The range of experience has been broad covering an array of project types ranging in scale and complexity with the focus on delivering a service matched by the quality of the product. The firm thrives on new challenges to test their skills in imaginative and creative ways backed up with the use of technology to achieve their objectives. In line with global trends, the architecture firm believes that the provision of a quality service is exacting and realizes the best potential in people as a strategy for continuance in world markets.

“Our approach is a holistic one and a total design service is offered. Each project is considered in its entirety, touching not only on the design of the physical fabric of the envelope, but also on the interiors, furnishings and landscaping, and the attention to each of these in great detail is the recipe for the success of the final product. Our process is one of constantly questioning and measuring all that we do in an ongoing quest for timeless, elegant and relevant design solutions. Our commitment to this is total from inception through to the final culmination of each project.”

House Sealion, located at the foot of the mountain in the Atlantic Seaboard of Cape Town – South Africa and it was designed with the intention of an entertainment home. The site presented a challenge of making the mountain and the ocean integral parts of the experience of the home.

Privacy was an important issue, while trying to optimise on achieving maximum allowable height. The close proximity of the adjoining neighbours presented an opportunity to think differently about how to organise the building on the site. The resolution was to stack the building and optimise on height, by separating the main volumes by way of courtyard spaces – which offer an additional layer to the horizontal spatial relationships. Key to the clients brief was an integral relationship between the mountain and the ocean. This is central to the way one circulates through the central circulation spine that connects the two key volumes of the house. The internal courtyard at ground floor level and upper bedroom levels become integral extensions of the internal spaces.

Double volumes work to shift the spatial experience at the entrance and living levels where the mountain and ocean gain special emphasis respectively. The main staircase double volume opens onto a more intimate, water feature courtyard and extends towards the living area, the sliding doors in the living room and dining room slide away into cavity walls, which allows the living room and dining room to flow out onto the Pool and BBQ Terraces. The Master Bedroom, situated on the Second Floor level enjoys access to it own terrace, where the experience and relationships to the mountain backdrop and ocean below dominates.

The street edge is protected with splayed concrete walls with intentionally placed window openings from the Master Bedroom and Study desk. The laser cut screens serve a dual purpose of security as well as the slick aesthetic contribution to the facade of the house. Being very sociable people and great hosts, the client needed both a home and a place to entertain and “share” the incredible natural beauty offered by the special location.

The minimalism of the interior finishes, creates a sense of calm, which is immediately contrasted by the bold and colorful decor. Bold and discreet lighting has been layered to evoke contrasting but complementary moods throughout the house.

“We are thrilled with the house that Greg Wright Architects have created for us. We set a challenging initial brief that included an ocean view from every single room in the house; quiet garden spaces, as well as a strong connection between inside and outside. We wanted to create a ‘journey’ through the house so people could appreciate both our art and the views. We have a strong focus on entertainment within the house, with the desire for all key needs to be on one single spacious level – this included the kitchen, scullery, wine cellar, dance floor, cinema, living room, gym, sauna, BBQ and swimming pool. Greg Wright Architects have definitely achieved our brief and helped create an amazing contemporary but yet cosy home with amazing views out of each section of the house.” The client.

Greg Wright Architects
Units 9 & 10,
Canal Plaza, Battery Park, V & A Waterfront
Cape Town, 8001, South Africa

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If you seek for a private and personalized way to discover Africa’s nature in Kenya, then we may have found the perfect secret place for you to stay. Described as « the most beautiful house in Africa » by the senior editor at the UK CNN traveller, Peter Michael Browne.

Located on the Borana Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya, few kilometers north of the equator, Arijiju is named after the hill upon which it stands and is the result of a decade of work. The owner of Arijiju house, a Nigeria-Born, London based, worked with the architecture firm Nicholas Plewman – Architects Associates. His aim was to create as both a family home and a luxury retreat for like minded guests. He also wanted his children to experience the freedom and the simplicity he enjoyed during his youth. And yes, Arijiju is an exceptional private house.

Nestled on a hillside and overlooking Mount Kenya in a reserve of more than 32,000 acres, known to be ideal for safaris, Arijiju is inspired by the ancient Earth architecture and the Monasteries of Ethiopia. This gives it an almost religious atmosphere, favourable to meditation and rest. A central vaulted cloister forms the centre of the house, connecting the main rooms and offering a luxurious private retreat in the heart of the wilderness. Few materials were used to build the house. Among the materials used were stone and wood, all local. Green roofs, including local plants and solar panels, ensure minimal environmental impact of the house. Arijiju is designed as a sanctuary, created to make space in the spirit, in the middle of a wild and authentic nature.

Interior designer Maira Koutsoudakis combined a blend of African-inspired rustic chic with natural colour palettes to create the project. The house features five luxurious suites and the main common areas include a dining room and lounge at the height of sophistication, a lounge bar, a gym, copper baths, indoor and outdoor showers and a spa with a hammam that communicates with outdoor terraces in levels. The most exciting is undoubtedly the extraordinary 20-metre overflow swimming corridor that overlooks the savannah and makes us want to dive immediately or simply relax nearby. We have also heard that sometimes the pool can be used as a watering hole for elephants. The simplicity of the property through the materials used and the luxurious spirit that emerges represents a striking contrast to a preserved and natural savannah. From the pool, you can see the wild olive trees and acacias. During the rainy season, the surrounding valley around which the house is located can reveal temporary rivers in the distance during the rainy season.

Equipped with a masseuse and an esthetician whose treatments are included in the rental rates. Yogis will do a session on the yoga terrace; the more active ones will be able to use the gym and the tennis and squash courts. With a staff of 14 people, including a butler, a ranger and chefs who prepare a healthy and light “Ottolenghi” style cuisine, you will have no trouble getting all your requests fulfilled.

The Arijiju house is the kind of place you’ll crave to stay  for your next retreat in the nature. The house itself is an attraction. An ode to the luxury modern African way of life.

The simplicity of the architectural lines, the meticulous attention paid to the interior design, the various amenities of the house and the exceptional natural surroundings, make this property a magical place. The reserve is full of wildlife, including Africa’s big five ( lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and Cape buffalo), or wild dogs and cheetahs. 4×4 safaris are therefore a must, but Arijiju also encourages visitors to explore on foot, horseback riding, jogging or mountain biking.

However, if you wish to stay in Arijiju, count about 7 600€ per night for a maximum of 6 people and for a minimum of three nights. Please note, however, that the capacity of the villa is a maximum of 10 people.

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ARIJIJU by Nicholas Plewman Architect & Associates
LIFE – Interior Architecture and strategic design
ARIJIJU – for booking enquires

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Boston has always had a special place in Martin Luther King Jr.’s place. It is the city where he met his wife, Coretta Scott and where they went to graduate school. He declared in 1965 that “Boston must become a testing ground for the ideals of freedom.”

 “In 2017, King Boston, a privately funded effort working closely with the City of Boston, heeded that call when it asked for submissions for a memorial in the Kings’ honor on Boston Common, the site of many historic marches and protests.”

Today, King Boston, which is also supporting a documentary film and additional programming that promotes equity, has announced the winner: conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas and MASS Design Group, perhaps best known for their work on the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama.

“Called The Embrace, the 22-foot-tall sculpture represents the hands of King and Scott King, evoking images of the couple—and other protesters—arm-in-arm in peaceful marches for civil rights as well as the power of physical togetherness in declaring resistance against injustice. “The Embrace” also embodies Scott King’s emphasis on the transformative power of empathy—and putting it into action. Visitors to the sculpture will be readily reflected in its mirror-finish bronze, making them part of the installation.”

To read the full content –> Architectural Digest 

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The Architect David Adjaye will design Ghana’s first Venice biennale Pavillon.

Here is an extract of the article.

“Being able to show the diversity and creativity of Ghana on an international scale is an incredible achievement,” said the British architect in a statement. It also showcases the breadth of the nation’s artistic talent, he continued. Adjaye himself is no stranger to pavilion design, having created nearly 10 in recent years; his first at the Biennale was a 2003 collaboration with artist Chris Ofili for Britain. In 2017, AD revealed a backyard pavilion he designed for Design Miami founder Craig Robins’s home in South Beach, Florida. And most recently, he put out a call for augmented-reality architecture proposals to run alongside this year’s annual Serpentine Pavilion in London, to be built by Japanese architect Junya Ishigami. (Adjaye is a Serpentine trustee and was part of the team that selected West African architect Diébédo Francis Kéré for the 2017 design.)

Read the full article –> Architectural Digest

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