
Behind the current talk of smart living spaces and vertical cities is increased interest by architects and interior designers in building homes that understand the unique environmental and social challenges of daily life in a South African city.
The acceleration of our population growth, climate change, lack of infrastructure and growing pressure on natural resources are key factors expected to define the homes of tomorrow.

Compact apartments are anything but life squeezed into a shoebox. Featuring flexible and impeccable design elements, these spaces have the virtues of a fully functioning apartment.
With building space becoming increasingly scarce, resulting in skyrocketing housing prices, freestanding homes are becoming smaller and more compact, trimming luxury features such as swimming pools and patios. Buildings are shrinking in size and accessibly priced sectional title homes are increasingly common as urbanisation increases.
Architects are embracing this trend of living small through a “less is more” approach. We’re seeing sleek designs and top-end finishes taking shape on their drawing boards. Automation and transformable furniture are taking centre stage as designers focus on spaciousness, comfort and flexibility. This type of property for sale is mostly geared toward the younger generation who are coming of age as home buyers.

Mixed-use developments, with luxury amenities, are the new lifestyle option for the younger generation of home buyers.
The boundaries between home, work and play are also fading. More millennials are choosing to work from the comfort of their couches and, as such, require high-speed internet connectivity and design elements that positively influence their productivity. Moreover, buildings must take residents’ wellbeing and lifestyle into consideration. Occupants want to be able to walk a few floors down in their apartment building to access a gym, restaurant or shop. Mixed-use developments are already taking South Africa by storm and look set to steadily evolve into living and working areas of choice for the younger generation of home buyers.

Homes of the future will maximise their use of natural light sources and clean energy.
As awareness grows among South Africans to cut back on their water and energy consumption, architects are more committed to building resource-efficient homes. While a range of residential renewable energy systems and appliances are already in widespread use, the home of the future will interlace these renewable sources into their exteriors. Rooftops will be built with materials that can reflect or capture sunlight for energy use, windows will be able to regulate how much light and heat from the sun enters the home and foam-insulated panels will contribute to the interior’s cooling and heating requirements. As for efficient water use, rain harvesting devices and grey water systems can be installed along gutters and pipes can be connected and filtered for different uses around the house, such as refilling pools and irrigating gardens.
South Africa’s carbon footprint currently ranks above the world average, prompting the world of architecture to make the shift towards building homes that reduce the overall environmental impact.
Your home might incorporate building material constructed from natural elements – think bamboo for flooring, natural stone and hardwood, foam-insulated panels, LED lighting and kitchen finishes made from recyclable steel.

Designers are opting for smart, stylish interiors that tap into a more eco-friendly lifestyle.
Now that the smart home market is becoming more accessible to the average homeowner, architects are taking note of the opportunities to improve security. From keyless electronic doors and window sensors that alert you when opened, to video doorbells revealing who is on your porch before you allow access – the possibilities of a safer home and promises of greater peace of mind are truly endless.

The latest home automation technology lets you control and interact with your home anywhere using your mobile phone.
To quote interior designer, Michele Rhoda’s, view of the South African home of the future, “it’s not about trend or style but about a design approach that fully analyses the context of a project and encompasses a design that optimises all aspects of the site, views, climate, brief, budget and lifestyle.”