Building Stories: Phase 2 of the Boutique Apartments at The Old Mushroom Farm

Architect, Nick Crooks talks red brick, landscaping, and layers of design in the process of renovating these ex-mushroom growing rooms in the KZN Midlands

Videographer, Ker Stanley catches up with Nick Crooks once again, this time on the progress of Phase 2 of the Boutique Apartments at The Old Mushroom Farm. Read to the end to watch the full interview. Construction began at the start of 2025, and what was once a dilapidated, roofless block of quads is already transforming into striking red-brick facades with terraced gardens climbing the slope.

So what inspired the architecture of the Boutique Apartments? And what challenges have come with bringing them to life?

Nick reminds us that The Old Mushroom Farm really did begin as a mushroom-growing facility. When he bought the property over 30 years ago, the agricultural buildings were already in place. After doing his twenty-five years or so as a mushroom farmer, Nick decided to put on his architect hat and renovate the old buildings. With municipal approval, Nick set about repurposing these existing structures—this means that all the new work you see today isn’t expanding into untouched land but rather breathing life into disused infrastructure.

Designing within Limitations

The Boutique Apartments were once mushroom growing rooms. The number of units—nine—isn’t arbitrary but rooted in the nine-week cycle of mushroom production. One could see these odd, inherited structures as obstacles, Nick embraces the constraints.

Some of the key design parameters:

• Shared walls: The units are adjoined, limiting options for window placement, and resulting in the high factory-inspired high windows.

• A central alleyway: The pedestrian-sized path between the two rows of apartments acts as a spine to the layout—a functional service route that has the potential to reference a charming old-world village street, where neighbours pause to exchange greetings.

• Outward-facing design: The apartments face outward, away from the central passage- making them surprisingly private and giving each unit a unique view out onto the farmland.

Designing within such boundaries is often a blessing—it forces one to think creatively.

Red Brick Affinity

As a student of architecture, Nick spent time studying the red-brick heritage buildings of Pietermaritzburg (with a fond nod to Corobrik). That influence remains vivid in his work today, and the decorative brickwork in the facades is central to the apartments’ identity.

Nick’s architectural influences are wide-ranging: Victorian classicism, international style, and touches of Modernism, like the angular steel and glass box windows. He’s also drawn to the transparency of Industrial style, evident in details like galvanised steel piping left exposed rather than hidden away.

Landscaping with Structure and Flow

One of the biggest challenges was the steep slope out the front of the new apartments. Nick’s solution was to terrace the incline, creating layered gardens that not only stabilise the site but enhance the aesthetics and create rhythm. Nick's pro tip for landscaping is to shape the land into horizontal planes and allow the garden’s natural growth to soften the structure. For Nick, gardens are the perfect counterpart to the solidity of brickwork, creating layered elements and balancing the visual field.

CROOKS Design Beyond the Buildings

Nick’s artistic medium extends beyond brick and mortar. Under the label, CROOKS, he designs kitchen cabinets, encaustic tiles, light fittings, fireplaces, braais, furniture and more- all custom-made to fit seamlessly into his buildings. Dissatisfied with the quality and style of fittings commercially available, Nick decided to make them himself. Many of these pieces are available to the public through the CROOKS showroom in Tunnel 6 at The Old Mushroom Farm.

Layers of design elements make for an interesting stay at The Old Mushroom farm's Boutique Apartments

The Old Mushroom Farm as a whole offers an outdoorsy countryside experience—a wholesome farmstay where the open space inspires a sense of freedom. The Boutique Apartments complement this beautifully, giving guests comfortable retreats where they can curl up with a book by the fireside and enjoy the downtime. Yet, the interiors are far from predictable. Nick avoids the ‘usual’ in both architectural and interior design, choosing instead to layer styles in unexpected ways. This interplay of familiar comforts and surprising details encourages visitors to pause, notice, and reflect on their surroundings. It’s this sense of intrigue that makes the apartments stand out and draws a particular kind of guest to The Old Mushroom Farm.