Umhlanga College, taking shape amongst the green sugar cane fields of Umhlanga, is a perfect example of a blend of old and new, and testament to the fact that clay bricks are timeless.

The school, which opened its doors in 2003, started out as an initiative of Durban Girls’ College, with a view to providing a primary school facility for future pupils. However, as the school began to flourish and grew rapidly, parents from the surrounding suburbs asked that further facilities be added to accommodate older children, extending learners stays at the school, and thus becoming an independent college.

Architect Trish Emmett from Emmett Emmett Architects, who has been associated with the college since the outset, says that the existing building on the property was the cane cutters’ single quarters. Transforming this historic building into a modern learning facility has been an exciting challenge.

The original face brick building with its distinctive brick columns set the tone and the original old dining hall with its wrap around verandahs was linked with new buildings that perfectly complemented them.

Builders of old dictated the brickwork and the modern-day architect’s job was to select a product that matched as closely as possible. Corobrik’s Firelight Satin was the perfect choice together with Corobrik’s Imperial non-face bricks, which formed the basis for the contrasting plastered sections of the buildings.

From the outset, says Emmett, sustainable building methods and design were priorities, again making environmentally friendly clay brick a natural fit.

Throughout, she says, there has been a master plan for the building, which centred on the use of clay brick. The only changes made have been to roofs, as the original clay tiles were difficult to source and are extremely expensive. Instead, she used double pitched roofs that are designed to optimise light, as do large well-positioned windows, which have light shelves and grids to bounce light into the classrooms.