Structure & Design ISSUE 26

ISSUE 26 | 2019

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ZIMBABWE’S LEADING INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE

Main Profile on Page 6: Distributed Power Africa Offering Power Solutions

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STRUCTURE & DESIGN

TWENTY-sixTH ISSUE

CONTENT PUBLISHER Structure And Design Media MARKETING Clive Mapfumo Newton Musara Tatenda Nyagura +263 779 141 137 +263 772 233 086 +263 8644 224 569/70 DESIGN & LAYOUT Tami Zizhou CONTRIBUTORS Michael Nott PHOTOGRAPHY Michele Fortmann Structure & Design SUBSCRIPTIONS

MAIN PROFILE 06 | Distributed Power Africa

SPACE OF THE MONTH 12 | Ferts, Seed and Grain’s New Home

COMMERCIAL PROFILE 32 | Sandalwood Lodge

RESIDENTIAL PROFILE 40 | Building A New Home from the Ground

Up and Renovating an Old House

MATERIAL FOCUS 54 | Textile Gallery 57 | Dans’ Furnitures 58 | Laminate vs Tiling Flooring

by Union Hardware 60 | Building with Earth

+263 8644 224 570 EMAIL adverts.structureanddesign@gmail.com adverts@structureanddesign.co.zw WEBSITE www.structureanddesign.co.zw FIND US AT 31 Alexander Rd, Highlands, Harare

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of its content, neither editor nor publisher can be held responsible for any omissions or errors: or for an y misfortune, injury , or damages which may arise there-from.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2019 Structure and Design M agazine: No Part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electric or mechanical, including photocopying or recording.

VISIT: issuu.com/structuredesign for the digital editions of every issue

ISSUE 21 | 2019 ZIMBABWE’S LEADING INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE

ARCHITECTS’

YEARBOOK 2018

MAIN PROFILE on Page 8: Building The New American Embassy in Harare.

ISSUE 26

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publisher@structureanddesign.co.zw

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Publisher’s Memo

T

he past decade has set the wheels in motion for a global energy transition with renewables. A landmark decoupling of global energy consumption confirms efforts and actions by the world to mitigate climate change. The worldwide energy revolution has ambitious targets and if coupled with robust national plans can foster competitiveness with fossil fuels as we embrace a new energy paradigm and not preserve the antiquated status quo. The decoupling clearly signals that renewables have clearly become a mainstream energy resource.

It is imperative we wean off expensive fossil fuels, reduce co2 emissions and find more intelligent solutions in expanding the share of conventional bio fuels, spur

innovation in advanced bio fuels and join the global renewable energy revolution as we strive for a much cleaner, safer and more sustainable world.

The penetration and use of both variable and non-variable renewables are increasing thereby contributing to the diversification of the energy mix.

It is accelerating globally with the implementation of targets and innovative policies. Renewables must continue to surpass expectations and create a clean equitable energy future by reducing co2 emissions below the carbon budget identified buy climate scientists to avoid the current runaway climate change.

All this said, our economy definitely needs

organizations with a compelling vision and a well-articulated pathway to achieve the transition to a global sustainable future.

Distributed Power Africa (DPA) is one such powerhouse offering solutions to the current crippling power shortages, Read page 6.

FSG (Ferts, Seed & Grain) has just opened its new premises in Pomona as we celebrate the beginning of Spring in Zimbabwe – the season marked by Nature’s re-awakening and the optimism of a bumper Summer crop ahead. Read more on page 12.

PLEASE READ, ENJOY AND SHARE!!!

All Structure & Design content, and much more is available online at... issuu.com/ structuredesign or SDMagzim

Structure & Design Team publisher@structureanddesign.co.zw

S&D PARTNERS

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DPA Project Msasa

Distributed Power Africa‌ ‌offering solutions to crippling power shortages text: Michael Nott

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ISTRIBUTED POWER AFRICA (DPA) is a dedicated renewable energy business within the Econet Group of companies. The Group, under the banner Econet Global, also owns Econet Wireless, Liquid Telecom, Steward Bank, Cassava Smartech and the philanthropic organisation Higherlife Foundation.

The founding principle of the Econet Group is that Africa can realise its true potential through investment and development based on three main pillars; - Communications (keeping everybody, everywhere in touch through telecommunications and internet access), - Technology (offering simple and secure mobile smart technology solutions and both financial and on demand services for all from multi-national companies to individuals in remote areas) and - Power (providing affordable and reliable energy for the residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, educational and health sectors.) Their philosophy is that power can be supplied to everyone from remote rural areas to bustling city centres in line with sustainable, eco-friendly values. Ugesi Energy is a DPA project aimed at creating mini solar grids in isolated rural areas to encourage and support local businesses, schools and clinics.

DPA then began creating solar powered solutions for in-house applications – Econet offices in Graniteside, Msasa and Willowvale as well as the Econet operations in Livingstone Ave in Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare.

Willowvale Project 6

Econet Wireless was formed in 1993 by Strive Masiyiwa and was finally awarded a licence to operate in 1998. Since then Econet has continued to thrive and grow in Zimbabwe and has moved into Africa as Econet Global.

STRUCTURE & DESIGN

In around 2017 they began supplying power solutions for residential and commercial clients and recently DPA entered into a partnership agreement with EDF (Électicité De France) a world leading electricity company, to increase the deployment of commercial and industrial energy solutions across the African market. To date DPA has signed expressions of interest from a wide range of companies (including mines, retail shopping malls, commercial offices,

manufacturing plants, NGOs, hotels and lodges, churches, clinics and schools), totalling over 100MW of clean, efficient, reliable power.

Just a few of their projects to date include: RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATIONS DPA offers a choice of packages to suit any home owner ranging from a simple 3kW

setup to a 5kW system, or a 10kW/15kW solar and battery inverter solution for large executive homes. Some customers might just choose a battery and inverter solution alone, without the solar panels, as long as the main grid is still functional. There are extremely attractive financing options available with no deposit, free maintenance on a 3-7 year repayment scheme. You can also monitor your home’s energy consumption and power status from your phone or any digital device.

Installation and AFTER Livingstone Road Project, Zimbabwe

BEFORE and AFTER at the Schweppes Zimbabwe project.

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main profile AGRICULTURAL DPA has solar system packages for farmers and have begun installations in horticultural and floricultural farms.

COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL Kefalos Foods in Harare South is among DPA’s commercial customers who have recently gone green with an installation of a 600kW solar system to meet their energy requirements. The Surrey Group also recently installed a 118kW roof mounted solar power system at their abattoir and food processing plant in Marondera. Other DPA commercial and industrial solar constructions include Schweppes Zimbabwe, Liquid South Africa and a hospital in Kenya.

BEFORE at the Kefalos project.

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AFTER at the Kefalos project.

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main profile

BEFORE at the Surrey Group project.

AFTER at the Surrey Group project.

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Boxlee Packaging – one of the largest sheet board packaging plants in South Africa - was one of DPA’s first South African customers to commission a solar system at their factory in line with their environmental compliance goals.

TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY Bomani Lodge and Nehimba Lodge in Hwange have installed off-grid solar power systems blended with battery back-up for complete power reliability. The solar solutions mean that the lodges are no longer reliant on expensive diesel generators helping to reduce their carbon footprints and offering guests the luxury of reduced noise levels and a greener more peaceful environment.

Blue Swallow Lodges (part of Dawn Properties) situated near Troutbeck Hotel in Nyanga, have also recently installed a DPA ground mounted solar power system.

Hopefully this trend to go green will soon be adopted at all hotels and lodges across

Zimbabwe as it will help improve our carbon credit score as a country and make us a more attractive tourist destination.

EDUCATION SECTOR Mupambe Primary School in rural Hwange, which was previously lacking in most basic facilities and largely underfunded, has received a 45 panel solar power setup donated by DPA as part of their social responsibility programme. Several private schools in the cities have also expressed interest in solar solutions to power lights, computers, the internet and the schools’ laboratories.

HEALTH SECTOR The prestigious Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya has begun installations of their solar system engineered by DPA. Other projects in construction include: 1.2MW Liquid Data Centre, Midrand, South Africa.

1.2MWLiquid Data Centre, Cape Town, South Africa.

100kW Econet Leo Data Centre, Burundi.

1.5MW setup for Schweppes, Zimbabwe.

Only larger and more established companies like DPA have the capacity to provide skills training and the ability to maintain the highest standards, as the solar installation process includes both engineering and construction expertise. Their Safety and Environmental Health teams work closely with the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) and other regulators to maintain the most stringent standards.

DPA only supplies components from the most reputable and dependable Tier 1 sources so they can guarantee the best products. For example, photovoltaic panels are sourced from Jinko, SunPower and Canadian Solar; inverters are sourced from SMA, Huawei, SolarEdge and Schneider, while batteries are sourced from Blue Nova, BMZ, Solar MD and Tesla.

EADC Kenya Project

DPA offers a unique Power Lease Financing plan whereby customers pay a fixed rate for the contract period of 15 years with zero deposit. The scheme consists of a 15 year lease for the engineering and installation of the entire solar setup (power plant), which they operate, monitor and maintain for the entire period at no additional cost.

Divyajeet Mahajan – CEO of DPA Zimbabwe

– was quoted in Techzim (5th April, 2019) as saying, “DPA has signed more than 100 MW expressions of interest in solar solutions from a wide range of companies… The current challenges with diesel shortages and the potential for power disruption and the need to have reliable and clean energy has made solar and lithium batteries a very attractive alternative energy option. The fact that DPA requires no upfront investment from the

customer, and takes care of operations and maintenance has increased interest to adopt solar. DPA guarantees performance of their technology and systems and this has built a lot of confidence in the market.”

While DPA is a relatively young company no doubt their future journey towards development in Africa will be both interesting and empowering.

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Ferts, Seed & Grain’s New Home Functional, Stylish And Inspired

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text: Michael Nott photos: by Michele Fortmann progress photos: courtesy of FSG renders and plans: Architextural Spatial Design

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t’s appropriate that local company FSG (Ferts, Seed & Grain) opened its new premises in September – traditionally celebrated as the beginning of Spring in Zimbabwe – the season marked

by Nature’s re-awakening and the optimism of a bumper Summer crop ahead. FSG has invested in a massive new warehouse, complete with offices and admin space, an area dedicated to a full agronomy service to

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provide expert advice, and retail space for customers’ convenience.

Their new premises are located along Harare Drive in Pomona, an area that in itself is experiencing rapid new growth and development. Steve Morland, Managing Director of FSG, had been looking around for suitable new premises to accommodate the company’s growing needs.

He had looked at possible locations in and around Harare but found that the more established areas presented a number of challenges - crumbling or inadequate infrastructure, overcrowding and heavy traffic. In addition the traditional industrial areas all seemed a little rundown and dilapidated which was not in line with the company’s young and vibrant image. Morland found property available for new development in the Pomona Business Park which was ideal for designing and building a tailor made structure in a fresh and invigorating environment.

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space of the month The existing company headquarters were situated in Highlands in Harare and were spread over different buildings.

The buildings had not been originally intended as office space and were not ideally suited to their requirements.

The new premises have been custom designed to accommodate the various departments, including sales, marketing, logistics and distribution, as well as their warehouse, streamlining the running of the company and incorporating everything under one roof. It will re-enforce FSG’s outlook that every member of the company is part of a single family – working together and complementing each other. It makes communications between the various departments much quicker, simpler and more efficient.

The site is however not without its own set of challenges. The western end of the site is quite narrow, restricting the design possibilities.

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+27 (08) 7500 7500 | sales@spanafrica.co.za | www.spanafrica.com

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The site is slightly below the level of Harare Drive so access is via a downward slope and a fairly tight corner. In addition the access road ends in a cul-de-sac so there isn’t enough space for bigger delivery trucks to turn around, so turning space had to be incorporated in the siting of the structure on the plot.

The warehouse section of the structure is huge – approximately 4,000m² - to accommodate storage for fertiliser from their manufacturing plant in Bindura. Big roller shutter doors provide access and the internal roof is high enough that tipper trucks can unload inside. 600m² has been allocated to Farm and City who will have a retail outlet within the warehouse. At Farm and City customers will be provided with a convenient fertilizer cash and carry solution.

The Farm and City outlet will also carry their usual range of stock found at other branches.

The steel structure for the factory was ordered in kit form from South African firm Span Africa who sent up a technical expert to oversee

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and assist their local Zimbabwean installation team. The preparatory ground works were done by local company PEI Earthworks. The main contractor for the project was Lues Construction who worked closely with BCHOD Consulting Engineers to complete the project.

A significant challenge encountered in the construction was the unstable composition of the soil requiring substantial underground foundation work.

The original concepts for the overall design were drafted by Pat Morland in conjunction with Margaret Hazlett who also took on the demanding role of council liaison. As the designs developed FSG called on Architextural Spatial Design to work out the finer details. The team from Architextural Spatial Designs included Bruce Rowlands who tied up the finer points of the conceptual side of the design. Gemma Temlett worked as the lead designer and played a very much ‘hands on’ role seeing the project through to completion. Gift Mutotera worked on the 3D architectural renders of the project and Aleck Mwedzi focused on the logos and signage concepts for the main entrance.

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Although Pat Morland and Margaret Hazlett had a good idea of what the design should look like Architextural Spatial Design concretised the details making the mezzanine smaller and rationalising the work space layout. Their brief was to create an unconventional and intriguing structure that would draw attention to the brand. The warehouse is situated right at the entrance to the Pomona Business Park so it needed to be imposing and unique.

The front faรงade of the structure is certainly striking with a triple volume glass curtain wall facing the approach to the Business Park and incorporating the main entrance for the public. The outside area in front of the main entrance has been landscaped by Chantelle Crous featuring fever trees and olive trees and lush green grass which will create a little oasis in the industrial site.

The glass wall is set back under a deep recess to provide some protection from the westerly sun creating a kind of huge portico overlooked by an executive verandah. The verandah forms the roof of the agronomy department, a freestanding office/ consultation space.

The reception area incorporates a generous desk and a feature wall behind it both clad in timber blocks. The feature wall also cleverly conceals a waiting area for drivers ensuring that they are both comfortable while waiting and immediately available to allocate deliveries and other tasks to them.

Immediately to the left of the reception is an elegant waiting area with a semi-circular seating plan and funky coffee tables.

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Dominating the reception area are some remarkable light fittings. There’s a row of 12 simple pencil lights that hang over the desk and there’s also a great statement piece – 3 huge interlocking rings of LED strip lights that float in the triple volume space above. The circles echo the circular designs used for the logo wall at the entrance.

To the left of the reception area there’s a meeting room separated by glazed partitions as well as an open workspace with a large graphic design wallpaper print featuring a field of wheat.

There’s also a neat little coffee station for the staff and the ablutions which feature giantsized solid timber doors custom made by Adam Seager. There are additional open plan work stations for in-country logistics and there’s a fun feature wall tucked in the corner that’s clad with green astro-turf. While the industrial look can be quite harsh these little quirky details help to make the spaces more personal.

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To the right of the reception – behind the steel staircase – are more open plan work stations for marketing and cross border logistics.

The black painted steel staircase has industrial mesh balustrades in keeping with the chosen aesthetic which features an open plan layout and almost transparent partitions to demarcate the function of different spaces.

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The staircase leads up to the first floor mezzanine level which occupies part of the same footprint as the ground floor but with a void above the reception area. The void creates a kind of gallery that’s been clad with the same mesh balustrading. On the left side there’s the accounts and H.R. departments which are mostly open plan.

The head of the accounts department has an area demarcated by glass panels that works partly like an open plan space but can also be closed off for privacy.

His office space is one of the few areas with a ceiling so he can have confidential meetings or Skype calls. There’s also the office for the General Manager, Jason Littlewood. Jason needs wheelchair access so he has a lift directly from the parking area and he has access to the long North West verandah directly from his office. The North West verandah serves as an informal meeting area as well as the staff lunch area and is served by a small dedicated kitchen.

Across the mezzanine void, on the right of the staircase, is the executive management area. Contained behind glass panels there’s the formal 14 seater boardroom which has a view over the warehouse.

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The Burnt Earth Studio 50 Edinburgh Road, Borrowdale Cell: 0772573679 Email: taloxton@gmail.com

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JOHN HOOK & SON

JOHN HOOK & SON George Ave, Harare, Zimbabwe Tel: (0242) 486531, (0242) 487809 Cell: +263 77 453 2669 Email: luke@johnhookandson.co.zw

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There’s also another coffee station, ablutions, a desk for the MDs receptionist and a small, elegantly appointed waiting lounge. The MD has his own balcony - the roof of the agronomy department overlooking the main entrance.

The concepts and implementation of the outstanding interiors are largely the work of Pat Morland. The interiors not only look fresh and contemporary – sometimes quirky – but the layout functions efficiently to suit the running of a modern business.

Pat Morland has also made use of the concept of ‘hot desks’ – versatile spaces that can accommodate extra work stations as needed.

In addition to its functionality the driving force behind the design includes the desire to provide a light filled, airy, bright and comfortable environment for FSG’s staff ‘family’. Even the ablutions, the coffee stations and the outside canteen space have been given particular attention to make the staff feel valued and important.

The open plan layout has made well considered use of glass and mesh partitions so there are no dark corridors or stuffy cubicles. Large 900x 900mm plain grey tiles have been used for flooring almost throughout with wood-look porcelain tiles used in the management offices and boardrooms to subtly demarcate different areas.

Perhaps there’s a nod here to Clive Wilkinson, the architect behind the office design at Google’s Silicon Valley headquarters?

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FOCUSES ON MINING AND CIVIL PROJECTS At FSG up to 1m of clay material was cut out and backfilled with gravel to engineers specifications, layers of 150mm were compacted and tested for each layer up to ground level. Roads were shaped, trenches carried out in accordance to the engineers drawings.

PEI was responsible for the foundations, roads, land development and trenching for the FSG site.

PEI (Plant and Equipment International) Focuses on mining and civil projects

Mobile: 0774 280117, Email: tim@pei.co.zw

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Shasha Fencing THE MOST RELIABLE NAME IN FENCING

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46 Gilchrist Road, Bluffhill, Harare Mobile: 0712 601100 Email; fencesecure@zol.co.zw STRUCTURE & DESIGN

Project Suppliers List Architects – local Architexture Spacial Design Engineers Bchod Council Liaison Margaret Hazlett Building Contractor Lues Construction Quantity Surveyor Turner & Townsend Electrical Subcontractor L’Electron Land Surveyor Cartographix Warehouse Production Span Africa Aluminum and Glass AluWorx Shopfitting McWood Shopfitters Landscaper Chantelle Crous Tiler Smiling the Tiler Bricks Home Style Painters BK Painters Plumbing & Fire System John Hook & Son Earthworks PEI Earthworks Doors Adam Seager Furniture Locks Mazano Agencies Lighting Regent Lighting Solutions Paving Tatenda Mutangadura Crane Hire Donfay Dahmer & Company Signage Greygate Signage Wallpaper Signs of the Times Security systems Leabridge Palisades Shasha Fencing Staircases and Balustrades Neves Iron Craft Wall and Floor tiles Italtile Office furniture Cecil Nurse Backup generators Himoinsa from Ayestock Air con Systems ACS Welding Luckless Investments Kitchen fitter Amira Kitchens Blinds African Blinds

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commercial profile

Sandalwood Lodge – Phase 2 - New Accommodation And Facilities words: Michael Nott photos: J C Williams and Sandalwood Lodge plans: Mirko Tucakov

A

fter two years of planning and renovations Sandalwood Lodge first opened in 2014 in Mount Pleasant conveniently situated close to the University and several shopping centres and with easy access to the city centre. The Lodge was originally a private home designed by local architect Anthony Wales Smith and built sometime in the 1970s. The house had a luxurious landscaped garden with many established trees, both indigenous and exotic. The original house has been preserved, although somewhat altered, and the garden has been lovingly maintained and further developed. In fact, in both the original alterations and the subsequent extensions great attention was paid to preserve as many of the established trees in the garden as possible and where absolutely necessary a few trees were carefully transplanted.

The initial renovations in 2013 transformed the old house, fashioning three en suite rooms (including the executive suite) and opening up the floor plan to create lounges and dining areas. The renovations, largely designed, planned and executed by the owner and manager Abed Khalatbari, preserved and enhanced the flavour of Wales Smith’s original design. An additional six rooms were built around a central courtyard at the side of the main house bringing the number of rooms to a total of nine. The renovations also included creating a fully equipped gym and a confer32

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ence centre adjacent to the main front verandah and overlooking the pool and the garden.

their high standard of personal service and attention to detail. Khalatbari, together with architect Mirko Tucakov, came up with a plan to build a new wing of six additional rooms (of which two would be self-catering).

The rooms would have a central entertainment space which would include a bar, and each room would have a private entrance with a small covered porch overlooking the garden, as well as elegantly appointed en

The boutique lodge quickly became so popular that they were unable to accommodate all the demands for their potential guests. After extensive research Khalatbari concluded that around 15 rooms would be the ideal capacity for the lodge so that they could cope with the increased demand and still maintain

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Each room has a unique pergola in front of it to provide a casual outdoor seating space as well as a transition from the garden to the rooms. The outside spaces are screened by slatted wooden partitions that define the view and blend the exterior and interior aspects. In addition the pergolas are set at a slightly different angle to their neighbours to maintain a sense of privacy and a feeling that each space is distinctive and special. The result is that faรงade of new wing is visually more pleasing because of the organic rhythm of the structure.

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suite bathrooms. The plan also included a separate, self-contained two storey loft style apartment designed for extended stays, and a dining gazebo overlooking the pool.

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Executive Rooms and Entertainment Lounge _ Floor Plan

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Khalatbari designed the interior décor for the original nine rooms with careful attention to detail and elegant finishes. Together Khalatbari and Tucakov have managed to continue the interior design and layout of the new rooms in a coherent fashion. The rooms have solid teak floors (supplied and fitted by Pride of Africa) in keeping with the floors in the old house and the other existing rooms. The ceilings have exposed beams and are clad in tongue and groove timber painted white like the high ceilings in the main house. While most of the bedroom walls have been kept in neutral colours feature walls have been painted in Plascon Storm Grey for a touch of added drama. The headboards are similar to those in the other rooms – a generously sized padded section surrounded by a deep Cherry wood wall cladding. Fitted bedside tables and desks are custom made in the same timber.

All the new rooms have spa-like en suite bathrooms. The bathrooms in the self-catering rooms have a large walk in shower while the other rooms have a shower and a tub.

The bathrooms feature ultra-chic matt black taps and fittings from the Triumph range supplied by Halsteds – a new and exclusive range recently introduced to the Zimbabwean market.

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The Loft apartment is a completely self-contained unit designed by Khalatbari and Tucakov with a New York apartment, pared back aesthetic. It’s intended for guest who are planning a longer term stay. Although the Loft apartment is connected to the rest of Lodge it has its own private entrance from Alvord Road. There’s covered parking as well as a small private garden space on two sides and an outdoor deck for relaxing.

The ground floor combines a well-appointed open plan kitchen and lounge area. An interesting feature is the kitchen island (which also serves as a dining area) clad in a textured non-polished granite – called a leather finish. Part of the ground floor seating area is double height as the mezzanine floor only covers the kitchen space. The extra volume makes the space feel larger and big windows set in the exposed brick feature wall let in loads of light and allow a view of the greenery outside.

An industrial style staircase of steel and brown and white striped timber with steel cable bannisters leads up to the bedroom and bathroom space above where the exposed brick, industrial design theme continues. The bedroom and bathroom are a combined open plan space with the free standing bath placed within the bedroom area and a low wall to separate the shower, basin and toilet.

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Apart from the additional rooms the new extensions include a dining pavilion with a teak deck overlooking the pool. The decking was supplied by Balzer Trading from Bulawayo who specialise in sustainable forestry and hardwoods. Bi-fold doors open the dining area up completely to the garden, or they can be shut during the coldest evenings to create an enclosed dining room. The dining room was built to accommodate extra guests from the new rooms as well as to provide a space away from the other rooms. Previously late diners sometimes disturbed the other guest. The dining room has a high ceiling with exposed trusses and glass gables. During the day it feels light and airy but at night it becomes an enchanting space overlooking the garden lit with discreet lights and romantic candles and lanterns. Although the dining room mainly caters for the Lodge’s guests tables can be booked for outside diners who want to treat themselves to a delicious meal in a magical setting.

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For more information contact: info@sandalwoodlodge.co.zw or visit their website: www.sandalwoodlodge.co.zw

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residential profile

A family affair –

a new home built from the ground up and renovations to an existing home

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words: Michael Nott photos: Michele Fortmann additional photos and plans: Architextural Spatial Design and the owners.

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W

hen the family moved off their farm in 2011 they invested in a large property on the outskirts of Harare.

The property is around 14 acres with two separate title deeds. The property slopes quite steeply with gorgeous uninterrupted views across the Helensvale/Enterprise Road valley looking southward to Shawasha Hills.

The property already had a fairly large existing home with various outbuildings including stables for 16 horses and accommodation for the grooms. The owners are keen horse riders and polocrosse players and the property luckily happened to be conveniently close to the local polocrosse grounds so that was an added bonus.

Towards the end of 2015 the owners’ daughter, and her soon to be husband, considered building a new home for themselves on part of the property fairly close to the original house. The daughter consulted with local architect Bruce Rowlands from Architexture Spatial Design to draw up a design for the new house.

The brief to Rowlands was to design a four bedroom home that would be light and airy, open plan and with ample space for entertaining family and friends. Also requested was a spacious verandah to maximise the views. A series of images from Pinterest and various other sources illustrated for Rowlands what they had in mind.

Rowlands has designed a warm and comfortable home that seems to fulfil all their wishes and cater for their relaxed lifestyle. Because the site was quite steeply sloping part of the hill had to be excavated and cut back and a retaining wall built and back-filled. Entrance to the house is therefore down a short flight of steps leading from the driveway and parking area to the front door. The large wooden front door opens on a pivot and was custom made by Barry Hunt from Just Wood.

(Just Wood also custom made the interior door to the kitchen which is much taller than standard doors.) Above the door is a triangular glass gable which echoes the roof line of the entrance portico. To the left of the front door is a small verandah with a roof to shelter the utility room and the scullery, which has a separate entrance. To the right of the main door is an open slatted roof which provides partial shade for the dining area.

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residential profile Inside the front door is a double height foyer with exposed roof trusses and a staircase leading up to the loft room. The ceiling in the foyer is tongue and groove timber while the staircase treads and handrail are made from local Jacaranda timber which has a beautiful soft and silky feel. The staircase was installed by Barry Hunt from Just Wood. The loft room is a versatile space that can be used as a separate TV lounge or double up as spare bedroom if needed. It has its own little Juliet balcony with views across the paddocks to the valley beyond.

Immediately to the right of the foyer the open plan design flows into the main lounge and entertainment space with a stone clad fireplace, and the dining area set into a generous alcove. The ceiling in the lounge area is also tongue and groove with exposed trusses but not

The kitchen has been designed so that it’s in the centre of the verandah with an en suite guest room on one side that’s completely separate from the main house. On the other side stacking bi-fold glass and aluminium doors fold away completely to open the lounge area up to the outside. The verandah has been cleverly demarcated into three separate areas by the use of different ceiling heights and different materials.

The centre section – the bar area - has a lower plain plasterboard ceiling with recessed downlights, while the two outer sections have higher tongue and groove ceilings the same as the interior spaces.

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quite as high as the foyer. The dining space has a lower ceiling which helps to make it feel more intimate and cosy and visually separates it from the lounge. The owners have selected a largely neutral palette for the walls and furnishings and hung works by local artists Gareth Hook and Stanley Sibanda to add their personal touch.

To the left of the foyer is the kitchen and scullery. The vinyl, light oak, flooring continues into the kitchen making the space flow well. The kitchen layout was planned by Colleen Olsen (from Design House Zim) incorporating units supplied

by U-Plan Kitchens, and the centre island was created by Home Improvements with a Caesarstone counter top. The wall between the foyer and the kitchen doesn’t extend all the way to the ceiling so light comes in from the front glass gable as well as from the large glass doors that open onto the verandah. The doors give easy access from the kitchen to the verandah dining area so it’s convenient for long lazy lunches with family and friends. A massive, chunky table and benches, made to order by local company Pomegranate, can seat up to 18 guests!

U-PLAN is a product only from Lammel Manufacturing

Proud to be associated with: Sarah Parham ISSUE 26

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residential profile

The bedroom wing includes the master bedroom with a luxurious en suite bathroom as well as two additional bedrooms which share a family bathroom. The master bedroom has sliding glass and aluminium doors which open on to a small paved porch with views across the paddocks to the hills in the distance.

The new house has good green credentials too. The owners have chosen solar water heaters for the bathrooms and a gas water heater for the kitchen and scullery. Loads of windows and folding glass doors mean they can enjoy natural light and ventilation – in fact they’ve opted for overhead ceiling fans instead of air conditioning.

The fans consume far less electricity than air con and they have the added benefit of keeping the mozzies at bay.

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Suppliers & Installers of: Hardwood Flooring | Porcelain & Ceramic Tiling | Engineered Flooring | Laminate Textiles | Luxury Vinyl Tiling | Carpeting

11 ROSSAL ROAD, GREENDALE, HARARE +263 779 925 781 | +263 785 663 093 J. MCNISH +263 772 240888 E. CROSS +263 785 663093/+263 779 925781 beneathyourfeet2@gmail.com ISSUE 26

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residential profile

Work on the new house, including the extensive ground works, began in February 2016, and the owners moved in in March 2017, so it took just over a year to complete with local builder Stu Moore as the main contractor.

Once the new house was completed the owners embarked on renovating the older existing house. The original house, brick under tile, was probably built in the 50’s and although in fairly good condition was in need of some updating. The basic internal configuration and the footprint of the house remained largely unchanged. A new loft was added with the floor slab of the loft creating a roof over the verandah leading off the master suite. The master suite with dressing room and en suite bathroom was enlarged and updated and a stone clad outside bath and shower was added. The loft is accessed by a teak staircase and new teak floors and interior doors were added. The owners of the original house have selected teak furniture and accessories to complement the more traditional farm house look.

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In order to make the old and the new houses work well together Rowlands replaced the tile roof on the older house with a Chromadek roof to match the new construction. Both houses have been painted a neutral grey on the exteriors with crisp white architraves around the windows and doors.

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The original house now has three bedrooms on the ground floor and two additional bedrooms in the loft which share a bathroom.

Like the new house the original house also has a generous covered verandah for relaxing and entertaining. The verandah overlooks the pool and tennis court and the garden which features three natural looking water features. The water features and the gardens for both houses were designed by well-known landscaper Terry Parham from Al Fresco Landscaping. The landscaping was fairly challenging as the site is steeply sloping and in addition the gardens need to incorporate the pool, tennis court, paddocks and the natural bush beyond. Al Fresco made a point of preserving as many of the existing mature trees as possible during the building and renovations.

Rowlands was responsible for the conceptual work on both houses (with input from the clients) while the rest of his team included Connor McCabe and Alick Mwedzi who worked on the technical drawings.

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material focus

Textile Gallery – Your One Stop Shop For Curtaining & Upholstery text: Michael Nott

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HETHER you’re looking for new curtains to refresh your home, fabulous fabric to re-upholster and up-date your old tired old lounge suite, or just plain inspiration for your décor, Textile Gallery has everything you need under one roof. Their range of curtaining and upholstery fabric is outstanding and they also stock a wide range of other types of fabrics suitable for everything from duvet covers and bed linen to tablecloths and runners. They even have a full range of fabrics for automotive upholstery.

Their range of fabrics for curtaining includes printed cotton, barkweave, drill and linen in a variety of designs. Part of the range includes fun and colourful prints for children’s rooms, which are also good for matching duvet sets. They also print the more classical patterns like stripes and geometric patterns which are great for lounges, dining rooms and bedrooms.

Textile Gallery stocks African themed ranges of fabrics which feature animal prints and are very popular with lodges and the hospitality industry. Textile Gallery also print customised designs for hotels and lodges, often with an exclusive corporate logo. Their trained art department can even develop and print unique designs for customers.

In addition to the range of locally produced

Their upholstery range will satisfy any tastes and décor style – one of the reasons that Textile Gallery is a preferred supplier and source for many leading interior designers and decorators. Upholstery choices range from plain, block colours, to stripes and patterns.

Textile Gallery caters for current trends in upholstery fabrics that favour neutral colours like greys and beiges which are timeless and can be livened up with scatter cushions and accessories in brighter colours.

fabrics Textile Gallery also stock an exclusive imported range including jacquard, damask, self-lined dim out, heavy linen, dupion silk and other exciting fabrics. These are heavier fabrics that are durable and long lasting as well as being elegant and tasteful. Curtaining is a major décor expense and curtains are usually custom made for a particular room so it’s a good idea to invest in the best quality. To protect your curtains from sun damage Textile Gallery have a range of curtain linings including plain calico and the latest blockout lining which completely cuts out the sun.

The blockout lining is especially popular with hotels and lodges when guest want to catch up on sleep during daylight hours.

They also stock a range of voile curtaining which many customers like to use in addition to their heavier curtains. When the main curtains are open the voile offers a certain amount of sun filtering and provides some privacy for the interior.

Not only do they supply an amazing range of fabrics, they also offer a curtain makeup and upholstery service for lodges, hotels and offices. Textile Gallery will send round an experienced interior decorator to measure up your windows and they can then work out how much fabric you’ll need.

They can advise on a number of options for curtain headers, whether you prefer the conventional curtain tape, triple pleat design or the more modern rods and eyelets. They can then create a story board for you so you can see exactly what your curtains will look like and for hotels and lodges they can even create a sample room so any details can be sorted out before the curtains are made.

They’ll supply rods and rails and even hang your curtains for you. What could be more convenient?

They also offer a similar service for upholstery whereby a representative will visit to measure up the amount of fabric needed. Textile Gallery is incorporated with King Foam so they can supply foam rubber for upholstering chairs and lounge suites.

Textile Gallery even has a list of carefully selected and approved upholstery experts who can do the work on site for you.

The automotive section supplies vinyl, dralon and durable heavy weaves for seat covers, fabric for door panels, roof lining and motor vehicle carpets and mats. In line with the latest automotive fabric trends options for seats include fabric with foam backing to fit the contours of the seat and offer maximum comfort.

You’ve probably seen Textile Gallery swatches at interior design shops and curtaining specialists. Designers and decorators can become agents for Textile Gallery so customers can select fabrics from the samples.

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Registered agents can buy fabric from Textile Gallery at wholesale prices and they also receive other benefits – they don’t need to carry large stocks and they’ll be kept up to date with new arrivals and new trends. Once the agent has ordered from Textile Gallery fabric is usually delivered within a few days.

Textile Gallery an inspiration in fabrics

Calico, Block-Out Lining, Printed Cotton, Linen, Faux Silks, Draylon, Woven Upholstery, Hessian, Bonded Leather, Suede, Synthetic & Cotton Voiles, Muslin, Vinyl, Automotive Fabrics

Fantastic Range Of Soft Furnishing Fabrics For Hotels, Offices And Homes.

Suppliers Of Sheeting, Towelling & Mosquito Nets To The Hospitality Industry.

Local Cotton Prints

Local Printed Linen

Lining

Voile

Self Lined Dim-Out Curtains

Imported Fabrics (20% Discount)

Upholstery

Upholstery

Upholstery

Local Cotton Prints

Local Cotton Prints

Local Cotton Prints

Seke Road, Cnr Boshoff Drive, Graniteside, Harare | Tel: (0242) 710541, 775307, 772 152 Fax: (0242) 749325 | Cell: 0772 200 277 on whatsapp | Email: shepherd@kingfisher.co.zw ISSUE 26

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HOME OFFICE SCHOOL KITCHEN

Dan’s Furniture Group – bespoke quality furniture for homes, schools and offices

text: Dans’ Furniture Group

đ&#x;„ł

an’s Furniture Group evolved from Dan’s Design which was started in 2000 and duly registered in 2002.

The first set up specialized in repairing of educational furniture such as chairs and desks for learning institutions. The business revolved from being a repair and maintenance focused into furniture broking, This entailed looking for sales orders and approaching manufacturers to fulfil the orders. The company would make a margin on the differential between the sales order and the invoice issued by the furniture manufacturer.

it flaps and strengthens its wings and then suddenly takes off into the sublime air. This is the time for Dan’s Furniture Group; it’s our time to fly.

In 2010 Dan’s Design Group started operating as a manufacturing company with the sole aim of serving the clientele that had been created over a long period. Dan’s Designs specialized in creating kitchen built in cupboards. Dan’s Design paved the way for Dan’s Furniture Group the company which was duly registered towards the end of 2014. The change in names was necessitated by the need to properly formalize operations. The company that is currently operating, Dan’s Furniture Group therefore inherited assets from Dan’s Designs. These changes did not entail any changes to the shareholding structure.

OUR MISSION To produce and supply Exclusive and Distinctive range of furniture products to the local market.

OUR GOALS To be successful, realizing the value for our customers, aiming higher and penetrating the private and public sectors.

OUR PILLARS/VALUES

The company is wholly owned by Daniel Makokoro. The company was formed and is still managed by Daniel Makokoro, a thirty four year old, entrepreneur. Daniel obtained a Bookkeeping qualification before venturing into the business world. He has been in the furniture business for the past fifteen years. Having operated the company for the past fifteen years, Daniel has decided to raise the bar by setting up a company that can outlive him. This entails doing the right things, setting up the proper systems and putting in place a board that will have unfettered oversight role. Daniel is therefore in the process of putting in place structures that can assist Dan’s Furniture Group to operate sustainably.

in the furniture industry in Zimbabwe and beyond our borders. With our vision to seek out opportunities and focus on quality products across the furniture industry, we have set ourselves important and far reaching objective to expand into the new and unfamiliar markets.

It has taken perseverance and tenacity to survive through the stormy times. We have used the storms to lift us above the clouds and view a landscape of great possibilities.

With the wind behind us, we will continue with dedication and commitment to become the largest manufacturer and distributor of all types of furniture across the African continent.

OUR VISION To provide the most sought after products

There comes a moment when the eagle knows instantly that it is time to fly , for a long period

Integrity . Resourcefulness . Respectfulness.

Reliability.

To promote our values, we aim to achieve mutually beneficial relationships; we aim to deliver beyond expectations. Our values are the glue that binds us together.

OUR SERVICES Educational Furniture, Manufacturing, Shop fitting and Manufacturing, Boards Supply OUR OBJECTIVES To create a reputable name and fame through distinctive designs and proper business management ISSUE 26

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Laminate vs Tile Flooring Both laminate and tile have come to a long way over the past few decades. Now, both look impressive and make great additions to any home. But is one better than the other?

Let’s compare laminate flooring vs. tile flooring to find out.

PRICE When considering the price of your floors, it is important to take into account all factors.

Both laminate and tile flooring alone are affordable. However, when thinking about the cost of installation and additional components (such as underlayment or grout), the price changes quite a bit.

Tile is expensive to install and often requires the help of an expert. Homeowners often opt for a DIY installation of laminate floors, saving installation costs.

If the price is one of your top concerns, laminate is your best option.

APPEARANCE Laminate tile flooring has developed to look very similar to real tile. At first glance, most people cannot tell a big difference. With a closer look and touch, the laminate tiles will feel substantially different than tile. Some benefits of laminate include no discolouration of grout, maintaining a steady temperature when weather changes, more soft material to the touch and an even surface from tile to tile.

If you want the look and feel of a real tile floor, you might want to opt for ceramic or travertine tile.

DURABILITY Both tile and laminate flooring are very durable. The way laminate flooring is made 58

allows the material and design to stand up to scratches, dents, and scrapes.

Tile is the same. The ceramic pieces can withstand the scratching of your pet’s feet, burn protection and protection against a fallen object. Dents are not a concern either.

The only concerns with tile are cracks and chipping. If something falls on the tile and causes it to crack or break, the entire tile must be replaced which can be very expensive and difficult.

If durability is a concern, laminate is probably your best option and easiest to repair if any significant damage would occur.

MOISTURE RESISTANCE Tile is often used in rooms that have more moisture, such as kitchens and bathrooms.

That is because of it resistant to moisture and does not get damaged when excess water builds up or sits for long periods of time.

Although laminate flooring is moisture resistant, it is not waterproof. Unlike tile, if puddles of water build up on the floor, laminate flooring can become damaged and warped, which will require a re-installation of a few planks or the whole floor.

If you are installing your floors in a room that is prone to excess moisture, tile is generally a better option.

NOISE Noise is a big concern when it comes to tile. It creates a noticeable echo in your home, which is

STRUCTURE & DESIGN

frustrating for many tile owners. Laminate is quieter. When installed using a 3-in-1 underlayment, the sound is more muffled and your rooms are a little bit quieter.

If noise is a concern, laminate flooring will win that battle.

EASE OF CLEANING Both tile and laminate floors are easy to clean. All they require is a damp mop. Spills and messes are easily cleaned up with just a little bit of water. With laminate, you will want to dry your floors quickly after cleaning so that it does not warp. With tile, you will want to dry your floors quickly too, but for a different reason; leaving them wet could make them slippery and pose a hazard.

With tile floors, it is important to keep up with cleaning due to the porousness and usually light colours of grout. Grout will easily stain over time and can be a pain to renew back to the original colour.

If you want easy cleaning, either tile or laminate will work for your home, but just beware of possible grout discolouration over time.

Porcelain Ceramic Mosaic Porcelain Ceramic Mosaic

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material focus Rammed Earth, Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth, Wales.

text: Michael Nott photos: courtesy of Rowland Keable and Gemma Temlett

Why isn’t everyone building with earth?

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wo talks were held recently at The Hive in Chisipite, Harare on the subject of building with earth.

The discussions, which were free and open to the public, were held on 29th August and 5th September under the aegis of world renowned expert in Earth Building, Rowland Keable and organised by Gemma Temlett from Architextural Spatial Design. The talks were attended by architects, engineers, surveyors, designers, and other members of the construction industry as well as interested members of the public.

the nationally recognised Code of Practice and Standards Document, approved by the Standards Association of Zimbabwe, and published as a National Standard in 2001.

Based on this it was adopted by the African Regional Standard Organisation in 2016. By formalising the practice of Earth Building not only are high standards maintained but home owners are able to get mortgages on their properties, banks and finance houses can make loans available for prospective building projects, insurance values and property prices can be established, and so on.

Keable is the CEO of EBUKI (Earth Building UK & Ireland), an organisation dedicated to promoting earth building in all its various forms. The organisation aims to disseminate information about earth building techniques as well as providing information and training for interested parties. Part of their mandate is to publish and set new standards to formalise the practice of earth building and to help this ancient technique become more acceptable to the mainstream.

He is the author of various publications on the topic of earth construction, including (with Julian Keable) Rammed Earth Structures: A Code of Practice, which is considered the definitive resource on the subject.

Building with earth is one of the oldest construction methods and it’s been used on every continent in the world. It produces buildings that are extremely durable, easy to construct and maintain, eco-friendly and sustainable, as well as being quick and cheap to build. It’s a building method that’s been used for over 10,000 years and it’s estimated that today over a third of the world’s population lives in earth buildings. (See: https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/ Earth_building)

Keable was instrumental in establishing 60

Perhaps one of the best known examples of earth buildings is the Great Mosque of Djenne in Mali, originally built in the 13th Century, and the earthen city of Timbuktu.

STRUCTURE & DESIGN

Limalimo Lodge, Ethiopia, rammed earth.

Limalimo, rammed earth, building with very simple tools.

The Alhambra Palace in Spain is another example of extremely durable earth structures. Both the Great Mosque and the Alhambra have been declared Unesco World Heritage sites.

Although these were built in very dry climates relatively old earth buildings can still be found across Europe and even in equatorial and tropical regions where the rainfall is extremely high.

Building with earth takes many different forms and it takes various names in different parts of the world. It includes rammed earth construction, cob houses, wattle and daub – the local equivalent would be pole and dagga – hydroform bricks, unfired earth bricks and adobe. There are also straw bale houses with an earth based stucco as well as earth and lime plasters and decorative finishes.

The advantages of earth based buildings are that the materials used are highly sustainable and use far less resources to produce than fired clay bricks, concrete or steel. There is virtually no transport involved as materials are usually sourced on site so this cuts carbon emissions.

load-bearing unfired clay brick, East Anglia UK

Earth structures provide excellent sound and thermal insulation reducing energy costs for heating and cooling. The materials used are non-toxic and non-polluting and known to improve indoor air quality through its hydroscopic qualities, regulating humidity and minimising the risk of mould growth and allergies. Construction can be done using a variety of specialised equipment and machinery like diggers and compressors, or it can simply be done by hand with very little training, experience or tools needed. SIRDC is currently offering a course in Rammed Earth Technology through their Building Technology Institute.

SIRDC rammed earth standard test site, built in 1997

Because the process can be very labour intensive (if desired) it’s an ideal opportunity for employment creation. The process is quick and affordable enough to help solve Zimbabwe’s housing crisis.

World-renowned local architect Mick Pearce is a great proponent of earth buildings and has constructed houses in Australia and Zimbabwe.

One of his better known projects is the Earth House in Bonda, near Nyanga. On the international front award winning American architect Rick Joy is an influential supporter of earth building.

At Fusion we offer free site assessments and consultations for individual homeowners and developers so we can understand how best we can help you achieve a defined, refined and world-class finish regardless of your project size. We have unmatched experience in project management, installations and refurbishment of Hardwood Flooring, Decking, Cladding, Carpeting, Luxury Vinyl Tiling among a host of floor covering options. Our work speaks for itself!

THINKING: Solid Wood Flooring - Cladding - Carpeting- DeckingHardwood floor Refurbishments - Blinds & Curtaining - Staircases - Luxury Vinyl Tiles THINK FUSION

0773 052 804 fusionhome@gmx.com @fusionflooringzw 61

WEDDINGS.PORTRAITS.FASHION COMMERCIAL.EVENTS Model - Sibu from Top Model Zimabwe MUA - Kelli Barker Stylist - CHarlotte Van der Merwe Designer - Joanna Ross Wells of JB Couture (now rebranded to JRW Bridal) It was shot for Stitch Magazine and the Fashion Editor was Jill Day The location for the shoot was - Inn on the Ruparara.

+267 732245114 MICHELEFORTMANN@GMAIL.COM

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Michele Fortmann Photography STRUCTURE & DESIGN

@michelefortmannfashion @michelefortmannweddings

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