The very first building Adrian Morris designed as a student was a house. Now, in the prime of his career, he has designed his very own family home, still drawing inspiration from the wisdom of the lecturer who taught him in his first year. A house, he learnt, can be so much more than a building: beyond its function to shelter, it is a place of poetry and delight that alters how we feel. Adrian Morris, from architecture and interior design firm Morris & Co, believes that homeliness is an integral part of our lives and shapes part of who we are. Self-expression and feeling comfortable ‘at home’ served as inspiration for his family abode, a space designed for an architect, a fashion designer, and two creative children.
One of my key principles in designing a home is that every room should have a vista — which need not be an ocean view or mountain range, but can be as simple as a garden. We have a philosophy that gardens are our way of showing nature that we can meet her halfway.
The residential space, characterized by both architectural simplicity and creative clutter, is situated on an equestrian estate in Johannesburg where it can be found on a one-hectare, south- sloping site. Naturally, this composition brought the challenge of directing the north-facing sun into the home.
Adrian eliminates passages in favour of a simple, open arrangement that prioritises connection between people. On the first floor, a lounge, accessible from three bedrooms, is placed centrally – creating an intimate space to bond as a family. The exposed trusses and clerestory monitor roof welcome generous light. In the early morning and late afternoon, distinct shafts of sunlight mark the time of day.
Creating a timeless dwelling
Adrian expresses an appreciation for architecture that survives decades and centuries, ‘My wife, Daniela, and I love old farm buildings: the combination of their honesty and simplicity, their embodiment of history and memory, and the promise of a new purpose. In essence, we wanted a home that felt like it had always been there, using the principles of a lived history and a sense of permanence.’
Adrian succeeds in bringing historical and contemporary accents together: although the building embodies history, it also promotes new traditions. The architectural approach combines simplicity, symmetry, and proportion with a fresh modernist perspective of counterbalance and asymmetry. The house is designed as two barn-shaped buildings, one for living and one for utilitarian functions such as storage and services. A winding driveway leads the approach to the home, taking one past the stables and workshop.
‘Good bones’, a principle using axes to organise spaces and their functions, brings a coherent logic to the architectural composition. Being based in Johannesburg with its temperate climate and culture of home entertainment, indoor-outdoor living was a primary consideration.
The ground floor is an open-plan living space that opens onto a south-facing patio, north-facing courtyard and vegetable garden. The large-scale door and window facing the north courtyard ensure that an abundance of light and warmth enter the living spaces, especially in winter.
Beyond its simplistic bones, material tactility and natural light quality were carefully considered to create a sanctuary that is generous, effortless, and timeless. In contrast to the interior architecture and toned-down material palette, the colours and patterns of the furniture, art, and family heirlooms are eclectic – resonating with Daniela’s personal style.
Alfresco Garden, Secret Garden or Roof Garden? They’re all possible.
The generous scale of the site prompted the integration of indoor living spaces with outdoor rooms and gardens to create a sense of place. On the ground floor, the open-plan area contains a large picture window, which anchors the kitchen at the end of the space, allowing views onto a lush secret garden along the house boundary.
The south-facing patio leads onto an alfresco garden, containing a casual firepit and pool surrounded by generous planting that provides privacy. The central patio, too, hosts a roof garden, located above the first-floor bedrooms.
A home is not just where we live; it’s where our design story becomes deeply personal – and that’s exactly what architect Adrian Morris understands. As a culmination of his and Daniela’s design tastes, the home, Adrian says, is ‘for us, by us, which is what every home should be.’
