Pier review

PHOTOS: Angela Shaw | WORDS: Alma Viviers

Like one of the shiny black molluscs clinging to the concrete columns that support it, this new cocktail bar on uShaka pier weathers extreme conditions to create the latest hotspot on Durban’s beachfront.

It seems highly improbable but Durban, a city that enjoys five months of impeccable outdoor weather, has very few beach cafés, bars and great outdoor-entertainment spaces.

Architect Richard Stretton of Koop Design, which was responsible for the structural and spatial design of the restaurant itself, says the development of a separate cocktail bar was “an opportunity to show what an amazing and underexploited amenity our beachfront is”.

The brief was for a space that would function as an annexe to the land-based restaurant. Extreme conditions such as sea spray, sun, wind and constant reflection off the water meant that the team, which included John Wassung of ZAI Architects and Shaun Dixon of ARUP structural engineers, opted for a lightweight steel structure, corrosive-resistant and low-maintenance glass, as well as an eye-catching, sweeping roof.

“The roof, constructed like a timber yacht hull, floats over the steel structure and has a strong impact on the space,” says Richard. “Even though it looks simple, it is a complex curve in three dimensions that presented the team with quite a challenge.”

The natural birch ceiling adds an organic element to the interior, where large expanses of glass and the specially designed low bar celebrate the unencumbered view.

The building also acts as a filter to the environment, so you can choose the perfect spot to enjoy a drink: inside or out, full sun or shade, breeze or calm.

• Koop Design: 031 303 3922, www.koopdesign.co.za

• Moyo uShaka Pier: 031 332 0606, www.moyo.co.za