DESIGN>MAGAZINE No 17 by DESIGN>

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CONTENTS

THOUGHT LEADERS

16 > Harry Pearce’s schizophrenic road

26 > D esign, a viable tool for social innovation? An interview with William Drenttel

34 > S umien Brink: A lifetime of creative multitasking by a master of her craft

42 > J uxtaposing cultural identity with progress: Mokena Makeka shares his ideas on ‘humility design’

54 > Entropy: Mirrors of the human condition

COMMUNICATION DESIGN

62 > Anton Sassenberg: The original design guerrilla

70 > T hinking through design: Michael Bierut’s cautionary tale on lessons learned

84 > D esign currency: Icograda Design Week 2010, Vancouver

ho is Sean Metelerkamp? A guy with two 94 > W smooth ballas

BUILT ENVIRONMENT

104 > Decorex Joburg 2010: A five-day extravaganza 112 > Conversations on architecture 119 > Glass wonders from Preciosa

124 > T ales from the African Diaspora featuring Nina Briggs

130 > Elphick Proome Architects: 21 years in the making

140 > D HK Architects: One architectural firm, three architectural designs

156 > M oses Mabhida Stadium: Iconography through architectural design

172 > Cape Town Stadium: The pride of the Cape

185 > Mbombela Stadium: For the love of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Gameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

200 > Ellis Park: A slice of history gets a facelift

208 > L oftus spectators witnessed another Bafana Bafana game

212 > Green Park: Work, live & play

219 > T he first step in the South African green building evolution

241 > L egacy Corner: Joining the style hub of Johannesburg

248 > The juxtaposition of old and new at Montecasino

255 > C oral International Cape Town Hotel: Cape Town, beaches and sand a perfect combination

DESIGN PROMOTION

262 > Social conscious design for a sustainable future 266 > Making sense of strategy and policy

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

270 > Rebranding: A few legal considerations

ART & CRAFT

274 > T ransforming rural villages into wealthy towns through the industrialisation of craft enterprises

280 > Fashion art: Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s More Alive Than You?

286 > PACE: The Pan African Craft exhibition

290 > K udzanai Chuirai: A picture is worth a thousand words

OOK REVIEWS 296 > B

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ENDORSERS >

MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS >

11 >

CREDITS PUBLISHER >

CREATIVE DIRECTOR >

Cameron Bramley

Jacques Lange

cameron@designmagazine.co.za DESIGN & LAYOUT > GROUP EDITOR >

Bluprint Design

Jacques Lange jacquesL@iafrica.com

COVER ILLUSTRATION > Sean Metelerkamp

CONTRIBUTORS > Nina Briggs, Eben de Waal, Reggie Dlamini, Jennie Fourie, Zelda Harrison, Bev Hermanson, Stacey Rowan, Leonard Shapiro, Suné Stassen, Sasha Strauss, Anri Theron, Geoff Vreeken SALES TEAM > Geri Adolphe, Jason Bramley, François Fassler, Rachel Harper, Chenesai Madzvamuse, Jeff Malan PRODUCTION >

PUBLISHED BY > DESIGN>MAGAZINE T: +27(0) 82 882 8124 F: +27 (0) 86 678 8448 E: design.arrow.magazine@gmail.com W: www.designmagazine.co.za Blog: www.designmagazine.co.za/wordpress/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/DESIGNarrow

ISSN 1814-7240

Claudia Madurai & Michelle Swart

Number 17, August 2010

DISCLAIMER: No material may be reproduced in part or whole without the express permission of the publisher. No responsibility will be accepted for unsolicited material. The publisher accepts no liability of whatsoever nature arising out of or in connection with the contents of this publication. The publisher does not give any warranty as to the completeness or accuracy of its contents. The views and opinions expressed in DESIGN>MAGAZINE are not necessarily those of the publisher, its endorsers, sponsors or contributors.

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PREFACE When I think of the word ‘current’, I also think of words like ‘flow’, ‘motion’, ‘lines’ and ‘between’. I am overwhelmed with pride that DESIGN>MAGAZINE encapsulates the very movement with which life grows. Here at DESIGN> it’s about pioneering, being innovative, flexible, everlasting and so much more. ‘Current’ is the sum of our history, a history which needs no library and no institution. It exists in our everyday lives and minds, continuing to push and grow our perceptions of a better life, a better design. Our historical and current design inputs determine the future currencies and trends. As our current– cy [sic] grows into the future, our care for the planet and our children’s lives have become an emergent–cy [sic]. As much as we grow in our creativities, we deplete our own existence; paradoxically we are forcing ourselves to be better with less. Now it’s about going back to zero, going back to the basics of pioneering, innovation, flexibility, ever-not-lasting and so much less. Our fight for efficiency has made us deficient, which will lead to new efficiency.

Some of you may remember the Decency edition of DESIGN>MAGAZINE. That edition is as current then as it is now. I look forward to the new challenge of DESIGN> presenting a new currency. I look forward to driving thought leadership with articles that never die and design that brings motion to our futures. This preface is as current as your attempt to read it. Your desire to be current relies on whether you are fascinated with change or not. Your current–cy [sic] is, simply put, driven by design and your every day influences and choices are managed by your consumerism. As consumers, we need to make the right choices on what to accept. If our future is not considered in our consumption, whether it be beautiful award-winning design or not, we are cutting off our own hands and those of our children’s. I am certain that our need to preserve our planet and futures by consuming less, has now sparked a new future currency. It’s exciting stuff. Enjoy our 17th edition. < Cameron Bramley, Publisher

www.bowman.co.za

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EDITOR’S FOREWORD This edition of DESIGN>MAGAZINE focuses on the theme: Current. The term obviously has multiple meanings and our contributors explore a diversity of its interpretations. ‘Current’ can mean: belonging to the present time; being in progress; circulating; prevalent; flowing, steady, smooth onward movement; ebb and flow; a general tendency, movement, or course; a flow of electric charge, amongst others. We believe that our cover design illustrates these diverse issues most eloquently. The design is based on a stick man drawing by Sean Metelerkamp, one of the most innovative creatives of the current generation who questions, pokes and provokes whilst also being a master storyteller and provocateur. In most of the articles featured in DESIGN> 17, contributors focus on the interpretation of ‘ebb and flow’ rather than what is currently ‘stylish and hip’. They address topics related to professional development and the broad scope of social, environmental and economic sustainability. Key concepts include design and humanism, design citizenship, designers as creators of beauty, humility design and thinking through design. Harry Pearce reminds us of the importance of connecting minds, enabling us to share a different,

clearer vision and facilitating social change. William Drettel expands on this and directs the focus to the importance of developing the design discourse through journalism. Michael Bierut shares insights into valuable lessons learnt while working on The L!brary Initiative while Sasha Strauss examines our relationships with brands and how they determine our commercial choices. Sumien Brink talks about her life as one of Africa’s leading magazine editors and we also look at Anton Sassenberg’s colourful career as a seminal publications designer. Architect Mokena Makeka shares his ideas on humility design, while Strijdom van der Merwe explores mirrors of the human condition and delves into the complex world of entropy and landscape art. We also feature project reviews on three of the sports stadiums that were custom built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup as well as reviews on two refurbished stadia. Our Built Environment section also investigates South Africa’s first building to receive Green Star accreditation – Nedbank Phase 2. These are just a few highlights from the 35 articles featured in DESIGN>MAGAZINE 17. We wish you a great read! < Jacques Lange, Editor

Throughout his career Pearce has been concerned with using design to connect minds, enabling them to share a different, clearer vision. Most notably is his work for Witness, the human rights charity founded by musician Peter Gabriel for which Pearce has been the lead designer for many years and also serves as a member of its advisory board.

CONUNDRUMS As diverse as his client base, so too are his interests and passions. Since his early childhood, Pearce has been intrigued by the play between type and words. In December 2009, this passion culminated with the publication of his first book titled Conundrums. Pearce explains: “I grew up loving the crazy world of Spike Milligan and Peter Cook. I remember wonderful lines

Conundrums.

By Zelda Harrison. Harry Pearce is a man that prompts, pokes and provokes. His work touches many disciplines, from spatial design and identity to print and packaging. In 1990 he cofounded Lippa Pearce Design and in 2006 he joined Pentagram London as a partner. He has designed for a broad range of clients including Phaidon Publishing, Williams F1, Kangol, Shakespeare’s Globe, Saks Fifth Avenue, the Science Museum and Boots, to name just a few. To each he brought his own brand of intelligence, elegance and wit.

RIGHT: Typographic Xmas cards. FAR RIGHT: Decipher Xmas card.

SCHIZOPHRENIC ROAD

HARRY PEARCE’S

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such as: ‘In less enlightened times, suicide was punishable by hanging’ – Peter Cook.” “I always loved playing games with type, language and image. These began with doodles years ago – I made them into a poster on delicate tissue. They thread the thinnest line between stupidity and grace.” In 2009, Saks Fifth Avenue ran Pearce’s conundrums through their Christmas catalogue and this led to Harper Collins publishing the book. The interaction between words and type has been a common thread in much, if not all, of his work. He shares some of his most successful instances of resolving the conundrum: “When my partners at Pentagram gave me the job of designing their holiday card I gave the whole thing a twist and expanded them into typographic codes to be solved. The booklet itself has hidden codes. These games have drifted onto many other items.” “I took a pack of playing cards and decided that it was long overdue for establishing a new attitude. I swapped the suits for type – four faces for the four suits. On the back, after contacting a leading card shark, I placed 52 different cheats that your opponent could read and either use or watch out for and therefore neutralising each other.” Pearce continues: “In a more straightforward manner, I use type to capture

Amongst his many passions, Pearce also has an interest in the way that typography and architecture interact. He says: “The question of how graphic communication relates to architecture is important because the result of a seamless integration can be aweinspiring. An example of where it goes wrong, take a look at the average high street. They’re a visual affront. And this is a direct result of a clash between the two disciplines. Graphic design can actually become part of the structure of the building – its very surface. When this is achieved, it can have wonderful implications for the space in which people live, not just some of the objects within it.” He highlights the work that he had done for the Dana Centre at London’s Science Museum as an example of the effective integration of type and architecture: “The Dana Centre was built as a headquarters for the Dana Foundation, which researches the human brain. It is also a bar, restaurant and debating centre” he explains that his task on the project was to make science fun and engaging, whilst making it a cool funky challenging arena where largely controversial

“I’ve always believed that typography and buildings have a very similar nature. An architect recently said to me, that what matters most and is often overlooked, is the space between buildings…the space where most people inhabit… You could say the same for type; often it’s the space between forms that hold the key to its beauty. So here is a love affair between a building and some typography, they feed off each other.” “The actual debating centre is encapsulated within the frame of a bigger building, and I based the logotype on this relationship. As the logo came from the building, I felt duty bound to give something back, so I cut up the logo and fed it into the concrete of the main sections running right through the building. And so the mark became an actual part of the structure. This then lead to the idea, that the mark could actually become architectural, so I pushed and pulled it in different directions, it then became a wall which you can see through and walk around. And finally in it’s complete destruction. I made a pattern by cutting the logotype into a myriad of slices and these became a lining for the interior walls.” “So what goes on in this space is conversation, debate. And in the spirit of that I made the wayfinding a conversation too. Instead of the usual

Poster for Doll’s House, Milton Theatre.

TYPE AND ARCHITECTURE

scientific subjects are debated, and in this instance performed.

Poster for Roy Harper East of the sun.

more than one thought at a time.” He then refers to his poster designs for Macbeth, Doll’s House, East of the sun as examples that illustrate his point.

Poster for Macbeth, Milton Theatre.

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The Dana Centre.

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ABOVE: Mnikag Pfceret Snese poster. RIGHT: Window display for Audley Shoes.

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list of places within the building – it’s a written instruction on how to

able to decipher them you have to move inside and out.”

find where you want to go.” “This is a place of science. There is a reception area where if you’ve come for a meeting you can wait. I wanted this to be full of questions, questions

“Again you can visit this place and never see or hear it all. It’s just a ghost of conversations gone before…if these walls could talk and I hope they do!”

you could never answer. In a completely irreverent gesture I filled the seating area with rhetorical questions, hundreds of them. Yet, this is a place where you are supposed to get the answers. So no matter how any times

D&AD poster.

you visit this place you will never be able to find the answer.” “On the tables in the restaurant/café area I played another game – this time slightly more surreal. Covering the table surfaces with invented scientific thoughts and philosophies of the future. And finally the great glass wall.” “You know when a conversation takes place, when it’s done its done – you have the memories and you have the effect of people’s words on you.” “I imagine that the place/space where this takes place has a memory of it too. If these walls could talk…” “And in the spirit of that idea I made this great wall out of conversations – this time, real conversations. These are hundreds of snippets of conversation from web chat rooms, running inside and out of the glass. To be

SYNCHRONICITY Synchronicity is another golden thread that runs through Pierce’s work. Similar to the processes that the Surrealists and Dadaists followed, one often finds that in Pierce’s work, seemingly unrelated experiences casually coexist and create a conversation that leads to new meaning. He explains: “One can turn intuition into knowledge, but one cannot produce intuition out of knowledge. Often great design is born from pure intuition and regardless of how many facts you are given and how deep you delve it takes that intuitive spark to make it happen.” “For me the best example of synchronicity occurred when I had a dream which left me with a beautiful line of poetry: ‘until the last butterfly’ This happened at the same time as my friend Steve Hackett was composing a piece of classical music for guitar, trying to emulate the rhythm of butterflies flight. My dream gave him the title for the piece.”

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DESIGN IN SERVICE TO HUMANITY When asked if technological evolution is making people sceptical about humanity and humanism, Pierce responds: “It all depends on how technology is used. It can help to reveal humanity as well as exposing the more inhuman elements of our society. Technological advances have allowed Witness to highlight human rights atrocities – now that mobile phone cameras are easily available everyone can become a change-maker giving the silent a voice. Eventually there is a possibility of everyone being connected, an extraordinary moment for the human.”

He emphatically states: “Designers should have a place of leadership and vision – it is not all about profit and loss.” In this regard, Pierce shares some insights into his passionate and longstanding involvement with Witness: “I first met Peter Gabriel in 1981 at an African art exhibition in Bath. After he founded Witness, I was inspired by the powerful idea behind the organisation – ‘Little brother turning the camera on Big Brother’ – and the amateur footage of the Rodney King beating in Los Angeles in 1992 proved the point. I was determined that Witness’ graphic communications should accurately capture the significance of the organisation’s work. I am proud

Expanding on his work for Witness, we asked Pierce how he achieves equilibrium between commercial and pro bono work and how he mitigates potential conflict of conscience. “In the early days of my first design partnership, Lippa Pearce, we made a commitment to providing pro-bono work for charities. While we had little money, we hoped we could make a positive contribution to causes through design. We saw a situation where big money often got the best design work, and causes without the same kind of financial resources couldn’t justify investing in the kind of design that would really help raise their profile. We used the money we made from our commercial clients to support worthy but impoverished projects.”

to have been associated with such a remarkable project for more than 15 years.” “One of the most extraordinary moments of my career occurred when I was watching news footage of the recent protests in support of the Burma uprising. Across the world I saw images of my Burma poster being taken onto the streets as a symbol of this human rights struggle. To have a piece of graphic design spontaneously used like this is the most meaningful thing that has ever happened to a piece of my work.” “I would recommend anyone to visit the Hub – a multilingual online portal dedicated to human rights media and

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LTR: Burma poster for Witness, Infantry poster for Witness and Making truth visible poster.

Poster for UNODC.

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LEFT: Packaging for Scotch whiskey. RIGHT: Haiti poster for Doctors Without Boarders. FAR RIGHT: Anish Kapoor exhibition at The Royal Academy of Arts. BELOW: Lippa Pearce poster. BELOW RIGHT: Russian mugs.

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action. The Hub provides the oppor-

In conclusion, we asked: How would

tunity for individuals, organisations,

you define the essence of your work

networks and groups around the

or even yourself? “Peter Gabriel did

world to bring their human rights

it for me: ‘Working with Harry is a mix-

stories and campaigns to global atten-

ture of great design and good Karma’,

tion – rather like a YouTube for human

humanity and emotional truth.”

rights. To my mind it is one of the most important human rights initiatives

“Art, music and even buildings fre-

in recent history.”

quently move their audiences but an emotional reaction is rare in graphic

SELF-DEFINITION AND STYLE

design. My hope is to create pieces of graphic design that have integrity and emotional clout.”

Much of Pierce’s work is powerful and arresting. We asked: How you do

“I also seek balance both between my

consistently realise such visceral,

outer daily life and my inner world of

emotive communication? His re-

the subconscious and between my

sponse: “I have spent my career on

commercial and humanitarian work.

a relentless hunt to find the truth and

For me, Witness is my balance, and my

to create as emotional an expression

career has become a personal journey

of that truth as I can. For me the poster

of self-discovery as I manage to fuse

I have recently designed for the Haiti

my inner world, my interest in Jung

poster project in aid of Doctors With-

and dreams with my work.” <

out Boarders comes as close to reaching that point as I have ever been – it is like a silent tear.”

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DESIGN, A VIABLE TOOL FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION? William Drenttel is a communication designer, publisher and industry leader who works from the picturesque mountains to the north of New York City, USA. As a co-founder of Winterhouse, a niche design studio that focuses on social innovation, online publishing and educational and cultural institutions, Drenttel, with his wife and co-founder, Jessica Helfand, have opted to remain a small operation and to collaborate with a select group of clients and partners. For the past decade they have worked almost exclusively with universities, NGOs and non-profits. Even though their operation might be small, their footprint is large and Winterhouse now encompasses a studio, institute, virtual publishing platform and citizen journalism initiatives, amongst others.

Apart from practicing design as a primary day job, Drenttel also actively engages in the fields of profession development and education. He is president emeritus of AIGA, a senior faculty fellow at the Yale School of Management, and the editorial director of the much-acclaimed Design Observer and Change Observer, a leading Internet platform focusing on design commentary and cultural observation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Design Observer was started in 2002 and was a personal passion and a hobby for a long time. With my partners Michael Bierut and Jessica Helfand, we just kept on slogging away at publishing what we considered to be great writing about design. A few years later we woke up to the reality that we had managed to gather a huge audience, and

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AN INTERVIEW WITH WILLIAM DRENTTEL

By Zelda Harrison

suddenly we were being nominated for Webby Awards for best writing online with The New York Times, The Guardian, The New Yorker and Wired recognising our work. Our success is simply that we stayed focused on the quality of the writing,” says Drenttel. By staying true to the trio’s original focus, Design Observer has grown exponentially and has subsequently made a massive contribution to the development of the design discourse. Today, Design Observer offers experienced and budding writers, thinkers and theorists a vast virtual platform where they can publish critical writing on design and culture. Yet, Drenttel believes that it is only the beginning: “A large issue facing both the design profession and the users and proponents of

design is simply that we do not have [enough] real design journalism and criticism. Architecture has a history of theory and criticism – design does not. Design is talked about as a means to business success, but there are few design case studies being taught in business schools. And now design and design thinking are supposed to be the Holy Grail for anything and everything. How often do you read about design failing, or design as an integrative part of larger processes – especially as we realise the importance of sustainability and possibilities for social innovation? Fundamentally design is still in its childhood.” To further simulate the development of the design discourse, Helfand and Drenttel initiated The Winterhouse Writing Awards in 2006, under the

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auspices of the Winterhouse Institute. A program of AIGA, these annual awards were founded to recognise excellence in writing about design, and to encourage the development of new and young voices in design writing, commentary and criticism in the USA. Apart from being recognised for their writing excellence, winners also receive a monetary reward, which is intended to encourage their further development. Drenttel says: “The AIGA Winterhouse Writing Awards for Design Writing and Criticism have a simple purpose: To encourage and recognise outstanding writing about design. I think we need to grow writers who can serve as critics, observers and journalists. It will happen one writer at a time, just as one reader ultimately reads every book at a time.” A proof of the Winterhouse Writing Awards’ success, Drenttel says that: “Every writer we have recognised is still writing, many for broader audiences than before receiving their award. This is slow, hard work. But we have faith and patience.”

DESIGN IN SERVICE TO HUMANITY In addition, Winterhouse is spearheading several citizen journalism initiatives, one of which is the Your Polling Place Photo Project, initiated in 2006, which is a wonderful – deceptively simple portrayal of civic action. Drenttel explains: “I live in America. Today, we have Sarah Palin in the news and the new Tea Party seems emergent. But Barrack Obama is still president. American citizens elected someone who ran precisely on a platform of civic-engagement, and his fiercest opponents will engage millions because they disagree.”

BELOW: Design Observer and Teach for all websites. RIGHT: Poster for A better world by design conference, an annual event promoting globally conscious integrative design research at Brown and RISD, 2009. BELOW RIGHT: Kafka Goes To The Movies. Book and cover design for the English edition of Hans Zischler’s study of Kafka’s moviegoing life. FAR RIGHT: Aspen Design Summit 2009 website, poster and detail of Summit activities .

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“I don’t think civic-engagement is in decline – rather I think only a percentage of our citizens are engaged. In my own rural, small-town community, citizens are grappling with issues of low-income housing and how to support FAR LEFT: Poetry magazine covers. LEFT: Below the Fold: is published as an occasional journal by the Winterhouse Institute. Below the Fold: explores topics that fly beneath the radar yet persist nonetheless, shifting perspectives and sparking debate. BOTTOM LEFT: Wolfsonian Thoughts On Democracy. Inspired by Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms series, 1943. Commissioned by the Wolfsonian Museum for their Thoughts on Democracy exhibition. BELOW: Trophy for the National Design Award, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.

local farming. These issues generate broad support and strong opposition. What we saw when we mounted the

Polling Place Photo Project is that in all 50 states, people were proud to vote and were willing to stand in line to vote – that just over a majority (56.8% in last presidential election) of US citizens vote is of course a tragedy and a challenge. But I know so many designers who are deeply engaged in creating processes for government transparency or get out the vote campaigns – or encouraging the elderly to get flu shots at polling places.” “There is a movie in which a President says, ‘Democracy is not easy. It’s advanced civics.’ I subscribe to this notion that civic engagement is rewarding, and hard work, and not for everyone.” In Drenttel’s presentation at the 2010 Design Indaba Conference in Cape Town, he implied that many efforts at social innovation are failing. He explains: “I think I was trying to suggest that many social innovation initiatives, despite their sincerity and good intentions, will not be successful or scalable in creating true impacts on poverty or hunger or homelessness. We should not stop encouraging these initiatives, but too many of the projects written about and celebrated are really what I call ‘weekend projects’. Deep, systemic change will result from deep, systemic work.“ “One example: At the Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation, where I serve on the advisory board, we have large teams (50+ people) across multiple platforms working on healthcare and wellness issues. Trying to solve rural healthcare delivery in villages where there are limited or no doctors is simply not the same scope as designing an identity or marketing program for a large company.”

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“The goal is not simply to sell someone something, but rather to change whole systems (financial, governmental, technological) as patterns of behaviour (by doctors, patients, healthcare providers, hospitals, insurance companies). We need expertise and experience and time to engage deeply. It’s that simple. But it’s a daunting challenge for designers who want to think of themselves as problem-solvers when the problems are ‘wickedly hard’.”

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS When asked what keeps him up at night, what gets him through the day and what would he needs from us as industry peers to keep his vision going, Drenttel responds: “I worry every day that I am not doing enough, and that the challenges are so daunting. During the past few years I have met so many other people doing so much more – and who know so much more.” He concludes: “It’s so exciting that’s it’s easy to get dazzled: What one needs instead is a steel-like fortitude. My trip around the world with my family this year showed us so much need, and so many avenues for exploration and work. South Africa was especially exciting because of its rich heritage and stunningly complicated problems and challenges. I retuned to the United States with this deep sense that both global and local solutions will come with great difficulty, and with a renewed commitment to learning and doing this work. It was such a humbling experience.” <

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Winterhouse Polling Place Photo Project poster, website and exhibition.

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A LIFETIME OF CREATIVE MULTITASKING BY A MASTER OF HER CRAFT By Suné Stassen

UMIEN BRIN

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LTR: VISI Autumn 2004, Taste Magazine, VISI 35.

VISI Spring 2002.

VISI Spring 2001 & VISI Spring 2002.

Cosmopolitan’s Fashion Directory March 1990.

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At the tender age of 12 Sumien Brink fell in love with the world of magazines while visiting her then best friend, Andrea Bosch, who showed her a copy of British Vogue. This was a defining moment that led to Sumien pursuing a career in publishing, which took her on many side roads before becoming one of the most respected, innovative and multiple award winning editors in South Africa. As the current editorial director at New Media Publishing, editor-in-chief of VISI, Plascon COLOUR and founding editor of South Africa’s leading food magazine Woolworths TASTE, Sumien exemplifies the concept of inspiring leadership and is known as a master of managing teamwork. Like many other creatives, her road to success was certainly the result of a colourful array of unique creative outlooks and approaches, multi-fuel injected and applied during a lifetime of experiences and overwhelming passion for the creative industry in whatever form, shape or palette. Staring out in the 1970s, she had her heart set on a career in fashion, but due to the distance between Cape Town (then the epicenter of fashion design in South Africa) and her hometown, White River in the then Eastern Transvaal, her parents felt it would be more convenient for her to study at the University of Pretoria where she completed a BA Drama degree, specialising in costume and prop design. It was during these years in Pretoria when classmates Sumien, Birrie le Roux and Johan Engels struck up a strong bond and lasting friendship. Engels, today is an internationally acclaimed theatre designer responsible for

the production design of many world famous ballets and operas, and Le Roux is an awardwinning film and theatre designer who has been responsible for the production design of films like Fiela se Kind, Paljas, Soweto’s Burning and Story of an African Farm, among others. One can only imagine what this trio got up to during those carefree student years. Sumien says that: “We did a couple of very wild and experimental productions and I must say I’d love to collaborate with them again in the future. Today we are still very good friends but don’t see each other often enough.” After her studies Sumien gained extensive experience as stylist at Fairlady and Sarie, fashion editor at Huisgenoot, fashion director of Cosmopolitan and editor of the bi-annual Cosmopolitan Fashion Directory. 1965 was the year when Jane Raphaely founded Fairlady and in 1984 Jane Raphaely and Associates, that published Cosmopolitan in partnership with Nasionale Pers, were founded. Sumien continues, “Although I never worked on the editorial team of Fairlady, I did some collaborative styling for their fashion shoots with photographer Mike Donnelly. When Jane started Cosmopolitan she offered me the position of fashion editor. To me she was a great inspiration and mentor.” The Cosmopolitan Fashion Directory was a brand extension of Cosmo. “We did some really beautiful and different fashion shoots for it. At the time it had to compete with the very fabulous Red magazine, which wasn’t easy. But it was a lot of fun working on it” says Sumien.

There is also the most recent launch of Plascon SPACES, which is really the re-launch of Plascon COLOUR magazine that New Media Publishing has been doing for Plascon for some years. Especially in a tight economy it has been determined that there is a great demand for more practical and hands on information about paint and colour as it is still cheaper to paint your space rather than re-decorate. “All the projects that we feature are real spaces and at R14.95 very good value for money. You can say it is the right product for the right time. And it is beautiful!” explains Sumien.

LEFT: VISI 46. RIGHT: VISI 48.

“I have had the pleasure of working with Peet Pienaar, one of many brilliant creative’s in our country, on a special edition for VISI and I like what he does. He always says that his biggest challenge in life is to ‘Maak mooi’ and I can relate to that. Having had the opportunity to work on such a variety of publications it might be a given that each magazine has it’s own personality and audience but there is one aspect that is non-negotiable to me in all the work that I do – it must always be beautiful.”

VISI 49.

Sumien went on to be the founding editor of House & Leisure magazine since its inception, before taking the reigns at VISI for New Media Publishing in 2001. “My initial vision for VISI was to produce a quality publication that showcases 100% South African content that celebrates our unique local talent. It has changed over the years and is about to change again when we appoint a new editor in September. But in this rapidly changing market we are working in, I think change is always a good thing, especially now that we have to consider the future of magazines and the new digital era we will have to embrace”.

LEFT: VISI 46. RIGHT: VISI 48.

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The playing field of the South Africa magazine industry is very small in comparison to its European, American or even Australian counterparts, yet, Sumien believes that “some of our titles compare well if you consider how much of our material gets syndicated to magazines all over the world but some are really below par. Still we all feed off global trends and adapt them to serve our local needs. That’s why we are forever attending trend shows and seminars all over the world. And of course… speaking of trends, if there is one person in the business that I hugely respect then it is Li Edelkoort. I love her aesthetic and the fact that she keeps on re-inventing herself.” When discussing with Sumien the importance of a country’s design identity she explains that in her opinion it is vital to develop such an identity and that South Africa still has some way to go. “We must develop what is unique to us and not copy. We have been a nation of copiers for far too long. Events like Design Indaba has shown us that design can truly make a difference to many lives. We need more of this in our country”. It is the norm for first world countries to feel responsible for the development of second and third world countries and almost becoming the provider in many fields of expertise, but lately we are seeing more and more examples of third world countries designing for the first world. “It is very exciting if first world countries start embracing designs from its third world counterparts. There are so many examples of products locally sourced that are marketed overseas. My favourite right now

is a project in Venda where local woman make beautiful clay pots that are now sold in Woolworths stores. I believe that if the design is honest and pure it will certainly take flight and be able to travel,” says Sumien. When asked what parts of her working day at New Media Publishers continue to put a smile on her face she is quick to respond: “Working with such a creative team of course! It is for me an absolute pleasure and a huge bonus. Oh and what an inspirational space! I just love New Media’s new building at 19 Bree Street, Cape Town.” Besides being admired by most as a very successful pioneer in the publishing arena, Sumien seems to have also succeeded in finding a balance between her career and family life. “I’ve been very lucky to work on magnificent titles that I adore. Work for me is an absolute pleasure but I do make a point of making time for family. It is a balancing act really, but luckily that is a typical Libran trait,” says Sumien. And just like some actors identify more with one role than another, we were curious which magazine best aligns with her attributes as a person. “Lately it’s been food magazines,” explains Sumien. “I enjoy Jamie Oliver’s magazine – Jamie for its tone of voice and ‘realness’. And Fire & Knives, a magazine about food writing where all the contributors do it for free”. And her dream project? “I’d love to do a series of books on beautiful things – either design or food,” she concludes. <

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JUXTAPOSING CULTU IDENTITY WITH PROG MOKENA MAKEKA SH IDEAS ON HUMILITY Mokena Makeka is one of the most colourful personalities to enter the South African architectural scene in the past few years. At first glance, his various personas might seem to be contradictory but it all gells perfectly when one unpacks the various dimensions that this talented young enigma brings to the table.

Mokena Makeka. Image by Andrew Brauteseth.

A passionate follower of Hip-Hop music, principal and founder of Makeka Design Lab, Makeka is a two-time recipient of the CIA Award of Merit and Design Category winner for the 2010 Johnnie Walker Celebrating Strides Awards. Apart from being an architect, he also has a passion for social entrepreneurship and education. He currently serves on the World Economic Forumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Global Agenda Council for Design, is an external examiner at the Columbia University School of architecture and lectures at the University of Cape Town. Makekaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision is to create a sound African

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URAL GRESS: HARES HIS Y DESIGN aesthetic that serves the public and his clients, bringing dignity and grace to the built environment. Mokena shared some insights into his personal background, work philosophy and views on architectural practice in an interview with DESIGN>MAGAZINE’s US-based contributing editor, Zelda Harrison.

INSPIRATION AND PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY Makeka’s life journey has taken him to diverse parts of the world – born in the Eastern Cape, spending his early years in Lesotho, moving on to live in the USA where his father was an ambassador to the UN, them moving back to Lesotho before finally settling in Cape Town. All of these places brought unique experiences which have had a profound impact on shaping his

personal and professional philosophies. He explains: “I did my elementary schooling in New Rochelle, New York, and returned to Lesotho after starting junior high where I completed my high school education, acquiring an international baccalaureate degree and then went on to study at University of Cape Town (UCT).” Only months after graduating, he established his own architectural practice, Makeka Design Lab. He says that his colourful background is omnipresent in his current professional work: “I bring a sense of cosmopolitan curiosity to all of my design projects. My work is driven by a proposition-based method which often critiques context from a socio-spatial perspective as much as tectonic, functional concerns.” “The architectural strategies which derive from such a process do not fit into the conventions of

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local practice. In fact, it challenges core assumptions that have become normative, unquestioning and passive in cultural debate. As a young, black African creative, in the context of South Africa’s complex history, I occupy a space that is highly underdeveloped in the country and region.” Makeka says that his biggest inspiration is people. “My works are meant to serve society and to allow us to defeat our lesser selves. Architecture is a noble art that can capture the spirit of a nation, its pain, its triumphs and purpose. Buildings merely serve at a functional level, whereas architecture is transcendental and makes us revel in bigger ideas.” He continues: “The articulation of my ideas is constantly evolving, but the central humanist purpose of excellence in the service of society is a continuously maturing and consistent position. My ethics do not change from project to project. Design without ethics is tyranny.”

LATEST PROJECTS One of the most recent highlights of Makeka’s fairly short but illustrious career is being selected as one of only two African architects to participate in the Ordos 100 project. The project is based in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, and entails 100 architects selected by Hertzog & de Meuron to design 100, 1 000m2 villas, contributing to a master plan formulated by Ai Weiwei based in China. Makeka explains that he brought a universal, yet African perspective to the project and intentionally avoided the obvious use of Feng Shui principles to the project proposal. “If anything, it was important to reflect on the context through my own lens. My building is a critique of the notion of the traditional Western villa and the onslaught on the public private continuum as expressed in the ancient hutongs. My building transforms the inner courtyard into a public space and makes the home a stage for greeting and meeting. I designed the house to set up coincidental collisions between public and private in order to foster a sense of unpredictable community.”

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Like many visionary architects, Makeka has a unique personal take on the concept of ‘reading the terrain.’ He says: “Every place has a story that needs to be told. Architecture is about how well you read the text of site, client, society, climate, etc. Subtext is often where the real discovery occurs. I am a scholar of exploration and understanding. This allows me to design anywhere and for anyone, because I don’t bring aesthetic preconceptions or a visual template to the exercise. Design is about understanding what needs to be, asking what’s possible and lastly, striving to surprise oneself and the audience.” Due to the international and geographic nature of the Ordos 100 project – which is rolled-out in phases by its developers – Makeka is working with a truly multicultural team and he draws upon his diverse life experiences to facilitate the process. He says: “I have no problems with multicultural settings. I think it’s a more natural and enriching human state when diversity is embedded in one’s life and practices... It’s fun to create one’s own rules in order to design. Without constraints design is meaningless, irresponsible and inconsequential. One must make constraints if they are not given.”

Ordos 100 project. Images courtesy of Makeka Design Lab.

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URBAN DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE IN SOUTH AFRICA

Public Transport Shared Services Centre. Images courtesy of Makeka Design Lab.

Another highlight of Makeka Design Lab’s work is the Public Transport Shared Services Centre (a joint venture with Jakupa), situated in Athlone, Cape Town. Makeka explains: “The Provincial Transport Shared Services Center is essentially the first sustainable office block for the provincial government of the Western Cape. It is designed to serve the taxi industry by providing a place where licenses can be acquired, disputes resolved, vehicles inspected and act as hub for certain government services. The architecture and the scale of the building is quite urban and sets the tone on the surrounding area, and is a visible expression of investment in the community.” Regarding its design solution, Makeka says: “Its urbanism and architectural response has been well received, and the fenestration pattern and the strategy of having the total ensemble of buildings read as one has helped humanise the scale and bring intimacy and detail to the design.”

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Makeka has very clear views on the interface of architecture and urban design, a topic which is often heavily contested and heavily debate. He says: There are a number of schools of thought relating to the role of the urban designer and the desired extent of their influence over the creative process. Some have argued that urban design must lead the design process, although this is not often the most appropriate solution. Others suggest that urban design should be principal-based and act as an assessment and guiding tool for the design process. Historical contestation by urban designers entering into the built environment industry and hence contesting the leadership role of the architect has often been the focus and subtext of certain processes.” “Often the issue should have been design-based and resolved on the basis of talent and skill, and their associated outputs. For many, urban design is an attitude which creates responsive and vibrant urban environments, and the assumption that architects are disinterested in urban issues is often false. Urban design has been taught in a number of ways with

different approaches, and does not have the historical pedagogy and rigor of other disciplines that would allow it to be universally understood and accredited as a distinct profession. People often forget that historically, urban design is an offshoot and specialisation of interest of architects.” Reflecting on the South African context, Makeka says: “The adversarial culture of commanding the intellectual space of the built environment in this country is counterproductive to the broader objective of creating sustainable, liveable and inspiring cities.” He continues: “South African’s have been denied a culture of public space for historical reasons. Previously advantaged people created enclaves for them and developed a ‘securitised’ mentality which meant that public space was heavily controlled and restricted. We are still reaping the fruit of this exercise as people on the whole struggle to engage with public space, and seek gated suburbs as an excuse for urbane living. Crime, poverty and a poor sense of community and commons across race and income

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groups are particularly powerful and prevalent. There are pockets of joy, of course, but successes are few in the face of the past. Ninety percent of my work is public and I believe every project has had a positive impact on place and setting.”

COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY Makeka has always had a passion for education, be it educating clients about the importance of creative originality, local identity and sustainability; informing politicians and governmental officials about the role that architecture and urban design plays in transforming and responding to societal needs and cultural tourism; and architecture education at formal institutions of learning. He says: “I educate through my work, and directly at the University of Cape Town. There is always an underestimation of what an architect can offer.” “People believe that an architect merely draws and is only there to do what you tell them to do. Architects are professionals and artists of the highest order and lead the process of development for the greater good of society and the interests of the client.

Consistency of approach is key to providing a dependable service. Designs will differ according to the context and client, but creativity is non-negotiable.” In recent years, Makeka has become actively involved in advocating the role of architecture in urban rejuvination and social development in the City of Cape Town, and as an advisor to the Cape Town Partnership initiative, he has contributed to various initiatives. When asked how he would define a ‘worldclass city’, he responds: “I’ve written pretty extensively about this lately. The Cape Town of ‘sand, sea and sun’ is seen by some as a sanitised version of Africa, or even as un-African. The Cape Town that is home to Robben Island is politically different from the rest of the country and is trying to come to terms with that. The Cape Town that nestles up against Table Mountain, a World Heritage site, tries to preserve biodiversity in the face of development pressures.” “The brand is deliberately segmented to attract different markets, and considerable effort goes into achieving this, but branding needs to be based on substance if it is to be durable: the City’s character needs to be consistent with the brand. We also need to be clear on whether the City responds to the brand, or vice versa.”

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“In the townships, the quest for tourist dollars must consider an area’s appeal. Do people visit townships as voyeurs wanting to see the face of poverty, do they want to experience music venues with a unique character; do they want to see other forms of cultural expression; or are they international volunteers coming to build houses? Which of these types of visits do we want to encourage and what does this mean for how we plan these areas?” “Cultural tourism is a tricky business. And branding is not only for targeting tourists. As a City we aspire to develop a knowledge economy and to attract and keep creative people. Competition is stiff, and the image and reality of urban spatial quality will influence our success, particularly as business location decisions consider quality of life as much as urban efficiency. If we play our cards right we can achieve this along with social and economic progress.” “Cape Town’s ability to meet the challenge of balancing heritage with dynamism will depend to a large extent on our willingness to co-operate and innovate; the richness of what we offer entrepreneurs; our sense of what is possible; and our ability to grasp what is important to the markets we seek to attract and the lives we want to live.”

Khayelitsha Multi-purpose Centre. Images courtesy of Makeka Design Lab.

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Re-imagining Cape Town Station. Joint venture with Comrie Wilkinson, DHK and Jakupa. Images courtesy of Makeka Design Lab.

UNDERSTANDING CONTEXT Makeka has a mature and balanced understanding of the role that architecture and design can play in South African development. He considers the multiple layers of challenges and the complexities that it entails sees the greater picture of priorities that need to addressed in the country, and because of that he believes that progress needs to happen with steady paces and occasional hops, instead of leaps which are not always achievable. He says: “Change is the buzzword in Cape Town right now, and the most visible projects are driven by expectations and requirements for a successful World Cup event. Touted as an opportunity to invest in infrastructure for an improved urban condition, it is seen as an unprecedented catalyst. But it’s interesting to consider whether each city will ensure maximum benefit for its residents. Change is not always good.” “If we are simply accelerating what would have happened anyway, the legacy will hardly be transformative. Many of the projects which were executed

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for the 2010 FIFA World Cup responded to needs that were identified long ago. We should be looking for metamorphosis; the emergence of something new and exciting from the soul of our cities. This requires a new game plan, not business as usual. And certainly not decisions based on maximising international boasting rights.” “The notion of a world-class city were seen by some as the epitome of bland conformity, turning Cape Town into the Starbucks of urban Africa. Indeed, importing ideas and projects without adapting them to our context provided an excuse to compromise our own needs to serve an external audience.” Considering the pre-2010 FIFA World Cup euphoria, Makeka says: “It could be argued, however, that world-class means excelling at the ordinary as well as the extraordinary. And it is only by adopting this definition that we can create a World Cup experience that is uniquely African while giving birth to a more human city.” “We need to do ordinary things with as much skill, passion and flare as we apply to showcase projects.

And we can, but we need more focus. If we can build stadiums, then we can build houses, install toilets and plan streets to serve people first. What’s good for tourists should be good for us too.” “Imagine trains that run on time, bus stops that show schedules and locations, parks that are child friendly, streets where parents can safely push a pram and car guards that are friendly and helpful. Imagine information kiosks distributed throughout the city offering tourism advice, a help desk for emergencies, and a friendly face in time of need. Imagine a city that is as safe and universally accessible for the youth and the elderly as it is for citizens in their prime.” Concluding with the question: Would you care to share any words of encouragement and Lessons Learned to aspiring African architects?, Makeka responds: “Persevere. We were the first architects. We shall be the last.” <

World Architecture Festival Barcelona 3-5 November 2010

s ith ct s w te ie k hi tr or rc un tw 0 a co Ne 200 r 80 er ve ov m o fro

Find out who’s been shortlisted for our prestigious awards online

r owear. l l a ci ye Spe s this if you rate €200 by e 10 Sav book er 20 day. to ob Oc t n l i n e F h t o A 8 ter P is ote BLU g e u R Q

Attend WAF 2010 to: 1. Hear directly from all shortlisted WAF awards entrants, who represent the most exciting architectural cultures in the world across all continents with record entry numbers from Australasia, Singapore, India and Brazil

Architectural excellence – LIVE! “WAF is a unique congress that gathers the most important architects in the world, we’re very excited to be a part of it.” Alex Kerboobie, Turenscape, China, Winner WAF 2009, The Adaptation Palettes: Regenerative Landscape Design

Arata Isozaki, Barry Bergdoll, Hanif Kara, Benedetta Tagliabue and Enrique Norten

Barry Bergdoll

Hanif Kara

Benedetta Tagliabue

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3. Mix with the pace setters in architectural thinking on this year’s Super Jury including Arata Isozaki, Barry Bergdoll, Enrique Norten, Hanif Kara and find out their thoughts on the most up-to-the-minute projects today 4. Be inspired by some of the most crucial projects this year with David Chipperfield’s seminal Neues Museum and the groundbreaking landscape scheme Gardens by the Bay in Singapore included in the projects uncovered in our multimedia thematic exhibition, Transformations

Super-jury confirmed

Arata Isozaki

2. Exchange ideas with over 2000 architects from more than 80 countries from practices large and small, including GAPP Architects from South Africa, WOHA from Singapore, Turenscape from China, REMISTUDIO from Russia, Sanjay Puri Architects from India, Battle & Roig Architects from Spain and HASSELL from Australia as well as household names including Foster + Partners, Zaha Hadid Architects, Tabanlioglu Architects and Isay Weinfeld

5. Keep up to date with the most innovative and exciting architecture from across the globe with insightful keynote and seminar presentations from Josep Acebillo on the Transformation of Barcelona and Jo Noero on his restorative Red Location project in South Africa

Enrique Norten

6. Make real connections with the people you want to meet before, during and after the festival with Festival Connect, WAF’s dedicated social networking site, focussed and comprehensive networking events and online communities on Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook 7. Meet the next generation of architectural talent at URBAN SOS, WAF’s live, global student competition sponsored by AECOM

236 shortlist presentations – 512 entries in the Festival Gallery – 3 days of interactive seminar content – 3 keynote addresses – 60+ media partner magazine distribution – Transformations multimedia thematic exhibition – AECOM global student competition – product showcases free networking events – and much more...

Insight. Inspiration. Exhilaration. Learn, network and share at WAF Visit www.worldarchitecturefestival.com Call +44(0) 20 7554 5800 / 0845 056 8339 E: info@worldarchitecturefestival.com International media partners:

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Expert judging panel New names announced!

Feedback from the winners of WAF 2009

WORLD BUILDING OF THE YEAR Arata Isozaki Super Jury Chair Japan

Wang Lu China

Michael Heenan Australia

Sir Peter Cooke UK

Mark Fenwick Spain

Maria Solé Bravo, Spain

It’s been very successful. It’s given me a chance to make contacts from abroad, but it’s not just that, I’ve met incredible people. It’s been a very happy event, very congenial, It’s Barcelona, it’s the weather, it’s been very relaxed, I’ve found it really great. Peter Rich, Peter Rich Architects, South Africa

FUTURE PROJECT OF THE YEAR Enrique Norten Mexico

Nabil Gholam Lebanon

Ken Tadashi Oshima, USA/ Japan

Peter Kudryavtsev Russia

Sanjay Puri India

Chris Bosse, Germany

WAF is a great idea, it’s a great organisation that’s putting together people from all over the world. I was really impressed to be here, to be in touch with people from the same profession from every part of the world. The projects are fantastic. Benedetta Tagliabue, Miralles Tagliabue Embt, Spain

INTERIOR / FIT-OUT OF THE YEAR Charles Jencks UK

William Menking USA

Kjetil Thorsen Norway

Jo Noero South Africa

Richard Hassell Singapore

Dogan Hasol Turkey

The sheer number of countries that are represented is a draw, to compete against the world, to see what other countries and what other firms are doing. Highlight of being here is the student work, it’s very interesting, my colleagues and I are very happy that there was a component geared toward students. Bruce Davison, Architect, Amanda Levete Architects, UK

Barry Bergdoll USA

Kim Herforth Nielsen, Denmark

Akihiko Hamada Japan

Seminar programme announced! Visit www.worldarchitecturefestival.com for more details

Insight. Inspiration. Exhilaration. Learn, network and share at WAF Visit www.worldarchitecturefestival.com

Contact +44(0) 20 7554 5800 / 0845 056 8339 / info@worldarchitecturefestival.com

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ENTROPY: MIRRORS OF THE HUMAN CONDITION

In the Beginning, Tankwa, Karoo, South Africa.

By Eben de Waal. According to the Second Law of Thermodynamics everything in the universe is in motion towards decay and inevitable breakdown into a lesser form of disorder. Change, as a process, is an intrinsic universal property of all things, which is known as the notion of entropy. Life is a contradiction of the Second Law in relation to evolution: progression from complexity to a level of greater complexity. Therefore, the presence of life reduces the entropy in any organism. The higher the level that the organism achieves in any singular state of evolution, the closer the organism becomes to entropy: its eventual fall to ruin. Fragility increases in tandem with complexity; its robust

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The Eerste River project.

ability to survive decreases. Consequently, all things rely on a state of equilibrium for continued existence. This is the fundamental duality with which the universe functions as an isolated system. All creative entities rely upon consciousness: the fresh fruit of evolution. Consciousness presumes upon an entity that is aware of its environment as well as itself within a cosmic transpersonal mode. The awareness of a universal mind and one’s unity with its primary characteristic: the comprehension of consciousness as well as life order, namely entropy. A conscious mind at a higher level has the ability to free itself from order and predictability, a sequence of events or arrangements of items unlikely to occur

by chance. In a world of totally unrelated items, which has the throwing of dice as its paradigm, art and artist finds its purpose by exploration of intangible possibilities, with its rich variety of choices as well as opportunities by utilising entropy. One such entity which has mastered the framework of consciousness: comprising of thought and the method of trail, error and accidental success exits by the title of Strijdom van der Merwe. Strijdom’s approach within his chosen setting – nature – relies on the concept of entropy as a paradox of creative thought: the attempt to discover something that thought cannot perceive; which does not constitute to reality. The recognition of

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the fact that we refer to reality is only a consensus to what we presume defines reality, or is it what we as humanity have agreed upon to call reality simply because of constraints of cultural confinement. A clear deduction to this recognition: is that we only perceive what we can conceive. “Man’s mind mirror’s a universe that mirrors man’s mind.” – Joseph Pearce. When we conceive or imagine something unreal, even our furthest imagination cannot transcend known symbolism. The harnessing of this cosmic gift is the symbiotic reason to Strijdom’s success when defining occurrences within entropic land art

Triangle on the Island Sylt, Germany 2009.

that in truth, defy rational explanation. He had the following to say in relation to this: “What most of my work consist of and I would say land art in general is to place objects in an orderly manner that is pleasing to the eye and, therefore, familiar to look at. Such a sculpture is done in a disorderly landscape and the photo is taken in such a way that it incorporates the wider landscape within the composition. The sculpture gives a sense of order to that specific place giving it identity.” Whenever design or artwork, regardless of its initial purpose, attains this state the artist ascends to a higher level within the complex hierarchy of humanities evolution: formally described and often

Lines, Touwsriver, Western Cape, South Africa 2009.

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condescended by modern society as spiritualism. “…the landscape can speak to me in a specific way, revealing secrets to me by generating works that is clustered with meaning and mythology. My work and I become one with nature; it is a process of dual creativity.”

approximate charge is lost existing merely as a surface disengaged within physical space along the arrow of entropic time from the worldly context, which it was intentionally meant to exist within. Neutralised, ineffective, abstracted, politically lobotomised and, finally, ready to be consumed by society.

This degradation by society occurs when constraints are imposed upon art: the expectation induced upon creative entities to fit into moulds of fraudulent categories resulting in an extensively limited output. When artwork is confined within the neutrality of a gallery where it reflects human nature and existence at its highest spontaneous demand of idealised plenitude, it fragments. Essentially its

Strijdom’s manner of creation is a reminder of the capacity a singular entity obtains when overstepping the boundaries of cultural confinement. The production of tension within equilibriums in a nonisolated system such as nature, imposing change upon the ceaseless regression to homogeneity in entropy also present in oppressive view points of the establishment defines our universal existence

TOP: Stretching red cotton between two trees, Kacerov, Praha, Czech Republic, 1996. BOTTOM: Red steel tube.

The Simonsberg ward puzzle.

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as a race. Strijdom noted that: “The essence of my work strives to bring the message of our role in nature across. We are apart of the cycles of nature, creation, destruction, life and death. The connections that human beings have with enduring elemental processes that will always continue regardless of our human influence. First was the land, therefore, always the land”. Isn’t this in fact the essence of being human? The fragile temporary essence of such artwork were the contextual complexity is concealed by an overall symmetry at first glance truly speaks of contrasting spectrums of entropy. In an instance of minimal shapes of utmost orderly precision and

TOP: Snow and cages. BOTTOM: Plascon Paintbrushes.

the subsequent display of corrosion, extreme opposites, are in fact symptoms of similar precarious abandonment. It is the balance between above and below, light and darkness, eternity and transistoriness. Thus Strijdom’s articulate means of sculptural depiction derives its structural value from the day-to-day human condition whose particular format of order makes itself visible or audible. Effectively, as a result of the structural theme a purpose driven message is born: a social comment upon humanity and the world. This is the vital link in the emphasising of any given concept undertaken in Strijdom’s methodology. Although one should not presume that structural order is a sufficient prerequisite of art or design simply because

TOP TO BOTTOM: Semi-circle in the sand, Untitled, Meyerton & Rock pillars.

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it is not a measurable condition of aesthetic excellence. Contextually the effect of entropy upon Land art in a formal discipline such as sculpture is of such nature it establishes a return to an essential order. It’s a harmonious equilibrium inhibiting the world from falling into boundless confusion in relation to our self-centred, anti-metaphysical nature. Even in the final moments of artwork created in this manner the finite is as infinite, the individual the whole, nothing less than an epitome of cosmic consciousness. Conclusively, Strijdom van der Merwe’s dialectical reflection within his medium has proven to be a genuine, true and profound view of life and all it

encompasses: subjective, objective, realistic as well as the abstract effects of entropy, without allowing elements to become objects of formal delectation. Strijdom’s evocative designs as Land art or any other form thereof is not meant to capture or seize the stream of life. For it finds its functioning purpose as a communicative tool within a narrow duration of time and space were the work concentrates a view upon human existence. A minimalists indication, that marks the complex steps of progression by means of alteration within the constant order of disorder. <

Images courtesy of Strijdom van der Merwe.

Field’s of Flowering hands, Giloolys interchange, Johannesburg, South Africa, June 2010.

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“THE ORIGINAL DESIGN GUERRILLA” By Suné Stassen

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Anton Sassenberg is often referred to as being the most influential and groundbreaking South African magazine designer of the past two decades. Looking at his life’s work that represents an impressive and colourful diversity of publications, we can’t help but to note his seminal contributions to the brand repositioning and design of publications such as the then anti-apartheid weekly newspaper Vrye Weekblad, Afrikaans lifestyle magazines DeKat and Insig, and mainstream English titles such as Citylife, Style and True Love. But, Anton has also been a prolific designer outside the magazine arena, producing many theatre posters, CD covers (notably Bloudruk and Getransformeer for the late Johannes Kerkorrel) and books that include Penguin editions of Ancestral Voices by Etienne van Heerden, Soul of the White Ant by Eugene Marias, The Owl House by Anne Emslie, The Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner, Alan Paton by Peter Alexander and Mandela: Echoes of an Era by Alf Khumalo and Es’kia Mphalele. Anton studied Information Design at the University of Pretoria before he decided to be a full-time painter for a couple of years. “I wanted to be an artist but my father wanted me to have a ‘real’ job. Studying Information Design meant that I was at least close to the Art Department where I spent most of my time,” explains Anton. His first experience as a publications designer came about when he met with Paddy Hardegan who, at the time, was producing books for different publishing companies.

“Paddy needed assistance with the design of the new edition of The Story of an African Farm for the Frankfurt Book Fair. And that’s how I became a publications designer,” explains Anton. “After working with Paddy on books and magazines for a while, I started my own company, Press Books. A highlight was designing Mandela: Echoes of an Era for Penguin in 1990.” During this time he also became acquainted with Elize Viljoen who motivated for Anton to redesign the Vrye Weekblad, where he stayed until the publication closed down in 1994. Anton’s work on this vocal anti-apartheid weekly newspaper, published in Afrikaans, was as liberal in its design as it was with its editorial content. Its editor, Max du Preez, in Pale native: Memories of a renegade reporter, wrote: “In our second year, Vrye Weekblad underwent a metamorphosis. The reason? A man called Anton Sassenberg. He turned every rule in the newspaper design handbook on its head and made every page a work of modern art. And the next week he would do it completely differently. He even changed the masthead while I was away for a week.” Du Preez continues: “After 1992/93, one could see Anton’s revolutionary ideas creeping into most magazine designs in South Africa. He was the original design guerrilla.” “Next I worked at DeKat and became creative director of Penta Publications until 2000 when I also joined New Media Publishing, who happened to be the publishers of Insig at the time,” says Anton. “It

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was definitely these four years that greatly influenced my professional outlook on publication design,” and the continuation of a very successful career that was to follow. Anton considers himself more as a journalist, than a designer. “I basically create platforms for different messages to be communicated. This makes me part of the editorial team and part of the storytelling process. There is no real difference between designing a book and a magazine, except for what Alexander Brodovich, the legendary art director of Harper’s Bazaar, called ‘perpetual optimism’. Magazines aren’t permanent: you can improve them, tweak things and learn from your mistakes, every month. And maybe magazine design is less lonely because you’re working with a team. So it is my responsibility to continuously inspire the team to consider and look for new and fresh ideas and angles.”

HIS CREATIVE PROCESS “I always work on instinct which is greatly influenced by factors outside my job like books, music, art and design. It is difficult to justify my work ethic and to explain to others what I do. As an art director and working in a team, I’m involved in the editorial process from the very beginning. It is important for me to understand the storyline, who and what are involved and how everything unfolds, as well as the intention of the piece so that I am able to instinctively proceed from there. It just makes sense to understand the history behind the piece before you can finalise the details. Then it is time for my instincts to take control.”

HIS HIGHLIGHTS “Citylife magazine was the first project where we really pushed that traditional envelope. The magazine was already in trouble when I got involved and we did five issues before the publishers threw in the towel. The magazine was then moved to New Media Publishers at the Johannesburg office and we basically put it together in our spare time. My colleague Annelize Visser became acting editor and we had an amazing team: Lucinda Hooley, Daisy Jones, Ami Kapilevich and Kerry Shaw. We were basically given carte blanche to reinvent the magazine on a very small budget, which was part of our strategy. We took a risk and went against the whole celebrity thing and created fake celebrities. We used models that resembled Tom Cruise or Robbie Williams, for example, and Photoshop did the rest. A particular challenge was the apprentice butcher from Alberton that we cast as Eminem. For the last issue we invented an entirely fictional celebrity. We built him out of Johnny Depp’s cheekbones and bits of Brad Pitt. We named him Frank and we even ‘interviewed’ him.” “We were also very conscious of the interactive nature of online publishing and we tried to replicate that on paper by layering our content. We also experimented with the placements of products as part of a sort-of ‘underground advertising’ strategy.” “A few years later we had the opportunity to take this even further by creating a magazine about magazines for Media24, called OFC. Our intention was to challenge a

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lot of perceptions and fixed ideas about magazines and advertising and we really took the concept of interactivity to its limits. For example, we had a song composed about Heineken and ran the story as sheet music. We built headlines out of the Tommy Hilfiger logo; we wrote an entire story using only advertising slogans and we made paper dolls of Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake and dressed them in branded merchandise. The cover was a join-the-dots image of Britney Spears, and we designed the whole magazine back to front, which made paginating it a real puzzle. We really appreciated Media24 Magazines’ CEO Patricia Scholtemeyer’s enthusiasm for some of these wild ideas, but in the end no one really got it and the industry more or less ignored it.”

as the art director of Insig magazine, to redesigning very prominent publications like the Style magazine for Caxton and True Love, Fairlady and Sarie for Media24.

Based on his diverse experiences in the magazine industry, Anton says that: ”Making a magazine is a team sport: you can’t do it on your own. The history of magazines shows that the best magazines are created when art directors and editors work together as a team: Anna Wintour and Alexander Lieberman at Vogue, Brodovich and Carmel Snow at Harper’s Bazaar and later on Liz Tilberis and Fabien Baron.” These are all known to be formidable personalities in their own right and it is expected that differences of opinions will surface from time to time. “Conflict is healthy but there also has to be “A few years later when Media24 launched respect. I did my best work with strong True Love Babe I became consulting editors such as Max du Preez at Vrye Weekcreative director. This was one of my most blad, Joan van Zyl at DeKat, Annelize satisfying experiences as a publications Visser at Citylife and OFC. And in 2009, designer. What made Babe so special is I really enjoyed working with Stefania that Annelize and I worked with a team Johnson, then editorial director at New of first-time magazine practitioners who Media Publishing, during a brief spell as instantly took control of the brand they’d design director,” explains Anton. created. Our job was to encourage them to become better and better at what they did. There were lots of cultural differences HIS CURRENT WORK and subtle things we didn’t understand so we had to listen more than talk. What Anton is currently consulting as creative was remarkable was the team’s patience director of Avusa magazines. “I’ve only in showing us how to translate our mag- been here a few months,” says Anton. azine experience into a product that was He was brought in to look at the standard relevant to their market. This was a great of design on all the consumer magazines learning curve.” in the group. “I have just redesigned Over the years, Anton has played different roles within the publishing design arena: from 1998–1999 as art director of DeKat magazine and between 2004 and 2005

Elle magazine and I am currently busy with Elle Decoration. A few other titles will follow shortly.” He explains that his role and responsibilities are now a bit greater than before. A creative director

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is supposed to investigate the brand identity and design to make sure it’s in line with what the brand stands for, and at the same time, successfully communicate this to the readers so that they can also identify with the brand. “Because I am a consultant on many of the different publications within the Avusa Group, I am a member of several teams and must have the ability, at the flick of a finger, to jump between different publications that each have their own strategies and target markets. On some days I have to make these leaps a few times a day and sometimes even within the span of an hour. Being in this position, I am also learning that I am bound to step on some toes and how to, from there, encourage growth. I am also positioned to be the bridge between art directors and editors which in itself holds a lot of challenges.”

According to Anton the most important ingredient for success in any career is passion. “I was recently very impressed when I met a young designer who wanted to join Elle Decoration. I’ve never seen his work but it was clear that working for Elle Decoration has been his life’s dream.” Due to the digital era it is understandably difficult for young people to break into this industry. “The youngsters that really interest me are the ones that are really still excited about working in this industry. It’s a very fickle industry. You need commitment and maybe a second career... One day you might be a hero and by the next issue sales go down and you go down to zero with it. Twenty years ago I fell into magazine design by coincidence and I’m still here.” <

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College of Human Sciences

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Artwork: Ronit Judelman, UNISA student

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THINKING THROUGH D MICHAEL BIERUT’S CAUTI TALE ON LESSONS LE

DESIGN: IONARY EARNED

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Michael Bierut is surely a designer that needs little introduction. Prior to joining Pentagram as a partner, Bierut worked at Vignelli Associates, ultimately as graphic design vice president. He is the winner of countless awards and a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale and Art Directors Club Hall of Fame. Awarded the AIGA Medal in 2006 and named winner in the Design Mind category of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Awards in 2008, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a senior critic in graphic design at the Yale School of Art and co-founder of www.DesignObserver.com Christoph Niemannâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s murals at P.S. 69 in Clason Point, the Bronx.

DESIGN THINKING You are described as an advocate of ‘design thinking’. How do you apply this approach and how does it benefit your clients? It’s become a fairly trendy term and in that respect I am somewhat suspicious of it. Basically, what I learned during The L!brary Initiative was that we should never forget about the larger context for our work, especially the people who will be exposed to it. It’s very easy to be distracted by other things when you’re working on a project. What am I good at doing? What do I like to do? How do I usually solve this kind of problem? What usually works? What do I think the client will accept? And so forth. These are all good questions, but they’re not the most important questions. They’re all just about the prerequisites to doing the work, the kinds of things that any professional has to worry about, no matter what the project. The important questions are harder because they require you to pay attention. They’re things like: What really needs to be done here? Who’s going to be affected by this work? What would be the best possible outcome for this audience? And: How can I make a unique contribution? I’ve been working as a designer for nearly thirty years and the longer I work, oddly enough, the easier it is to fall into the trap represented by the first set of concerns.

You’re rewarded if you think that way, at least in the short term. You work fast and efficiently, and your client is satisfied. But the client is usually different than the audience. And the audience – the end user, whoever it is – requires time and attention to be truly engaged. So that requires attention to the second set of questions. You can call this ‘design thinking’, or you can call this just plain thinking. The worst kind of design is thoughtless design. The best kind is thoughtful.

THE L!BRARY INITIATIVE How did The L!brary Initiative come about? Nearly nine years ago, Pentagram was asked to contribute to a visionary effort by the wonderful – and design-conscious – Robin Hood Foundation: an initiative to build new school libraries in elementary schools throughout the five boroughs of New York City. A range of talented architects would design the libraries; private companies would donate books and funds; and Pentagram would provide the graphic design, including signage, wayfinding and a masterbrand that would tie all the sites together. Along the way, we discovered something interesting. The libraries are usually located in older buildings with high ceilings, but the shelves in the libraries can’t be built higher than kids can reach. This means there is a space between the top shelf and the ceiling, an up-to-six-foot band around the room just begging for ‘something’ special. That ‘something’ turned out to be murals. And the results can now be seen in schools all over New York City, including five brand new ones in the Bronx which feature murals by Rafael Esquer, Maira Kalman, Christoph Niemann, Stefan Sagmeister and Yuko Shimizu, and Charles Wilkin.

The library at P.S. 196 in Soundview, the Bronx, designed by Rafael Esquer. Hundreds of words are interpreted by thousands of silhouettes.

In an interview with DESIGN>MAGAZINE Michael shared some of lessons that he has learnt over the past 30 years and specifically those gained while working on The L!brary Initiative.

LTR: Michael Bierut’s identity for The L!brary Initiative. The library at P.S. 184 in East New York, Brooklyn, features portraits by Dorothy Kresz.

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What lessons did you learn from working on The L!brary Initiative? The lessons I learned were, first, don’t try to be so clever all the time. I think that designers, myself included, start by trying to impress each other with our ingenuity. In this regard I recall a statement by Chilean architect, Alejandro Aravena, at the 2010 Design Indaba in Cape Town. He said that creativity was only necessary when you didn’t have enough information to solve a problem using other means. The implication was that we should ‘be creative’ as a last resort, only when we were sure that

Maira Kalman’s murals for the library at P.S. 47 in the Bronx represent the alphabet with an unusual collection of artifacts.

Dozens of architects have worked on the project since it began in 2000, including Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, Marian Weiss and Michael Manfredi, Jared Della Valle and Andrew Bernheimer, Henry Myerberg and Deborah Berke. The first mural, a series of photographic portraits by Dorothy Kresz, was installed in a library in Brooklyn’s P.S. 184 that was designed by Richard Lewis. It was an immediate hit with students, librarians and teachers, and in the next wave of installations, murals were commissioned from Peter Arkle and Lynn Pauley, who did four in three weeks.

Peter Arkle interviewed a group of students about their favorite books for the murals at P.S. 287, Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

Pentagram’s involvement with The L!brary Initiative began by naming it and creating its logo. At the face of it, there’s no reason why this project needs a logo. On the other hand, there there’s no reason for each library to look different. After all, none of the kids are likely to see any library but their own. But giving the effort an overall identity makes it more understandable to potential donors and to the public and private organisations that work with the Robin Hood Foundation. And making each library different makes each place memorable and specially suited to its site.

Lynn Pauley painted a series of student portraits for the murals at P.S. 36, Castle Hill, the Bronx.

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there was nothing more to be learned from the situation at hand. I love that idea. In the case of The L!brary Initiative project, I learnt that I didn’t spend enough time at the outset understanding the audience. I just tried to solve everything with a clever logo. The second lesson is that you get power by giving away power. The more people I involved in the project, and the more freedom we gave them to do their work, the more effective the result was. The third lesson is that the real opportunity to do something amazing may not be in the official scope of work. As I was saying before, the efficient and professional approach is to execute what’s required and not do a single thing more. But what you’ve been asked to do and what actually need to be done may be two radically different things, and that difference is what changes the world sometimes. The fourth lesson is that sameness and consistency are two different things. This is hard for designers to remember, and even harder for some clients to remember. If you’re a control freak, it’s tempting to overestimate the need to control everything: that’s what control freaks do, obviously, and that’s what a lot of designers are. But letting differences come through is an acknowledgement of what makes us human. Design at its best lets those differences be expressed at a high level. Regarding your notion of “Overestimating the need for control”, how were you able to strike a balance in dealing with a public

agency with numerous decision-makers and several collaborators? What worked well was to give everyone very specific parameters and then allow them a great deal of freedom within those parameters. I find it frustrating as a designer when it works the other way. You often have clients who say “the sky’s the limit,” but that’s only because they haven’t properly thought through the limits first. The organisers of The L!brary Initiative were really smart about defining the project clearly for all the participants. As we started bringing in collaborators, we tried to give them the same combination of rules and license. Does this comparative summary resonate with you or would you care to elaborate with your own definitions: Traditional designer Concerned with branding Clever Exclusive decisionmaking, values/ prefers unique ideas

Evolved design thinking Moves from identity to the experience Thoughtful Seeks ideas through collaboration, more inclusive

Works within the scope of work

Identifies opportunities beyond the scope of work

Values consistency to the point of ‘sameness’

Values consistency of message, but has flexibility to adjust to an environment and audience needs

Prefers to work alone to generate the single Big Idea

Encourages a continuous loop of audience feedback to correct/ adapt initial ideas

I think the chart is exactly right.

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TOP: The murals at P.S. 186 in Morrisania, the Bronx, designed Charles Wilkin of Automatic Art and Design. BOTTOM: The murals at P.S. 96, Bedford Park, the Bronx, designed by Stefan Sagmeister and Yuko Shimizu. Shimizu’s illustration incorporates Sagmeister’s quote ‘Everybody who is honest is interesting.’

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How successful have you been in tempering the audience’s needs for the visceral and emotional with your own need to bring your extensive experience and skill to play? Sometimes I think that the audience’s emotional needs are so titanic and my own skills are so limited that it’s not really a fair fight. All I can hope is to choose the right tools to even the playing field a little bit.

THE ‘POST-DESIGN’ FACTOR Have you felt the need to develop a feedback loop with the audience after your project? Is audience response necessary to consider a project successful? Of course it’s nice when the audience loves what you do, but I would say this is secondary to the sense that they’ve come to take on the work as their own, and that it’s acquired some kind of life beyond what we gave them. Sometimes this happens because they really like it; sometimes it happens when they’re challenged by it. Just the other day, I visited a client’s website and they had done this terrific animation of the identity we designed. It was done in a way I never would have imagined, and it was just great. I was just so happy to see the seed we had planted turn into this surprising blossom.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN L!BRARY PROJECT Michael referred DESIGN> to Annoradha Iyer Siddiqi, an architect, writer and former L!brary Initiative director, whose latest book L!brary attempts to document the project as a case study and explore the potential for scalability outside the New York Public Library system. After reviewing the

results of the 50 libraries covered under this initiative, Siddiqi concludes that good library design can actually inspire learning, and the use of (artistic) talent, culture and a pleasing environment adds value to the building’s and community’s sense of worth. “Art does matter”, she said, as she attempts to demonstrate how widely varied fields and communities – corporate underwriters, children’s book publishers, architects, graphic designers, product manufacturers, library associations, teachers and students – can join forces to make a difference in the lives of children. While design and safety standards are naturally subject to their environmental, cultural and legal context, Siddiqi concludes that replicating and scaling up the L!brary project is feasible. “(Aesthetic) Standardisation kills the spirit though,” she cautions attributing the success of the project to the unique, customised space of each targeted library, and the fact that the audience and library users had some input in designing the space allowed them to ‘own it’. To this effect, Siddiqi dedicates the last section of her book to “How to Make a L!brary”, hoping to inspire other community organisers and architects to pursue similar initiatives in their own communities. <

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WHAT IS A BRANDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WORTH? Innovation Protocolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sasha Strauss discusses seven of the many critical aspects that he considers when reviewing the role of branding in the marketplace.

Sasha Strauss in action.

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As an educator, I am often asked why branding matters. As a strategic brand development professional, whose job it is to look clinically at brands, I often have to determine how and why brands move us to purchase products that are non-essential or not even well designed.

Branding matters because we need to rationalise our decision-making The interesting thing about being human is that we are always looking for reasons for the things we do. Rather than just being in love, we are in love because we think we are supposed to be. It’s a spiritual connection – there are all of these additional rationales that we apply to decisions and actions, including our purchasing behavior, even for the most functional objects in our lives like pens, computers, cars, clothes or shoes. Rather than just using them for their basic function, we like to use them and feel good about our use of them.

Branding is a reflection of our desires, values and aspirations

Successful branding reaches beyond our physical needs to our emotional ones

This is the case when the products reflect something about us or something that we aspire to be. For instance, I aspire to be self-expressive and creative – well, if my computer is self-expressive and creative, it implies that I am as well. As a brand poster-child, Apple has done such an exceptional job of creating an ‘infinity’ of sorts that can’t be compromised. This is why I am one of the people waiting in line, in the worst economy in history, to pay for a premium device. I am excited to replace my current laptop, which can basically do the same thing as far as the functionality, but not as beautifully or elegantly.

Thinking about what I actually need… I do need food but I also need to feel good about what I eat, which means my choice of a particular brand of food makes me not only satiated but also makes me feel good about the action of eating, which is equally important.

It shouldn’t be surprising that people are prepared to buy something they don’t actually need because the desire trumps the need. We buy things that we don’t need all the time, however we buy them because they make us feel wonderful. And feeling wonderful is an innate need. Not understanding this basic human need is where people who don’t like branding run amuck. They put branding down to a mere reflection of consumerism and marketers trying to sell people things they don’t require.

Everything from the shopping experience to the packaging of the product adds to the pleasure of the purchasing experience. After all, it’s a combination of pleasures. Even when it comes to everyday tasks, I think most people do enjoy going to a grocery store and making choices. Brands enable us to have multiple choices. Whole Foods, which is a US and UK-based grocery store chain that offers the highest quality and least processed natural foods, is a great example of this.

Really successful branding moves beyond the physical product to crafting an experience Rather than just a barrel of flour, Whole Foods features an array of

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flour items. You could decide if you want flour that is organically or locally-grown, whichever one makes you feel better. It might cost a little bit more to make you feel better, but only you can put a value to that sensation. Whole Foods are not the only ones who sell quality natural products – there are many alternatives – but the difference is that Whole Foods is an integrated brand experience. Every single thing that Whole Foods does, from the moment you walk into their stores to the time you pay for your purchases at checkout, is designed to reinforce the emotional connection you have with buying groceries. The interesting fact is that while organic foods are supposed to be healthier, no government in the world – at least not the US Food and Drug Agency – is willing to confirm this. This means that we are willing to spend our ‘whole paycheck’ at Whole Foods because, in the end, we bring products home that make us feel like a better parent, a better spouse, or a better human being. Successful branding is designed to make us feel like our choices are better than average.

Does branding rob us of our individuality or does it make us more efficient? Of course, there is a community of people that is sceptical about the dominance of logos and branding, maintaining that the world would be a healthier place if we didn’t have these highly seductive brands. This is only natural. Since our first inclination, especially as sort-of liberal thinking individuals in a free society, we have always liked to make all of our own choices and don’t like to be ‘sold’ on those decisions. We like to make decisions base – we have too many things to worry about. For instance, we hand over our trust when we ask a friend, “Hey, what dentist do you use?” We like to turn to a magazine editor for a recommendation on a new computer we should buy. So, as we build those relationships with extended trust, we hope that a brand, like an individual, can make a promise that they can keep. For example, Listerine kills bacteria in your mouth and has done so consistently for years, so you can buy the Listerine brand without having to vet it. When a brand keeps a promise that it makes, you basically buy the brand because the trust is innate. Since we don’t want to make a thousand decisions every day, we always

go back to Subway Sandwich stores, Starbucks Coffee, etc., brands that help us make those decisions. Ultimately, in this respect, brands bring simplicity and efficiency to our lives. They do not get us to buy things we don’t need.

So what makes for successful branding? An organisation has to figure out exactly what it is that their audience desires, whether it be socially, economically or emotionally, etc. Rather than hoping that the audience will figure it out, the corporate personality hands it to them – in every commercial and social interaction, and every time they walk into the store. This is what you are handed when you walk into an Apple store. It’s an all-encompassing environment, with the employees in their t-shirts with fun little nametags. All the products are easily touchable, visually appealing and connected to the Internet. The children’s section, featuring bean bags and a fun atmosphere basically assures you: “Fear not, your child can poke around on this device and there is nothing to be concerned about.” This all-encompassing brand experience is what creates that permanent connection which makes people wait in line for a day, to pay $800

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for a device they don’t necessarily need. These brands are exemplary of really good integrated brand creation. It doesn’t matter whether it is a global corporation that sells software to other global corporations or a nonprofit organisation with three environmentalists at the helm. It is imperative that we all do recognise that a brand has to establish some type of intangible connection with its audience. I mention consumer brands like Nike, Apple and Whole Foods, because we are all consumers. It doesn’t make a difference whether you are the president of the United States or a homeless person, you choose to consume things regularly and you want to feel better about what you are consuming. Some brands have been extraordinarily successful at capturing this type of sensation. An example of a strong brand that has totally ‘got it’ is Land Rover. Land Rover essentially invented the Sport Utility Vehicle, or SUV, as we know it. All SUV owners compare their SUV to a Range Rover. I have owned four Land Rovers in my life and everyone of them have been recognised by the brand, appreciated for its functionality, and recognised that it was a reflection of me, someone

who works hard and is accomplished, but also has somewhat of a rugged outdoor lifestyle.

Brands are ‘people’ too…

It’s a very storytelling product. Some of the first vehicles seen by native tribes in Africa were Land Rovers. The first-aid resources brought to remote countries were initially delivered in Land Rovers, making it a historical icon of transport. Even though people like to say these vehicles are overpriced or that they might have had electrical issues in the past, I have not met anyone who doesn’t know what a Land Rover is – which is astonishing. It just shows you how powerful a consistent story can be.

Sometimes, brands lose their way – there isn’t an organisation in history that has lived a flawless life. Be it churches, countries, governments or brands; everyone is going to be troubled at one point or another. If a brand is going to make a mistake, it needs to build enough positive brand equity so that when it does happen, so many people love and trust the brand that they won’t abandon ship. Even Apple has had its fair share of mistakes – their batteries have blown up on airplanes. Every brand is going to make a mistake but the more the brand is loved, the more likely the community will forgive those mistakes. ”It’s okay Apple, because we know and trust that you wouldn’t do something to permanently damage our affinity.”

To cite a simple example: One of the best billboards Land Rover has ever produced was simply a photo of a desert with tire-tracks and the message said, ‘Before you can help people, you have to get to them…’ – with the Land Rover logo in the upper righthand corner. This presents just an epic description of the functionality of these devices. The brand is easy to recognise, with a green oval that is highly distinguished from its competition. It’s called exactly what it is functionally, i.e. a land-roving device; hence, Land Rover. In that respect, I believe Land Rover is as high-quality as a brand like Apple.

Organisations love to focus on their features and functions, but sometimes even the most advanced multi-featured products fail. When most engineers and product developers create a brand, their focal points are feature and function – the speed of the processor or the size of the screen. Does an iPhone owner have any idea how fast the processor is in their iPhone? Or how

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large the screen is by any dimension? They probably don’t. The Motorola Droid product was launched with features and functions as its primary brand-voice, and that’s the reason why no one is paying attention. We are way too overwhelmed. Think about every single item in your life like your car, your clothes, your phone and your computer – the poorly

and you are watching an Apple commercial – though this commercial they are showing you one of the most technically capable devices in history whilst making it look so simple and such a reflection of you, the user, that you can’t do anything but want it.

executed brands are just berating you with technical features. Technical features you may not even understand.

personality. Apple, for one, plays it quite close to the edge. Customers have complained about their low degree of customer care, high prices, and cost of use, and some view this as a complacence they can afford.

What Apple does so cleverly is anthropomorphise the product. Despite its complex functions and features, one is not just interacting with a machine. I liken this to an extension of you as an individual. That is what the iPhone feels like. That’s the way it has been positioned. That’s why the commercials have always had simple white backgrounds and really gentles folky children’s music. Just think about when you are sitting in front of the television

Every brand has its own corporate

But do you, as a consumer, care? No. When you go to a work or social meeting, especially in creative forums, everyone expects you to have an iPhone, and therefore you feel complete because you have it in your life. One doesn’t need to interpret this mockingly; I think that it is beautiful. I wish that everybody could find a brand that makes

him or her feel happy, creative, self-expressive and complete. That’s the beauty of great brand development.

About Sasha Sasha Strauss is managing director at Innovation Protocol and adjunct professor at the University of Southern California. Corporates, advertising and brand agencies, media and academic institutions from around the world have called upon Strauss to share his knowledge and intimate insights into the world of branding. NPR, ABC Radio and The Wall Street Journal continue to seek his expertise on branding everything from presidential candidates to innovative start-ups and Fortune 500s. Innovation Protocol is a brand strategyconsulting firm that exclusively serves innovators, and their clients include global market leaders such as Johnson&Johnson, Korn/Ferry International and PayPal. <

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iKapa:

The A to Z of Branding

25 - 26 Aug 17 & 18 Nov

5 - 6 Aug 15 & 16 Sept

25 - 26 Oct

Creativity and Innovation

1 - 2 Nov

7 - 8 Oct

6 - 7 Sept

Strategic Marketing for Thinkers

15 - 16 Sept

16 - 17 Aug

Principles of Strategic Thinking

Jozi: 12 Aug – 9 Dec Jozi, Durbs & iKapa

Introduction to Conceptual Writing for Brands

7 Sept – 11 Nov

Digital Branding in the Innovation Economy

7 Sept – 11 Nov

Adobe Photoshop

25 Oct – 17 Nov

Adobe Illustrator

16 Aug – 8 Sept

Adobe Indesign

20 Sept – 13 Oct

Adobe Dreamweaver

17 Aug – 9 Sept

Adobe Flash

21 Sept – 14 Oct

Action Script for Flash

26 Oct – 18 Nov

Contact our Vega Navigators to learn more about our career-enhancing progammes. jhb 011 521 4600 • dbn 031 266 2595 ct 021 425 7591 • pta 012 342 4770 or visit www.vegaschool.com

Vega The Brand Communications School, is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd which is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training as a private further and higher education and training institution under the Further Education and Training Colleges Act, 2006 (reg. no. 2009/FE07/003, prov. to 31/12/2014) and the Higher Education Act, 1997 (reg. no. 2007/ HE07/002).

By Geoff Vreeken

ICOGRADA DESIGN WEEK 2010, VANCOUVER

DESIGN CURRENCY:

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I am a spy. Not so much a wolf in the henhouse, but more of a duck. Quack. You see, here at Icograda Design Week 2010, Vancouver, I’m likely to be the only copywriter in a room of design heavyweights. Everyone else here has little doodles and iconography filling their moleskins. Mine, on the other hand, is full of harried notes and arrows … obviously not the mark of one that wields pixels and ink. Yet, I know I’m in the right spot. This is event is more holistic — macro even. Early on in the day, we are all asked to group up and conceptualise on e of the themes of the conference: What is the value of design? Answers come both long and short: some in an oh-so trendy and tweetable 140 characters, others full of jargon. One group defined the value of design as “six.” But the thing is, (and this links back to my duck/ hen analogy) is that every single answer (barring the cheeky “six”) was about innovation. It’s what all creatives do. Regardless if you mill furniture, design or write ad campaigns, brew beer, work for NASA or create garments, good design is all about innovation. So there we have it, my excuse for being. Or at least for being here at Icograda Design Week 2010 while my art director partner sits slaving away at our coffin-sized studio. Us creatives, we’re all innovators, and the well that we draw from in

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order to innovate needs to be filled constantly. What better way than locking ourselves in an icecold conference hall for two days while jacked up on generic coffee and stale pastries? Okay, an open bar evening might be better, but I’ll get to that later. The first speaker was Brainfood Creative founder Mark E. Sackett, discussing, “Why sitting still is not an option.” Ironically, this was immediately illustrated when his cospeaker, Mark Busse (GDC past president and Industrial Brand founder) tried to stand up and join him, and promptly fell right off his chair — papers and coffee flailing roughly 10 feet in a southerly trajectory. Once the cheers had subsided, the two began an inspiring back-and-forth dialogue that set the tone for the weekend ahead. They spoke about taking risks and failing, and how that simply equaled iteration — a crucial part of design. They also touched on process and technology, and how their repetitive natures can also create bland and homogenous thinking. Watching as every creative in the room constantly fiddled with their iPhones, I could clearly see how invasive technology was separating us from the surrounding world, making us blind to inspiration. The two wrapped up with a brief comment on ‘spec work’. This would turn out to be a preface for a heated

topic that would come up time and again during the conference. The opinion between the two Marks was that spec in any form devalued design. No matter what excuse a designer had, it was their stance that free work hurts all of us. Switching gears rather abruptly, the next panel was a trio of architects speaking on sustainable cities. Cameron Sinclair spoke passionately about his organisation, Architecture for Humanity, and how creativity could overcome small or even no budgets when approaching housing, business, or energy challenges. In one example, he illustrated how medical clinics in the developing world sent medical supplies from one location to the next via camel. By strapping solar panels on said dromedary, they were able to send power along with medicine. Local architect and champion of Vancouver, Peter Busby, was up second and spoke about the rezoning of this city to the effect that each micro-community had all the amenities it needed within 10 minutes walking distance. Bruce Haden spoke last on the panel, showing another side of Vancouver. He argued that our modern city was “pretty…but plastic.” He proposed that the chaos and adaptive nature of organic communities such as the one that springs up yearly at the Burning Man Festival allowed for more joy and visual

Designer doodles. © GDC/BC.

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satisfaction. To illustrate his point, he brought attention to the fact that Vancouver’s new False Creek Waterfront didn’t have a single bar on it. Not one. The greed that drove developers to build waterfront homes had eliminated the possibility for community watering holes. Sad, really. Busby then spoke again, going through a number of fascinating green building techniques including structures that fed off the wasted energy of their neighbouring buildings. Continuing on the innovative design for the good of mankind, Oscar Pena of Phillips Lighting Design discussed a number of products they’d recently developed, including a solar-charged soccer field in Nairobi – the first of its kind to allow sports to be played after sundown. Due to our friendly Icelandic volcano, the next speaker had been grounded in Africa, unable to physically attend. That didn’t stop Martin Miruka from delivering a thought-provoking talk live via satellite from Nairobi. His topic was Brand Africa and how complex it was. Comprised of a mind-boggling 54 countries, Africa suffered from ignorance on the part of North American media – many of whom had trouble telling the difference between South

Africa and Angola. Because of the many celebrity-endorsed charity efforts, Africa’s brand (the entire continent) has become inherently about desperation and poverty. Obviously, this is nowhere near reality, but it is the overall perception – which can often overshadow reality. Miruka hypothesised that the overall brand could only be saved by small design and strategy victories. Every brand that became positively world-renowned as ‘made in Africa’ had to be well thought-out, and had to be of quality. Only then, could the overarching brand move forward. Current AIGA president Debbie Millman presented a 150-year retrospective on branding and advertising, covering everything from cave-painters leaving their mark on walls, to modern branding and communications. One of her more poignant moments came when she pointed out that humans love a puzzle; solving a riddle creates a deeper overall connection to the message, hence the popularity of abstract ad campaigns. To wrap up day one, Brian Collins of New York’s Collins Design & Innovation presented an intriguing look at the creative process. He offered the opinion that today’s ubiquitous creative

TOP: © Adrian J.K. Shum. CENTRE LTR: Cameron Sinclair, co-founder of Architecture for Humanity and Marian Bantjes, designer and typographic illustrator. © GDC/BC. BOTTOM LTR: Debbie Millman, brand designer, radio host and president of AIGA (© Oliver Oike) and Heather Fraser is Director of DesignWorks™ and Rotman’s Design Initiative © GDC/BC.

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process that focused on target markets and unique selling propositions had been democratised, and could be used as a predicable tool for anyone – thus leaving the creative somewhat useless. If clients and crowdsourcing could produce work for much less than a traditional agency, then what is the agency’s value? His solution has been to develop a new process, one where intense product/ service research sets the table for choosing a human archetype with which to pair said product/service. Perhaps the chosen archetype is the hero, the rebel, the lover, shaman, etc. Once that persona is selected, then a story is written around it. That story is then aligned with the brand, and a campaign is born. On day two one of the most polarising speakers came early in the morning – Marian Bantjes, one of the world’s most sought-after typographers took the stage with the opinion that art and communication design have become two very different things. Communication design, she says, has become so paint-by-numbers, that it is largely strategically driven, robbing it of its artistic soul. Art, on the other hand, springs from an unknown part of one’s self. It cannot be broken down into a process, and it’s not piloted by strategy. Sure, she said, she of course listens to all the data a client has to offer, but

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following that … she lets her mind drift into the unknown. What comes out is a finished product that can be beautiful, unexpected, and sometimes dangerous. In Bantjes’ case though, each iteration has proved effective for clients. So much so, that she’s become a relative celebrity in our industry worldwide. After another heady dose of coffee that was beginning to taste suspiciously like asphalt, local boy wonder and creative director at Rethink, Ian Grais, took the stage to chat about what’s propelled his agency to such success. One campaign he discussed was the Tankers are Loonie project, an environment initiative to drum up public outcry against the use of western Canada’s Northern Gateway as an oil tanker route. This would cause a huge risk for the destruction of countless native species of wildlife should even a minor spill occur. Using a miniscule budget, Rethink created tiny decals that were affixed to Canada’s national $1 coin. The coin already featured a Loon, (a national bird) and the decal simply made it appear soaked in oil with the URL “notankers.ca” underneath. The page led to a petition. Since the submission of said petition, the tanker route

has been scuttled. Later on in the day I posed this question to Grais: “Being that this was, for all intents and purposes, a spec project, does it make it okay that it was for a good cause?” “Yes, absolutely,” he replied “we don’t see it as spec at all. This is us (Rethink) giving back to a cause we believe in.” I agreed with Grais wholeheartedly, but couldn’t help thinking in the back of mind, “Yep, it also likely won you a few awards and a ton of PR.” But, it’s a doubleedged sword that did well for everyone involved, so, kudos to Rethink. One of my favourite speakers was up next: Frank Chimero – a designer, writer, and gingham-clad metahipster hailing from the creative incubator that is Portland, Oregon, USA. Chimero spoke about ‘delight’. He explained that it occurred at the intersection of surprise and clarity — simple things that are serendipitous. As an example, he pointed to the chain of Ace Hotels across the US. They had wallpapered the door of one room with pages from a book. Legally, they had to place a neon exit sign above the door. It ruined the look. But, the designer took the obstacle, and created something delightful. Using large type, they used ‘EXIT’ as part of a larger

TOP LTR: Frank Chimero, designer and writer and wallpaper for Ace Hotels by Chimero © GDC/BC. Ali Gardiner and Ben Huise presenting the branding programme for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. © Oliver Oike. THIRD ROW: Ian Grais, creative director at Rethink Communications and Tankers are Loonie project by Rethink. BOTTOM LTR: David Berman, designer and author of Do Good Design (© Adrian J.K. Shum) and Dave Mason. © GDC/BC.

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sentence on the wall: “Every exit in an entrance somewhere else.” Delightful. Inexpensive. Memorable. Next, Ben Hulse and Ali Gardiner arrived to discuss the creation of the brand, graphics and advertising for Vancouver’s 2010 Olympics. This massive undertaking included 20 full-size style manuals for the two logos alone. One of the more interesting sections of the branding they covered was the modular and scalable graphics system that covered the entire city from coffee cups and tiny pins, to the sides of entire arenas and massive outdoor areas. The macro image was made up of hundreds of elements, all of which could be moved and scaled to create semi-custom executions, while still conveying a consistent graphic brand. Later, a passionate panel again took up the conversation of spec work, specifically in the new business pitch scenario. AIGA president Debbie Millman was again on stage, along with author Blaire Enns, and P&G ad buyer John Gleason. The latter was of course the assumed bad guy to begin with. A client championing spec work in a conference hall full of designers and art directors? Good luck. But, the tone quickly changed as it was brought to light that it was agencies themselves that were constantly offering the free work. For the 100 shops withholding spec, there

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was always one willing to shill themselves a little harder – and deliver free creative. And one was enough to make two do it, and so on, and so on. In the end, Millman offered the most realistic call to arms for designers. If you’re young and struggling, maybe spec is the short initial sprint you need to get in the game. But over the long run – the marathon – integrity and valuing your work was the key to true success and fulfillment. These are words that have me nodding my head again as I write this. The last speaker I’ll cover from the conference is David Berman, a communication designer of 25 years, and fervent champion of sustainable design practices. He talked about sustainability in design and how it needed to be omnipresent. Not a separate bolt-on to every project, but baked in to its very DNA. In his book, Do Good Design, Berman talks about how we’re all the designers of the future of civilisation – an interesting concept indeed. Following the conference, the theme What is the value of design had been answered every which way. Design’s value is incalculable;

it is man’s desire to innovate and evolve. Design shapes each and every experience humans have. It is something to be cherished, respected, and furthered together. As someone who can’t draw to save his life, or even really decipher red from orange, I felt more like a designer than ever. To cap off the event, we all headed over for the Graphex 2010 awards. Of course, the only thing designers like to do better than learn… is to give each other awards. The party was loud, sexy, boisterous and well put together. Shiny baubles were handed around and a blur of backslapping and laughter ensued. For all the talk of change and moving forward that had gone on the last couple of days, I had to admit, there was one thing about the advertising and design industry I hoped would never change: The sweet parties.

ABOUT GEOFF Geoff Vreeken is a copywriter with dual Dutch/Canadian citizenship. That means he writes stuff that sells stuff in Vancouver, but would be open to writing stuff that sells stuff in Europe. Beginning his career at Brandspank and Cossette working for clients including Fatburger, Ricky’s Restaurants and

McDonald’s, Geoff knows more about mass-produced cheeseburgers than any one man should. Geoff has parachuted in as a freelancer for all sorts of agencies including Industrial Brand, Smak, Mercer and Wax Partnership, working on brands including Nike, Shaw Cable, Amacon, Visa, Kiwi Collection and Vancouver Olympic Legacies. In 2009, Geoff founded www.homelesscopywriter.com a one-man campaign fighting to bring awareness to Vancouver’s homeless street youth, and benefiting the Covenant House. <

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WHO IS SEAN METELERKAMP?

A GUY WITH TWO SMOOTH BALLAS* By Anri Theron

Cue Marius Constant’s iconic Twilight Zone theme song, now mix it up with the Ride of the Valkyries helicopter scene from Apocalypse Now, Debussy’s Clair de lune and Muse’s Stockholm Syndrome – all at once it’s disjointed, terrifying, uncomfortable and yet...magical...in a odd, inconsistent, unfamiliar and sinister way. You can’t seem to get yourself to turn it off. You need to know how it ends. You keep listening and eventually you can’t help but fall in love with it all. Capture this experience in an image and you’d be looking at the work of that boy, Sean Metelerkamp. ‘It’s the guy that did the Zef Side music video for Die Antwoord’ you may say and you’d be right – it is that guy. After the cyber explosion of Die Antwoord, the offers from international producers have been pouring in, magazines are scrambling to profile him and the official uploads of Zef Side hit 6 million views on YouTube yesterday –possibly making

him the most watched South African music video director ever. When we asked Sean to describe his experience working with Die Antwoord he bluntly answers, “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Sorry.” Like a true artist he doesn’t seem to linger too long in the spotlight before escaping out the nearest exit in search of that forever elusive image that will satisfy his imagination: “I am happy, but I have never and will never be satisfied with anything I create. It is this torturous cycle that keeps me searching for something that I see so clearly in my mind, only it will never let me have what I want or accept that I have succeeded.” Well, we think he’s been pretty successful thus far. At the age of 26, Sean has photographed some of the biggest names in the SA music industry including Van Coke Kartel, Etc Crew, Zebra and Giraffe, Die Heuwels Fantasties, Fokofpolisiekar,

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TOP LEFT: New Holland Teejay TOP RIGHT: New Nation LEFT: Priest Boy ABOVE: Die Antwoord

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Jack Parow, aKing and Playdoe, to name but a few. Add to this his ventures in video which include Fokofpolisiekar’s Antibiotika and Van Coke Kartel’s Verdoof Vergifitg Verskoon My music videos and you can’t help but be impressed. So what’s next? DESIGN> heard that Sean’s back from a monthlong project in Noupoort, photographing and interviewing people suffering from different forms of addiction. Curious about this departure from his staple subject matter we asked Sean to tell us a bit more about where he’s been and where he’s going. What is the best moment in the day for you? When the Baker’s Man whistles in my ear, then I know it is ‘tea and biscuits’ time. What’s sitting on your bedside table? Dust. Have you always wanted to be a photographer? No. My first extreme desire was to become a music producer like Dr. Dre. I used to listen to rap when I was a teenager. I think it was through sheer frustration that I started taking photos. I thought I could make better imagery of musicians than those that were out there. So I sold my car and bought a stills camera. I

do not consider myself a photographer though, rather a constructor. What was your ‘big break’? I would rather be known as helping other people achieve their big break through what I do. That, as a matter of fact, gives me satisfaction. Is there a specific approach when faced with a new project? When I am faced, I approach it by taking catnaps and slamming tea and biscotti down my gullet. What type of equipment do you use for your projects? Depends whether it’s a film shoot, photo shoot or perhaps when I draw stick men. Stick men entail a white page, black pen, no longer than 15 seconds and you have a little person in front of you. Otherwise, I have a Canon 5D mark1 for stills. Film = rent. We’ve heard your work being described as surreal, raw, whimsical and quirky. How would you describe your style and how has it evolved? Show the images to your young ones for the quirky whimsical nature, but be careful as to how the raw surreal energy will affect them in the long term. One of these photos or videos could change their lives forever. There is a fine line between positive

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LEFT: Haezer BELOW CLOCKWISE: Van Coke Kartel, Suitcase vol geld, Van Coke Kartel and Wynand Myburgh & Van Coke Kartel, Skelms.

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RIGHT: Fokofpolisiekar BELOW LTR: Priest Grandma and Priest Professor.

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and negative. It happened to me when I was 12 years old. My style is evolving like aliens have evolved into the form of dolphins. Stealth vibes. What were some of the challenges you faced when directing the music videos for Die Antwoord, Van Coke Kartel and Fokofpolisikar? On all three videos my face went a dark purple and swelled up into the shape of a manatees nose. It was a huge challenge getting it back to normal. I noticed the Royco advert in your portfolio – is directing for the advertising industry something you want to pursue? It is a funny world that. I have made two adverts so far. They are nice, but nothing mind blowing and mind blowing is what I am on a constant search for. I do find it fun though because I get to practice my craft, but it is not something I will aggressively pursue in the coming years. Do you consider yourself to be a storyteller? I’m not too sure. I hope that people create their own story through what I present. Actually I don’t feel as though I really care, because I certainly can’t understand it so why should I expect them to. And if

people ask me I just make up a new story every time. It’s bad I know. I just get over what I do so fast that I don’t want to see it again or have to talk about it. Tell us about your latest project, Noupoort? I got bored of this ‘style’ I was or have developed. I wanted to do something real (less thought about/ conceptualised about) that could affect the viewer on more than an aesthetic level. So I decided to go to Noupoort for a month. ‘This is pretty real’ I thought to myself. I had access because my brother had been there for seven months and so it would be great to spend time with him whilst he was clean. Whilst I was there, I was interviewing and photographing other people in the rehab to try and understand why drugs or alcohol can cause people to do what they do to themselves and those around them. The only highlight was connecting with my brother. I shared a cold room with him. Challenges: Well I was the only one there who has not been addicted to drugs or alcohol. I am way too scared as to what will happen to my mind. So everybody there is living with

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ABOVE LEFT: Die Heuwels Fantasties, Hands out. ABOVE RIGHT: Vanfokkingtasties. RIGHT: Etc Crew, Bonsai Bush.

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addiction. Even the owners/ leaders have their story. For me to empathise with individuals was impossible and I did not want to seem like some psychologist. Coz they don’t dig them. I had to have this angle as being a smelly kid hanging with my brother. I think because I was there for a good stretch of time and they could see I was not from 3rd Degree or Special Assignment I was cool to chat to. Had to gain their trust first though. The first three days were interesting, I can tell you that much.

Complete the following… Life is… that old magazine with good photos inside. I think they stopped making it though. My dad used to subscribe. Death is… just around the corner. Love is… somewhere out there. Hurt is… truh [sic] spelled backwards. War is… lame. Religion is… control. Music is… Aphex Twin at the moment I am… not around for long. My work… is irrelevant.

Addiction is a complex issue. Did you approach this project with a specific goal in mind? Humans are complex. Add addiction to that. I did have a specific goal. Everything’s changed.

Words of Wisdom? JFK said something about not asking your country for something and then getting into a spaceship. I don’t know how it goes but that sounds cool. <

*The Afrikaans word for balls. Did it change you or your views It can be used to refer to a perabout addiction? I knew it was sons balls, or to use it as a nickevil, but not this evil. name for a person – either friend or foe – depends mostly on the What did you or do you intend tone you use it to indicate which to achieve with Noupoort? My one you mean. (The Urban Dicintentions are good. As for the tionary) opinions of others on what I present – should be interesting. All images © Sean Metelerkamp. When we can expect the exhi- Sean is represented by Harry & bition and book? 2011. Co. Things you have learned so www.seanmetelerkamp.com far? Do it. www.harryandco.tv

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DECOREX

JOBURG 2010:

A FIVE-DAY EXTRAVAGANZA

Having brought fresh perspectives and a new era of enlightenment to design fundi’s and home décor enthusiasts, Decorex Joburg, Southern Africa’s largest decor and interior design event, was the ultimate roundup of what’s new and now. With five halls boasting seminars, free ‘how-to’ theatres, trendy food demonstrations, exclusively designed restaurants, new reveals, fresh initiatives, themed pavilions, DIY dream stuff, great bargains and 650 exhibitors, Decorex was the extravaganza of the year. The show, hosted from 5 to 9 August in Midrand, celebrated its 17th anniversary. Pondering why Decorex has remained successful over the years, Cairey Slater, general manager, Exhibitions & Events, suggested that it is important to stay on top of local and international industry trends and interpret these new directions in a novel, yet accessible manner for trade and consumer visitors alike. “Innovation and new product lines are vital in keeping consumers interested and satisfy their search for the novel and the fresh,” says Slater. Building strong business partnerships with sponsors and exhibitors have also proved vital to ensuring its success. According to Melanie Robinson, Decorex SA portfolio director, the fresher-than-ever show not only continues to remain successful, but it also continues to set the example with green exhibition practices,

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using the event as a role model towards greener living. “By bringing new, sometimes radical ideas to the show we can spark off positive energy to take exhibitors, staff and suppliers as well as visitors on the exciting, lifesaving journey of going green. New attractions such as the Plascon Living Green House with www.Greenstuff.co.za set a new benchmark in green-minded product displays. It focuses on sustainability, mindful green living and eco-solutions, illustrating that green living can be both beautiful and affordable.” Not only did visitors explore the countless arrays of stalls and exhibitors located within Decorex, but they also had the opportunity to enjoy the two designminded conferences that were available. Conversations on Architecture, a full day conference hosted on 5 August, featured a diverse line-up of international and local industry players who presented their challenging insights on lighting and future forward digital design. The Interior Design Dialogue: the IFI Trend Conference, hosted on 6 August, presented a series of trend talks, connecting the global design community. A panel of design glitterati – interior designers and interior architects from around the world – gave an international perspective on key design directions. Apart from the conferences, guests also experienced the brand new trade attraction exclusive to Decorex Joburg – The Lighting in Design Pavilion. This shining showcase of the latest in lighting design and technology featured a wealth of lighting solutions for architects, lighting specialists, interior designers, interior architects and other trade buyers. The Lighting in Design Pavilion was a launching pad for new products, including the latest in energy-efficient products. With LED-lighting leading the radiant revolution, novel applications of this cutting edge technology was abound at the pavilion.

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From the lighting section of the show, guests moved onto the South African Handmade Collection, a dtiinitiative, co-located alongside Decorex. This collection mastered the shaping of handmade crafts into contemporary forms, representing the highest quality, design led, environmentally friendly South African craft products. If visitors were more interested in making products themselves, rather than purchasing them, a selection of DIY stalls and exhibitors were there to offer a helping hand… in DIY style. At Decorex, DIY was no longer the poor cousin of the decor world, having elevated its status within Decorex’s design circles. Experts at the Make Theatre, accompanied by DIY celeb Aidan Bennetts who enticed visitors to tackle home makeovers and do-it-yourself-decor, tackled DIY topics that ranged from modern mosaic work to contemporary paint techniques, reflecting the upsurge in edgy DIY. Also enhancing the DIY movement was Alex Royston, from ‘In Good Company’, who gave talks and demonstrations on stylish table décor and the art of home entertaining. Louise Botha, from Foil Art, who demonstrated foiling techniques, also motivated the move towards DIY. Other DIY divas, including Charlie Vettori of The Faux Factory, and Marianne Hansen, shared their DIY tips and techniques. With the overflow of design projects and home décor products available at Decorex, visitors were sure to feel overwhelmed. Whilst window-shopping and idea sourcing gave some direction, guests were also provided with guidance and solutions by Aidan Bennetts Design and Furnspace. One-on-one slots were available to assist design and DIY enthusiasts in solving their dilemmas. With kitchens being the favourite entertaining haven and home rejuvenation a sizzling topic, Decorex was a melting pot of leading design, taste trends

LEFT: Eco Sustenance, Plascon Colour Palettes 2011. RIGHT: Future Fusion, Plascon Colour forecast 2011.

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One of the topics sure to be on visitors lips was Plascon’s colour forecast 2011. Plascon’s 17-year relationship with Decorex SA, as sponsor, resulted in the most colourful collaboration ever with the launch and revealing of the Plascon 2011 Colour Forecast. Inspiration for the forecast came from the concept of love. At Plascon, it is love that will make the world go round in 2011. Using the Plascon 2011 Colour Forecast as their design inspiration, four talented Johannesburgbased interior designers interpreted Plascon’s four new colour palettes with highly creative spaces, wooing visitors to fall in love with colour all over again. Expressing the 32 new colours in four diverse palettes through different textures, moods and hues, the stand also reflected Plascon’s eco-consciousness – encouraging recycling and re-using. As an additional feature, the latest issue of Plascon SPACES magazine was also launched at the show. At Decorex, there were many notable highlights. The debut of Detail, an essential new annual sourcebook for interiors, design and stylish living, was one of them. Filled to the brim with credible finds, extensive listings, decor inspiration, trade secrets,

New Creation Interiors, winner of the ‘Best Use of Colour’ stand.

and fashionable flavours. District Delicious, a food pavilion devoted to the eating-in trend, sported a blend of gourmet food, wine, kitchen gadgets and home entertaining have-to-haves. The hub of this new foodie haven, was the SA Chef Association’s ‘Delicious’ Theatre which featured top chefs. Showcasing the latest food trends, the demonstrations ranged from high end-cooking to simple elegant dishes and plating ideas for dinner parties. Visitors also enjoyed drinks and snacks, whilst chatting about décor and design, at the many café’s and eateries located within the different areas of the venue. DStv Café, The Lovebird and Latte Lounge, Villiera Wines Cap Classique Bar, Plascon Colour Café provided visitors with trendy spots to talk design.

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trends and practical tips, Detail is a 200-pager sporting 1 200 listings – making it the first port of call for anyone sourcing products and services in the products and services in the décor and design field. This reliable go-to guide, for discerning trade professionals and design-minded individuals, gives quick access to a comprehensive pick of the finest interior decorators and designers, specialist suppliers, retailers, manufacturers and true craftsmen who have made their mark on the industry. Another highlight that took centre stage at Decorex was the designer bird homes. Imagine a love nest inspired by Romeo and Juliet or a fairytale bird home. Decor enthusiasts witnessed this imagination become reality, as they were treated to Home Tweet Home, a show-stopping collection of thirty designer bird houses created for charity by a flock of innovative thinkers. These bird cribs, some playful and others avant-garde, were displayed to raise awareness for the Jungle Tots Mother Touch Academy. All proceeds from the sale of these designer birdhouses benefited this fundraising campaign. “Through this campaign Decorex SA illustrates that good design can also be ‘do-good design’, using the talents of the design community for a charitable cause,” says Melanie Robinson. With Decorex Joburg 2010 proving to be a great success and a ‘breath of fresh air’, as it was so appropriately themed, we look forward to an even bigger and better Decorex in 2011. <

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CONVERSATIONS ARCHITECTURE: SPOTLIGHT ON TH REVOLUTION OF L DIGITAL DESIGN By Stacey Rowan. From designing the perfect lighting for a specific space to using digital technology to design complex architectural forms – speakers at Conversations on Architecture (COA) once again brought riveting insights to the seminar, hosted on 5 August at the Gallagher Convention Centre, Gauteng. The seminar – themed Lighting and Digital Design: the new revolution – featured a diverse line-up of international and local industry players who presented their design approaches on the cutting edge of architecture and the built environment. Taking part in the session Paradigm shift: digital design and fabrication in architecture, was the key international speakers Kristof Crolla, Jeroen van Ameijde and Sean Mahoney. In the session Light + Architecture: The Radiant Revolution, Keith Bradshaw, Paul Pamboukian and

his associate Anthony Tischhauser, and Peter Rich, shared their vast experiences in lighting design – highlighting the immense technological advances, innovation and challenges within this field.

LIGHT + ARCHITECTURE: THE RADIANT REVOLUTION Bradshaw’s presentation revolved around the concept: ‘Without light one cannot see materials or comprehend space properly: an architectural space remains a human experience, not just a visual snapshot.’ His wish was, and still is, that more designers who work with light will remember the core principal that lighting should be “built into the scene”, following the example of theatrical lighting. According to Bradshaw, this means that light should be used correctly in a particular space to enhance the

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S ON

HE NEW LIGHTING AND way the space is experienced. “Designing with light in architectural space is often misconceived and

that without light you cannot see materials or comprehend a space properly,” says Bradshaw.

misrepresented by flashy and attention grabbing setups. This is completely incorrect.” He continued to speak about how light can enhance or even define an architectural space. He also focused on topics like: light as a narrative, light as a brand, light as an art, LED as light and light, not lighting. He showed examples such as the Armani offices in Tokyo, the BBC building in Scotland, a public square in Dublin, a bridge in North England and the Copenhagen Opera House which illustrated how lighting can be used to illuminate structures, bringing them to life by their three-dimensionality. “Lighting design is usually seen as a luxury or specialist item. This is ridiculous when one considers

Bradshaw also addressed the issue of designers who forget all about the need for design longevity in the rush to get new technology to the market and used cited the use of white LED light as an example. This technology is seen as more environmentally friendly than more traditional technology. But, in trying to keep up with the rapid advancements in the technology, the aesthetic appeal and longevity of the design is often overlooked. Paul Pamboukian and Anthony Tischhauser also spoke about the impacts of ever-changing technology on lighting design. With the emphasis on cutting down on energy consumption, designers are increasingly looking at smaller sources which are more potent while at the same time using less energy.

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Keith Bradshaw, director at Speirs and Major Associates, Edinburgh.

Anthony Tischhauser of Paul Pamboukian & Associates Lighting Design, Johannesburg.

In their presentation, Lighting Design: Effect or necessity? they asked the question: Is lighting design merely a yearning for effect spurned on by the influence of a purely superficial visual titillation of the glossy printed and electronic media – is it all effect with no function?

next season. Lasting design needs to see further than the trend,” says Pamboukian and Tischhauser.

Pamboukian and Tischhauser also looked at how lighting design contributes to the vision and design of the built environment. They also explored the different uses of light, for example task light as opposed to ambience-creating illumination and artificial light as an extension of our experience of daylight which leads to new ways of experiencing the night hours. Other types of lighting that they focused on were focal glow and ‘play of brilliance’ lighting. Lighting design is often characterised by designs which have a limited life-span due to its being overly trendy. “Trends are part and parcel of any design discipline. It is all about fashion. However, there is a difference between trends and zeitgeist. Zeitgeist suggests something that marks an era, a decade, the 50s, 60s, etc. Trends are here today and gone

Peter Rich’s presentation centred on the concept of ‘Architecture to be experienced or photographed needs light. The changing light of day and the seasons, should through the architecture, giWve a heightened sense of awareness of the space, the place, the climate. At night, we have to use artificial means to embrace the sensibility of space.’ This takes the view that much of contemporary architecture has too much light. Rich however believes that: “You cannot have architecture without light. Without light you have no space. There are illusionary qualities of light that creates shadows.” According to Rich, less is more when it comes to lighting. “It’s about simple lighting, natural lighting. It is good to work with minimal means in terms of lighting – we need to make do with what we have. Learn and listen from nature, work with the laws of nature and day light and night light. Play with the shadows of light and let it happen normally.”

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Paul Pamboukian, founder of Paul Pamboukian & Associates Lighting Design, Johannesburg.

Peter Rich, of Peter Rich Architects.

PARADIGM SHIFT: DIGITAL DESIGN AND FABRICATION IN ARCHITECTURE

controlled design and fabrication processes is essential for contemporary architects.

Kristof Crolla, lead architect at Zaha Hadid Architects is right at the front of the technical revolution, leading the way with advanced digital and algorithm-based design techniques. His presentation, Digital design and fabrication in architecture, addressed current developments and challenges in digital design and fabrication in architecture and the paradigm shift that it is triggering today. Crolla shared his views on the way these techniques allow the design of innovative complex forms, providing complete control over all building aspects and enabling architects to deal with the vast amounts of information they face today. As advanced digital and information-based design methods and production techniques are explored and applied increasingly in contemporary architectural design procedures, an understanding of computer-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the biggest challenges design practices face today is to re-invent both design and building methodologies deeply embedded in the profession in order to incorporate this digital revolution and benefit from its potential when dealing with our rapidly changing environment,â&#x20AC;? says Crolla. But, as cautioned by Crolla, the industry is faced with the challenge to be vigilant against the rapid spread of an image-based design culture that focuses on the production of photo-realistic renderings that are void of consequent building systems to materialise them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People are constantly surrounded by designed architectural spaces. As an architect you have the unique opportunity to directly act upon and interfere with this space we live in. By exploring design alternatives and researching contemporary design techniques, new architectures will be found that fit better

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LTR: Kristof Crolla, lead architect at Zaha Hadid Architects. Jeroen van Ameijde, head of Digital Prototyping and DRL at Architectural Association School of Architecture, London. Sean Mahoney, director at StudioMAS Architecture and Urban Design, Cape Town.

to our rapidly changing society than most other widely spread and often out dated paradigms applied today.” Jeroen van Ameijde, head of the Digital Fabrication Lab of the Architectural Association, also spoke about the joys and challenges of working in a rapidly changing sphere where the emphasis is increasingly on digital design. In his presentation titled Machine worlds – Research and design using digital fabrication in architecture, van Ameijde gave an overview of some the latest research and design projects that have been developed at the Architectural Association in London. He also looked at how architects and academics try to adapt conceptual design processes so that they can incorporate new technologies for the processing of information and for fabrication and construction in a meaningful way. “The main opportunities emerging from the current ‘invisible’ revolution, caused by new information and

communication technologies, is not to be able to build exciting new shapes and forms, but the possibility to reinvent the nature of design processes itself. There is a challenge to change traditional top-down linear processes of development into collaborative and dynamic, open processes of design conception and generation,” says van Ameijde. Sean Mohaney, in his presentation Common Sense and Poetry, focused on how we use technology as a tool. For him, it opens up opportunities, but at the same time it is dangerous. One must not fall into the trap of using technology as a crutch for design, it must be used to explore and create. He used examples from architects such as Herzog and De Meuron, as wells as his own to illustrate this principle. When it comes to architecture, and consistently changing global architectural trends, there is much to talk about. With this year’s Conversations on Architecture (COA) conference, giving the load-down on all things lighting and all things design, one wonder’s what next year’s COA will have in store. <

… w h E R E t h E s t y l i s h , i N N O vAt i v E D E s i g N is BORN OUt OF thE CRAFtsmANshiP O F w h O l E g E N E R At i O N s O F g l A s s m A k E R s

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Lighting fixture with fibre optics, The Yas Hotel, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Glass wonders from Preciosa

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Lighting fixture of contemporary design made of mouth-blown glass components, The Yas Hotel, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

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The Czech Republic, a small nation located

lightings on a wide scale, consisting largely

in the very heart of Europe, has always been

of decorative lighting fixtures of various

particularly famous for a unique handcraft

styles and sizes, wall lamps, table and floor

– handworked glass. The origins of this craft,

lamps, delivered as complete lighting pro-

which ranks among the oldest in human his-

jects or as a catalogue assortment. Besides

tory, date back to 3000 B.C. Here in Bohemia,

lighting fixtures, lighting sculptures and

glassmaking has been a major industry

decorative artistic objects form another part

since the 13th Century, and in 1724 the first

of their production.

chandelier workshop was established in the region of Kamenický Šenov. Kamenický

The main activity of PRECIOSA is the creation

Šenov has acquired its world-wide fame

of the so-called lighting projects. These are

as a glass producer, thanks to the delicacy

individual solutions, composed on the basis

of its forms and the purity of its hand cut

of specific requirements of the client. It com-

crystal. Magnificent chandeliers have be-

prises a comprehensive service, ranging

come an inseparable fixture of royal palaces,

from design, production and installation

noble manor houses and other splendid

to the subsequent maintenance and repair.

buildings.

Extensive projects usually represent luxurious interior decorations for various spaces

The tradition of this renowned craft of glass-

of a prestigious nature, such as luxurious

making continues in the production of

hotels, palaces, religious and governmental

PRECIOSA – LUSTRY, a.s. (joint-stock com-

buildings, restaurants and theatres.

pany), which is a fixed star in the field of glass light fixtures. The company, based in north-

These unique concepts originate in PRE-

ern Bohemia, in the region of Kamenický

CIOSA’s own studio on the basis of a close

Šenov, has been operating in the market for

collaboration with top architects and design-

decades and, therefore, it can boast of a

ers from all over the world. In the design

great deal of experience, acquired thanks to

phase, traditional methods of hand sketch-

the long-term history of its activity. Today,

ing are used side by side with up-to-date

it is spread across the world with offices in

software, which presents a faithful simula-

Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Moscow,

tion of the light fixture in its future environ-

Madrid and New York.

ment. The designers draw their inspiration for the shaping of glass objects from various

Nowadays, PRECIOSA’s core activity lies

sources: nature provides a permanent

in the design and production of decorative

and almost endless source of inspiration;

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folklore and legend provides another. New views can also be applied to well known classical works of art. As mentioned above, PRECIOSAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s product portfolio is quite extensive. The first product group consists of luxurious classical lighting fixtures, characterised by the classical shapes of their arms and trimmings, often decorated with rich etching. The other self-contained group consists of fashionable lighting objects made up of hand-blown glass components. Over the last few years, the so-called free sets, created by hanging differently shaped objects in clusters in an open space, have been popular. They range from minimalistic pure shapes to complex organic motifs. Glass sintering and fusing technology adds a further dimension, where a glass powder of various colours is fused into one piece, which can then be bent and shaped in various ways. These objects are often floodlit by modern light sources such as LEDs or optical fibres. The use of fibres, especially, can lead to the creation of magnificent pieces. Their light sources can be pr0gram-med to be able to change their intensity or colour. Aside from an impressive decorative effect, the placement of the light source gives them a major advantage in simple maintenance. <

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Lighting fixture made of glass components inspired by nature, One&Only Cape Town, South Africa.

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TALES FROM THE AFRICAN DIASPORA FEATURING NINA BRIGGS Nina Briggs is a Pasadena-based, Californian interior architect with a special passion for the sensory effects of space on its inhabitants. She shares some insights into her background, work processes and design philosophy.

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Although my goal since childhood was to be an architect, after earning a Bachelor of Architecture, I was given unexpected opportunities to work for interior designers and artists. I was challenged to design not only the architectural envelope, but also, the furnishings, casework and landscaping. I was given the freedom to invent architectural systems and innovate surfaces with atypical materials finishes. For me, there is no envelope separating interior from exterior, only a series of spaces spilling, morphing, intersecting into one another, as their surfaces either bleed through or stop and change when confronted. I found that an in-depth study of my clients, their lifestyles, cultural influences, private wishes, travels, and their childhood dreams served as rich inspiration to design their homes and workplaces. I discovered that the various affects of certain compositions of light, colour, texture and pattern, juxtaposed against precious constructions of memory and treasure, could bestow spaces of comfort, sanctuary, glamour, celebration, healing…whatever required or secretly desired.

Materials quilt.

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My goals shifted from gliding along a typical architectural career, to crafting a more holistic design methodology. I chose not to limit myself only to the role of architect, but rather to function in an undefined role of place-making. As such, I’ve been able to expand my skills by designing everything from structure to shelf, roof to rug, door to drapery, all within a cohesive concept embracing individuality and personal narrative. With this approach, I travelled, observed and collaborated in different businesses, with artists, builders, craftsmen and educators. I travelled to and lived in France, Italy, Greece, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Montreal and focused my observational studies on how people live. Domesticity, in all its varied interpretations, fascinates me – for in the home we find a surplus of culture and persona, intersecting with shelter and storage. I realised that most of us want to bring home, and surround ourselves with more than the souvenirs of our travels, but also, we want to embed the exotic and familiar feelings we’ve experienced on our ventures. We all want to somehow save, display and hide most of the memories and aspirations of our lives into our personal spaces, so we can remember who we are, get inspired when we forget and accept our current condition without angst. My personal sources of inspiration always refer back to my heritage, my inherent mélange of ethnicities and the domestic rituals of preparing food. Cooking and eating are a function of the spirit and soul of cultural memory. This

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Queens residence.

Heritage food.

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palatable narrative is composed of the basic ingredients associated with migrated identity where indigenous becomes both domestic and exotic. For me, the resources for design lie in the re-collection of cultural ingredients, yielding an abundance of complexity and richness. My design process begins with a visual quilt of my clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s narrative on what a, or their, place means to them. While this quilt is not literally interpreted, it serves me as an inspirational tool to collage past and present with the real and imagined. This process helps to inform colour, texture, pattern, light, temperature, proportion, scale and envelope. <

ABOVE: Brentwood residence. RIGHT: Avalon Hotel.

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ELPH PROO ARCHITEC 21 YEAR THE MAK

HICK OME CTS: S IN KING

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By Stacey Rowan. From a small office space that comprised of a bedroom in a house in Morningside, to a small office in Berea, and then a self-built large office building, Elphick Proome Architects (EPA) has seen itself grow within the marketplace over the years. Established in 1989, the practice is in its 21st year now with the two founding directors, Nick Proome and George Elphick, still in partnership. After expanding to a 60-persons practice in the last five years, the practice has developed another award winning studio in Westville, where it is currently located. “George and I studied together at the University of Natal in the late 70s and early 80s and some years after qualifying we decided to go into

practice. The practice was established to create appropriate architecture that responds to function, context, region and climate and endeavours to create design solutions which rise to the challenges of our social and economic context and that make a significant contribution to the South African reality,” says Proome.

Defining moments Within the 21 years in practice, EPA has seen defining moments that have made the years that much more worthwhile. “I remember the moment Nick and I agreed to start a practice together and the day we moved into our first office building in Tollgate. The day we won an Award of Excellence,

EPA Studio, Westville, KZN, 2008.

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was also another defining moment for the practice. I can’t also forget celebrating our 20th birthday bash,” says Proome.

Achievements & recognitions Apart from the fact that EPA is the largest architectural firm within the KwaZulu-Natal region, which is an achievement in itself, the practice also enjoys a rainbow nation in their studio, with a personnel of nine different

nationalities. “We also have projects in ten countries across three continents. Our work is distinctive and well recognised both provincially and nationally,” adds Proome. In addition, EPA has also received several awards including an Award for Excellence for EPA Studio, six National Awards of Merit for four different building types and four SAISC Awards, one National Overall Winner Award and one Special Commendation.

BELOW, LTR: ABSA Regional Head Office, Durban, KZN. One The Boulevard, Westville, KZN. Deneys Reitz, La Lucia, KZN. BOTTOM: Village Bharoochi, Westville, KZN.

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We are proud to be associated with the development of the Investec Regional Offices – Durban The first real Green HVAC installation in Durban. The Investec HVAC installation was designed originally to comply with the requirements of a 4 Star GBCSA (Green Building Council of South Africa) rating. This was the original design intent and most of the options and alternatives were incorporated in the final installation. Below are the major design concepts implemented to achieve GBCSA Credits. The air distribution to all offices is via a Displacement System which is based on low velocity higher temperature air being supplied at floor level via the floor void. This provides the ultimate indoor air quality as air is not mixed but flows up via convection to the ceiling return air path, thereby satisfying the IEQ Green Star Credit. In addition, all areas are provided with individual control with variable speed drive motors where required. A central computerized Building Managements System monitors and controls, HVAC, Electrical and other building essential services. This is an essential energy management system required to satisfy the Management Green Star Credit. Heat Reclaim Energy Wheels are used to provide free cooling of Outside Air. This is achieved using free heat transfer between outside air and building exhaust air through the Energy Wheels contributing to the Energy Green Star Credit. High efficiency Screw Chillers using Non Ozone Depleting refrigerants and Variable Primary Pumping further contribute to the Energy and Emissions Green Star Credits. Side Stream Water filtration has been installed to reduce the amount of waste water through bleed off from the Cooling Towers, contributing to the Water Usage Green Star Credit. by Noel Smith – Director and Senior Design Engineer of RPP Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd

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Plascon South Africa strives to inspire more ecological considerate decisions throughout our business. We have responded to the challenge by innovating unparalleled sustainable solutions based on the 3 fundamental pillars of compliance, sustainability and products.

Compliance = Green Processes Several Environmental Management Systems have been implemented in all of Plascon’s South African Manufacturing Plants and in 2005, we attained ISO 14001 certification at all of our plants.

Sustainability = Green Practices Pioneering ground-breaking processes have been implemented to ensure that we are starting on ground level. Our processes focus strictly on achieving complete sustainable progression.

Products = Green Products Plascon is dedicated to provide industry-first solutions, through quality, environmentally-aware products, which do not compromise the finished product performance or our world. •

Plascon Premium Brands – Double Velvet (white and pastel tint base), Cashmere (white and pastel tint base) and several of our Plascon Professional products all have VOC levels lower than 16g/ℓ when tinted with Plascon Inspired Colour colourants

•

Plascon Cashmere was voted No.1 in the Product of the Year 2010 Paint Category for its Triple Action Bead™ technology. Cashmere diffuses light and hides imperfections, it’s washable and stain resistant and retains its stylish, plush matt finish over time.

coppercoast 262786

2010

For more information contact the Plascon Advisory Service: 0860 2040 60 or visit our website www.plascon.co.za or www.plascontrade.co.za

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EPA is also recognised for its service. In maintaining a positive and close client relationship from inception to completion of all projects, EPA is committed to providing a comprehensive and effective professional service which facilitates quality on time and within budget constraints.

30 projects. Days are full of meetings, design sessions and presentations for our architects and our interior designers,â&#x20AC;? says Elphick. The work process at EPA, on a daily basis, places a strong emphasis on collaboration. The design of each project concept is initiated by a di-

A normal day at EPA

rector and developed within a team structure led by a project architect.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Depending on who you are at EPA, or what position you hold, the day might seem long or short! Our studio is a busy place with a real buzz at times as we simultaneously tackle up to

Vaal Studio, Vall River, Free State.

Design review sessions are undertaken in all design phases, ensuring both an innovative and responsible approach to the design development process.

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Idwala Lodge, Elandslaaget, KZN.

“A normal day as an architect I expect would vary considerably across the world depending on circumstance, location and client base. Typically though, architects work hard, spend long evening hours designing, daytime hours chasing work, interfacing with clients and consultants and managing staff. It is a rich and varied career experience,” says Elphick.

The future of EPA With corporate offices and private residences, amongst others, being EPA’s speciality and what they are best known for, there is no end to their projects and new developments. “We have recently completed the new Investec Regional Head Office in Umhlanga, a 6 500m2 landmark corporate office building considered to be the finest office building Investec owns worldwide. In design phase is a new global showpiece facility for an international

corporate in Riverhorse Valley and a number of new office buildings in Durban and Johannesburg. Under construction are a group of cuttingedge private houses in Cape Town, the Southern Cape and KwaZuluNatal,” says Elphick. Also on the practice’s architectural plate is “…generating our own development projects which have carried us through tough times. We are also building a very unusual villa on the island of Zanzibar and a corporate office in Lusaka, Zambia,” adds Proome.

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Ridge 63 Goba, Umhlanga, KZN.

ABOVE LEFT: Standad Bank, Kingsmead, KZN. ABOVE RIGHT: Investec Regional Offices, Umhlanga, KZN. BELOW: Gottlieb Group of Companies, KZN.

Proudly associated with Elphick Proome

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With private houses in Cape Town,

both small and large. We intend de-

the Southern Cape and KwaZulu-

veloping our design approach to

Natal and many office buildings in

embrace sustainability as a key as-

the works for the near future, what

pect of all projects. This is a moral

is the distant future looking like for

decision and demands clear vision

EPA? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We now have five directors in

and a practical approach to built

EPA and the future augers well as

outcomes in this South African con-

we tackle more challenging projects

text,â&#x20AC;? concludes Elphick. <

BELOW LTR: Quayside Point Waterfront, KZN. Spinnaker Point Waterfront, KZN. Protea Hotel Umhlanga Ridge, KZN. BOTTOM: Studio Elphick, Westville, KZN.

PALACE SHOPFITTERS Palace was registered in 1992

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ONE

ARCHITECTURAL FIRM

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ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS

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Ideally situated in Cape Town, the 15 on Orange Hotel has splendid views of Table Mountain in the background.

With hotels and universities being on opposite ends of the architectural spectrum, it required dhk Architects to approach the Taj Palace, 15 on Orange and the Life Sciences Building with very different architectural designs. Being active across the full range of architecture, this practice has experience in the creation of new buildings as well as the refurbishment and restoration of existing structures. It has undertaken projects such as hotels, public and institutional buildings, eco-sensitive and sustainable buildings and educational developments, among others, making this practice the perfect choice for these different projects. “The three projects are so vastly different from each another. They posed different challenges. The Taj Palace is a seamless marriage of a new contemporary

high rise city building with two gorgeous heritage buildings that had to be restored and refurbished and converted into a luxury grand hotel. The owners of 15 on Orange Hotel wanted to make an ‘off the wall’ hotel statement, differentiating the establishment from all other hotels in Cape Town and even throughout South Africa. This hotel is a huge design statement. Finally, the Life Sciences Building at the University of Western Cape is an educational building and has its own challenges. It has been designed and built to inspire individuals, student communities and researchers. We are told that it has been enthusiastically received by all. The university wanted this building to place them on the map and herald a new international acceptance, symbolising excellence in education and research,” says Derick Henstra, founder, dhk Architects.

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www.kenzantiles.co.za

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At night, the 15 on Orange Hotel becomes a striking and contemporary architectural structure through the innovative use of lighting design.

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Guests can enjoy drinks or dinner at the trendy and stylish A view of the interior structure which is transformed by a bars and restaurants available at the hotel. light-filled and contemporary multi-volume atrium.

Profile and philosophy This dynamic company, which competes successfully at the top level of the profession, provides the highest standards of design and professionalism throughout all phases of its service, from understanding the client’s brief through to delivering a completed building. For the partners at dhk Architects, it involves adding value to their clients’ developments. It’s about correctly interpreting the clients’ requirements and designing solutions that integrate these requirements with the appropriate architectural responses. In addition, it entails incorporating international design influences, technical developments, sustainability, economic realities and the interdependence between architecture and the urban design framework in which the buildings exist. dhk Architects’ reputation for innovative, yet cost efficient design, has grown into award winning and international recognition. “Architecture is a most challenging profession. It is so complex and so incredibly interesting. There is never a dull moment. It is my passion and I wouldn’t know what other profession I could do. As most of the world’s great architects are over 70, it is a profession that you go on practicing for ever. I started in this business as I

was headstrong and determined to do my own thing,” says Henstra.

The old and the new – 15 on Orange Hotel The vision of the client, New City Development (pty) Ltd, for the 15 on Orange 5 star hotel was to create a striking, iconic and contemporary architectural building. The building had to become an urban marker, responding sympathetically to its surrounding environment whilst maintaining dignity in a sensitive historic context. This 108 key African Pride flagship hotel, valued at R250-million, is ideally situated at Orange Street, a key and very visible spot in the Cape Town City. With all the magnificent views that Cape Town has to offer, this hotel has views across the Michaelis gardens, Table Mountain, Lions Head, Signal Hill, Grays Pass and the Upper City. Built on the former Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk Synard Hall site, the hotel maintains key elements of the façade of the previous apartheid era structure, whilst giving consideration to the merits of the existing building. The building is an expression of its era and for some people it embodies certain aspects

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of the country’s cultural heritage. Major efforts were dedicated to the architectural retention of the most dominant façade on Grays Pass. From an historic and urban impact point of view, great effort went into limiting the revised profile of the extended building envelope and its impact on the view of Table Mountain from the top of Long Street, whilst still maintaining the memory of the old building. The original entrance portico with its stained glass windows, being an iconic element and secretive barrier to a solemn hall at the centre of the old building, was demolished. This opened the way to exposing the building to the street and the memory of the internalised hall being re-interpreted in the form of a light-filled atrium. The closed street edges along Orange Street and Grays Pass have been reactivated with the addition of retail shopping and restaurant opportunities. These new active edges are softened and animated with the insertion of landscaping in the form of plants and trees. The discreet original entrance at lower ground level on Grays Pass is maintained for the Porte Cochere drop-off and hotel security area. From this point, two refurbished lifts take guests to the reception area on the first floor. At the reception area, guests enter into the spirit of the hotel’s structure, which is transformed by the imposition of a vast, light filled and contemporary multi-volume atrium, surrounded at its foot by tiered restaurants bars and lounges. The immense atrium’s glazed height opens out towards the outside terrace from where guests can enjoy views of the Cape Town city, Lions Head and Signal Hill. Whilst responding to the original axis of the hotel building, it also affords passersby dramatic views into the interior area. The strong sense of opulence and verticality can be experienced in the three panoramic lifts, which

take hotel guests to the surrounding access walkways and rooms at the upper levels of the atrium. The hotel rooms, outfitted to the highest quality and standards and of varying types and suite sizes, are arranged in single and double banked configuration around the atrium. The hotel offers a spa, gym, wellness centre and pool deck. Also available are sectional title apartments. The apartments range in size, in simplex and duplex configuration, and are all finished to exacting standards of luxury. These apartments inhabit the lightweight upper two floors which are set back to provide ample sun terraces with spectacular views, whilst reducing the mass of the upper levels, in accordance with heritage indicators that govern the hotel development. The glass and aluminum hotel additions respond in a contemporary manner to the retained historical elements, specific orientation, views, room privacy and the requirements of greater transparency for all public areas within the hotel. Whilst keeping important elements of the existing historic building, the whole hotel is transformed by the imposition of the vast, light-filled atrium and the addition of contemporary architectural elements. The hotel makes for a new and transparent Cape Town focal point, breathing life into this key junction.

The first of many – Taj Palace The Taj Palace Hotel, located in the historic core of Cape Town at the entrance to the St George’s Mall, is the first of many luxury hotels to be opened by the Taj Group in South Africa. The client, Good Hope Palace Hotels (Pty) Ltd, wanted a 175 key luxury hotel for the Taj Group, valued at R450-million. The recently completed development entailed a partial demolition, a refurbishment, the construction

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A view showcasing the celebration of the synthesis between the historic fabric of the site and the contemporary interventions of the hotel.

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of infill elements, the construction of a contempoA view of the new Taj Palace Hotel situated in the historic core of Cape Town.

rary tower to accommodate 175 rooms and the preservation of two important historic buildings, namely the Old Reserve Bank building and the Temple Chambers building. It was imperative to retain and carefully restore as much as possible of the two historic buildings that host the grand public spaces of the new hotel. The contemporary interventions on the site, in the form of an infill building on St George’s Mall and the new tower that rises out of the centre of the city block, house the back of house spaces and the hotel rooms. The equal integration of the old and the new created a challenge for dhk Architects. It was imperative to celebrate the synthesis between the historic fabric and the contemporary interventions on the hotel site. This was done by creating a building that maintains and echoes the architecture of elegance and the beautiful craftsmanship embodied in the historic buildings, whilst engaging with the purpose of the buildings as a ‘place’ for the people. The Taj Cape Town, showcasing a combination of rich history and stylish contemporary architecture, offers a diverse variety of cuisine and culinary experiences including an Indian specialty restaurant, a relaxed and casual all-day dining restaurant and a champagne and oyster bar. The magnificent banqueting and meeting rooms combine the elegance of a historical era with state-of-the-art technology. A full Jiva Grande Spa and a fitness centre are also available to guests. In addition, the Taj Palace is also home to Heritage Rooms and Suites, Tower Rooms and Suites, The Presidential Suite and the Taj Club. These exquisite rooms offer guests old world quality complemented by lavish amenities and contemporary features.

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Architecture is a ‘science’ – University of Western Cape Life Sciences building The term ‘science’ refers to, in its broadest sense, any systematic knowledge base or prescriptive practice that is capable of resulting in a prediction or predictable type of outcome. Science also refers to a highly skilled technique or practice. Architecture, a highly-skilled practice, is a science in it self. It is the art and science of designing buildings and other physical structures, predicting the outcome, in terms of function and appearance, of a particular structure. Many believe that, basically, architecture is a science first and then an art. The new Life Sciences Building located on the University of Western Cape’s West Campus adjacent to Ring Road and flanked by Modderdam Road, is intended to place the university on the global map as a centre for teaching excellence and a research entity. By integrating six departments into a single development, this in turn allows for the facilitation of collaboration, promoting inter-departmental and

trans-disciplinary research. The building is positioned as a pivotal and iconic element of the urban planning of the university, as an embodiment of social and environmental scientific research in Africa. This cuttingedge institutional research laboratory is a symbol of the university’s commitment to science, technology, innovation, development and research, with the aim of reducing poverty and promoting social and environmental responsibility. The main objective of the positioning and the design of the Life Sciences building was to create a landmark that announces the University of the Western Cape’s presence, forming the most significant element of the new science precinct. The Life Sciences Building has been securely integrated into the existing campus framework from all aspects. Six different departments are housed within the macro zoning of the building. Two major components of the building are placed on either side of a social nucleus, comprising the entry lobby and gathering space, oversailed by a vast canopy which is supported by tree-like columns. This

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This landmark has great presence within Cape Town and is positioned well as a pivotal and iconic educational entity.

gathering space forms the main focus and the link between the major components of the university, namely the laboratory building, the interactive learning centre, cafeteria and auditorium. The general layout of the rectilinear and orthogonal laboratory building is designed around a zone that stretches along the length of the site that fronts directly onto Modderdam Road. The intention was to create direct relationships between the support spaces on the south side, research and laboratory spaces in the centre and write-up spaces and cellular offices situated on the north side. Two service cores form the fulcrum for breakout areas. These are interaction spaces that act as vertical transportation for both people and services while forming easily interchangeable laboratories and service spaces, permitting adaptability and flexibility throughout the general plan. The cores interact with tea kitchens and extend out to balconies that are intended to facilitate informal meetings. The cores are the vertical elements that break the longitudinal faĂ§ade, with vertical accents culminating in

glass boxes that house the hot water plant which is linked to the solar water system. In addition to being the centre for academic teaching, the learning centre is available for conferences as well as being a venue for various gatherings, presentations and functions. The centre houses a state-of-the-art auditorium, a collaborative computer lab and resource centre, seminar and tutorial rooms and a cafeteria opening onto the gathering space. The development incorporates both instruction and research facilities with shared classrooms, laboratories, faculty facilities and amenities to accommodate an estimated 800 students and researchers. This six storey laboratory block is split vertically into instruction facilities on the lower two levels, with research and development (R&D) labs housed on the upper levels. The block is divided into three modules which are linked by service cores, providing public and service access and security filters for the various R&D labs. The laboratories themselves are designed to assimilate the usersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; requirements

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View of the exterior faĂ§ade.

into predominantly generic flexible and adaptable solutions that ensure short, medium & long term sustainability for the client where different departments can wax and wane as the needs arise. The laboratories are planned along a horizontal stratification which facilitates a direct relationship and interface between the cellular senior researcherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offices with openplan write-up areas to the north, with research taking place in laboratories and their support spaces to the south. This horizontal stratification is created through virtual corridors traversing the length of the building, providing orientation and external expression through the bay windows at the ends. Entry to the Life Sciences building is from the eastern forecourt via the entrance lobby. This gasketlike glazed entrance lobby joins the laboratory and learning centre, providing orientation and access to the various facilities and leads into the gathering space. The design philosophy of this building focuses on energy efficiency, environmental responsibility, resource efficient design and a commitment to sustainability.

The orientation of the building reduces solar gain within the building and encourages natural ventilation throughout the building. The use of grey water for the landscaping has been fully implemented and coordinated in the design. The green areas and gardens are landscaped with indigenous vegetation and trees and the landscaping has been taken onto the roof of the Learning Centre as a scaling strategy and as an environmental thermal consideration. The gardens are integrated into a landscaping plan that responds directly to the local environmental conditions by encouraging bio-diversity, protecting biomass nutrients, using permeable surfaces to minimise run-off, increasing retention of groundwater levels and adopting indigenous water-wise plants. Through life cycle costing, resource and environmental management and the adoption of cost effective strategies, namely optimisation of the thermal envelope, waste heat reclamation, harvesting of rainwater and grey water recycling, this building strives to limit its carbon footprint. <

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By Stacey Rowan

ICONOGRAPHY THROUGH ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

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Named after a hero of the working class, Durbanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Moses Mabhida Stadium is an iconic symbol of where the city has come from and the future that it is striving towards. Just as Moses Mbheki Mncane Mabhida helped to forge the united front that eventually saw the creation of a democratic and nonracial South Africa, so the stadium brought together countries at the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup.

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An exterior view of the lit up stadium, which acts as a bright beacon for the city of Durban.

“It is important to recognise that this stadium, an architectural joint venture, was a group effort. There were five local practices: Theunissen Jankowitz Durban, Ambro-Afrique Consultants, Mthulusi Msimang Architects, NSM and Osmond Lange Architects & Planners and one international practice involved, namely GMP. Each practice fulfilled a different role. The local effort and local expertise, merged with the international experience, made it all happen. The effort is reflected in what was built and designed. From the urban design approach to the iconography, the stadium has a strong local representation,” says Gerhard le Roux, director, Theunissen Jankowitz.

The timeless arch represents the past and the future, where South Africans have come from and where they are going.

We traditionally revere iconic buildings for their ability to inspire and imbue symbolic associations and meaning to a broad audience because they reflect unique cultural, social and environmental contexts – be it the past, current or future. The Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban respects these qualities and it references the past with dignity yet, it succeeds best in the way it reflects the aspirations of the current time and the future. It was strategically positioned to become an iconic beacon for the City of Durban as well as being a centre piece of the huge integrated development plan which weaves itself into the city’s landscape as a symbol of growth and prosperity. This stadium successfully achieved this through the innovative use of space, texture, colour and artifacts, whilst also having drawn on its surroundings and physical features which gave it a vernacular identity and character. Its architectural and structural elements allowed people to ‘feel alive’ within its surrounds, having invited people of all walks of life and binding them within an iconic web of space and community.

An architectural view of the arch and it’s design elements.

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Iconography

The white tensile roofing is reminiscent of the activities of the nearby harbour. The use of natural indigenous plants and trees links the precinct on an urban scale and the incorporation of the African landscape contextualises the building. The expanded steel mesh wrapping the façade and the infill panels of the balustrades is symbolic of the beauty of handmade baskets. The bare grey coolness of the off-shutter concrete is contrasted by the palette of warm colours used on infill walls and interiors – an expression of the African climate and spirit. Tones of the beaches, the colours of clothing and handcrafted jewellery were used to express the vibrancy of the local surroundings in the building. Brightly coloured seating, drawing its inspiration from beach sand merging into the ocean, gives the stadium bowl a sense that it is a landscape. The upper stand seating is washed in yellow and white colours, the middle seating is graded in a yellow to green

An interior view of the stadium bowl façade, showcasing it’s circular form.

From a distance, the stadium’s arch is a defining silhouette, a familiar marker against the landscape. From within, the arch forks on both sides, to create a view of Durban, a window onto the city, symbolically looking back at where the city has come from, on the one side, and the future, on the other side. “We wanted to create a timeless long arch which represents the past and the walk into the future. Once you are in the stadium you are aware of the surrounding environment where the stadium is located, by way of the stadium window on the south side. You can see the connection between the sea, city and the heart of Durban,” says Deon van Onselen, Director, Osmond Lange Architects & Planners (Pty) Ltd.

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A view of the iconic arch.

A view of the stadiums exterior façade and one of its may entrances.

An artist impression illustrating the arched roof structure of the stadium.

A 3D dissection of the stadium.

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colour mix with scattered light greys and whites, and finally the lower stand seating is graded in a blue to green mix sprinkled again with light greys and whites.

Drivers of design Although stadiums are mostly venues of sheer scale, they are considered singular purpose structures. Due to the stadium’s sheer size, there was a need to ‘humanise’ the stadium in terms of scale, to allow for its integration into the city fabric and landscape. A driver of design for the Moses Mabhida Stadium, was the need to encourage mixed use in order to promote ongoing activities. From an urban design point of view, it was of primary importance that the stadium was located within an environment that enables the broader city and surrounding area to benefit from it. Therefore, one of the key drivers was the need to design beyond the building. In order to bring extensive investment into the precinct, the stadium was designed accordingly in order to serve as a catalyst for continuing investment.

Heroes walk – The iconic journey A dominant path leading from the city centre to the stadium, known as Heroes walk, lends itself to a variety of processions that will be enjoyed by large groups in the future. The walk starts in the south within a fragmented landscape of harsh walls and monochromatic tones, reflecting the fragmentation of past Africa. This is the journey dedicated to the icons of sport and political change, for those who have been and for the heroes to be made within the stadium. The rigid structure of the walk becomes more organic, soft and colourfully adorned as one approaches the

Moses Mabhida Stadium

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DORMA WAS THERE. Architecture taken to new dimensions: Structural elements of glass impart an impression of unrestricted openness and expanse. Trusses and supporting components of high precision provide stability to intricate structures. External and internal walls, facades and roofs of glass require construction systems that satisfy the highest demands in terms of functionality and aesthetic elegance. Manet Construct single point fixings meets the specific requirements of all-glass systems by providing the sophisticated technology and harmonious design required. WESTERN CAPE 021 510 4806 - EASTERN CAPE 041 585 1782 - GAUTENG 011 510 1500 - KZN 031 572 2077 - FREE STATE 051 522 8491 www.dorma.co.za

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stadium. The Heroes Walk is designed to symbolise the journey walked by the people of Africa.

A ‘world-first’ achievement

The main concrete structure comprises an oval bowl of tiered seating with six access levels, sheer cores and stairwells and a podium. The lightweight translucent roof is supported by a steel-cable structure suspended from the arch. The remarkable 104m high arch, spanning 380m, is secured on large concrete foundations which extend down to the cretaceous bedrock. These foundations are elongated rectangular boxes with 800mm thick reinforced concrete walls, which were excavated and cast under bentonite slurry, in panel lengths of up to 7m and to a depth of 20m. The stadium bowl structure is founded on a total of 1901 CFA piles varying in diameter from 450 to 700mm, installed to depths of 20m. “The bowl-like shape of the stadium allows for all the spectators to be able to see the action and feel that they are a part of the whole event. Normal stadiums tend to be more rectangular in shape, with Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western sides. The client wanted all people from different walks of life to become unified, to become one form within this dome-like structure,” says van Onselen.

The seats within the stadium resemble the blue ocean and its moving waves.

The Moses Mabhida Stadium has placed South Africa on the map, having obtained a ‘World first’ in the design of roof arch foundations, which involve diaphragm walling to bedrock, massive cappings and springer plinths. In addition, the stadium has achieved a ‘South-African first’ for pre-cast design and installation in stadiums and also achieved the specified strict requirements for concrete quality, durability and aesthetics.

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The façade of the stadium bowl is a layered inte-

The main structural unit of the roof consists of the

grated series of components. Over one hundred

104m high arch spanning 380m onto the founda-

leaning pre-cast concrete columns sweep around

tions. The roof, which defines the stadium as an icon-

the circumference of the stadium bowl forming the

ic edifice, also consists of other structural elements

skeleton of the façade, creating the impression of a

namely supporting cables, a membrane roof, and a

sculptural element in the landscape. Adding to the

steel compression ring resting on steel columns.

sculptural quality of the building, aluminium fins sit vertically between each of the concrete columns

A total of 50 main ridge cables are supported from

and, finally, a woven mesh ties the façade together.

the arch which defines the shape for the 46 000m2

The expanded metal mesh covering the brightly col-

roof coverage. These ridge cables as well as the valley

oured façade and the filling to the railings in the

cables are connected to the compression ring that

stadium take their inspiration from the structure of

in turn, is supported on steel façade columns.

basketweave. “An important aspect of the stadium is that it is

Concrete – The No.1 choice

based on the age old African tradition of elevating a

Concrete was used for the majority of the structural

structure above ground level, whereby the stadium

and architectural elements because of its high qual-

is placed on a podium. By placing it on the podium,

ity finish, its ease of construction into complex

the stadium is given greater stature. The client want-

shapes and forms, durability to resist the marine en-

ed the stadium to rise up from the environment, creat-

vironment of Durban, its speed in construction, its

ing an experience as visitors lead up to the entrance

low maintenance and because of the economical

of the stadium,” explains van Onselen.

advantages.

The roofing

The concrete façade columns are the main feature

The roof cables were pre-manufactured to the ex-

South spanning arch, they rake progressively out-

act lengths required to achieve the precise geom-

ward towards the East and West of the stadium,

etry of the cable net structure that spans between

defining the dramatic bowl shape. They are pre-

the arch and the compression ring. It was neces-

cast concrete from level 3 to level 6 and steel from

sary to have very strict specifications according to

level 6 up to the compression ring. Of the 102 col-

the tolerances required for all support points at

umns, 42 are vertical and 60 are raked at varying

the interface between the concrete and roof struc-

inclinations. The columns are painted white to fit in

ture. In addition, the stiffness of the concrete sup-

with the overall façade colour concept, with a high

port structure had to be accurately determined.

level of finish.

of the façade. Vertical in the vicinity of the North-

Visitors can experience magnificent views of the stadium and the Durban City from the cable car on the arch.

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SME are still the only company in this field to have successfully held the coveted SABS/ISO 90012000 listing in Southern Africa, since 1987. As a result of this listing, as well as CIDB accreditation, and our BEE status, we have been successful in undertaking contracts throughout Southern Africa, and as far as Tanzania. and Madagascar, with extensive contracts in Mozambique, Zambia, Botswana, and more recently, Namibia. We are eager to extend our customer base further in Zambia, and hope to become active in Zimbabwe and Angola. Our client base is largely made up of Corporate Clients in the private Sector, as well as large government contracts such as 2010 Stadia, and the new King Shaka Airport in Durban, due to our ability to deliver a quality product on time, and within budget. SME ad Our core business of Lightning Protection and Electrical Earthing, supplemented by our large range of surge protective devices (SPDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) is crucial in our subtropical climate, which experiences some of the highest lightning activity in the world, that can result in catastrophic losses in plant and equipment, not to mention risk to personnel. 2010 marks our 25th anniversary as an independent company, and due to the growth in our client base, we are constantly striving to improve quality of delivery, and adding skilled personnel to our ever-growing operation. More information is available on our Website www.sme.co.za

Phone: +27 31 701 7582 Fax: +27 31 702 5320 Email: sales@sme.co.za

www.sme.co.za

Lightning Protection & Earthing SME Lightning Protection and Earthing was proud to be associated with the celebrated Moses Mabhida Soccer Stadium, in that they were contracted to install the Lightning Protection to the Stadium Structure as well as the earthing for the sub station feed. Overall, it was imperative to ensure that the installation, from the metal of the seating through to the arch over the stadium, was earthed to the exacting standards demanded by the SABS/IEC codes of practice. Due to the commitment and dedication to the project displayed by Vusi Shabane, the team leader, and his crew, no delays or problems occurred during the course of the project. SME is currently in negotiation with their client, GL Events, regard-

A view of the interior faรงade, with its concrete finishes and structures.

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ing the earthing requirements for the media centres which are being erected at each stadium, in order for media visitors to be kept safe should they have the pleasure of experiencing a real South African lightning storm. SME, with 25 years in business, is still the only cometed SABS/ISO 9001-2000 listing in Southern Africa, since 1987. As a result of this listing, as well as CIDB accreditation, and their BEE status, they have successfully undertaken contracts throughout Southern Africa, and as far as Tanzania and Madagascar, with extensive contracts in Mozambique, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia. Their client base is largely made up of corporate clients in the private sector, as well as large government contracts such as 2010 Stadia.

A low angle shot of the exterior faรงade.

pany in its field to have successfully held the cov-

Their core business of lightning protection and electrical earthing, supplemented by their large range of surge protective devices, is crucial in South Africa’s subtropical climate, which experiences some of the highest lightning activity in the world, resulting in catastrophic losses in plant, equipment and personnel. “This stadium looks beyond 2010. It looks at the whole precinct and how this development will ‘sell’ Durban. This is one of the first opportunities that South African consultants have had to prove that we, as South Africans, can produce large scale projects. The Moses Mabhida stadium is world class,” concludes van Onselen. <

BELOW: An exterior view of the iconic stadium lit up at night. RIGHT: A wide angle view of the Durban skyline, with the staidum beaming bright.

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By Bev Hermanson

THE PRIDE OF

THE CAPE

173 > Photo by Bruce Sutherland, City of Cape Town.

Of all the stadiums that were prepared for

One of the largest construction projects that had

the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup, only three

been tackled by the City of Cape Town, the Cape Town

were entirely new constructions. One of

Stadium and the surrounding parkland had been completed at a cost of R4,5-billion. Along with its park-

these was the Cape Town Stadium situated

ing area and a retail plaza, the stadium covers an area

close to the popular V&A Waterfront along

of 18 hectares, equivalent to six city blocks. Built

the shoreline of Table Bay, within full view

to be more than merely a soccer stadium, this de-

of Cape Townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most famous landmark, Table Mountain.

velopment has been designed as a multi-purpose venue that is equipped to host rugby matches, music concerts and many other major events as well.

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Its successful completion involved a large taskforce of professionals comprising 15 different disciplines and 51 firms and a joint venture of 2 of the largest contracting firms in the country.

Green Point as a sports precinct Since before the Anglo Boer War in the late 1800s, the Green Point Common has been home to a variety of sports clubs, including Hamiltons, South Africa’s oldest rugby club that was founded in 1875, and the Green Point Cricket Club that started in 1897. Declared a public open space for recreation and sport by Britain’s King George V in 1923, this valuable piece of ground has been staunchly protected from the threat of over commercialisation and expansion around the Mother City.

The Green Point Stadium, built on the Common in the 1940s, was rather controversial, as, with a capacity of only 18 000 seats, many saw it as a ‘white elephant’ that was under-utilised. Over the years, it was used for various events, including small scale concerts and sports events. It was additionally home to the Santos and Hellenic Soccer Clubs and later the Ajax Football Club. At the time that the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup was awarded to South Africa, the planning committee determined that the stadium in Cape Town was going to need close to 70 000 seats to qualify to host at least one of the semi-final matches there. Under the circumstances, they decided it would be easier to build an entirely new stadium close to the old stadium, rather than try to upgrade the old fossil facilities. The old Green Point Stadium has since been

partially demolished and has been converted into a dedicated stadium for athletics. To refer to Cape Townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stadium as the Green Point Stadium is, therefore, a complete misnomer, as the land allocated for the construction of the new stadium was land that had been used by the Metropolitan Golf Club for its nine hole golf course. To compensate the Mets and other sporting disciplines using the Common, the entire area has been reorganised. A new nine hole golf course has been built and 12,5 hectares have been converted into an urban park that boasts walking, cycling and jogging tracks, that weave around beautiful water features and landscaped gardens. Other facilities in the precinct include a Health & Fitness Club, tennis courts, hockey and rugby fields and a cricket oval. A tree-lined pedestrian walkway further connects the Mouille Point

Sutherland, City of Cape Town.

Stadium. Photos by Bruce

construction on the Cape Town

The various phases of

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lighthouse with Somerset Road on the outskirts of the city. In total, this encompasses an area of some 65 hectares of parkland and sports facilities. Within a stoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s throw of the new stadium, the 123 hectare V&A Waterfront offers visitors a wealth of pleasure pursuits â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from a ferry trip to the historical Robben Eiland, where the well known freedom fighter and past president of the country, Nelson Mandela, was incarcerated, to a sumptuous array of restaurants, luxury hotels, stores and other leisure pursuits.

The new stadium The state-of-the-art Cape Town Stadium hosted five of the first round matches, one second round match, one quarter final and one semi-final of the 2010 FIFA World

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Often copied but Never Surpassed

Cup soccer matches. Designed by concept architects, gmp Architects of Germany, in conjunction with local firms, Louis Karol Architects and Point Architects, the stadium covers an area of 290m x 260m and stands 50m at its highest point. The most amazing aspect of the stadium is the high-tech roof that covers 38 000 square metres, protecting the bulk of the spectators from the often inclement Cape weather. Knowing the ‘Cape Doctor’, the harsh south-easter wind that occasionally thrashes the Foreshore and the Green Point Common at gale force, a substantial roof was definitely on the city’s wish list. The double whammy of this design is that it not only protects the spectators from harsh weather conditions, it reduces the noise emanating from the stadium – which will be most welcome to the Green Point and Sea Point residents that do

MediaClubSouthAfrica.com.

Photos by Rodger Bosch,

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not relish hearing the vuvuzelas at full blast throughout the matches. Commanding a significant chunk of the construction budget, the roof has been designed as a saddleback curve with a double membrane. Its smooth flowing appearance from all angles contributes to making this stadium one of the most distinctive in the country. Weighing in the region of 3 735 tons, the roof structure, that rests on a total of 72 columns, comprises an outer ‘compression ring’ which is linked to an inner ‘tension ring’ by a system of trusses and cables. The inner tension ring houses the lights and acoustic equipment. The top layer of the roof is made of around 9 000 panels of laminated safety glass to allow in plenty of natural light, while the bottom layer is made up of woven PVC ceiling panels that absorbs sound, while protecting the equipment from below.

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Facilities Although the seating capacity for the duration of the World Cup accommodated 68 000 spectators, after the end of the tournament, 13 000 seats were removed, which left 55 000 permanent seats. To channel the large crowds, 59 main gates lead to 115 turnstiles positioned around the 745 metre perimeter. Conveniences include 530 toilets and 360 urinals. There are four TV studios, 24 media desks and 178 media seats, as well as a medical centre and a police station. To cater for the movement of the impaired, there are 16 lifts and 120 places for spectators in wheelchairs.

Joint effort Within the time frame of the project, the design team spent a year in the preparation phase before the construction team eventually broke ground in February 2007. However, time was extremely limited, considering the enormity of the project, and therefore there was a call for tenders from multi-disciplinary

MediaClubSouthAfrica.com.

Rodger Bosch (right),

Photos by Bev Mitchell (left) and

Photo by BKS.

“The size of the facility is phenomenal,” says Bev Mitchell of project manager, Mitchell du Plessis Associates (MDA). “The roof is column-free and the

seating is positioned in such a way that spectators can see all four corners of the playing area without having to stand or jump. Even when they leave their seats to buy food, there are still opportunities to see the game while standing in the queues. To complement the action on the field, two giant TV screens have been mounted above the seating area – excellent for action replays and close-ups of the action.”

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teams to ensure that everything would be completed on time. “During the tender process, MDA put two teams together and entered two different tenders, which came in first and second. After lengthy deliberations, it was decided that both teams should be appointed. MDA was the common denominator, so the two teams were co-ordinated from the MDA offices. We put together a joint venture of four project management firms – ourselves, BKS, Ariya Project Managers and Ngonyama Okpanum Associates. Overall, we ended up with over 51 firms involved on the professional team, representing 15 disciplines. That was the only way we could see ourselves being able to hand the stadium over by the end of 2009, the specified deadline.”

The first costings came out 20 – 30 % over the budget, requiring significant design refinements in order to shrink the costs. “Trying to adjust the costs was a nightmare as the World was going through a recession and our local construction industry was flying, so the labour rates and materials costs were a lot higher,” Mitchell elaborates. “Fortunately, we managed to negotiate a slightly higher budget as a compromise and we were able to come in below that, in the end.” With the help of gmp, the German architects, the design team managed to conceptualise a structure that adds to the beauty of Cape Town. Standing proudly within the parklike surroundings, its form is certainly distinctive and somewhat sculptural.

Photos by Bruce Sutherland, City of Cape Town.

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Sustainability The revamped Green Point Common is very much a people place and to fall in line with the natural and human aspects of its environment, the Cape Town Stadium needed to be as environmentally sustainable as possible. Part of the challenge was to reduce traffic congestion in order to reduce the stadium’s carbon footprint. “Fortunately, the Central Business District of Cape Town is within walking distance and an Integrated Rapid Transit system is also available to transport spectators from the parkades and open parking areas within the city to the stadium. There are only VIP parking facilities allocated within the stadium grounds – these will accommodate up to 3 000 vehicles.” Further environmentally conscious initiatives included water management and energy conservation

and recycling wherever possible. “When the Green Point Stadium was partially demolished, 95% of the components were incorporated in the new stadium as part of a recycling project,” Mitchell continues. “Water and energy savings were also a priority.” A building management system has been incorporated. This monitors energy usage and lights can be switched off and air-conditioning adjusted in rooms that are unoccupied. Compact fluorescent lamps have been used in most areas and to reduce the need for airconditioning, the outer cladding of the stadium allows air to circulate. Water from the roof is channelled into storage tanks and as much grey water is recycled as possible. Much of it is used to fill ponds on the Green Point Common as well as for irrigation of the gardens. Furthermore, neither the Common, with its urban park, nor the stadium, relies on the City of Cape Town’s

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LIGHTNING PROTECTION & EARTHING SPECIALISTS IN THE FOLLOWING FIELDS: Design, Supply, Installation and Testing of Lightning Protection Systems in strict accordance with SANS 10313:2008 and SANS 62305:2007 Design, Supply, Installation and Testing of Earthing systems in strict accordance with SANS 10199:2004 Internal Lightning and Surge Protection Measurement of Soil Resistivity Earth Resistance Tests Specialise in large industrial, commercial, mining, railway and explosive installations Mast Protection for Thatch Structures Nationwide Service

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Photos by Bruce Sutherland, City of Cape Town.

water supply for drinking water. This is sourced from the Oranjezicht Natural Springs located a mere four kilometres away. Sustainability, of course, does not only extend to natural resources. At peaks times, there were up to 2 500 people employed on site. Amongst these, around 1 200 artisans received training during the

construction period, which will equipped them to find further employment in the future. The stadium is managed by a consortium consisting of the South African sports marketing company, SAIL, and Stade de France, operators of a major multipurpose venue in Paris. <

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MBOMBELA STADIUM

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www.clotansteel.co.za

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MBOMBELA

By Stacey Rowan

STADIUM:

FOR THE

LOVE

OF THE

‘GAME’ Known as Africa’s wildest stadium, with 18 structural giraffe elements and seats patterned with zebra stripes, the Mbombela Stadium was the ultimate sports venue for the 2010 FIFA World CUp, where the ‘game’ of soccer met the ‘game’ of Africa.

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As one of the stadiums used in the FIFA 2010 World Cup, the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit illustrated the love of the soccer game that was played within it. The stadium also showcased the love of Africa’s big game through its animalistic architectural design. Situated close to the world renowned Kruger Park, surrounded by numerous game lodges, it was imperative for the stadium to have some reference to the big game of Africa. As wildlife murals are not convincing, and following the belief that form follows function, the long roof cantilever design lent itself to a cable stayed roof design, which in turn required a tower, creating the giraffe icon. The giraffe towers, a key design element, provided the stadium with an African motif.

Contact:

The 30 metre high giraffe motifs, each with an abstract head large enough for a person to stand inside, have been placed around the outside edge of the stadium, facing outwards. The bodies and legs of the giraffes have been built into the concrete structure of the building, while the necks form an important part of the steel supporting structure for the roof, making the concept not only eye-catching, but also practical. “The stadium is at the doorstep of the Kruger Park game reserve, perfectly positioned so that attendance of one of the many 2010 World Cup matches was be combined with a visit to view the magnificence of Africa’s wildest animals. This was not lost on the stadium designers and the signature feature of the stadium is the abstract 18 structural giraffes, making this South Africa’s wildest football and rugby stadium.

Tel +27 011 7080551 +27 011 7081632 Fax +27 011 7081646 E-mail kriedemanng@inox.co.za Web www.inox.co.za

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The roof supports were naturally tall and slender and cried out to be giraffes. It was one of those great synergies between function, form and structural necessity and so the Mbombela Giraffe came to be. The seating bowl patterned like a herd of zebras enhanced the association,” say Douglas Roberts, founder, R & L Architects and Mike Bell, project architect, R & L Architects.

Proudly South African Located in Mpumalanga and worth R1,07 billion, the Mbombela Stadium was the only wholly South African designed new stadium out of all the stadiums, with South African products having been used as far as possible. Other stadiums which were South African designed were technically revamps and not newly built stadiums as the Mbombela Stadium was. “This stadium is the only South African designed and detailed structure. The design intention was to make this an African stadium. It clearly looks, feels and is Southern African,” add Roberts and Bell.

The exterior façade of the stadium molds beautifully into its wild and plant-filled surroundings.

As the site is cradled in an arc of granite outcrops and local thorn trees, the surrounding landscape provides a ‘South African’ feel and lowveld experience. The opening between the upper edge of the seating bowl and the roof provides a gap through which the sky and surrounding granite topped hills are visible from most of the seats. The roof creates the illusion of floating with a lightness rather like an acacia tree canopy. An Acacia forest on the south has been preserved and adjoins the stadium. The main spectator approach path passes through these trees providing a ‘bushveld’ experience.

Functionality versus aesthetics With Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium having an iconic arch, Johannesburg’s Soccer City showcasing an impressive calabash façade and the Cape Town Stadium possessing an impressive roof, it

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was imperative for the Mbombela Stadium to have its own uniquely identifiable signature. Designed for contextual relevance and functionality rather than an iconic statement and aesthetics, the Mbombela Stadium’s pleasant stadium experiences have to do with the intimate proximity to the pitch, clear sightlines and ease of access. Other elements have greater attention to detail rather than flashy décor and stoic structures.

Stadium design principles The stadium seats 40 000 spectators on three seating terraces. For a good view of a match, a spectator requires good floodlighting, proximity to the field of play and a clear view of all parts of the pitch. These are, to some extent, conflicting requirements because the closer you bring the stands to the field, the poorer the sightlines become. If you remove spectators from the pitch by having seating placed at a distance, their experience is diminished. The trick here is to find the right balance in order to achieve both proximity to the pitch and good sightlines for spectators. Basically, the sightlines at the Mbombela Stadium are excellent, enhancing spectator satisfaction. The design at all times was kept relatively simple, taking into account the locality of the structure and the skills available from the local labour force. Another major factor in keeping the stadium simple and accessible was that the arrival and general spectator circulation occurs at the mid-height level of the stadium. Spectators needing access to the lower terrace easily walk down to their seats, and spectators using the suite level and upper terrace walk up less than half the height that they would normally do at larger stadiums. “The aim of laying the arena in a simple rectangular plan form, and not in an oval shape, was to simplify the construction process and keep the budget in check. Both of the two main seating tiers link directly into continuous and generous

TOP: The theme of soccer is spread throughout the stadium with the use of soccer icon wall coverings. ABOVE: With bright colours and animalistic design elements, this is Africa’s wildest stadium.

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pedestrian concourses, which in turn link with eight generous pedestrian ramps. In order to meet the challenging budget, MOTT McDonald in London optimised the roof design to be extremely light, setting a world standard for design weights. The roof design has won the British Overseas Expertise Award in the sport and leisure category. “The architects followed universally accepted stadium principles and used the FIFA Technical Recommendations and Requirements for the Construction or Modernisation of Football Stadia, 2000 and the ‘Guide to Safety at Sport Grounds’ (Green Guide) HMSO 1997,” say Roberts and Bell.

Construction The client, Mbombela Municipality, wanted a stadium design that could fit approximately 45 000 seats and one that was suitable to host preliminary 2010 World Cup Group stage matches. The stadium had to be FIFA compliant in terms of safety and designed according to the British Published Green Guide. It had to be constructed within the budgets provided as, unlike larger municipalities elsewhere in South Africa, this municipality did not have funds to cover extra costs over and above the initial budget.

TOP: The colourful interior creates an exciting and vibrant atmosphere. CENTRE & ABOVE: Zebra-striped seats enhance the wild animalistic feel of the stadium.

The stadium was built on a site that has an estimated 5 metre slope from end to end, which is ideal, but the ground conditions proved difficult with excessive clay necessitating expensive foundation piles. “Four legged concrete columns built at 10 metre intervals were poured incrementally around the stadium. The steel roof structure followed, assembled module by module. The pre-cast seating tiers and steps followed as the poured concrete cured. The lower tier excavated into the ground was relatively independent of the main structure and could therefore be installed according to its own ideal programme,” explain Roberts and Bell.

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An architectural giraffe stares into the South African sunset.

Each giraffe motif has a head large enough for a person to stand inside.

A fisheye view of the entire stadium, showcasing its zebra-striped seats and eight giraffes.

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Out of all the stadiums used for the FIFA 2010 World Cup, the Mbombela Stadium had the lowest per seat cost. The stadium can seat up to 43 500 spectators, of which 40 000 tickets were sold for the World Cup and 3 500 were for media and VIP seats. The seats were not removable, thus the capacity remained unchanged after the World Cup. For the spectators with wheelchairs, 196 wheelchair spaces are available. The seating in the stadium was the closest to the pitch of all the World Cup Stadiums in South Africa. In addition, 94% of the seating was under roofing, making Mbombela Stadium, along with the Cape Town Stadium, the stadiums with the most seats under roofing.

The Rye grass pitch, which is 693m above sea level, has a grass surface suitable for international rugby and soccer.

Difficulties faced & challenges overcome With a restricted budget it was imperative to stay within the limits, therefore the construction, including most components, were locally procured, manufactured and assembled. The distance from the main commercial and industrial centres required a considerable amount of transportation of prefabricated goods which was a challenge. Other challenges faced included the difficult ground conditions and the relatively small capacity of local contractors and subcontractors that were included in the project.

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The main contractor had to train over 400 workmen, and local residents who were seasonal fruit pickers, in various building skills. Despite a number of strikes and the collapse of a giant crane in a major storm, which resulted in the loss of numerous working days, the construction team managed to meet the contractual deadlines.

The ‘goal’ is to be ‘green’ To maintain a low carbon footprint, with the ‘goal’ of being ‘green’, the designers and the municipality did their bit to fall in line with the World Cup’s Green Goal initiative. “A low transport carbon footprint was achieved by minimising the use of overseas components as far as possible. The environmentally friendly and ecological aspects of the design include the recovery of rain water runoff from the stadium roof and recovery of the irrigation and precipitation water on the pitch via a pipe network that channels the water back to a holding tank for re-use. Much care has been taken to recover and recycle both rain and irrigation water. Another innovation is the heat recovery from the air conditioning system which in turn heats the hot water for the building.” Other green initiatives include a large solar array connected directly into the building grid. The climate of the region allows for open concourses. The six metre opening between the upper edge of the tiered seating and the roof ventilates the seating bowl on hot days and creates a feeling of openness.

Facilities available Every new stadium including Mbombela was built to FIFA’s specifications. The main players’ change rooms, located in the basement, can each accommodate 50 people. The facilities include netted warm up areas, a fully equipped gymnasium, ample lockers,

An artist’s colour palette was used for the interior, with colours of red, orange, blue and green splattered throughout the interior structure.

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The 30 metre high giraffe motifs have been placed around the outside edge of the stadium, facing outwards.

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The long roof cantilever design lent itself to a cable stayed roof design, which in turn required a tower, creating the giraffe icon.

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hydrotherapy baths, boot wash facilities and relaxation rooms. Elaborate press facilities are incorporated including an auditorium, with audio visual equipment for game analysis and press conferences and associated recreational spaces. Offices suitable for running the stadium and a gymnasium for public use have also been planned. The mid-level, located between the upper and lower tiers in the stadium, has a Presidential Suite with bars and dining room, public restaurant facilities and 28 public leased skyboxes. Alongside the skyboxes, five club lounges have also been built. The Presidential Suite is serviced by a lift from a drop-off point in the basement. There is also a TV studio and the venue operations centre on the Mid-level. A lecture theatre with related kitchens and a commercial gymnasium on the ground floor can be used for occasions unrelated to football or rugby games. “The site is large and will be developed in the course of time to include an athletics track, netball courts and tennis courts with accompanying facilities. It is hoped that eventually a Sports Science Centre will follow. As the public’s needs become clearer, the balance of the space (that was initially used as FIFA entertainment areas for the world cup matches) will be retained as large entertainment areas or converted into further skyboxes or leased as commercial offices.” “Both the Mbombela Municipality, including their enthusiastic Mayor, and the Mpumulanga Provincial officials appear extremely proud of their new asset,” conclude Roberts and Bell. Danny Jordaan, head of the FIFA Local Organising Committee, has also recently said that “the Mbombela Stadium is one of the most distinctive and unique stadiums in FIFA World Cup history.” <

TOP: A simple and formal architectural design was used for the shower facilities. CENTRE: Bright colour palettes have been used for interior rooms, together with African elements. ABOVE: The locker rooms provide players with a professional space to prep and get ready for the big game.

We do all Building alterations Plumbing Fire-claims Replacement of ceilings Painting Burglary repairs Tel: 012 664-1717 Fax: 012 664-7810 email: camjor@telkomsa.net Address: 22 Botha Avenue, Lyttelton, Centurion

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The interior view of the pitch and some of the seating.

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A SLICE OF

HISTORY

GETS A

FACELIFT By Bev Hermanson

The Ellis Park Stadium, situated in the heart of Johannesburg, is one of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most famous venues for large sporting events. In order to qualify as a venue for the staging of matches for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup, the stadium under went a facelift and upgrade. This was highly challenging, as the stadium remained operational throughout the renovation.

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The Ellis Park Stadium will always have its place in the history of South African rugby. Few will forget the spirit of unity that soared high above the nation as Nelson Mandela held up the Rugby World Cup Trophy that was won by the Springboks back in 1995. It was a poignant moment in the country’s history that will live forever in the hearts of our recently liberated rainbow people. Few can likewise forget the tragic loss of life as too many fans, crammed into Ellis Park, panicked and ran amok at an Orlando Pirates vs Kaiser Chiefs clash in 2003. Thus the stadium’s halls resonate with glory, yet are shrouded in sorrow.

One of the most memorable moments was when Joel Stransky booted a drop goal in extra time on that fateful day back in June 1995, when the Springboks wrenched the Rugby World Cup title and trophy from the All Blacks with a 15:12 final score. Ten years later, history was again made when 51% ownership was passed to the Orlando Pirates Football Club, establishing Ellis Park as the first black-owned stadium in South Africa and home to both soccer and rugby – still in the main, male dominated sports.

The brief

The first Ellis Park stadium was built on the site back in 1928 on 13 acres that were earmarked for the purpose by the Johannesburg Councillor, JD Ellis. After just over half a century of rugby triumphs and defeats, the stadium was demolished to make way for a more modern facility. The new stadium was completed in 1982, but it remained very much a male dominated domain.

When plans were put in place to prepare the various cities for the staging of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Ellis Park again came into the limelight. Where nearly a century ago, 13 acres had easily been set aside for enjoyment of the sport of rugby, the precinct had now become largely built-up. This was indeed challenging for the team at DBM Architects, who were part of the consortium tasked with upgrading the conveniently situated stadium to a seating capacity of 62 000 spectators.

From being the base for the Transvaal Rugby Union in the early 1900s, the new stadium was established as the home of the Cats and the Lions Rugby Union. It was also a popular venue for test matches where history was made in the titanic struggles between rugby nations. This was the place where legends were born.

“The stadium forms part of the Ellis Park World of Sport Campus. Now known as Coca Cola Park, the stadium rubs shoulders with the Johannesburg Stadium, the home of athletics, the Standard Bank Arena, a popular venue for concerts, tennis tournaments, boxing and squash championships and the

The stadium precinct. Photo by Emily Visser.

Aerial view of Ellis Park, now renamed the Coca Cola Stadium.

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Olympic sized swimming pool. Although around R2-billion was set aside by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) for a major upgrade and regeneration of the suburbs of Doornfontein, Bertrams, Bezuidenhout Valley, Troyeville, Judith’s Paarl and Lorentzville, only R230-million was allocated to the upgrading of the Coca Cola Park Stadium,” says Wynand du Plessis of DBM Architects. “This was less than a tenth of the budgets for some of the new stadiums.” When one looked at the aerial view of the precinct, the tightness of the urban fabric was apparent. As there was not much in the way of parking, hence the Park ‘n Ride scheme that was put in place some years back, to cope with the influx of fans. The upgrade was divided into four categories: > The entire main western grandstand was upgraded, including all of the competitors’, hospitality and media areas. > The existing toilets and concession facilities around the stadium were completely overhauled and additional toilet facilities were added for women. > A new upper seating tier that would accommodate an additional 5 000 seats was added to the northern pavilion. This had to include a roof. > A parkade was added, enough to accommodate

The stadium precinct. Photo by Emily Visser.

1 100 vehicles for VIP parking, with plans in place for further expansion in the future. This building now includes provision for storage space, a public medical centre, a police station with holding cells and retail trading space. “In order for a stadium to qualify to host some of the matches up to quarter final level, the seating capacity had to accommodate more than 60 000 spectators. This was tricky as, due to the big press contingent, we ‘lost’ a lot of seats,” du Plessis explains. “As a result of the restricted budget, we had to be very disciplined in terms of what should be upgraded and how. One of the areas that we decided to focus on was the public area between what was the Ellis Park Stadium and the Standard Bank Arena. We knew that most of the public approached the stadium from the north, so we decided to make this aspect the face of the new Coca Cola Park, with the new Parkade located on the eastern side.”

Execution of the design concepts The aesthetic style of the new northern elevation can be described as modern functionalism. Elements were developed to ‘work with’ the existing structure. These included a new structural skin of carefully designed steel supports that carry the new roof and seating, along with huge uprights made of off-shutter concrete dissected by an enormous

The Ellis Park precinct has been extensively upgraded as part of the Johannesburg urban regeneration initiative.

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Aerial view of Ellis Park, now renamed the Coca-Cola Park.

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red arch that hints at the rainbow of the new democracy. Further, the steel grille screening the glassed area is suggestive of the South African flag.

appearance. For this, we used carpet tiles, instead of broadloom carpeting,” Scholtz explains.

Over and above the architectural requirements, every other aspect of the stadium had to be brought into line with FIFA’s requirements. This included the upgrading of the floodlighting, which had to be doubled in intensity. There are temporary structures that have been placed as overlays, to be used only during the Soccer World Cup – these will be dismantled and removed after the championships are concluded. This includes a bridge between the university and the stadium for use by the press. Then, for future sustainability, a legacy element has been integral to the overall design. This includes a conference centre, that will accommodate between 800 and 1 000 delegates, that has been created out of what was a parking level behind the grandstand.

Spectator safety is an essential consideration when planning a public facility such as a stadium. Crowd control and the dynamics of emergency situations have distinctive patterns and since the 2003 tragedy, the management of the Coca-Cola Stadium at the Ellis Park campus is emphatic that this kind of incident should not be allowed to happen again. Likely evacuation patterns were examined and escape routes identified.

For the conference venue, the presidential suite and the sports centre, an affordable tufted carpet tile from Nexus’s Matrix range was used. This provides insulation, warmth and the absorption of ambient stadium noise. “With the carpeting at the Ellis Park Stadium, budget and durability were major considerations. Nexus was awarded the contract as our products are manufactured locally but to the best international standards. If any problems arise with the flooring, it is easier to obtain supplies and materials from a local manufacturer and our carpets are backed with a 15 year wear warranty,” says Adrian Scholtz, a Nexus representative. Nexus is the commercial division of leading carpet manufacturer, Belgotex Floorcoverings (Pty) Ltd. With its wide range of products, Nexus assisted DBM Architects by providing a durable tile to cope with the expected heavy traffic flow. “The objective was to steer away from an ‘office look’ and to create an aesthetically pleasing interior, with a linear

Public safety

The main escape route provided is a 4m-wide tunnel at the north-eastern end of the stadium. This is wide enough for emergency and service vehicles to use to get onto the pitch in order to evacuate anyone that has been injured. The exit of the tunnel is close to the new, state-of-the-art medical centre located in the new parkade. Disabled and paraplegic spectators have also been considered. There are 200 spectator seating positions allocated at ground level with ramps for easy access by wheel chairs and in the cloakrooms, emergency alerts have taken sight and hearing impaired individuals into account, too. So, for example, a flashing light will indicate a need for evacuation, to alert hearing impaired spectators to an emergency. The upgrade started in August 2007 and ended in March 2009, in time for the successful staging of the Confederations Cup in June 2009. “It was indeed a privilege for DBM Architects to have been involved in this project. It has enhanced our understanding of stadia as a built form and while challenging on many levels, it was a pleasure to be part of the very special team that accomplished this upgrade,” says du Plessis. <

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Two concrete columns support a red flash that is reminiscent of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rainbow.

The extensive use of steel supports adds a slightly more contemporary appearance to the renovated stadium.

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LOFTUS SPECTATORS WITNESSED ANOTHER BAFANA BAFANA GAME

By Stacey Rowan

It was in 1999 that spectators at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium witnessed Bafana Banfana, South Africa’s national team, play a soccer game against Sweden. As one of the venues that hosted matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Loftus Versveld gave its spectators the opportunity once again to witness Bafana Bafana play another game of soccer when they played against Uruguay at the stadium. The Loftus Versfeld Stadium has a lot of character, it has history and it has a sense of place. Situated in Tshwane, Pretoria, the stadium is located within a very dense and urban fabric, making it part of the city. It is not isolated from the city as some of the other stadiums are, which makes it unique. “It is not just a stadium, but it is a buzz of activities. It has a vibe,” says Bhavik Ranchod, architect and project manager, The Creative Axis Architects.

ONE OF THE OLDEST STADIUMS Loftus Versfeld Stadium is one of the oldest stadiums in South Africa. This all-seater stadium has been used for major sporting events since 1903, including significant matches which were part of the 1995 Rugby World Cup and the 1996 CAF African Cup of Nations. Hosting countless rugby and soccer matches, this stadium is no stranger to these sports. Loftus Versfeld Stadium is the home ground of the Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club, one of South Africa’s premiere professional clubs, and Supersport United. It is also home to one of the country’s top rugby teams, the Blue Bulls. The stadium’s first concrete structure, built by the City Council of Pretoria in 1923, could only accommodate two thousand spectators. Since 1948, Loftus Versfeld has undergone constant upgrades and renovations and its four main stands have been completely rebuilt.

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UPGRADING THE OLD TO MAKE IT NEW The most recent renovation at Loftus was the 2010 FIFA World Cup facelift. To qualify for selection as a South African 2010 host stadium and a venue for the World Cup, the stadium was upgraded to meet the stringent requirements specified by FIFA. “The stadium is owned by The Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd, whereby other stadiums are owned either by municipalities or the government. Being an old stadium, it required various upgrades in order to make the stadium FIFA complaint. Unlike other newly built stadiums, this project only involved an upgrade,” adds Ranchod. The brief entailed an upgrade that included basic additions and a refurbishment. The floodlights were upgraded and a new roof over the eastern pavilion was built, which now houses a new set of flood lights, adding to the aesthetics of the stadium. Another

upgrade included the implementation of back-up power, through the use of generators. “During the matches, the stadium will run off generators, eliminating the risk of power failures,” says Ranchod. The scoreboard, players’ change rooms and sound system were also upgraded to meet FIFA’s specifications and designated media areas were constructed in the lower level of the west stand. With an estimated seat capacity of 49 215 seats, the task of replacing each seat was challenging. “The newly placed bright blue seats, which are plastered everywhere, stand out,” says Ranchod. A new lift on the north-west corner of the stadium was added, together with the placement of a new ring of turnstiles that are located around the stadium. The IT systems were also upgraded which allowed for digital access control and the pitch was restored, among other minor upgrades that occurred. In addition, a new walkway was built on the eastern side of the stadium, which allowed for more than

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50% of the stadiums’ spectators to come through

Keeping within the stadium’s surroundings was

the east side. This entrance was also designed to

also a challenge that was faced, yet accomplished.

double up as an essential access for emergency ve-

“We had to tie the stadium into what was already

hicles. The walkway was, and still is, seen as a

there, keep within the heritage of the stadium and

means of knitting the precinct together with both

not allow our construction activities to disturb the

the transport and bus routes, as well as the jam-

outside area.” The stadium maintained interaction

packed social area of Hatfield. With the walkway

with the city, which was vital.

being designed around a classic park-like approach, it made the stadium upgrade, as a whole, serve as

During the upgrade, the project team maintained

a dynamic rendition to the list of landmarks already

eco-friendliness. Some of the eco-friendly methods

defining the city.

used included the use of energy efficient products for lighting and placement of eco-friendly flooring

Other upgrades included the refurbishment of the

like bamboo finished floors and certain eco-friendly

board hall area, new toilet blocks were introduced

carpets. “We tried to make the stadium eco-friendly

and the VIP areas on the main pavilion were up-

where we could.”

graded. The key entrances as well as ablution facilities situated around the stadium were renovated, which gave the stadium a fresh new look.

A MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT “The fully operational stadium can be considered a

THE STADIUM THAT NEVER SLEEPS

mixed-use development as it houses more than 300 offices, a conference venue, an auditorium, change

The Loftus Versfeld Stadium was different from

rooms for the players, many suites and skyboxes,”

most of the other 2010 FIFA stadiums as it was a

says Ranchod. According to the client’s brief and

working stadium, with matches that were played on

the Blue Bulls Management Agency, the stadium

an ongoing basis during the construction phase.

had to be of benefit to the owners as a future-use

“We faced enormous challenges in that we needed

development, after the 2010 World Cup.

to take health and safety into consideration, making sure that no spectators or players were hurt.

“The Loftus Versfeld Stadium proved to be a reward-

Even though Loftus Versfeld was a ‘living’ stadium

ing project upon completion. With the basic infra-

at the time of the construction period, no incidents

structure improved, it is now a FIFA-compliant stadium

occurred.

and we are proud to say that the FIFA affiliates are satisfied with the stadium,” concludes Ranchod. <

Having the smallest budget of all the 2010 stadiums was another challenge for the project team. “We did not have the freedom to do what we wished architecturally due to our limited budget and therefore we could not make an architectural statement,” explains Ranchod.

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GREEN PARK: ‘WORK, LIVE & PLAY’ By Stacey Rowan.

With a public square, offices, a 5-star boutique hotel, a pavement retail centre, cafes, an upmarket night club, a conference centre, a Virgin Active health centre, a spa and apartments, residents, employees and guests at Green Park don’t have to step a foot outside its doors. All their basic needs are satisfied by the facilities available at the development, which provide means of food, exercise, leisure, work and rest. At this urban lifestyle development it’s all about the ‘Work, Live, and Play’. Green Park is situated in West Road South, Morningside, within walking distance from Sandton Central and the new Gautrain Station. Although phase two and three of the development are only set for completion in 2013 and 2015 respectively, phase one is due for completion at the end of 2010.

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ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN The architectural design of Green Park is environmentally responsive. The development has to be carefully orientated northwards to allow for natural sunlight and summer shading. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The site it located within a public environment and has been designed to accommodate the people. The design is deliberately pedestrian and inclusive of the surrounding areas. The intention was, and continues to be, to create a comfortable human environment similar to the kind of smaller scale urban areas which existed before car-driven planning destroyed most of this city. Also, the client understands how complex and integrated environments function which has made it possible for the design to develop in a very different manner to conventional projects in Sandton,â&#x20AC;? explains says Vaughn Horsman, head architect on the project. Apart from the architectural design, the overall aesthetics of the development are modern and contemporary. The interior called for a clean and neutral look. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This was created through the use of neutral material choices like concrete in the frame structures, glass for the facades and grey and white plaster. Other choices included robust external materials, brickwork skin with gamma zenith or cladding and timber for the balconies.

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CHALLENGES FACED With the development offering apartments, hotel rooms and office spaces, among others, this required a substantially large amount of parking that needed to be built. “There is a huge amount of parking accommodated over four basements.” Not only did these facilities create a need for mass parking, but the mixed-use of the development also created challenges. “The complexities of mixed-use are naturally challenging. The residential apartments on top of retail had to be carefully planned, as well as the office space themselves. The use of deep green garden decks and arcades that separate these various zones provided a solution for this,” says Horsman.

SOARING INTO THE SKIES Green Park certainly soars into the skies with its 20 story commercial office, which forms the tallest building in the development. “The design brief, from our client Lushaka Investments, called for a mixeduse, high rise and high density precinct in Morningside, which would focus around an urban square. The land cost has demanded that the design maximises height and bulk at all costs,” says Horsman.

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LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

A3 ARCHITECTS

Bertha Wium Landscape Development, in

A3 Architects worked closely with the

association with Red Landscape Archi-

Lushaka Group to create the ultra-modern

tects, was responsible for the execution of

architectural design of Green Park Sandton.

the landscape architecture of the Landscape Development Plan, as commissioned by

Differentiating them from other architec-

A3 Architects.

tural firms is there unique relationships with clients and suppliers and there ongoing

“Working in close relation with the client

personal service. “Our practice is not only

and the architects, the vision was formu-

about delivering the end product, but it’s

lated – developing a landscape that will

also about creating relationships with our

emphasise the name of the development

clients ensuring that their requirements

‘Green Park’. The design allowed for ample

are met. The practice itself is a hard work-

green, vertical walls, raised planters and

ing but relaxed environment with a good

lawn areas, pot gardens and large trees

vibe between colleagues. It is also a learn-

planted in sunken gardens,” says Bertha

ing environment where everyone is able to

Wium, MD, Bertha Wium Landscape Devel-

participate in all levels of a certain project,

opment (Pty) Ltd and Francois van Rooyen,

ask questions and a number of students

MD, Red Landscape Architects (Pty)Ltd.

are employed and trained. <

The landscape architecture needed to overcome the adverse climatic conditions associated with the built up environments in Sandton. This was achieved by strategically designing the location of the landscape within and around the building, ensuring that the ultimate landscape was chosen in the available spaces. “The design of Green Park will be a yard stick for new buildings in and around Sandton,” says Wium.

yemension ynamix T

R CO

P OR

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ONTR A

P E T

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ciated and seen as a genuine display of Nedbank’s

ment, and their insistence that all Carpet Tiles installed

Corporate Responsibility in creating opportunities and

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jobs, by ensuring local products enjoy all the benefits

IN South Africa and are “Greenstar IEQ-13” compliant.

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responsible for Dyemension Dynamix Corporate Carpets (Pty) Ltd urgently researching and acquiring the necessary knowledge, technology, skills and equipment for production

and

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benefit.

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GREEN BUILDINGCOUNCIL SA MEMBER ORGANISATION

THE FIRST STEP IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN GREEN BUILDING EVOLUTION

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By Stacey Rowan The ‘Go green’ movement, a trend that has been around for ages, is continuously evolving.

We all know the ways to live eco-friendly lives like switching off lights and using water-saving devices

logical and operational practices that dramatically reduce or completely eliminate its negative impact

in our homes, reducing our usage of motor vehicles, planting trees in our gardens and recycling. Going green is here to stay and the various trends within the green movement are now changing direction, moving beyond maintaining eco-friendly lives, to developing eco-friendly ‘green’ buildings.

on the environment and its inhabitants. Building green, an opportunity to address climate change, creates improved, healthier and more productive work environments for employees to work in.

Nedbank Phase 2, situated in Sandton, Johannesburg, not only is one of the largest bank office complexes in South Africa, but it is also the first building in South Africa to receive Green Star accreditation. “This is a huge achievement in South Africa, as this has never been done before. There are no other certified buildings yet in South Africa,” says Marloes Reinink, the sustainable building consultant on the Nedbank project.

What is a green building? To understand this achievement, it is important to first understand the concept of a green building. According to the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA), a green building is a structure that is energy and resource efficient, whilst maintaining environmental responsibility. The building itself integrates design, materials, construction, techno-

Specific green building measures include careful building design to reduce heat loads, the maximisation of natural light and promoting the circulation of fresh air; the use of energy-efficient air-conditioning and lighting; the use of environmentally-friendly materials; the reduction of waste, and the use of recycled materials; water-efficient plumbing fittings and water harvesting; the use of renewable energy sources and sensitivity with regard to the impact of the development on the surrounding environment.

Rating a green building In order to enable an objective assessment as to how ‘green’ a building is, a green building rating tool needs to be put in place to set standards and benchmarks. The rating system sets out a ‘menu’, a carte du jour, of all the measures that can be incorporated into a building to make it ‘green’. Points are awarded to a building according to which measures have been built in and, after suitable weighting, a complete

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score is calculated. This determines the rating of the given building. The GBCSA develops these Green Star SA rating tools to provide the property industry with an objective measurement for green buildings and to recognise and reward environmental leadership in the property industry. Each Green Star SA rating tool reflects a different market sector, for example: office, retail and residential, among others. The Green Star objectives create a common language and standard of measurement for green buildings, together with promoting integrated, whole-building design. Raising awareness of green building benefits, recognising environmental leadership and reducing the environmental impact of developments are other criteria of the Green Star system.

Green buildings versus conventional buildings Aside from the reduced carbon footprint, there is a convincing business case in favour of green buildings. With studies showing dramatic increases in productivity among users and employees, due to increased fresh air, more natural light and less

toxic materials used, tenants are becoming more aware of these ‘green’ benefits. Alongside this increased awareness, the demand for green buildings is growing at a rapid pace, with tenants even being prepared to pay higher rentals. Due to the substantial savings in utility services, particularly when viewed on a lifecycle basis, tenants in green buildings are finding that operating costs are lessened considerably. A green building does not necessarily need to cost more than a conventional building. Through intelligent design and the use of fundamental energy efficient materials, much can be achieved. The green building movement is a more efficient way of developing and operating buildings and it is hoped that, over time, it will lead to the obsolescence of conventional buildings. The movement is now being seen as ‘future proofing’ buildings and is being regarded as a risk management issue. Operators of green buildings can reduce their consumption of energy to less than half of what a conventional building consumes, with similar reductions in potable water usage, runoff to sewer and solid waste. By promoting green building practices, the GBCSA can have a really significant impact on the

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reduction of resource consumption and on combating global warming.

The name with the green logo Would it not be considered coincidental that the client of the first Green Star rated building sports a green logo? Nedbank Group is South Africa’s fourth largest banking group measured by assets, with a strong deposit franchise, the second largest retail deposit base, a client-centric wholesale and retail franchise and a substantial and growing assurance and wealth management offering. This group provides an ample range of wholesale and retail banking services through five main business clusters, namely Nedbank Capital, Nedbank Corporate, Nedbank Business Banking, Nedbank Retail and Nedbank Bancassurance & Wealth. Nedbank Group focuses on Southern Africa, with the group positioned as a bank for all – from both a retail and a wholesale banking point of view. Nedbank Group offers banking services which comprise business, corporate and retail banking,

property finance, investment banking, private banking, foreign exchange and securities trading. It also generates income from private equity, credit card issuing and processing services, custodial services, unit trust administration, asset management services and bancassurance.

Making things happen With Nedbank’s proud slogan ‘make things happen’, the question is posed: how did Nedbank make the Phase 2 development green? A sustainability review of the design took place in 2007 by a group consisting of WSP GREEN by DESIGN, PJC Carew Consulting and The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The review panel evaluated the design and suggested initiatives to improve the sustainable performance of the building. The recommendations were categorised and prioritised using the ‘shades of green’ approach, which classified the initiatives into three levels of sustainability, including good practice, best practice and cutting edge. After the sustainability review, WSP GREEN by DESIGN was appointed to assist in implementing environmental initiatives

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and to guide the professional design team towards a 4 Star level of Green Star SA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Office Design v1 rating which was achieved on 15 October 2009. In addition, the project team is currently pursuing registration for a Green Star SA Offices As Built v1 rating. A Greenfield site was not used as the building is located on previously developed land. Taking the land use and ecology into consideration, the topsoil on the site was taken away by the sub-contractor, cleaned and reused on other development projects, while the ecological value of the Nedbank Phase 2 site was enhanced beyond its previously existing state. The building is predominantly framed in concrete with 95% recycled content for rebars and a minimum fly-ash content of 30% on average. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nedbank had wanted the Phase 2 building to be a green building long before the rule book came out,â&#x20AC;? says Xavier Huyberechts, senior executive partner, GLH & Associates Architects. To go green, Nedbank required that all emissions from materials and processes possess refrigerant and gaseous fire suppressants and that thermal insulants have an Ozone Depleting Potential of zero. Volatile Organic Compounds of the office interior

paint and carpets have been reduced to a bare minimum. The indoor environment quality also turned green, via fresh air intake in the building being 100% greater then required by SANS 10400-O. The inclusion of carbon dioxide sensors, integrated at the return points on each floor, ensures continuous monitoring and adjustment of the amount of fresh air entering the building. The Mean Value levels were predicted to be between -0.5 and +0.5, calculated in accordance with ISO 7730 using standard clothing and metabolic rate values during occupied hours during the year. Although 60% of the offices have direct line of sight to the outdoors, noise from the outside has been minimised, while the noise levels within the offices have been reduced in accordance with in SANS 10103: 2004. As with most buildings that comply with the smoking rules, the Nedbank Phase 2 Building is nonsmoking and has no designated smoking areas internally.

A conservative approach With regards to water, once municipality reticence has been overcome, a Blackwater treatment system,

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a project innovation, will be installed to provide recycled water for all non-potable water uses including

efficient fixtures and fittings. The Blackwater treatment system, once it is installed will further reduce

irrigation, toilets and cooling towers. Another project innovation is the implementation of a rain water harvesting plant that will collect and treat rain water for use along with the recycled water.

the outflow.

To ensure significant savings in water consumption, water meters for all major water uses have been connected to a Building Management System, which supports proper facility management of water consumption. Pump testing requires no consumption of water, efficient water fixtures and fittings have been installed and isolation valves on each floor limit the amount of water used for maintenance. The fire system has been designed to direct sprinkler water from maintenance drain-downs to the Blackwater treatment plant for on-site reuse and all landscaping has been designed to include low water consumption plants. Another green initiative is in the field of waste management. This involves a dedicated storage area provided for the separation and collection of paper, glass, plastics, metals, used compact fluorescent light bulbs and other materials. All outflows to the sewerage system, due to occupant use, has been reduced by implementing highly

Energy saving entailed the implementation of efficient open circuit evaporative cooling towers for heat rejection of the chillers. The partial economy cycle has been designed to provide 100% fresh air to 60% of the floor plates when outside conditions allow it. Lighting power densities were put in place for 95% of the offices with an energy use of 2.25 W/m2 per 100 Lux. In addition, a programmable digital lighting system has been provided for the offices. The lighting design achieves an average maintained illumination level of no more than 400 Lux for the offices and high frequency ballasts have been installed in all the fluorescent luminaries.

Quality management Commissioning had to be done in accordance with CIBSE, The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; commissioning codes, at practical completion. The design team and contractor had to transfer project knowledge to the building owner through documented design intent, as-built drawings, operations and maintenance manuals, commissioning reports and the actual training of

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building management staff. To tune the building systems, monthly monitoring will need to be conducted for one year after practical completion. A Building User’s Guide was compiled for staff in close cooperation with design professionals. The main contractor on the project, Group Five, developed and implemented an on-site Environmental Management Plan that will require continuous monitoring. During construction, the main contractor also tracked all waste streams and completed quarterly reports on waste generation, recycling and reuse. As transport and motor vehicles are not regarded as ‘green’, it was decided that the number of parking spaces would only be allocated according to the minimum local requirements. Five levels of underground parking with 1 598 parking bays are available. Dedicated parking bays have been set aside to provide for hybrid vehicles, motorbikes and bicycles, in order to promote fuel-efficient transport. Complete bicycle facilities were constructed with change rooms, showers and space for bicycle storage, in the form of racks, to encourage the use of bicycles as a means of transportation. As the Nedbank Phase 2

building is located within the centre of Sandton, the use of public transportation is encouraged. In the future, this will include the Bus Rapid Transit system that will have a bus stop on Rivonia Road and the Gautrain Sandton Station. Residential dwellings in close proximity will further reduce the need for long distance commuting for those who opt to stay close to work. The relative scores of the Nedbank Phase 2 building for each Green Star category include: 75% for management; 52% for indoor environment quality; 30% for energy; 71% for transport; 86% for water; 36% for materials; 43% for land use and ecology and lastly, 50% for emissions.

Painting a ‘green’ picture Along with the environmental initiatives that were implemented in the Phase 2 development, the ‘greening’ of the wall covering was put in place through the use of Dulux Trade Ecosure paint. This product forms part of the first ‘green’ range introduced by Dulux. Used on most of the interior walls,

Consistant Durable Quality

Low VOC

Paint f or a Greene r Future

FACT:

• Reduced VOC content Less than 16g/L • Contributes towards points in the IEQ category of Green Star SA

Environmental benefits no longer have to be chosen at the expense of performance when specifying paints. The Ecosure range from Dulux Trade provides high quality, long lasting finishes with excellent application characteristics and colour choice. Dulux Trade Ecosure can be tinted using the Dulux Trade Colour System to allow flexibility in colourful decorating while taking the environment into account. Available in both Silk and Matt finishes in 5L and 20L. Dulux Trade is a Silver founding member of the Green Building Council of South Africa and our specifiers have been trained on the Green Star rating tool.

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this low VOC paint creates a picture of eco-friendliness, contributing to Nedbank’s green-star rating. When the Nedbank Phase 2 project commenced, there was no ‘green’ paint available on the South African market. Dulux was very accommodating in that they started to manufacture this ‘green’ paint in order to meet the requirement that paint should be produced locally for the Nedbank project. Dulux Trade SA, a professional provider of paint products and services, prides itself in being one of the

chemicals business, the company aspires towards being an innovative, socially and environmentally responsible organisation with brands that provide value for money, good technical performance and minimal impact on the environment and people’s health. Also belonging to SAPMA (South African Paint Manufacturers Association), Dulux’s product stewardship policies are an integral part of its strategies in Africa. Akzo-Nobel and Dulux are passionate about introducing new ideas and developing sustainable answers for their customers, such as Nedbank.

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Companies, Generit has been recognised for its commitment to sustainability. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The biggest role Geberit played in the Nedbank Phase 2 project was the placement of the Pluvia Syphonic roof drainage system,â&#x20AC;? says Mark Schurr, operations director, Geberit. Geberit used the more eco-friendly HDPE pipes, rather than the conventional PVC Pipes. These were a requirement for the Nedbank project.

The high-performance Geberit Pluvia roof outlets are linked together directly under the roof with a non-sloping collector pipe. Large roof areas can thus be drained through a single discharge stack. This simplifies planning and reduces construction time. Cost-intensive discharge stacks and drains are dispensed with, multiplying both the planning options available to the architect and the potential uses for the building. The technical principle and the high drainage rate of Geberit Pluvia ensure that the system can be used in a wide range of applications.

Geberit Pluvia is a roof drainage system based on an intelligent negative pressure suction system. This system offers solutions for the architecture of today, providing architects with considerably greater flexibility in the planning of buildings, in the utilisation of space and in the co-ordination of different building requirements.

Some of the many advantages of using this system include less planning effort, fewer discharge stacks and roof outlets and the simplification of building planning, permitting optimum space utilisation. A diminished need for discharge stacks reduces the outlay for underground drain connections and surface lines as well as the costs for the property developer.

Knight Shopfitters are Proud to be Associated with the Nedbank Phase II Development

Physical Address: Unit 7, Citrus Street Industrial Park, Citrus Street, Laser Park, Honeydew, Gauteng Postal Address: PO Box 1477, Honeydew, 2040 Contact numbers: Tel: +27 11 794-6551 Fax: +27 11 794-5055 Email: knightshop@telkomsa.net Web: www.knightshopfitters.co.za

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At the forefront of the move Group Five Building, as the main contractor on the Nedbank Phase 2 project, was at the forefront of the move towards a cleaner environment. The Group Five construction team put in a massive effort to achieve the standards set by the Green Star SA– Office v1 rating tool. As one of the largest construction and materials manufacturing companies in southern Africa, Group Five is a broad-based infrastructure company with a balanced portfolio of businesses across selected geographies in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Offering multi-disciplinary construction and engineering skills and expertise, the company achieves delivery of all aspects of projects, including concept development and design.

With years of construction experience, Group Five has played a major role in the development of southern Africa’s infrastructure, achieving a reputation both nationally and internationally for innovation and professionalism. “We monitored the programme very closely and any deviations or activities slacking behind were immediately addressed. Every person knew exactly what was going on and what was expected of him. Each morning, the previous day would be discussed in terms of work being done, together with how we were going to go forward. Group Five was chosen for this project because of our previous track record, the dedicated team we have and the spirit presented by our team,” says Johan Matthee, Senior Project Manager, Group Five.

Derrington Floors – suppliers and installers of superior wooden flooring including the following: Solid wood flooring, Super-Engineered wood flooring, Engineered wood flooring, Bamboo flooring, Laminate flooring Suntups Super-Engineered wood flooring was chosen for Nedbank's Phase II building – the flooring chosen offering all the benefits of an engineered floor along with the useful life of a solid wood floor whilst using the optimum quantity of valuable timber. Tel: 082 900 3343 Fax: 086 666 1686 Email: info@derrington.co.za

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Not just a desk With eight levels of office space, Phase 2 of the Nedbank Head Office will provide new accommodation for 3,000 employees. With a team comprising GLH Architects, Terra Ether Architects, Claassen Auret, Aurecon, Coffey Projects, Group 5 Building and WSP Structures, among others, the Nedbank Phase 2 building has become more than just an office with a desk. We all know the term ‘sick-building syndrome.’ Although this definition may refer to a human health condition where infections are caused by exposure to contaminants within a building as a result of poor ventilation, this term also applies to the design and architecture of a specific building. When it comes to the layout of a building, the colour palette

used, the interior design, the internal and external lighting, among others, the imperative is to create the perfect work environment through correct structural and design implementation. “The aim of architecture is to create environments for people to work and live in that they are proud of and that they are happy to associate themselves with. Paying attention to a work environment does a lot in terms of increasing the employees’ performance and in keeping staff. The quality of the work environment is very important to us,” says Huyberechts. “The client wanted to create a large office, which would bring departments together. By bringing people together, it would in turn make communication stronger between departments. We pride ourselves in having created a work environment

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that people like to work in and creating a building that works and does what it is intended do. Our primary aim was to create an office, but for us, it was going beyond functionality. By achieving that, we have reached where we want to be. If you speak to people in Nedbank, they are positive and happy people,” adds Huyberechts. The simple offices, canteens, amenities, little shops and green openness of the parks, allow for the mixing of people, creating a relaxed way of working. “It is a building that people want to go to work in. Nedbank’s employees love going there. For them, work is more than just a desk,” explains Huyberechts.

Greenery within cement In order to improve on the previous working environments of Nedbank’s employees, it was essential for the architects to go back to the original design of the past offices. Before the Nedbank Head Office was built in Sandton, the staff were housed in various office blocks across the Johanneburg CBD. Johannesburg’s inner city, often referred to as the ‘cement jungle’, is crowded with developments, busy roads, traffic-jams and over-bearing office blocks. Essentially, the offices were housed in dense office buildings which were seen as alienating to the employees.

As nature, with its green elements, affects the working environment, Nedbank Phase 2 was designed to surround two beautiful spaces of greenery in the form of two parks. The greenery has given the employees of Nedbank an exceptional type of work environment. With flora and fauna, large lawns of grass, wild geese, birds, winding walking paths and seating benches, this is truly an escape from the city hustle-and-bustle where employees can spend their lunch breaks relaxing and decompressing. “When you are in the park, you cannot hear the buzzing of the city. This, in itself, is an achievement,” says Huyberechts.

A timeless piece Imperative to the design is the creation of a timeless building, one that shows the bank’s long-lasting duration and stability within South Africa, whilst differentiating its design and appearance from other banking developments. For the architects, it was important to design a building that ‘ages well’. “We used a slightly classical look for the building, avoiding falling into a neo-classical appearance. People are not scared of this type of architecture. It has already been assimilated through the Nedbank Phase 1 building. As the architectural ‘handwriting’

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had already been done in the first phase, we made

It was important to the client that Phase 2 be kept

a strong reference to the past architectural styles

in line with Phase 1 in terms of development, con-

and forms that are recognised by the general pub-

struction and design. “This proves that we did not

lic.” A solid identity, from an architectural point of

go wrong in the development of phase 1,” con-

view, was developed. “Each of our clients has an

cludes Huyberechts.

architectural ‘handwriting’ which inevitably becomes their identity,” says Huyberechts.

A landmark in Sandton

The architecture, with its modernity and palette of

Nedbank Phase 2 is located on a prime site in the

light colours, is very striking, creating a distinct pres-

heart of Sandton and although the building itself

ence within the Sandton area. It was about being

is not tall enough to feature as part of the skyline,

strikingly different, yet easy recognisable.

it however can be said that “anyone who knows

The architecture, although not alien to global architecture, does not fall into the pitfall of trends. “Following

Sandton, knows the Nedbank Phase 2 building,” says Huyberechts.

popular trends in architecture can be dangerous, as

The building seeks to benefit the whole of Sand-

one day a building is trendy, but then the next day it is

ton by bettering and integrating city living. This is

dead. We did not want to fall into international trends,

accomplished by opening the building up to the

where you take an international architectural extract

street via an active face. “There are no other build-

and place it in South Africa,” adds Huyberechts.

ings like this that are ‘open’ and active. This is an

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innovation,” says Huyberechts. After convincing the client not to have a hard edge, the active edge along Maude Street was established through retail shops, a high end restaurant and a Nedbank branch which are open to the public. “It is a landmark in Sandton because of its size and its presence within the precinct,” adds Huyberechts. Walking through Nedbank Phase 2, the immense effort that has gone into making this development an eco-friendly work environment becomes apparent. With people spending a substantial amount of their lives working in offices, it’s imperative that office environments encourage good health and provide a place in which people can reach their full career potential. Nedbank Phase 2 is already creating the dream work environment for the lucky staff that will work within this development. For them, this is truly a reality. <

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LEGACY CORNER: JOINING THE STYLE HUB OF JOHANNESBURG

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Strange, but true, all of the accommodation offerings around the tremendously popular Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton are Legacy products. The latest to join the fold are the Da Vinci Hotel and Suites supported by the Legacy Corner Mall. The Legacy Group was founded by Bart Dorrestein and the late Bruno Corte just over a decade ago. The intention was, just as the group’s name suggests, to leave a legacy of hospitality and residential properties, an African portfolio built and run to the highest international standards, located across Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. It’s not just fine four and five star hotels that feature in the Legacy portfolio. There are a host of bush lodges and lifestyle retreats such as Kwa Maritane, Bakubung and Tshukudu in the Pilanesberg, the Kruger Park Lodge in Mpumalanga and The Windhoek Country Club in Namibia that add spice to the selection on offer. In addition to straightforward hotel accommodation, the group also sells sectional title hotel suites and fractional ownership in the Legacy Private Residences and develops mixed-use lifestyle properties that include gaming and retail facilities as well.

A winning formula If you are fortunate enough to be invited to the triple storey penthouse of the Michelangelo Towers, you will get a bird’s eye view of just how substantial the Legacy foothold is in Nelson Mandela Square. Once the Gautrain’s station has been completed, adjacent to the square, the Legacy stable of the Michelangelo Hotel, Da Vinci Hotel, Michelangelo Towers, Raphael Penthouse Suites and the Da Vinci Suites will come into their own as demand in this vibrant business hub surges. The classic Michelangelo Hotel made waves when it was first built on the new retail square across from Sandton City. Its success prompted further

Legacy corner external view from the street.

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hospitality development and subsequently the Michelangelo Towers broke the mould offering exclusive apartments in a lavish style in the tallest building in Sandton. With the Legacy formula of elegance, charisma and commitment to service firmly entrenched in the area, Sandtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest offering has now arrived to complete the picture. Legacy Corner is 17 storeys of mixed-use facilities situated on the corner of 5th Avenue and Maude Streets in Sandton, directly opposite the stalwart Sandton City retail and office complex, the Sandton Sun Hotel, the Sandton Towers Intercontinental Hotel and the Sandton Convention Centre. The retail component of this new development is situated on three levels that are linked with the upper and lower retail levels of the existing Nelson Mandela Square. BAI are renowned for their retail excellence â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the new Legacy corner Mall is testament to this excellence. Already open, the mall has met with great approval by shoppers and tenants alike.

Below the two shopping mall levels, is the glamorous Marco Polo entertainment centre offers 300 state of the art interactive electronic bingo terminals as a diversion. Themed as a Venetian venue, the Marco Polo celebrates the life and times of the famed medieval Italian explorer that traversed the globe on numerous journeys of discovery. Owned and operated by Galaxy International, a UK company with over 15 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience in Bingo development, the Marco Polo has an intimate piano bar with a romantic dance floor as well as a show bar and a dedicated smoking room called The Crystal Room. The Da Vinci Hotel has 166 en suite hotel rooms, 50 single, double and triple bedroomed apartment suites as well as two levels of four luxury duplex penthouses. A fitness gym, infinity pool and wellness spa are amongst the perks. The architects who have helped with the success of the Sandton Legacy portfolio are Bentel Associates International (BAI) who designed the iconic

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Mens boutique in Legacy Mall.

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Michelangelo Towers and who are now responsible for Sandton’s new addition, Legacy Corner. “We are most excited about the completion of Legacy Corner, which we believe will be a fantastic new addition to the Sandton skyline – the building is a careful balance between embracing classical elements which is in keeping with its neighbours, especially Nelson Mandela Square, and modern architecture” says Franc Brugman, architect responsible for both the Michelangelo Towers and Legacy Corner. “We have also strived to include sustainable technologies in the design of the building as far as the commercial budget of the development would allow. We are proud to have been able to decrease the energy demand of the building by as much as 15% through the inclusion of: solar panels that assist the electrical boilers, heat exchange technology that collects the hot water produced by the air conditioning chiller units, insulation to hot water pipes, the use of performance glass

where required to reduce the AC heat load and simple specifications like low flow shower heads to decrease water consumption. Furthermore, the building will have a building management system (BMS) installed which will assist in monitoring the energy consumption of the building in the future.”

Dining in style Intended to be run as a 24-hour operation, the Da Vinci Lounge & Bar will be a welcome addition to Sandton’s portfolio of hip and happening entertainment venues. The Wine & Cigar Bar promises to be another popular spot, although undoubtedly one of the main draw cards will be the graciously elegant Maximillien Restaurant, with its expansive windows and extended deck giving patrons the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and views of Sandton. Given a New York French bistro character, Maximillien exudes a sense of grandeur thanks to the rich

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dark brown bamboo flooring, the pewter pressed ceilings, the antique mirrors framed by rectangular glass light boxes and the Douglas Jones tiles. The interior designers, Varoom Interiors, took on the challenge of converting a long rectangular space into something inviting, classy and sophisticated. “The idea was to mirror the style of the renowned Balthazar restaurant in New York. Balthazar is a converted leather wholesaler’s warehouse and is known for its exceptional design,” says Vanessa Preston of Varoom Interiors. “It has a French bistro/patisserie style, but with a very warm vibe. That’s what our brief was for Maximillien, but we wanted to make it a smarter, sexier version. The silvery pewter moulding around the bar kept to the Balthazar theme and we added in the lions heads to give it the African context.” The rectangular space was subtly divided into ‘stages’, with the welcome area and the bar at the front, a raised section that could be cleared for entertainment, the main eatery area and then the outdoor terrace. The shopping, gaming and dining treats aside, Legacy Corner has another treat up its sleeve. Spanning three levels, the Legacy TV wall, wrapped within the granite clad escalator atrium, offers exceptional exposure to premium brand names wanting to reach a pre-qualified premium Sandton consumer. Through the growth of the Legacy portfolio, the key decision makers have appreciated that it’s the details that count. At Legacy Corner, this is certainly one of the philosophies that has been integral to the design. Mosaics in the reception area and on the pillars in the retail mall, lower lux levels in the lighting to give the shops ‘centre stage’ and hotel décor designed by world-renowned interior designer, Stephen Falcke, all contribute to the heightened sense of grandeur of the final piece of the Legacy collection on Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton. <

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Marco Polo bingo machines.

Maximillien Restaurant with raised stage (the flooring is darkened bamboo) and the bar.

The Crystal Room in Marco Polo.

The bar at the Maximillien Restaurant.

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THE JUXTAPOSITION OF

OLD AND NEW

AT MONTECASINO By Bev Hermanson

Conceived as a walled Tuscan village, in line with the previous phases built at Montecasino, The Pivot is a unique blend of office, retail and hospitality spaces that offers convenience and style to those looking for accommodation and business facilities in the upmarket suburb of Fourways.

The Pivot courtyard showing part of the office complex, the conference block, the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Pivotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sculpture designed by renowned Johannesburg artist, Marco Cianfanelli, and the entrance to the hotel.

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The open plan kitchen creates a ‘theatre of cooking’ interactive with the guests in the dining room.

Easily accessible from the N1 freeway, the Lanseria and OR Tambo Airports and the business hubs of Sandton and Midrand, the casino complex known as Montecasino offers an excellent blend of entertainment to the residents of Johannesburg. The first phase of Montecasino, comprising a gaming floor, various upmarket restaurants and boutiquestyled stores, along with a Pieter Toerien theatre, NuMetro cinema complex, fast food court and kiddies entertainment zone, was opened in 2000. Launched amidst much fanfare, Montecasino rapidly became one of the most popular gaming destinations in Gauteng. Initially, the 5-star Palazzo Hotel built alongside the casino, was the only hotel accommodation nearby, but as subsequent phases came on stream, offices, an additional theatre – the 1 900 seater Teatro – and another hotel ‘on the square’ added more spice.

The latest offering at Montecasino, in the form of The Pivot, adds a great deal of value as an extra dimension to the already popular entertainment node. A joint venture between Tsogo Sun, Abland and ABSA, The Pivot fulfills a number of needs, one of which was the provision of extra parking. Furthermore, for those living in the vicinity and for those living north of Wit-koppen Road, The Pivot offers an excellent business premises alternative to the congestion experienced in Rivonia, Sunninghill and Sandton. Over 16 000 m2 of rentable office space is available in blocks of between 50 m2 right up to 13000 m2. Each office block has its own core facilities in the form of lifts, stairs and toilets, with access to the open air communal square. A dominant feature in the square is the huge sculpture by renowned Johannesburg artist, Marco Cianfanelli. The brief to Cianfanelli was to create a tall sculpture that would add a touch of modernity to the Tuscan surroundings. “I tried to capture the idea of a pivot

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Multiple volume reception area of the Southern Sun Montecasino Hotel and the sweeping staircase leading off the reception area.

being both a point of origin and a source of energy,” explains Cianfanelli. The interpretation suggests that the pivot represents centrifugal forces and Cianfanelli decided to depict this by arranging multiple fins around a single point, to create the effect of energy radiating outwards. The result has been quite a feat of engineering, at 18 metres tall, weighing six tons and wired to light up at night.

“The addition of another hotel increases our total room stock to over 600 in the Montecasino node,” says Kevin Page, director of development for the Tsogo Sun Group. “This has been a welcome extension to the accommodation already available. The additional offices have further added an exciting business opportunity, especially since we have included a 1 200m2 conference centre as an extra attraction.”

The office facilities are complemented by a choice selection of retail outlets and restaurants. In fact, every convenience has been considered, from rentable meeting rooms and boardrooms, to hairdressers, dry cleaners and even printers. In addition, tenants of the office accommodation have access to the facilities in the new four star Southern Sun Montecasino Hotel that is part of the new development – in particular the 120 seater restaurant, the lounge area and the Venetian bar.

Modelled on the Palazzo Corsini, a fifteenth century villa nestling on the slopes between Gianicolo and the Tiber River in Italy, the new Southern Sun Montecasino Hotel, with its distinctive pink and cream exterior, offers 194 rooms and boasts a theatre-style open plan kitchen interactive with the restaurant, a high tech gym in the basement and a spacious lounge and bar. An extensive wooden decked terrace outside overlooks the pool and wetland area on the northern side of the hotel, which, although it faces

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The Southern Sun Montecasino Hotel enjoys prime position as part of The Pivot development in Fourways.

one of the busy traffic circles, is effectively shielded from public view. “What is special about this development is the unique fusion of old meeting new,” says Ryan Illgner, interior designer for the hotel and conference facilities and Director of Blacksmith Africa Interior Design Consultants. “The juxtaposition is evident throughout the development and especially in the hotel, which resembles an old Venetian building that has been refurbished.” The ‘remnants’ of the ‘old’ building are evident in the antique furniture pieces, the refurbished ceilings, reclaimed oak floors and timber work. A contemporary element is added through the use of glass for the balustrades, stainless steel detailing and the intermingling of classic contemporary furniture pieces accented in places with strong colours.

“The Pivot project was a wonderful experience in that it combined the talents of some of the top consultants in all disciplines within South Africa, who were given the creative freedom by the client to create a unique development where every detail has been carefully considered and tested,” Illgner adds. “The future for The Pivot can only be successful. Its beautiful classic Venetian appeal is seamlessly integrated with contemporary design and all the convenience afforded by modern technology.” <

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CAPE TOWN, BEACHES, SAND AND CORAL A PERFECT COMBINATION

CORAL INTERNATIONAL CAPE TOWN HOTEL:

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Cape Town, with its beaches, wine farms, Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch Gardens and the V & A Waterfront, is considered one of the world’s most beautiful cities. And, the perfect hotel to experience its riches is the Coral International Cape Town. For the first time in South Africa, guests can experience the ideal combination of Coral Hotels & Resorts’ distinctive hospitality, through the operation of the Coral International Cape Town Hotel, and Cape Town’s beauty.

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The client, Cii Holdings, is one of the most established business houses in South Africa, with a wide range of commercial activities spread across diverse segments, including Cii Hotel & Resorts Cape Town (Pty) Ltd, and is now poised to be a major player in the hospitality industry.

A 5-star brand

An evening view of the Coral International Cape Town Hotel. Al Zaeem has the shisha for every occasion.

Coral International, being the 5-star brand that it is, has brought its blend of refinement, elegance and luxury, topped by its state-of-the-art facilities, to the South African shores in the form of this new hotel. “It has the look and feel of a 5-star international hotel,” says Clive Shepherd, managing director, DSA Architects International. Featuring 137 spacious rooms and suites – each equipped with the finest amenities – Coral International Cape Town combines world-class comfort with outstanding service. A swimming pool with a pool deck, meeting rooms, a business centre, two restaurants serving international cuisine, a lounge area, spa and gym facilities on the mezzanine floor, are also available. The Coral International Cape Town Hotel provides beautifully decorated rooms and suites with amenities including luxurious linens, plasma TVs, cable TV, high speed wired and Wi-Fi Internet access. “The rooms are spacious and those on the top level are all suites, which are very large in size,” says Rob Low, director, DSA Architects International.

A hint of Arabesque flavour With regards to the interior feel and design, the client wanted to have a hint of Arabesque theme throughout the hotel, with a combination of middle-eastern and oriental elements. “Coral International Cape Town brings a new concept to Cape Town with a powerful architectural design. The idea from the outset was to explore a strikingly different approach to design which is reflected in the hotel’s distinctive architecture. Basically, the hotel incorporates the best of modern

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architecture with a touch of Arabesque and African design such as the beautiful chandelier in the lobby, the arches at the entrance and the ornate chairs. It gives you a feeling of a courtyard – this is such a signature element of Arabian design. While developing the public spaces, much attention has been given to creating comfortable and relaxing zones while giving our guests a unique experience. Extensive amenities and facilities are interwoven into the layout to offer opportunities for social interaction, leisure and recreation. Exquisite traditional African touches and attention to detail bring a sense of familiarity and harmony from our local cultures. The restaurants are equally imaginatively designed in terms of colours and décor. The rooms are generously proportioned and provide a relaxed ambience with a sleek and ultra-modern look. Overall, Coral International Cape Town is a vibrant, high-quality product that embraces the future while valuing the traditions,” says Jacqui Booyzen, General Manager, Coral International Cape Town.

The architectural style of the hotel blends into the historical context of the Bo-Kaap precinct.

The Bo-Kaap The hotel, being located adjacent to the Bo-Kaap, a Muslim community in Cape Town, created challenges for the team at DSA Architects International, who, from a design point of view, had to mould the hotel into the precinct and work within the Bo-Kaap context. The ‘Bo Kaap’, or ‘Cape Malay Quarter’ as it is also known, belongs to the culturally and historically most interesting parts of Cape Town. Many of the inhabitants are descendants of immigrants from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Malaysia. The Cape Malays have preserved their cultural identity and Muslim faith. The old Malay Quarter with its steep and narrow streets, the simple artisan’s houses, Mosques and Minaretts reaches from Buitengracht Street right up to the slopes of Signal Hill. The houses have been restored and colourfully painted. The architectural style is a synthesis of Cape

View of the spacious lobby.

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Views of the pool deck.

The business centre.

One of several meeting rooms.

Boasting 137 rooms and suites, Coral International Cape Town takes modern luxury to a higher level. Each suite includes an elegant and relaxing living area with stunning views of Table Mountain.

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The hair salon and nail bar.

The state-of-the-art gym.

The Al Nafoora restaurant specialises in Mediterranean cuisine.

The Mezbaan restaurant takes the best elements from India and Arabia and adds a modern twist to create one of Cape Townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most original restaurants.

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Dutch and Edwardian. “It is a residential area with lots of colourfully painted cottages,” says Shepherd.

Challenges faced

View of the steam room.

With the Coral International Cape Town hotel located on a very prominent, but restricted, corner of the precinct, at the base of Table Mountain, there were a few design challenges that needed to be addressed. “From a design point of view, the hotel had to sit well aesthetically. To ensure that views of the mountain and other well-known features of CapeTown were not obstructed by the building, the authorities imposed height restrictions on the building. To compensate for this, we went out of our way to optimise the views of the Waterfront and Table Mountain from every aspect within the hotel and especially made an effort to give every bedroom in the hotel a view,” explains Shepherd.

The hotel’s two restaurants provide diners with distinctive experiences, signature dishes and ambiance.

The site restrictions required improvisation to mould the building with the corner. The courtyard terrace and spa were given privacy through the use of form, which shields both facilities from public view. “Another challenge we faced was the construction of the parking. As the hotel is bound by three streets it had limited space for parking. Our solution was to build all the parking for the hotel in the basement,” says Low. “We’ve managed to achieve a 137 room hotel of a very high quality, as requested by the client. It fulfills the client’s vision of an Islamic Hotel within a Muslim community, while incorporating all of the necessary facilities to serve an international clientele,” concludes Shepherd. “We embraced the aesthetics which are relevant to the environment of Cape Town, and succeeded in meeting the client’s expectations of return on investment.” <

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SOCIAL

CONSCIOUS

DESIGN

FOR A

SUSTAINABLE

FUTURE:

WORLD DESIGN CAPITAL

FOR 2014?

The City of Cape Town has signaled its intention to bid for IDA World Design Capital™ (WDC) in 2014. The WDC project is a biennial international designation created to identify and recognise cities that have effectively used design to revive the city and improve its quality of life. The WDC designation forms part of the battery of projects of the International Design Alliance (IDA), which consists of the International Council for Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid), International Council of Graphic Design Associations (Icograda) and the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI). Under the direction of Icsid, the WDC designation promotes the importance of good design by strengthening and empowering cities to use design to position their competitive advantages from social, cultural and economic points of view. This status will give Cape Town the opportunity to showcase its vision and its achievements through a year-long programme of design-led events and activities similar to what World Design Capital 2010 Seoul is currently doing and what Torino achieved in 2008. Socially conscious design is at the core of Cape Town’s bid: design that seeks solutions to the City’s challenges whilst creating an environment that is sustainable and inclusive.

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Flowerball light by Heath Nash.

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Cape Town Stadium. Image courtesy of City of Cape Town.

Design Indaba 10x10 Housing Project with architect Luyanda Mphalwa.

Nested bunkbeds by Tsai.

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Cape Town is already home to numerous cutting-edge designers and the breeding ground of award winning, groundbreaking designs. Designers like Haldane Martin with his Zulu Mama chair which draws on indigenous knowledge and craft techniques, Heath Nash with his refashioning of used plastic products, Luyanda Mpalhwa’s 10x10 Housing Project submission, Tsai Design’s stacking beds and Mokena Makeka’s public buildings, are all examples of how designers are applying a more holistic approach to design; seeing it as part of a greater system instead of as a single item detached from social or environmental context.

system. The Cape Town railway station and the airport terminal have also been completely transformed. All of these have a substantive impact on people’s connection with, and in, the city. All these projects aim to give the poor greater access to employment, give them parts of the city from which they were displaced and the relief from monotonous, bleak aesthetics. Socially conscious design acknowledges current world dynamics and uses design in innovative ways that seek to weave solutions into the way in which design is conceived,

But, the City’s urban landscape and lack of social cohesion reflect the planning architecture of apartheid and latter day political economic policies which resulted in the majority of citizens living on the urban fringes, condemned to poverty, unemployment and a lack of access to resources.

how its application is used, how its products or services are consumed, and lastly how its waste products are absorbed back into the ecosystem. Socially conscious design employs methodologies that make use of local techniques, are labour intensive and that create employment. It uses products that are not harmful, scarce or non-renewable and

In 2014, when South Africa commemorates 20 years of democracy, Cape Town will hopefully have a compelling story to tell of designled transformation. Socially conscious design is already evident in a number of public sector projects like the Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrade project in Khayelitsha, the upgrading of public spaces in the broader Cape Town area through the Dignified Spaces programme and the legacy left by the 2010 Soccer World Cup. The latter has seen infrastructure investment, which has emphasised pedestrianisation and embedded ‘peoplefirst’ design in its development of urban parks, pedestrian and cycle routes and the beginnings of an Integrated Rapid Transport (IRT)

which can be reabsorbed into the ecosystem without obstructing the planet’s ability to regulate itself. Cape Town’s WDC 2014 bid aims to catalyse a new way of thinking in which socially conscious design is integrated into the language of design and embedded into a curriculum of all design-led thinking. < For more information about the World Design Capital or how to enter your project, visit http://www.capetown2014.co.za/ Images courtesy of Design Indaba.

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MAKING SENSE OF STRATEGY & POLICY: THE CURRENT STATE OF DESIGN PROMOTION By Jennie Fourie

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Most designers from disciplines across the board have little or no interest in design promotion strategies and policies. Truth be told, they most probably don’t spend a minute thinking about these issues while there are deadlines to meet, plans to be made and projects to present. In a study to support the activities of a South African task team on design promotion, Jacques Lange, past president of the International Council of Graphic Design Associations (Icograda), collated information on design promotion strategies and policies globally. This study found that Finland and South Korea were the only countries in the world that have a complete design system that implements design support programmes targeting business, the general public and design education with national design policies operating at government level. Asia and the Nordic countries, in which South Korea and Finland reside respectively, are the most vigorous regions when it comes to design promotion. In fact, Asia stands out with different design promotion structures in China (including Hong Kong), Japan (with no less than four organisations), Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. Over and above Finland, the Nordic countries have organised design structures in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The majority of European Union countries have active national and regional design promotion agencies. Traditionally, design promotion activities were established to support and stimulate the manufacturing industries of countries. A developed manufacturing industry is regarded as a prerequisite for design stimulus to be effective. This might explain one of the reasons why Africa lags behind with South Africa’s SABS Design Institute as one of the only

design promotion structures on the continent. Africa is known for craft-based industries and it might well be that now is the time for new models of related design promotion activities to be developed. In a previous edition of DESIGN> (No.13, 2009), thought leaders from different African countries gave their opinions on what was needed to boost design on the African continent. They unanimously agreed that the design sector did not receive appropriate, if any, support from their governments. As Lindi Ndebele Koka from South African stated in the article: “Comparatively, design does not receive enough governmental support as opposed to the craft and film sectors that were identified by government as potential sectors for economic growth in South Africa, despite the fact that design is also part of the creative industries. Currently governmental stakeholders do not seem to have adequate understanding of the potential of the design sector. The support of the sector requires political advocacy backed by enough research that will motivate the contribution of the sector to benefit and impact on major government imperatives like job creation, poverty alleviation and more.” She added: “Design is still viewed as an ‘elite’ sector, so to speak, where there are serious barriers of entry for ordinary people.” Although no national design policy exist in South Africa at present, the SABS Design Institute, established in 1969 and funded by government, promotes design to support the economic and technological development of South Africa. The Institute’s initiatives include a number of award schemes and design publications, with a focus on education, industry and development.

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There is growing emphasis on the creation of design and innovation structures in South Africa through ad hoc initiatives such as a well-defined craft strategy.

Why should governments care about design promotion? The simple answer to the question why governments should care about design promotion is that it makes economic sense. Let’s take South Korea as an example. In a McKinsey quarterly publication, titled South Korea: Finding its place on the world stage, five essays explore the miracle of South Korea, Asia’s fastest growing economy. During the four decades following the Korean War, this country evolved from one of the most wretched states in the region to one of the most vibrant. It has turned into a manufacturing powerhouse that has virtually eradicated poverty, malnutrition and illiteracy. In a global economic climate that is struggling to recover from the ravages of last year’s recession, South Korea is performing exceptionally well. This country’s economy accelerated in the first quarter of 2010 as rising global demand boosted sales at the nation’s carmakers and electronics manufacturers. Exports surged to more than 30% from a year ago and the South Korean government forecasts that exports will rise 13% this year to $410 billion, with the Hyundai Motor Corporation increasing sales and Samsung Electronics posting a seven-fold increase in profit. Finally, the central bank has raised its 2010 growth forecast to 5.2%.

In an essay titled Designing a Distinctive National Brand in the McKinsey publication, Christopher Graves, states that “South Korea’s investment in design has been substantial, from the Korea Institute of Design Promotion to its 230 design schools to the design institutes at both LG and Samsung”. Graves postulates that South Korea’s investment in design is paying off. “South Korean designers are driving the most innovative designs in the auto industry – the revival of the Camaro, the new concept crossover Cadillac Provoq, the electric Chevy Volt, and the Lincoln MKT. In fashion, South Korean designers have been sewing up excellence as well. In 2008, according to the Financial Times, half of the most talented emerging designers chosen to be honoured in Gen Art’s Fresh Faces fashion exhibition were from South Korea or were Korean American, and at Parsons, The New School of Design in New York, nearly a third of all students are Korean. At Cannes last year, ten Korean films were screened – a record – and one (Thirst) won the Jury Prize…Companies such as LG and Samsung have been sweeping international design awards. In the prestigious iF design rankings, awarded by International Forum Design in Hanover, Germany, Samsung is number one in the world – ahead of number-two Apple. LG is number eight, ahead of German design legends BMW, Miele, and Gaggenau.”

Korea Institute Design Promotion Design became a national imperative in South Korea in 1970 with the establishment of the Korea Institute of Design Promotion, or KIDP. KIDP was established by the Korean government to promote the design industry and expand exports. As

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a national government design organisation, KIDP promotes Korea’s mid to long-term design policies and engages in various exchange programmes with countries around the globe. To meet the demands of the digital design era of the 21st century, KIDP particularly focuses on leading Korea’s economic development and enhancing quality of life. KIDP intends to do this by promoting research and development activities pertaining to design and implementing projects to promote design in effective and systematic ways. With a full-time staff of more than 300, KIDP is based in the six-storey Korea Design Center in Seongnam City and is supported by 16 regional design innovation centres. The design promotion policy that exists in South Korea is legally enforced through the Industrial Design Promotion Act. Several award schemes forms part of KIDP’s initiatives, including the Good Design Awards (product, packaging, environmental, communication, materials & surface, and processing design); the Young Designers Competition (from elementary to high school level); and the Korea Industrial Design Exhibition that showcases the President’s Award and Prime Minister’s Award. The strength of Korean design can be ascribed to an embedded design culture and comprehensive government support programme that addresses all levels. A very clear example of this is that Seoul

T: +27 (0) 12 428 6326 F: +27 (0) 12 428 6546 E: design@sabs.co.za W: www.sabs.co.za

has been successful in its bid to become the IDA 2010 World Design Capital and has declared a strategy to be the Global Centre for Design by 2015.

And the rest of the world? An economic case has been made for design promotion by taking South Korea as an example, but this does not mean that the substantial efforts of other countries should be ignored. The most prominent is the well-known British Design Council in Britain which served as model for many design promotion programmes for many decades. In Europe, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal, to mention just a few, have well-established design promotion initiatives. The Americas and Oceania also have professional bodies, award schemes and the like to promote design. Although the primary goal of design promotion is commercial, the cultural identity of a country or region plays a significant role in the nature of the promotional programmes. And the point of all of this? It is clear that designers should start paying attention to regional, national and international design promotion activities if they would like to elevate the status of their profession on the global platform. By adding their voices to those of pressure groups that are lobbying governments to formalise design strategies and policies, designers can be instrumental in securing a prosperous future for themselves. <

40 YEARS OF DESIGN EXCELLENCE

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REBRANDIN A FEW LEGA CONSIDERA At some point during the life cycle of most organisations, there will come a time when it is considered appropriate to change the corporate identity or its flagship brands. This happens for various reasons, such as with mergers and acquisitions of two or more businesses or purely for the sake of rejuvination or repositioning. Sometimes the reason for rebranding may be connected to a desire to shed a ‘tainted image’. For example, it has recently been reported that the global oil and gas giant, BP, may be considering a re-brand in light of the negative publicity it has received as a result of the oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico. Closer to home it has been reported that the South African Football Association (SAFA) may be considering a change of the popular national football team name BAFANA BAFANA due to the fact that this mark has been registered in the name of another party.

There are a few basic intellectual property considerations which businesses would do well to keep in mind in the rebranding process. Perhaps a good starting point is the recognition that trade marks or brands are a valuable form of intellectual property. Their function is to indicate to the public that ‘these are the goods or services of me, the trade mark owner.’ Their role in attracting custom should not be underestimated since consumers generally stick to the brands that they know or hold in high esteem. That is the power of a good brand. Nowadays the value of trade marks can be reliably calculated and determined, and this is an everyday process accepted by none other than the Receiver of Revenue, as well as financial institutions and the business community. For example, Business Week has ranked COCA-COLA as the most valuable brand in the world with its notional

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NG: AL ATIONS value exceeding US$65 billion. Obviously very few brands can be compared with COCA-COLA, but this brand illustrates well the point that trade marks are valuable property. It stands to reason that a sizeable chunk of the value of a trade mark can be attributed to the exclusivity attached to it. It is therefore critical to ensure that this exclusivity is maintained at all costs, which can normally be achieved through trade mark registrations, domain name registrations and preventing others from diluting the mark. When rebranding, consideration should be given to the protection of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;oldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as well as the new brand in order to prevent potential losses as a result of diverted custom. If a registered trade mark is being discontinued, the registration should be maintained for as long as possible. There will obviously

be a cost implication in maintaining and promoting the brand, which would have to be considered, but in the vast majority of cases the benefit in maintaining the trade mark registration will far outweigh the related cost as this would provide a relatively easy and inexpensive way of preventing potential competitors from profiting from any goodwill in the brand. It will also always be possible for the trade mark owner to sell the brand if it is considered to be expendable, as opposed to merely abandoning it. An important consideration in relation to discontinued brands is that in most jurisdictions trade marks which are not in use in the course of trade will at some point become vulnerable to removal from the Trade Marks Register. In South Africa registered trade marks become vulnerable to such an attack after a period of five years of non-use. In

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order to prevent this from happening, the mark will have to be used in the course of trade at least periodically. As some beer drinkers would be aware, for example, SAB MILLER has discontinued its LION LAGER brand, but in order to prevent the mark from becoming vulnerable to an attack based on non-use, LION LAGER beer is now available in South Africa only during the festive season. When rebranding, protection for the new brand should definitely be secured prior to its launch or publication. Typically this would entail conducting searches of the Registries in all the countries in which one has or intends to have a viable business undertaking, to ensure that the proposed trade mark is available for use and registration. If the mark is available it should be registered immediately in all the relevant classes. This applies equally to business names as well as domain names. In the case of Fletcher Challenge Ltd v Fletcher Challenge Pty Ltd news of the incorporation of A under the name of Fletcher Challenge, which was formed through the merger of three New Zealand compa-

nies, was announced to the Stock Exchange of New Zealand on 22 October 1980. The next day the news appeared in a number of newspapers and financial journals. On the same day, B reserved the company name Fletcher Challenge. In Glaxo Plc v Glaxowellcome Limited, A issued a press release on 23 January 1995, announcing a takeover bid which, if successful, would form a new entity called Glaxo-Wellcome Plc. On 24 January 1995 B filed an application to register the company name Glaxowellcome Limited. Both matters had to be resolved through litigation. An often overlooked aspect of trade marks is that some of them also enjoy copyright protection. If a mark is in the form of logo or a combination of words and a design or device, such as the BP and COCA-COLA trade marks, it will generally also enjoy copyright protection as an ‘artistic work.’ The term ‘artistic work’ as it is used in the Copyright Act No. 98 of 1978 has no reference to artistic quality, and should therefore not be misunderstood. Even ‘plain looking’ logos or visual devices will in most

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instances enjoy copyright protection. Another little known fact is that copyright generally belongs to the author of the particular work and can only be transferred in writing. It makes no difference that the designer was remunerated for creating the logo. Unless there is a written agreement in terms of which ownership of the copyright in the logo or device is transferred to the trade mark owner, the copyright subsisting therein belongs to the designer. So what happens if during the course of A’s rebranding exercise the designer of A’s new logo, as the legitimate owner of the copyright, sells it to B, a competitor of A?

Consequently, A’s rebranding exercise could be stopped dead in its tracks. Depending on the extent of A’s outlay at that stage this could potentially result in a substantial loss, or at least some embarrassment. It is also arguable that a trade mark ‘owner’ who does not also own the copyright in the mark cannot be the bona fide owner of the mark. In terms of section 10(3) of the Act, a mark in relation to which the applicant for registration has no bona fide claim to proprietorship shall not be registered. All of this points to the importance of ensuring that the ownership of the copyright in logo and device marks is secured.

In terms of section 10(12) of the Trade Marks Act 194 of 1993 (“the Act”) a trade mark shall not be registered, or if registered shall be removed from the Register if its registration is contrary to any law. In the circumstances mentioned above if A tries to register the new mark he can be blocked in terms of section 10(12) of the Act. If he uses the mark he will infringe B’s copyright and can therefore be stopped in terms of the Copyright Act.

Rebranding signals change. A new image will cause consumers to take a fresh look at a business. It would be a pity if they find a business which has unwittingly opened itself up to litigation as a result of failing to adequately secure its intellectual property. <

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TRANSFORMING RURAL VILLAGES INTO WEALTHY TOWNS THROUGH THE INDUSTRIALISATION OF CRAFT ENTERPRISES By Leonard Shapiro

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Paper mĂ˘chĂŠ crafter Themba Masala and product developer Leonard Shapiro.

The production of craft products is a major contributor to economies in countries the world over. In some countries, functional craft products are produced in volumes large enough to be supplied to major chain stores. In South Africa, craft-making and the harnessing of hand skills and creative talent into the design and production of craft products for national and global distribution is key to a sector that can contribute significantly to our economy. To achieve this, the set up of purpose-built production line facilities and appropriately mechanised manufacturing

systems are primary components in the continued supply of craft in large volumes to satisfy market demand. Common stereotype: people who live in rural areas in South Africa are typically poor and unemployed. This blinds us to the fact that there are an abundance of sophisticated hand skills and design knowledge available in these areas, which remain untapped and undeveloped. These skills represent a valuable inherent asset that can form the basis of thriving and sustainable crafts enterprises.

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If more employment is created in rural areas, these areas will become more wealthy and the more municipal services rural inhabitants will be able to afford. In addition, individuals will be able to afford better housing, private healthcare, university education, more nutritional foodstuffs and luxury goods. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that simple. To this end, investment in the rural village becomes attractive for certain retail outlets and banks as the demand for their goods and services become affordable. Poverty alleviation funding from the South African National Treasury is directed to a number of government departments who are tasked with using these funds to develop crafts enterprises. The main focus behind the use of poverty alleviation funds in the craft sector is to create sustainable crafts enterprises and jobs based on the utilisation of existing

Raaswater Paper Craft and Design enterprise.

hand skills. This policy and process has been implemented steadily and successfully since 1994. Many crafters have benefited from product development and business skills training interventions provided by service providers contracted to various government departments. Consequently, there are a growing number of craft enterprises that have reached the point where their production rate cannot keep up with the demand for their products. As such, the next logical step in the development of the craft enterprise is the industrialisation of the production system in order to increase manufacturing efficiency and product output, whilst still maintaining product quality. The industrialisation of crafts enterprises that are at the point where they can justify taking this developmental step, leads to a dramatic increase in jobs and wealth. Industrialisation needs to be introduced sensitively and the maintenance of the

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important hand-processes in the manufacturing process needs to be kept so that craft products still have the characteristics that made them desirable in the first place. It is assumed that an enterprise that is ready for industrialisation has typically been in existence for at least three to five years with consistent monthly orders, but now the orders for their goods are now outweighed by their ability to produce and supply. It follows logically that the development of a purpose built production facility, a ‘production workshop’ or ‘factory’, and the introduction of a production system aligned to the manufacturing process of the craft product, will increase production output. Currently, there are crafts enterprises that are at the stage where they can justifiably take this next step and establish a purpose built production facility whilst introducing the appropriate intervention of

manufacturing technologies to assist the people involved in the manufacturing process. It is important to note that any intervention of technology is solely for the alleviation of the drudgery of human labour. To elaborate, the stages in the production process that are repetitive and suited to mechanical intervention should be mechanised. However, machines can never replace the uniqueness and desirability achieved by hand crafted products, and therefore those stages of production such as hand decorating must obviously never be applied through an automated process. Take moulding for example. Mould making machinery can be used to replace human labour when a crafter is making a numerous ceramic plates by hand, where the size of the plate needs to be regular and where the decorative process is irrelevant. The decorative process will of course not be mechanised but will

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remain a hand process. The reason for this is that the decorative process gives the final product its real value, where the consumer is buying the plate primarily for its hand decoration. Mechanising the process of shaping the plate means that many more plates can be made and orders can be taken from retail outlets and chain stores that require supply in large quantities. As orders increase, more people will be required to decorate the plates and consequently more people will be trained and employed for this purpose. The more the merrier!

South Africa is a relatively young democracy and although great strides have been achieved in the crafts sector in the last 15 years, development of the craft sector is embryonic when compared to craft development in other countries. However, importantly, indigenous knowledge skills that form the foundation for the manufacturing techniques in the making of South African crafts are part of South Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s knowledge bank of skills. These skills are home-grown.These techniques have been passed on from generation to generation and although they may employ low-technology in their making, many of these techniques are in fact highly

By supporting the development of sustainable enterprises in rural areas through the industrialisation process, will result in fewer people who live in rural areas needing to seek work in urban areas.

sophisticated.

Raaswater Paper Craft and Design enterprise.

After the industrialisation of a crafts enterprise has been successfully piloted in one village, its

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methodology for development can be applied in all of the provinces, to craft enterprises that are ready for this next important step in their development. There is a craft enterprise in a small village in the Northern Cape province of South Africa called, Raaswater Paper Craft and Design. It was founded in 2002 by paper mâché crafter and designer, Themba Masala. At this time Leonard Shapiro mentored Masala for a period of 18 months. Today, Masala’s craft enterprise now employs 20 people and supplies retail outlets in South Africa, Germany, Switzerland, France and the United Kingdom. This enterprise is now at the stage where the demand for products exceeds the ability to supply timeously. As such, this craft enterprise is a perfect candidate for mechanisation/industrialisation. In essence, a

purpose built factory space is what is needed. If you or your organisation would like to support the Raaswater Paper Craft and Design initiative, please email me at leonard@craftsouthafrica.co.za

ABOUT LEONARD Leonard Shapiro is the director of CraftSouthAfrica, an organisation dedicated to the development of craft enterprises in South Africa. <

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WHAT’S MORE

ALIVE

THAN YOU?

WHAT’S MORE ALIVE THAN YOU™ (WMATY) is an original Italian project producing fashion-art collections of shoes, bags and accessories based on designs by creatives from across the world. The project targets young students of art, architecture, fashion and interior design colleges as well as all those – regardless of age – who have a penchant for fashion art and want to see their ideas realised and rewarded. WHAT’S MORE ALIVE THAN YOU™ collections are unique and include designs developed after artistic and stylistic research, which tell tales from all over the world and use innovative materials and

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original patterns as the expression of a distinctive style for those who want to stand out. There is a substantial difference between standard competitions and WMATY’s creative calls. With WMATY, participants are all on a par, provided that their ideas are new and original. There is no classification with a 1st, 2nd or 3rd place, but a reward for those projects which are consistent with the creative call theme, the organiser’s corporate strategies and the nature of their collections. WMATY aims to promote cultural diversity and giving a platform to everybody’s artistic and design skills. It is a thread of creativity spinning around

the globe, which brings to life the story that lies behind each artwork. Designers of selected artworks receive a net 6% royalty fee calculated on the sales price of their artworks as long as they stay in the WMATY collections. Selected designers and artists are also promoted through an international communication campaign. Their images and profiles accompany each of the artworks on sale. It is the designers themselves who introduce and explain their artworks and tell buyers about their LTR: Floral Shoes designed by Victoria Geaney, United Kingdom. Pebble Bag designed by Tomás Trenchard, Ireland.

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underlying stories. The real protagonist is the designer with his/her artwork. Following several years’ work, the international project finally got underway in May 2009, when the first call for submissions was launched. Submissions came from 82 countries and included concepts for fashion art which encompassed shoes, bags and accessories. The first selection took place last October at the Triennale, Milan. The selection panel comprised of WMATY’s design supervisors, a technical committee of pattern makers and product development managers and a scientific committee of representatives from partner universities. The panel short-listed projects by 15 designers from 12 countries and as soon as the results were announced the process was set into motion to get these products into production. Projects selected among those responding to the creative calls are individually developed for production by WMATY’s staff with the support of outsourced specialists TOP: Recycled Shoes, designed by Liza Fredrica Åslund, Sweden. RIGHT: Myjaba Money Bag designed by Akiko Tanakashi, Japan. FAR RIGHT: PostModernGeta designed by Akahito Shigemitsu, Japan.

including Material Connexion, Vibram and Gruppo Giovanni Crespi. The product development process is backed up by extensive research into materials and every part of the production phase is first submitted to the designers for approval before production proceeds. All this makes WMATY not only a manufacturer of shoes, bags and fashion accessories, but above all a true incubator of projects which invests in innovative people and creations to give a new perspective to fashion. WMATY is also committed to protect and safeguard the designers’ creativity and intellectual property not only for shortlisted projects, but for all projects submitted in response to creative calls. WMATY

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TOP: Sushi Cover shoes designed by Premrudee Leehacharoenkul, Thailand. ABOVE: Temporary Night clutch bag designed by Premrudee Leehacharoenkul, Thailand. RIGHT: Up Shoes designed by Claudia Civilleri, Italy.

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also rewards any technical ideas, inventions or innovations which may be selected from both short-listed and non-shortlisted products. For example, if a shoes project contains an interesting idea for a sole, an innovative material or a special construction which can be submitted for a patent application, WMATY will pay the relevant designer a 3% to 10% royalty fee in addition to a standard 6% if the project has passed selection and thereby engages to protect the designer’s intellectual property rights, name and personal image at all times. WMATY might also call previously shortlisted artists to complete further oncommission projects for collections or coordinates. In such cases, designers will be rewarded with both a standard royalty fee and an additional recompense for contributing to research on style. The first two creatives who’s products went to market was Premrudee Leehacharoenkul’s Sushi Cover shoes and Temporary Night clutch bag, and Akahito Shigemitsu’s PostModernGeta mini-shoe range. Since product development is a time-consuming process, collections are launched in phases. To date, five more ranges have been launched, including Akiko Tanakashi’s Myjaba Money Bag, Claudia Civilleri’s Up Shoes, Liza Fredrica Åslund’s Recycled

Shoes, Tomás Trenchard’s Pebble Bag and Victoria Geaney’s Floral Shoes. Other ranges will soon follow. After a prototype is developed, WMATY’s design supervisors decide which collection is assigned to either the Permanent, Limited or Private Collection. The Permanent Collection is the core collection and gathers together the largest number of newly developed fashion artworks. Best-selling artworks are presented as part of this collection. Here, artworks could remain on sale for years. The Limited Collection consists of the most precious, creative, complex, visionary and even crazy fashion artworks. They are designed for short-run production, individually numbered and signed by designers. The Private Collection is targeted at existing customers – those who have already accessed WMATY’s universe by purchasing an artwork to wear. A copy of the catalogue of this collection and its updates are sent to customers on a regular basis and as with the Permanent Collection, some items may remain in this collection for years. “People and our collections are the real strength of our project, so we tell you who they are, to give them a name and an identity that are reflected in their creations as well,” concludes Giuseppe Reo, WMATY communications manager. <

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PACE: THE PAN AFRICAN

CRAFT

EXHIBITION By Stacey Rowan. PACE 2010 presented a bold new vision for a continent that is as contemporary as it is African. This showcase of pieces from around the continent was a must-see for visitors who were, and still are, interested in a vision of Africa that challenges their preconceptions and hackneyed ‘curio’ stereotypes. Having highlighted exciting new directions in hand-made African craft, the exhibition presented African crafts, with an edge. Hosted at the Gauteng Craft and Design Centre, Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton, from 17 June – 31 July, PACE 2010 was supported by the South African Department of Arts and Culture, the Gauteng Provincial Government, the City of Johannesburg and the Gauteng Craft and Design Centre. Curators Adam Levin and Andile Magengelele, commissioned by Create Africa Trading, scoured the continent for unusual new pieces and contemporary

African handmade designs that based their identity less on ethnicity and more on shape, modernity, texture and individual creativity. “It was aesthetically challenging to envision something that had not yet been done in terms of art pieces and the exhibition as a whole, but it was also a great joy. Logistically we had to work with 20 countries in a short time frame at a time when South African customs and air-freight were beyond busy, due to the 2010 Soccer World Cup,” says Levin. “When selecting the art, we first figured what we did not want and then, through a very good network of contacts, we simply worked on pieces that blew us away. We didn’t want to just settle on anything mediocre to fill up the space. It worried me at times that we’d have nothing, but in the end, the art and design pieces were very fresh. All the pieces presented a great future for arts and craft in our continent.” Exhibitors at PACE 2010 included: Kente Digital, Tekura, Aboubaker Fofana, Okechuku, Cheick Diallo, The Lover’s Drum, Kpando Pottery, Aida Duplessis and Seringa, among others. When considering some of his favourite pieces in the exhibition, Levin said that he favoured the Ali Lamu Canvas, Cheik Diallo’s Banana Rocker and Tekura’s Walking Table. Tekura, creators of the Stool and The Walking Table, amongst other pieces in the show, focus on converting the traditional and decorative into the functional for example, turning a mask into a table leg or a drum into a chair. For the Tekura team, it’s about separating curios from design products, focusing more on design functionality, yet continuing to keep the cultural aspect of a design.

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Kind of Blue. The combination of whimsy and fine sculpting bears the unmistakable signature of the House on Fire collective, Swaziland.

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LTR: Exhibits were housed in a series of well-lit futuristic pods designed by Nicholas de Klerk. Dolos Light. This new Moonlight and Magic design is based on another South African invention, the iconic concrete Dolos blocks which work as wave breakers along coastlines. Aloe Lamp. This new design from Moonlight and Magic (South Africa) who pioneered the design of much copied paper mâché animal lamps.

TOP: Calabashes. The application of rafia to the traditional Tuareg calabash adds an intriguing textural quality to a traditional design from Niger. ABOVE: Banana Rocker. The striking rocking chair by Cheik Diallo (Mali) is covered in tie-dyed Tuareg leather.

TOP: The Walking Table by Tekura placed on top of The Hunted rug by South African artist Conrad Botes and Paco Rugs. ABOVE: Ndebele Chair. The new design by South Africa’s foremost textile artist, Ronel Jordaan.

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House on Fire, designers of the Kind of Blue and Black Napoleon Chair and Open Bust, among other pieces in the show, played a dominant role within the exhibition. For House on Fire, designing continues to be about exploration and going beyond the norm. It’s about having an enthusiast spirit, a driving force behind a certain design. Exploration, for the team at House on Fire, creates opportunities where we can share ideas and learn different things. To be a designer, one has to hold onto a vision, a place where one ultimately wants to be. Loren Kaplan, ceramic artist and designer, designed the Light Rose Window Chandelier. “I look at the value and importance of the object I create and the process it will take to create a particular thing. There must be a large importance placed on the ‘sensory’ – how it will feel to the end user and how it will look. The end user will think about who made it and what the product is made of. What does the user think when they use the product? As a designer you have to ask yourself – who is going to use it, who is going to touch it and experience it? It’s about getting into the head space of the end user,” says Kaplan.

Black Napoleon Chair. Carved from reclaimed wood by the House on Fire collective, Swaziland.

PACE 2010 allowed African design to stand its own ground on a global stage because previously is has been surpassed as naïve, ethnic visions and clichés. “Through this exhibition we have been introduced to a whole new wave of African design. We tend to focus a lot on the wonderful local scene, but now we can see the continent is moving forward. I’m all for Afrofuturism. I think PACE has been a landmark in setting that mood on the continent. It’s always great to see your identity through fresh eyes. In our continent, there is a sense of building … designers and crafters are always building. We have to continually keep thinking of how we have to up our game as crafters, designers and artists,” concludes Levin. <

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A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS By Stacey Rowan. The adage ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ refers to the thought that multifaceted stories can be described with just a single image, or that an image may be more influential than a substantial amount of text. This may stand true in some cases, but in the case of Greener on the other side, an exhibition by Kudzanai Chuirai, the words within the artworks spoke volumes over the images.

Greener on the other side, hosted from 9 July – 7 August at CO-OP in Johannesburg, was Kudzanai Chuirai’s third poster series in collaboration with Dokter and Misses. Featuring eight posters and six drawings in total, the show explored the franchise of democracy. “The franchise is open for business, but can you afford the product? Many have come to accept that they are simply window-shoppers.” Although the theme of democracy played a dominant role within the exhibition, what was more prominent were the words used within the artworks and the titles that were given to each piece. One can look at an artwork title and immediately create an idea in

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TOP: Kudzanai Chuirai. ABOVE: Detail from Virgins of the Atlantic. The words within the artworks speak volumes over the images. LEFT: Virgins of the Atlantic. Acrylic and wax crayon on board. 1 500 x 2 500 mm.

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one’s own head, projecting his or her own preconceived perceptions and thoughts on it even before viewing the artwork. Not only are some of the titles, like the posters named Disarm, Dismay and Displace, thought provoking, but it is the words used within the artworks themselves that truly evoke emotions and give the exhibition its tone. “The titles, Displace and Disarm are linked to a space, a mood or character within the space. A person can be transported to a place somewhere and disarm themselves within that displaced space. It’s how the words used for the titles connect to an environment,” says Chuirai. In Virgins of the Atlantic, words like disassociated, disconnected, discarded, discourage, disbelieve and discriminated evoke a negative tone, yet an almost realistic one – considering that these words speak true of our circumstances in which we live (Take South Africa for example, where the poor is discarded and different races are disconnected.) These words allow us to focus on issues that are normally swept under the carpet. “In this piece, I used a sequence of words. I looked through the dictionary and put the words in an alphabetical format that followed in sequence. The text in this artwork, and the other works, lead the way of how you look at the show.” Sentences used in other artworks like “A diamond is forever. Eeny Meeny, Miny, Moe, catch a black diamond buy its toe, if he hollers let him go, Eeny Meeny Miny Moe”, used in De Beers, is humourously charismatic yet has a cynical undertone. There is an underlying meaning here that could be perceived as relating to the slavery and exploitation of black people, the black diamond, who mined diamonds in African countries. The posters titled Let Them Eat Cake and Working Hard for You, also pertain to

ABOVE: Cazal. Charcoal and wax crayon on board. 594 x 840 mm. OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: Drawings by Kudzanai Chuirai. FAR LEFT: Scott Tissue. Charcoal and wax crayon on board. 594 x 840mm. LEFT: Rolex. Charcoal and wax crayon on board. 594 x 840mm.

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this matter in that they almost symbolise racism and the subordination of the black working class. Combine these two titles with an image of a black man and a black woman, and the titles’ meanings are supported. “Men talk about woman, sports and cars. Women talk about men in sports cars”, in the artwork Mercedes-Benz, is of a gender-based nature. Join that sentence with the statement “picture me fucking” (which is in a speech bubble pointing at a male hyena’s penis) and you create a world of stereotypical ways in which men and women are viewed and ways in which they both think.

TOP LTR: Disarm. Dismay. Displaced. Let them Eat Cake. Lithographic prints on Munken pure unlimited edition. 420 x 594mm. Working hard for you. Lithographic prints on Munken pure unlimited edition. 420 x 594mm. LEFT: Greener on the other side and Greener on the other side invitation and posters.

Not only does Chuirai focus on gender in his use of words, but the topic of violence comes up in the words “Machine Gun Funk”, used in Rolex. The words are also illuminated next to the artwork imagery. A lady lays naked with her legs open and machine gun bullets are flying into her genitals. Now, if this does not evoke emotion, then what does? “Flaunt our taste”, in the artwork Hennessay and “When you are working tomorrow, wear a Rolex”, in the artwork Rolex, have an underlying snobbish tone. These statements portray a sense of mockery – a mockery at the rich, who seem to think that material things define them as a person. Not only does the wording used in the titles of the artworks and within the artwork themselves, have the power to create the tone for the entire show and evoke our thoughts and emotions, but it’s the wording and the imagery in combination that truly create something beautiful and artistic. <

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BOOK REVIEWS IMAGING OURSELVES:

VISUAL IDENTITIES

IN REPRESENTATION AND ARCHITECTURE OF THE THIRD LANDSCAPE:

AWARD WINNING BUILDINGS

OF THE FREE STATE

Imaging Ourselves: Visual Identities in Representation, edited by Leora Farber and published by the FADA Research Centre and the Visual Identities in Art and Design, presents a collection of essays on how visual identities in South Africa are constructed and represented across a range of art and design disciplines. The cover is cleverly designed to act like a mirror. Upon looking at the cover, the reader is able to see a reflected image of him or her self on the cover. This supports the title of the book, which speaks of imaging ourselves and identities – we are able to see our image, and imagine our identity on the cover. The chapters within the book look at topics like advertising, creating mean in architectural and furniture design, ideologies in digital artist’s books, social identity, and the mutability of identification in artworks, defiance and touristic representation, amongst others. One could classify Imaging Ourselves: Visual Identities in representation as the perfect vessel, or course material, for theoretical studies within a

course that focused on representation or identity. Being text heavy and image shy, this book would not be recommended for a leisurely light read. With essays from numerous sources, it is easy to see how much research, time and effort went into the creation of this literature. What is another notable characteristic is the diversity of approaches that the essays encompass – it is interesting to see different points of views and opinions. With the literature being placed within the South African context, together with the use of South African imagery and information, this book is certainly home-grown, and proudly South African. The intention of the authors was to highlight the central role that art and design plays in the formation and expression of post–1994 South Africa visual identities and, in doing so, to contribute to the broader redefinition of South Africa’s social and cultural identities, which is still ongoing on multiple levels. After reading through the book, it is obvious that the intention has most certainly been achieved.

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Architecture of the Third Landscape: Award Winning Buildings of the Free State, written by Pattabi G Raman and Jako Olivier, goes beyond a mere description of the architecture of the buildings and locates them in the specific physical and cultural landscape of the Free State. Focusing on conservation, buildings in the city and the university, houses and house extensions, architecture of the industrial town and the Free State landscape, this book is your A-Z guide of all things Free State and all things architecture. In this book, each development is dissected into a description, floor plan, elevation, drawing, sketch and locality map, together with providing the architectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s details and awards given for the development. Within this dissection, the developments are looked at with a detailed eye, analysing the pros and cons of the architecture. Some of my personal favourite developments, showcased within the book, are House Van Rensburg by Kobus de Preez Argitek, the refurbishment of the main building, University of the Free State and Vaal Estate Studio by Elphick Proome

Architects. With a whole selection of developments to choose from, the reader is bound to have his or her favourites! If you are looking for architectural images, this is the book for you. Sporting countless pages of images and graphics of interior views, exterior views and faĂ§ades, this book does not fall short of visual appeal. Viewing these architectural buildings, it is clear the that South Africa, particularly the Free State, have come along way in terms of architecture, and this in itself is an achievement that South Africans can hold proudly. With limited text and a casual tone to the writing style, Architecture of the Third Landscape: Award Winning Buildings of the Free State is an easy and enjoyable read. This book is an inspiration for the architect and the Free State lover alike. < Reviewed by Stacey Rowan.