Francois Marais: Luxury Residential Architecture in Johannesburg

Architecture becomes particularly interesting when the journey through a home is as considered as the rooms themselves. For Francois Marais Architects and Interiors International, that relationship between movement, light and form takes centre stage in Luxury Home Mansion, an extraordinary new Johannesburg residence currently taking shape.

Curves that guide movement

Known as the “Two Circles” residence, the approximately 1,800-square-metre, three-level home is organised around two intersecting circular forms. These curves guide movement, frame views and soften the considerable scale of the architecture, allowing spaces to reveal themselves gradually rather than all at once.

The journey begins underground. A drive-in basement garage turns the owner’s car collection into part of the architecture, alongside a private man cave, cinema and cigar lounge. From here, the home opens vertically towards a triple-volume entrance hall, where a sweeping three-storey curved staircase creates its defining sculptural moment.

Natural light is equally important. A vast skylight above the staircase draws daylight deep into the interior, changing the atmosphere as shadows and illumination shift throughout the day.

Water introduces another layer of movement. A cascading waterfall travels from the ground floor into the basement, visually connecting the living and entertainment levels. Outside, a resort-style swimming pool incorporates an integrated fire pit, bringing two contrasting elements together in a dramatic extension of the architecture.

Technology has also played an important role in developing the residence. Francois Marais Architects and Interiors International uses three-dimensional visualisation and virtual reality to allow clients to move through proposed spaces before construction, helping refine proportions, circulation and spatial relationships long before the physical home is complete.

An Award-winning Feat

The approach has already earned international recognition, with Luxury Lifestyle Awards naming the project Best Luxury Architecture (Single Residential Project) for Luxury Home Mansion in South Africa.

Founded in 1996, Francois Marais Architects and Interiors International works across residential, hospitality, commercial and interior design projects internationally. Here, however, luxury is expressed through more than sheer scale. Every curve, transition and architectural feature contributes to how the home is experienced – creating a residence shaped as much by movement and changing light as by bricks and mortar.