About Nico van der Meulen Architect Firm
Nico van der Meulen Architects in Johannesburg, South Africa, is well known for designing ultra-luxury dream homes all around the world.
The architectural firm focuses on designing innovative, functional luxurious homes, both contemporary and traditional, tailored to enrich their client’s quality of life.
The studio remains at the forefront of design by exploring new forms, pushing the boundaries and evolving with technology, without compromising on the authenticity of the design, aesthetics, materials and originality.
While creating unique homes for unique tastes, they firm strive to capture every client’s vision and express it through breath-taking bespoke designs.
They have designed more than 4000 buildings in 43 countries during the past forty years, many of which received international acclaim, some as far afield as USA, London, Cypress, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Canada, USA, Germany, Gulf of Portugal, Australia and many African countries.
More than 230 buildings designed by Nico van der Meulen and his team of architects have featured in magazines, hardcover books and have also been used on the front cover image for many magazines.
Nico van der Meulen has also written articles for several local and international magazines.
Values and Philosophy
“In architecture, functionality should always be given higher priority than the form, considering we spend our entire lives inhabiting the structures we’ve designed, rather than admiring their external appearances. Functionalism is our design philosophy and while our facades could have any form and be associated with any style, our buildings will always remain functional.” _Nico van der Meulen
Their carefully considered approach to design and commitment to meeting the requirements of individual clients has led to the firm gaining a reputation for creating exclusive, luxurious designs from the ground up or transforming existing residences into inventive and extraordinary homes, tailored to the tastes and needs of its clients.
Our Mission
Through timeless design, strive to enhance the environment, our clients’ lifestyle and the way we use buildings relative to the contextual landscape.
The innovative architectural vision of the Nico van der Meulen Architects brand is evident in the firm’s ability to continuously produce masterpieces of extraordinary architecture that is always personalized with the client’s lifestyle requirements.
The studio lives and breathes the conviction of a total design philosophy, creating a seamless transition between the exterior and the interior, reducing the scale to finer detail.
This resulted in M Square Lifestyle Design and M Square Lifestyle Necessities companies being established in association with Nico van der Meulen Architects.
M Square Lifestyle Design is an interior design division creating bold design solutions, while M Square Lifestyle Necessities is luxury furniture and décor service with a selection of the finest imported furniture from design studios around the world.
The combination of all three companies’ expertise inspires the architecture of living spaces.
As architects and interior designers the firm specialize in designing high-end residential and exclusive commercial developments for private individuals and companies.
Family and team history
The architectural practice was established in 1984 by the owner and founder Nico van der Meulen and his wife Santa. Nico grew up on a farm near the border between South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe, He initially studied civil engineering, explored project management, and finally registered as a professional Architect. Nico also received a SAPSA Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Architecture.
Under Nico’s guidance and with his two sons following in his footsteps and joining him, the firm has grown into a family legacy. Each member of the family has established their own reputations within the design industry for their talents in architecture, interior design, decor and art.
Whilst the architectural and interior design projects are managed by Nico, Werner, Margot and the Associates. The Associates of Nico van der Meulen Architects and M Square Lifestyle Design include: Michael Antonie Zietsman, Chris Clarke, Justin Coetzee and Melanie Ezzi. Santa together with Rudolph started M Square Lifestyle Necessities, a décor and design showroom specializing in international brands including DOCA, Porro, Alivar, Desalto, Gloster, Lema, Limited Edition, Living Divani, Pallucco, Roda, Viccarbe, Zanotta, and ZeusNoto. Santa, an artist in her own right, is behind most of the captivating paintings featured in the luxury residences, including the sculptures by Regardt, another of the couple’s sons.
Together with a team of talented and enthusiastic associates, architects, designers and experienced support staff, the family-run business has grown into an internationally recognized quality brand.
preferred professionals, consultants, suppliers, and specialist contractor
The essence of collaboration lies at the heart of our design philosophy at Nico van der Meulen Architects and M Square Lifestyle Design and Necessities.
We believe in partnering with like-minded consultants who share our commitment to quality. Our approach prioritizes cultivating relationships with preferred professionals, consultants, suppliers, and specialist contractors whose experience, passion for design excellence, and values associate closely with our own.
By fostering relationships with such partners, we strive to ensure every aspect of our projects, from conception to completion, adheres to the highest standards of quality and innovation. This collective ethos aligns seamlessly with our design vision and extends beyond our studio, enriching our creative process and delivering unparalleled results for our clients.
With our dedicated team, we continue to push the boundaries of architectural design, creating bespoke environments that seamlessly integrate functionality, aesthetics, and authenticity, reaffirming our commitment to collaborative excellence.
