It's the brainchild of Jacques van Embden and his dad, Marco, of the Prime Residential Group. They saw the gap in the market for a luxury, curated urban living brand and, with their team of architects and designers, conceptualised and created Blok.
The brand's first development in Clarens Road, Sea Point, launches this month, and the second in Green Point during October. One more Blok development will launch in 2014 on Victoria Road, with more planned for the new year. Each Blok property is designed "thoughtfully" with the needs of its owner in mind; each unit has well-designed third spaces making full use of each square metre to offer luxuries like a home office, braai area, daybeds, and ample room for appliances, in line with the requirements and expectations one has for a home.
"Many children in South Africa grew up in houses in the suburbs; houses with big gardens and pools, that were close to schools with many of the kids even riding themselves to school each day. Due to crime and property prices, those days have gone," says Jacques. "Nowadays a larger property often means more security, more maintenance, and more work. This coupled with a long commute to work each day for the parents, makes one reconsider suburban living as the only option for working parents."
Blok's aim is to educate people on the benefits and joys of city living; what better garden could one ask for than the Promenade (with no maintenance costs either), why take a Sunday drive with the family when you can take a Sunday walk, and why allow home to stop at the front door? With Blok your community is your home; all you need to do is step outside and discover it.
