PROJECT Kevin Lloyd Architects
Sustainable Strength:
A Durban Factory Balancing Ambition and Identity
In Durban, just a short distance from King Shaka International Airport, a new factory has emerged- one that combines high-performance functionality with architectural boldness.
Beyond production, they wanted their administrative offices to be transformed into a new headquarters, spaces that reflected both ambition and practicality.
Designing for place and purpose
The site, a flat platform at the centre of a slope, offered a rare opportunity: a long, elevated position that enabled the factory itself to become an architectural statement.
Designed for an emerging snack foods producer, the project redefines what an industrial building can be: a future-proofed facility that also serves as a striking visual landmark.
The client’ s vision
The client’ s brief was clear: expand production capacity with a factory that delivered measurable efficiency, integrated the latest technologies, and could scale into the future.
The design language developed from alternating setbacks in storage areas and taller brickwork features, creating rhythm and character in the structure.
The factory uses a split layout for storage and manufacturing, with a central driveway acting as a covered yet naturally ventilated corridor.
Translucent roof panels enable daylight to reach deep into the workspaces, reducing the need for artificial lighting and decreasing energy expenses.
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