and video we produced for this very unique home and if you’re in the market please visit this link for the full listing.

Client: Michelle Geddie Properties
Product: Real Estate Stills & Real Estate Video