the jungle dwelling
Zwelisha Giampietri and Steve Jones’ Manor Gardens home is so close to the treetops that the couple can watch birds and monkeys swooping through the neighbourhood from their sofa. ‘The access to nature is wonderful. We can observe each creative construction decision the weavers make as they build their nests – from ours,’ says Zweli. Their home – not of twigs, but of concrete, Corobrik, brise-soleil and expert shuttering – was built with the same fastidious attention to problem- solving and a tough environment the nesting birds apply. Architect Paul Mikula, who designed ‘House Meyer’ (named after the first owner) with his partner Rob Johnson in 1981, basically constructed a viewing platform – floating above the tropical jungle that characterises Durban and immersing its dwellers into the city’s green belt – and making the most of the spectacular view inland. To do so, he needed to anchor the structure securely into the excessively steep slopes typical of the University suburb’s plots.
Success came with 15-metre pillars propping up a concrete slab, and bedrooms hung below. He then used a penetrable façade: breeze blocks and louvre windows to steer in the light, air and humidity, lighting up and cooling down what is essentially a very creative Modernist interpretation of a Durban veranda house. You’re almost always both inside and outside at the same time. But what is extra special about this home, is that while it was being built, Zweli’s mother, Maria Cristina, who was studying architecture, watched its progress from her own home two doors down. ‘My mother’s family hails from Italy, and she grew up in this street. She documented the construction as part of a first-year exercise and kept the project from all those years back, not knowing then, that one day I would be here, raising our little one, Neo.’
Giving credit for the build to a civil engineering company, the designer, Paul Mikula, describes the deep consideration he took for both the literal and abstract characteristics of the environment.
Zweli and Steve (and then along came baby Neo), bought the house in 2018. Apart from a very personal connection to their home through their family history, the young couple, who have recently launched New Noise – a multidisciplinary creative design studio – say the house provides a connection to nature: its calm, offers a breeze through the humidity, and endless inspiration.
‘We like the light, and the flow and the view down the valley. Being here during lockdown felt like a holiday. We love the privacy, but at the same time still feel the need to be connected to our surroundings. The house does that. Even the maintenance requires enormous amounts of imagination. In a normal house, to tackle say, a wall problem, you might simply put a ladder up. Here we are 15 metres in the air, so each bit of maintenance becomes a special-case scenario. With a baby in the mix we will need to look at how he uses the space and reinvent once more. I’d like to make the garden into a jungle playground,’ says Steve.
Zweli, Steve and their baby, Neo, are flanked by a Louis de Villiers artwork that takes pride of place on the staircase. The kitchen is certainly the heart of the home, as the family love to cook – Italian and Asian-inspired vegan recipes are their favourites.
The interiors are bright and layered, dotted with old and new – the lamp is by Lisa Twyman and the artworks by Cameron Platter from the KZNSA. A Derrick Nxumalo artwork from the KZNSA sits above Zweli’s vintage cabinet from India. The home is light and colourful, inviting the outdoors in – standout pieces in the lounge include Halo Stool by Antidote and a Supine Lounger by Kipekee Studio.
Mervin Jordan, a naval doctor, was the house’s second owner and Zweli and Steve bought the place from him when he retired, acquiring some of his furniture, which fits perfectly. ‘It was fairly seamless, we kept some of Mervin’s stuff – he had made some excellent decisions for the interior, and then we brought our old life in,’ says Zweli. The walls are adorned with indigenous musical instruments made by Zweli’s dad, ethnomusicologist, Dr Sazi Dlamini. Durban Film Festival posters hark back to Steve’s days working for the Centre for Creative Arts and bookshelves heave with Zweli’s magazines (mostly fashion titles interspersed with culture, interiors and lifestyle mags), a collection built up while working as designer and brand manager for Amanda Laird Cherry.
‘Most of our pieces connect to Durban in some way: the Cameron Platter paintings, work by Nikhil Tricam, lights by Xavier Clarisse, a Shaun Tomson surfboard Steve restored and Themba Mathenjwa’s animal sculptures. These we bought from Zendawo, a small business that we assisted in establishing, owned by Steve’s mom. And then there are some pieces that come from my teenage years – a vintage wooden cabinet that came from India. It used to house my books but now it serves as our drinks cabinet,’ says Zweli.
An intricate artwork by Nikhil Tricam hangs above the KPA Pedersen + Lennard bed, with a vintage Tiffany lamp and an Arkivio mirror to the right. In Neo’s nursery, an Animal Mobile by Themba Mathenjwa from Zandawo and Pom Pom garland from Noush Projects hang above the KPA cot by Pedersen + Lennard with a receiving blanket by Mungo and a leaf rug by Lorena Canals from CLA. A quiet spot to work is surrounded by family photos and varied artworks.
Paul Mikula, who designed the house in the early ‘80s, humbly suggests it was a feat of engineering skill rather than anything architectural.
‘Instead of battling steep slopes with retaining walls and creating endless seeping waterproofing problems, you just float it. You build a large concrete platform on some very long columns. The living area must be at the top, and you can hang bedrooms off the bottom. It might seem daunting to a young architect, but really just look at any bridge. If you get a civil engineering company to do the work, which I did, it is really a simple solution – a bold one – but simple. Civil engineers build huge structures like this all the time, for them it was par for the course.’
At the time, Paul and his contemporaries were exploring Modernism and ‘contextual architecture’, building on from the ideas of Hans Hallen, Lance Smith, Louis Kahn and Danie Theron. He was also influenced by the way structures are made in traditional Zulu architecture. Nowadays he runs the Phansi museum, which houses a spectacular collection of African art. The architectural significance and layered personal history attached to ‘House Meyer’ makes it that much more unique – and it’s set to welcome new memories for the lovely family of three.
The couple recently undertook structural restoration and revamped the outdoor entertaining area — a jewel of the home and Bollo the dog’s favourite spot. The pool is a focal point of the patio, a welcome oasis with the city’s sweltering temperatures. The façade of the house is constructed with brise-soleil.
The couple recently undertook structural restoration and revamped the outdoor entertaining area — a jewel of the home and Bollo the dog’s favourite spot. The pool is a focal point of the patio, a welcome oasis with the city’s sweltering temperatures. The façade of the house is constructed with brise-soleil.
Volume 4 (Build) is now a collector’s edition, but you can complete your collection with our other past editions!
