DURBAN: When he’s not working on what is envisioned to be the tallest building in the southern hemisphere, Durban architect Nigel Tarboton is inundated with requests to design homes around the world.
Tarboton, 49, the man behind Metropole Architects, recently made international headlines after a Zimbali home he built featured on the list of the top eight in the world.
The Morningside father-of-three, who was born and raised in Durban, said he had a passion for design, properties and construction sites since his youth.
He formed his company in 1997 after studying architecture at Natal University.
It’s not often a local architect becomes involved in projects throughout the world.
But Tarboton is doing just that.
He has just completed a residence in Tel Aviv, Israel, and is about to begin his biggest residential project in the Rwandan capital, Kigali.
Tarboton is also the initiator of the multibillion- rand project known as the Durban Iconic Tower, which is set to change the city’s skyline.
The project, which was revealed last year, is expected to be next to the Durban Country Club site.
“Metropole Architects initiated this because we wanted to go big and do something that’s going to be great for our city. People thought we were crazy and kept asking why? Why Durban? Why South Africa?
“And all I could say is, why not?
“Durban is beautiful and we have so much going for us.
“It’s amazing how much attention this project has attracted since it was unveiled.”
He said international investors from the United Arab Emirates, international hotel groups and Samsung Korea, which built the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, had shown interest.
The project is expected to start in 2019 and finish by 2023.
“It’s a catalytic project for Durban and will create infrastructure, tourism, skills development, employment and investment opportunities.
The house he built in Israel was his first international project.
He said it was a unique experience because it was the first home he had designed which had to include a bomb shelter.
His project in Kigali is a one-of-a-kind eight- bedroom home for a wealthy family.
Tarboton said he was contacted by the family unexpectedly after it had learnt of his work.
“It’s also an exciting project for me.
“The Kigali building is a three-level home which includes a hairdressing salon, movie theatres, three kitchens, a 50m pool, gym, spa, TV lounges and formal lounges,” Tarboton said.
But he said designing homes was not his only passion.
He was slowly making the transition to commercial properties and has a particular passion for cities.
Walking into his office, this was strikingly clear from the many pictures on his walls of some of his favourite cities.
This passion has also led to him being contacted by agents in New York City, Los Angeles and Toronto to become involved in designing developments there.
On a personal level, the Sunday Tribune also learnt that design and architecture was not Tarboton’s only talent.
He was part of a band called Arapaho which opened for American rock band, Bon Jovi, when they toured South Africa, a few years ago.
He was also at one point in his life, a professional body boarder.
Tarboton said his goal as an architect was to continue creating art with his designs, because architecture is also considered an art form.
“Architecture is a career of expression.
“It’s a forward thinking industry that paves the way to the future. I am hoping that we can keep our international projects going so that we can also continue to put South African architects on the global map.
“We have so much talent in this country and it is only realised when we can showcase it to the world.”