Situated on the outskirts of the city, approximately 17km from the Harare city centre, accessed via the Borrowdale & Domboshawa Road, lies the site that is to become Northgate Estates, a security estate that provides a safe place to live, work and play. This expansive, promising piece of land is currently undeveloped and exudes natural beauty and opportunity. The opportunity to transform this into a secure, environmentally diverse lifestyle estate located within the confines of a perimeter is an exciting one.
Secure Lifestyle Estates in Africa
Designing new multipurpose developments in Africa can be challenging due to various factors, such as the complexity and diversity of urban contexts, the lack of adequate infrastructure and services, the impact of climate change, and the constraints of financing. However, there are also some amazing opportunities which are strong reasons to pursue such developments despite the challenges.
Such developments leverage the potential of urbanization as a driver of economic growth, social development, and environmental sustainability. Urbanization creates opportunities for innovation, productivity, and diversification.
It isn’t an understatement to say that new modern developments and gated communities enhance the quality of life and the well-being of urban residents.
The Development
This 1037-hectare expansive, promising piece of land will be completely transformed, over 3 stages, by the exciting future development planned for it. Conceptualizing and executing this future mixed-use development in an authentic but unique way. The substantial project will be executed in phases, each phase being about 300 hectares in size. Our first focus will be to explore the opportunities within the envisaged Phase 1 programme, and to define a language and aesthetic that will set the tone for the whole development, transforming this site into a place that will in turn transform the lives of the people that will live here. We aim to attract the modern professionals to this development. What they aspire to and what they need and deserve is a place of living that is not only secure and attractive but of which they are immensely proud. We believe that great architecture can create that pride of place which sets some estates apart from others.
Distribution of Homes
An unprecedented number of new homes is the single largest component of the development. Northgate Homes should be a sequence of beautiful, simple, clean forms, with an architectural language which is both elegant, and intentionally different to what you would normally expect of a low-cost housing development.
Our Northgate Estates Residential Component Includes:
- 400 sqm Stands,
- 500-600 sqm Stands,
- 1200 sqm Stands and
- Cluster Housing / Garden Flats
Distribution of Homes
The Gateway
The architectural language of the boundary wall speaks of safety and security without fear. It is a simple and cost-effective wall that envelops the development and speaks proudly but gently about what Northgate embodies.
The choice materials used for the construction of the wall will keep in mind the sustainable aspect, the community aspect and the budget of the wall. To break the inherent “hardness” of a large extent of boundary wall, we would introduce planting of an indigenous nature that is striking visually, adding to the overall aesthetics in a way which is again sustainable, and that fosters pride.
The Gateway
Connectivity
The significance of well planned and sustainable infrastructure in a development like Northgate cannot be overemphasized as it is critical for its success and longevity.
Adequate infrastructure and services serve as a backbone for growth and are essential for community health and safety.
Our Northgate Estates transport-related components include:
- Train Stations and Bus Terminals
- Roads
- Buffer Zones
- Water Reservoirs
Connectivity
