9 771021 977008
22004
R130
Photography by Hayden Phipps
BALANCING ACT I BY RODAN KANE HART AVAILABLE FROM THEFOURTH Steel and automotive paint – 165 x 72 x 47cm – POR ‘Balancing Act I, or the act of balancing, is a rather apt dramatisation of our recent lived reality. One in opposition to an assumation – a small gathering of clowns rather than a large one.’ – Rodan Kane Hart thefourth.co.za @__thefourth__
H E L LO
(to)
build
‘Build’ represents the way that all things are constructed – places, products, structures, communities and even collaborations. Between envisioning something and bringing it to life there is building it. In this issue we explore this concept through architecture and art, through the lens of community, connection and collaboration.
Words by Lynette Botha
We also hero the people who inhabit their spaces authentically and those who are committed to building a better place to live. ‘Build’ reimagines the way that we can shape the future, both individually and as a collective.
1
CAPE TOWN BY L I M E L I N E WATERWAY HOUSE-NORTH 3 DOCK ROAD, V&A WATERFRONT CAPE TOWN 8001, SOUTH AFRICA T. +27 (0) 21 424 8682 - INFO@LIMELINE.CO.ZA
ROGER SEATING SYSTEM | RODOLFO DORDONI DESIGN SUPERQUADRA COFFEE TABLE | MARCIO KOGAN / STUDIO MK27 DESIGN DISCOVER MORE AT MINOTTI.COM/ROGER
NYOKA BY RICH MNISI AVAILABLE FROM SOUTHERN GUILD Bronze and glass beads — 137 x 51 x 124 cm — POR Nyoka wrestles with the idea of beauty distilled from darkness. ‘To live is to embrace this duality. To accept that joy and tragedy, light and darkness, dreams and nightmares are connected, orbiting and defining each other.’ — Rich Mnisi southernguild.co.za @southernguildgallery
Photograph courtesy of Southern Guild
4
HOUSE AND LEISURE
navigate MOOD p10 LOOK p44 LIVE p104 LOOKBOOK p208 DIGEST p209 LAST WORD p224
On the cover From ‘The Lighthouse’ home on p192 of our LIVE chapter, featuring a Ligne Roset Togo sofa, artwork by Navel Seakamela from Southern Guild, lamp from Joe Paine - Photography by Frances Marais, Art Direction by Charl Edwards, Styling by Storm Ross.
5
...hand-crafted oak flooring in beautiful places.
Sandton. Architect: Paragon Group. Interiors: Julia Day Interiors. Oggie Oak Crudo Rustic with WOCA Denmark Natural Oil - 15/4 x 220 x 2200
Cape Town: 021 510 2846 | Paarden Eiland Johannesburg: 011 262 3117 | Parkhurst Durban: 031 000 1000 | Umhlanga nick@oggie.co.za www.oggieflooring.com
S OULF U L IN TE R IOR D ES IGN W E Y L A N D T S T U D I O is a division of Weylandts, South Africa’s most respected furniture and homeware retailer. Our interior design studio offers everything you’d expect from the leading brand: bold interior choices, unique pieces of design, and living spaces imbued with soul and substance. Working on residential, hospitality and commercial projects, we combine signature Weylandts products with other meaningful items that bring your vision to life. Our turnkey offering includes concept development, design procurement, installation and project management, streamlining our services for the ultimate professional and personal experience.
Scan to explore our offering and connect with our team.
EXTRA SAFE HIDE INSIDE BY BEN ORKIN AVAILABLE FROM WHATIFTHEWORLD Clay and glaze — 29 x 30 x 53 cm — POR ‘I think of ceramics like I think of bones. Bones form the foundation of our body. We stand upright because of them. But bones are fluid. When this foundation breaks, it will heal itself back together. Clay is fluid. It can be manipulated and it can be built. The fluid in clay is lost after it is baked. It turns to stone. When we die our flesh disintergrates, but our bones remain...’ — Ben Orkin whatiftheworld.com @whatiftheworld_gallery
Photograph courtesy of WHATIFTHEWORLD
10
HOUSE AND LEISURE
MOOD 11
Right this way p13 Pinboard Traffic jam p15 Contributors The building blocks p18 Archive House tour p27 Still life Street cred p32 Style Atlas of style p39 Ed’s note
Masthead p16 / Download our app p20 / Shop online p22 / Subscribe to House and Leisure p24
scotch-soda.co.za
Photograph of Charl by Frances Marais, wearing his new favourite colour, thanks to Scotch & Soda.
M O O D / edito r ’s n ote
right this way! How time flies! Can you believe you’re already holding Volume 4 of our relaunched House and Leisure in your hands? I can’t! To me, the last year feels like a blur – it’s just swooshed by, like a motorbike speeding past you on the sidewalk. But right now is also the perfect time to halt, zone out (or in) and reflect on this milestone and how far we’ve come; a moment to acknowledge what we’ve built ... cue our theme for this issue ;) This is why I’d like to take a second to celebrate the ‘builders’ of our brand who have made it all possible: the people we’ve met along the way, our network of collaborators, and you (waving!), our readers. But also our team – the ones who craft and create the stories that you read and experience on these pages or online – it takes an incredible group of people to assemble and ‘build’ an issue like the one that you’re currently holding in your hands (get to know some more about our team on p18). With what we do also comes a great sense of responsibility... At LOOKBOOK Studio, the creative content studio behind House and Leisure, we’re dedicated to spotlighting, showcasing and supporting the local design community through our stories. With each volume we’re contributing to the bigger picture and playing a part in our industry and its artistic community, which is why it’s always exciting to partner up and celebrate design, art and architecture as a collective.
Accordingly, we’ve just celebrated the art industry as the official media partner of Investec Cape Town Art Fair (see p222); we’ve also partnered with the reimagined Decorex Africa (see p66) to show our support for the design and decor community, and we’ve joined forces with the Cape Institute for Architecture (CIFA) to spotlight local architecture and give you inside access to award-winning homes and interiors (see p27). Who was it again who said that print was a stuffy old medium? The pages of each issue of House and Leisure truly represent our commitment and love for collaboration – turn to p54 for an especially exciting shoot in collaboration with one of our editors-at-large, Tracy Lee Lynch, Clout/SA and Nando’s, who are doing an incredible job of supporting and mentoring local designers, as portrayed in a beautiful narrative on the streets of Soweto, captured by Sho Ngwana. Our diverse network of contributing editors and editors-at-large (see p38 for our (re)introduction of Trevor Stuurman) also deserve a huge thank you – they keep us connected to the world, and help us to create better, more inclusive and diverse content. We’re like our own city, with many moving parts and a multitude of voices, all with our own part to play in making our home a little happier. We’d love to know what you think of this issue. Send us a mail via hello@houseandleisure.co.za or DM us on Instagram @houseandleisure.
Ed. @charl_edwards
13
FOR THE LOVE OF GOOD DESIGN.
M O O D / pinbo ard
15
Photograph of Agora apartment block by Paris Brummer
traffic jam
Our mood board that sets the pace for this issue... O 1. Terracotta decorative breeze brick from Moroccan Warehouse. 2. Tiled purple facade by Instagram photographer @serjios. 3. Purple glass vase from Country Road. 4. Trevor Stuurman in Gaborone, Botswana. 5. African Adventure 3 from Dulux. 6. Zig Zag Chair by Gerrit Rietveld For Cassina from THEFOURTH. 7. ‘Background Dancer No. 7’ by Alex Coetzee. 8. Patterned Oromo dining chair by TheUrbanative. 9. Softruck couch in rose by E27 and Tim Brauns from Ligne Roset. 10. ‘Music’ by Aviwe Plaatjie from EBONY/CURATED. 11. Agora apartment block by Two Five Five Architects. 12. Creative Collection TRC yellow and natural tile by Opia Design. 13. Capsule Lamp by Lisa Twyman. 14. IC Floor Lamp by Flos from Créma Design. 15. Chartreuse Panton chair by Verner Panton for Vitra from Créma Design. 16. Rug 4 in red by The Ninevites.
HOUSE
LEISURE
Editor-in-Chief Charl Francois Edwards Publisher Pieter Bruwer
Deputy Editor Lynette Botha Creative & Content Direction LOOKBOOK Studio
Market Editor Margot Molyneux
Content Creator Sisipho Graham
Commercial Editor Greer Krige
Style Editor Storm Ross
Content Creator Grace Crooks
CO N T R I B U T I N G E D I TO R S Contributing Design Editor Bielle Bellingham
Contributing Books Editor Meghan Ho-Tong
Contributing Lifestyle Editor Cassandra Twala
Contributing Architecture Editor Rashiq Fataar
Contributing Decor Editor Sanri Pienaar Contributing Travel Editor Seth Shezi Contributing Art Editor Zanele Kumalo
Contributing Greening & Sustainability Editor Jackie May
E D I TO R S AT L A R G E Chris Glass, Hamzeh Alfarahneh, Hannerie Visser, Kelly Fung, Manthe Ribane, Nandi Dlepu, Rotem Shachar, Sumien Brink, Tammy Tinker, Tracy Lee Lynch, Trevor Stuurman
CO N T R I B U TO R S Adri Clery, Alma Viviers, Anico Mostert, Bettina Woodward, Binwe Adebayo, David Cope, Elsa Young, Frances Marais, Graham Wood, Greg Cox, Iga Motylska, Jess Nicholson, Justin Patrick, Justine Stafford, Kirsten Sims, Koos Groenewald, Lauren Manuel McShane, Marolize Southwood, Lazi Mathebula, Micky Hoyle, Mila Crewe-Brown, Nabeela Karim, Ricardo Simal, Roger Jardine, Roxanne Robinson, Sarah de Pina, Shakil Solanki, Sho Ngwana, Sven Alberding, Tracy Lynn Chemaly
CO L L A BO R ATO R S & CO N S U LTA N T S Print Production Shirley Quinlan Retouching André Reinders Printing Novus Distribution On the Dot Digital Support Bertus Floor
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Managing Director & Co-Founder Pieter Bruwer Creative + Content Director & Co-Founder Charl Francois Edwards Content Editor & Project Manager Lynette Botha Studio Manager Lisiwe Qukwana Market Editor Margot Molyneux Commercial Editor Greer Krige Style Editor Storm Ross Content Creators Sisipho Graham & Grace Crooks
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LUXURY TAPWARE ONLINE. Visit www.flushbathrooms.co.za for the latest imported sanware and tapware.
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37 Paarden Eiland Rd, Paarden Eiland, Cape Town +27 21 511 7888 | www.flushbathrooms.co.za info@flushbathrooms.co.za
M O O D / cont rib utors
the building blocks Illustrations by Grace Crooks
publisher and co-founder Pieter Bruwer
18
With entrepreneurship in his veins and a flair for business, Pieter has orchestrated the renaissance of House and Leisure, along with co-founding LOOKBOOK Studio in 2020. Au fait with building things from the ground up, Pieter is challenging traditional business models (a work in progress and something that’s given him a few more grey hairs). With roots in educational publishing, he has a love for creative content and beautiful design, which makes him the perfect leader for our dynamic team. In his downtime you’ll find Pieter travelling the globe, walking in the mountains or enjoying a very good glass of wine. @pieter.bruwer
studio manager Lisiwe Qukwana Where would we be without our studio operator – keeping our quirky yellow ducks in a row in HR, finance, IT (and everything in between)? Lisiwe is the friendly gatekeeper of our studio, ensuring that everything runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis. But she’s not all business: she has a heart-warming laugh, she’s a natural wellness advocate and nature lover, and she’s always up for a First Thursdays walkabout or an adventure outdoors. @whereislisiwe
deputy editor Lynette Botha As a travel and lifestyle writer for over 14 years (a vegan and juicing for the latter 6), Lynette is an irreplaceable leading force behind LOOKBOOK Studio and House and Leisure. A multi-tasker of note, she is not only mother to her two daughters, but to the team, too. Previously ELLE magazine assistant editor and Marie Claire deputy editor, she brings with her an extensive vocabulary and a love of print. When she’s not busy keeping everything together, she’s likely sipping a glass of Chardonnay, exploring the great outdoors or spending time with her family. @lynetteb_
commercial editor Greer Krige Greer keeps our commercial cogs greased. She’s had the longeststanding relationship with House and Leisure, having worked for our title for 13 years. With that comes infinite knowledge of the decor and design industry. In her previous life, she majored in housing and project management. At LOOKBOOK Studio, she manages all things commercial, from strategic partnerships to distribution, while shaking up the traditional magazine model. She’s got a soft spot for aesthetic decor, good wine and lush philodendrons. @greerkrige2
content creator Grace Crooks Raised by an architect and an artist, Grace was born to be a LOOKBOOKer. The newest member of our team, she adds a calm, creative energy to the studio – and excels in her many varied roles, be it through design, illustration, research or writing. Her tranquil presence and diverse creative skillset mean she gets to be involved in many aspects of what we do. Grace loves a leisurely stroll, paired with compulsory stops to smell the roses. @crooksister
Meet the LOOKBOOK Studio team who lovingly and excitingly put together every issue of House and Leisure – a diversely talented and equally creative bunch who are passionate about print
19
editor-in-chief and co-founder Charl Francois Edwards
market editor Margot Molyneux With her immaculate style and a strategic mind, Margot is a creative force who keeps us on our toes! Her experience with her own fashion label for over a decade is an ode to her creativity and entrepreneurial spirit, which she fosters through all her endeavours. Our platforms (be it our digital marketing presence or physical in-office dynamic) are elevated with Margot involved. Partial to a glass of wine at Leo’s and a lover of travel, when not at the studio Margot is dreaming up the next destination to visit or enjoying her new-found hobby, kayaking. @margot_molyneux
content creator Sisipho Graham Cheerful, charming and almost always with a big smile on his face, Sisipho is an essential part of our team and a talented all-rounder. Having majored in Business Studies, at LOOKBOOK Studio he’s evolved towards co-ordinating our digital presence, assisting on shoots, researching and writing, getting involved in PR and always keeping his finger on the pulse of what’s new and exciting. When not at the studio, he’s likely socialising or planning his next weekend getaway. @sisiphograham
style editor Storm Ross A natural visual storyteller and producer, Storm has an effortless talent for styling – with a particular favour for ethical and local design and the artisanal. From traversing the urban landscape to spot facades, to nestling deep into unfurling nature scenes, she speaks to our human instinct for collecting beauty. Storm has years of creative excellence behind her! If she’s not on a location recce or sourcing 100+ items for a shoot, she’s probably walking Olive, hiking on the mountain or enjoying an icy dip in the ocean. @_storm_ross
If LOOKBOOK Studio was a structure, Charl would be the curved metal framework: cradling the community within and holding the vision together. Charl’s creative direction is layered with experience thanks to his decadelong career in branding, decor, retail and publishing. As Editor-inChief of House and Leisure and co-founder of LOOKBOOK Studio, Charl treats each issue with curatorial delicateness bolstered by his drive for excellence. When not at his desk he’s on the beach, seeking out beautiful locations or spotting something interesting that’s likely to become the next ‘big’ thing. @charl_edwards
HOUSE AND LEISURE
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c a p e t ow own n@ @ b e s t wo o d.c o. za Āą Ā ą þ Ā ÿ ĂĄ ă ÿ þāă þ āă ww w. b e st wo od . co. z a
Be sp oke Fl Floo orr Fi n nii sh es e s by H akwood ak wood
HOUSE AND LEISURE
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Collage by LOOKBOOK Studio
22
Togo. Michel Ducaroy Made in France
10 Desmond Street, Kramerville, Johannesburg 2090 / 37A Somerset Road, De Waterkant, Cape Town 8051 info@lignerosetsa.co.za – +27 (0) 10 823 2250
HOUSE AND LEISURE
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24
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M O O D / librar y
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Above, from left to right ‘Old Soul’ (2001). Architect Johann Slee has given this security complex home in Waterkloof the edge by mixing Provençal style with South African simplicity. ‘Compact Living’ (2019). When four friends built together on a small suburban plot in Perth, they maximised space and flexed their creativity to realise their dream homes. ‘Round House’ (2001). Architect Ricardo Regazzoni’s holiday house in Mexico is a modern day Aztec temple.
27
M O O D / lib rar y
Above, left ‘A Matter of Perspective’ (2018). An apartment belonging to architects Alex Geh and Christiaan van Aswegen in Cape Town’s iconic Disa Park embraces the buildings’ uniquely modernist cylindrical design. Above, right ‘Right Angles’ (2019). An interior and furniture designer breathed new life into this historically significant Modernist landmark in Cape Town’s Claremont, designed by architects Adèle Naudé Santos and Antonio de Souza Santos in 1971.
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Above, left ‘Natural Extension’ (2019). With its unique aesthetic that combines both contemporary and Brutalist references, the Atlantic Seaboard home of Klûk CGDT’s founders is evidence that the pair’s immense design prowess goes far beyond fashion. Above, right ‘Designed for Living’ (2019). The sensitive restoration of a heritage Modernist home in Cape Town transformed the abode into a contemporary family space.
Above, left ‘Hidden Gem’ (2019). A 1980s bungalow in Cape Town was given an eclectic update by its new owner, jewellery designer Kirsten Goss. Above, right ‘Plantation Road’ (2020). Bordering the city edge and mountain, this Cape Town abode’s split personality is more than just a product of its environment.
Above, left ‘Licence to Thrill’ (2015). Restrained opulence and uncompromising quality are the hallmarks of this quietly spectacular Sandhurst build. Above, right ‘Artful Industry’ (2018). Art advisor Makgati Molebatsi’s modern Melville home showcases a lifelong love affair with her biggest passion – art.
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Above, left ‘View Finder’ (2015). This boldly conceptualised family home in Constantia was designed to maximise its vineyard vistas. Above, right ‘The People’s Shrine’ (2010). The museum at Tshwane’s Freedom Park combines landscape and architecture to create a space of heritage and hope.
Above, left ‘Coastal Casa’ (2002). Inspired by the sculpted solidity of Mexican architecture, this breathtaking house lies on the flank of Lion’s Head. Above, right ‘Simply Africa’ (1999). This house is a series of airy spaces that flow into one another and merge with their surroundings.
M O O D / lib rar y
Above, left ‘African de Stijl’ (2016). Artist Roelof Petrus van Wyk’s home on a rocky slope in Joburg’s Parktown West is an essay in what it means to live in the here and now. Above, right ‘State of the Arts’ (2012). Soweto gets its first world-class theatre – a playfully striking space, reflective of its multicultural surroundings.
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Above, left ‘All Shipshape’ (1995). This modern house with industrial features – designed to look like an overturned ship – still raises eyebrows in Melkbosstrand. Above, right ‘Natural Balance’ (2013). Contrasting styles result in a refined, elegant glass dwelling on the fringe of the Cape Town CBD.
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To see more House and Leisure archive features, download our free app or visit houseandleisure.co.za
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Clockwise, from left Background Dancer No. 7 (Opening Scene) by Alex Coetzee. Crewneck Knitted Jumper from Scotch and Soda. Purple Rain table lamp from Joe Paine. Colour block vase and Colour block side table with wooden base both by Carin Dorrington. Pack-Man lamp in yellow by Mash.T from Always Welcome. Abstract Geometric Sculpture, Wooden Cuboid 009 by Driaan Claassen from Reticence Design. Garment-Dyed Polo shirt from Scotch and Soda.
M O O D / still life
street The urban landscape becomes the ideal backdrop for an eclectic mix of design, creating an instant rush of colour, and a play of texture and form
33
cred
Photography by Ricardo Simal Styling by Sanri Pienaar Production by LOOKBOOK Studio
Styling assistance by Anri van Zyl and production assistance by Sisipho Graham
Clockwise, from left The Blue Chair by Dokter and Misses. Aspiring Athlete (Naively Optimistic) and Obnoxious Teen (Bad Posture) both by Alex Coetzee. Abstract Geometric Sculpture, Wooden Cuboid 009 by Driaan Claassen from Reticence Design. Chiara table lamp in Aluminium by Flos from Limeline. Abstract Geometric Sculpture, Wooden Cuboid 012 and Abstract Geometric, Bubbling Subconscious 003 both by Driaan Claassen from Reticence Design. 524 Tabouret Berger by Cassina from True Design. Tuck Vase by Ferm Living from Créma Design. Rotben Sculptural piece by Ferm Living from Créma Design.
M O O D / still lif e
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M O O D / still lif e
Above The Casey dining chair in white from Curación Collection. Zig Zag vase from Clementina Ceramics.
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M O O D / st y le
This page, clockwise from top left Cape Town, South Africa. Gaborone, Botswana. Dakar, Senegal. New York City, United States of America.
Words by Lynette Botha
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39
This page, clockwise from top left Heilongjiang, China. Dakar, Senegal. Mpumalanga, South Africa. Accra, Ghana.
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M O O D / st yle
This page, clockwise from top left Havana, Cuba. Johannesburg, South Africa. Paris, France (both)
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M O O D / st yl e
41 This page, clockwise from top left Dakar, Senegal. Ivory Coast. Cape Town, South Africa. Dakar, Senegal.
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MAGODI FUMBI BY ZIZIPHO POSWA AVAILABLE FROM SOUTHERN GUILD Glazed stoneware clay — 50 x 50 x 100 cm — POR The Magodi collection celebrates the artistry and exuberance of traditional African hairstyles. Fumbi (‘Unbreakable’) highlights the beauty in resilience, inspired by Zizipho’s extended family in Gabon, after whom it is named. southernguild.co.za @southernguildgallery
Photograph courtesy of Southern Guild
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HOUSE AND LEISURE
LOOK 45
Open house p46 Design The road to recognition p54 Craft Patterns of inspiration p62 Collaboration Change is here p66 Visual diary Eye spy p70 Drinks House party p74 Food Carbon/footprint p78 Interiors The Pencil club p83 Books The city library p88 Travel Painted pink p94 Decor
LO O K / decor
open 46
Artworks by Kirsten Sims, Shakil Solanki, Anico Mostert, Lazi Mathebula, Koos Groenewald & Marolize Southwood Art Direction by LOOKBOOK Studio Words by Grace Crooks
house We invite you to step into the creative minds of some of our favourite local artists – commissioned for their signature styles, each bring a specific flair to their rendition of home interiors
‘The Front Yard’ by Kirsten Sims Master of pencil crayon with a whimsical style, Kirsten shares a familiar domestic scene: The Front Yard. It’s the transitory space of play, the space of openness and often the first impression of one’s home. Here, her dramatic mark making echoes the dynamics of family. @kirsten.sims Decor: ‘70s Panel Cinque Premium beach umbrella from Pezula Interiors. Barcelona lounger in olive from Weylandts. Exterior Hardwood Carolina door from Leroy Merlin. Weber Megamaster 570 Elite charcoal grill in black from Builders Warehouse. Terra planter by Laurie Wiid van Heerden from Indigenus.
LO O K / decor
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‘The Dining Room’ by Shakil Solanki
(above)
Distinct, delicate mark making, elegant line work and a certain charming sophistication is partly why Shakil’s portrayal of The Dining Room is so welcoming: as if you could easily settle into a candle-lit dinner and be enveloped by the scene. @shakilsolanki_studio Decor: Dining chair from Kino. Two Arm candle holder in green from Cécile & Boyd. Jade Paton vase. Dome Pendant light from Bofred. Grid tablecloth from Poetry. The Bougie Twists candles from Via Wax.
‘The Lounge’ by Anico Mostert
(right)
With an impasto technique, Anico gives meaning to quiet, transient scenes in one’s everyday life. The artist highlights a calm Living Room, reaching out to us for a moment of rest. @anico___another Decor: Modern Kaudani Kelim Blocks from Herringbone. Lebone floor lamp by Inès Bressand 2018 from Mabeo Furniture. Cigarette side table in cachous and candyapple from Tonic Design. Downing Sofa by Yaniv Chen from Lemon. Mustard cushion from Cécile & Boyd.
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LO O K / d ecor
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‘The Bedroom’ by Lazi Mathebula
(above)
‘The Bathroom’ by Koos Groenewald
(right)
Designer and illustrator Lazi’s use of warm yellow and burgundy paired with his vector illustrative style, encapsulates this multi-dimensional and sacred space. A bedroom naturally evolves across time — echoing the evolution of one’s identity. @bombisa
Known for his cheeky style, Koos describes himself as ‘gently grotesque’. Aptly and humorously he represents The Bathroom in a peachy-pink palette. Private, intimate and yet so very relatable – Koos illustrates a scene we are all so familiar with. @koooooos
Decor: Fiber Armchair Wood Base by Muuto from Créma Design. Bedside table from Houtlander. Modern Kaudani Kelim Stripes from Herringbone. Moore bench from Bofred. Lebone table lamp by Inès Bressand (2018) from Mabeo Furniture.
Decor: Short Milk stool from Houtlander. Cross Handle wall taps by Meir from Flush Bathrooms. Bateau bath on art deco feet from Victorian Bathrooms. Balance Brick rug in rust and white from Hertex Haus. Oval mirror from Mooi Mirrors.
LO O K / d ecor
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‘The Kitchen’ by Marolize Southwood Marolize explores new realities and narratives, created through unusual pairings of spaces and objects. She brings to life The Kitchen in thickly layered oil. Portraying a space of sharing, a feeling of warmth and one that’s often laden with nifty appliances and ingredients for a feast. @bymarolize Decor: Murus light stone wall mounted basin from Leroy Merlin. Smeg kettle in bright red from @home. Fiorentina 90 in pigeon blue from Officine Gullo. Windsor chair in viper green from James Mudge. Round dining table from Houtlander.
be bold in
life.
Autumn Fairy
086 166 7242 www.douglasjones.co.za VISIT OUR SHOWROOMS CAPE TOWN B1 Prime Park, Mocke Road, Diep River 021 706 7251 JOHANNESBURG 1SIXTY Jan Smuts Avenue, Rosebank 011 447 4199
LO O K / desi gn
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the road to recognition Words by Modupe Oloruntoba Photography by Sho Ngwana Creative Direction by Tracy Lee Lynch Production by LOOKBOOK Studio
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Through its dedication to mentoring and assisting design talent in this country, Clout/SA has created a space for skilled individuals to truly shine and be recognised on a local and global scale
Above, from left to right Sipho Khwebula Twala from Khwebula Arts, Mpho Vackier from TheUrbanative, Sifiso Shange from Afri Modern and Thabisa Mjo from Mash.T.
LO O K / desi gn
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Masters at showcasing local design, Clout/SA is the brainchild of the same team that has powered the Nando’s Design Programme since 2015, with successful long-running projects including the Hot Young Designer competition and Portal to Africa, a R60-million marketplace that’s become one of SA’s largest exporters of design. Facilitating everything from curated exhibitions to supply chain management, their purpose first impact business exists to turn South African design into a globally recognised category. House and Leisure shares this passion for the development of the local design industry, especially when it comes to emerging talent. Coupled with
an extreme appreciation for the work of Tracy Lee Lynch, creative director of the Nando’s Design Programme and director of Clout/SA, as well as one of House and Leisure’s editors-at-large, coming together to showcase some of Clout/SA’s incredible work and talented designers was a no-brainer. ‘It doesn’t matter how many beautiful things you’re able to make, if you don’t have a market for them and you can’t sell them it all comes to naught,’ Tracy says, commenting on the role of Clout/SA. ‘So that’s part of the journey that we go on… we help [emerging designers] to prototype their pieces and understand what it’s going to take to create a business around the ambitions that they have with the designs
that they’ve created.’ The traits shared by the four designers in this feature made this a natural collaboration for all involved. They have pride in their roots, incredible tenacity and a passion for telling the world a better story about SA than it has readily accepted. Shot by emerging visual creative duo Sho Ngwana – also known as Lebogang Tlhako and Nati Kgobe – in their Kasi-grounded, femme-lensed style, these designers represent some of the unique archetypes operating in our design landscape and offer an exciting look at its great potential. @clout_sadesign @tracyleeloves @sho_ngwana
Top left Tracy Lee Lynch, creative director of the Nando’s Design Programme and director of Clout/SA, as well as one of House and Leisure’s editors-at-large. Above Mash.T’s creative driving force, Thabisa Mjo.
LO O K / desi gn
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Mpho Vackier from TheUrbanative
Engineer Mpho Vackier started TheUrbanative in 2017, after leaving a decade in extraction metallurgy behind to follow her passion and study design. Today, she helms a brand that blends modernist influences with cultureled storytelling: The Nasara chair, a collaboration with Something Good Studio, sees a brand print woven (by Greyroom’s Jonette Schoeman) into an organic form inspired by the fan-shaped hair of DRC’s early 1900’s Queen Nasara, a wife of Chief Akenge.
‘It is 100% hard work and sweat; it’s lonely, scary, stressful, and it’s super hands-on,’ Mpho says. Along the way, she’s learned to ask for help. ‘When I started out I saw myself as a bit of an underdog; an engineer who had to prove herself in an industry she knew nothing about. More than anything the feeling of being seen and sensing that the work I do is valid and necessary is a huge boost.’ Mpho is also in the uncommon
position of owning her production process: ‘She has a massive workspace with all the machinery that it takes to bring these pieces to life,’ says Tracy. ‘So she has to have a deep understanding of systems and the processes that happen in her universe, as well as being the flamboyant face of her brand and producing consistent quality. She is somebody to celebrate as a role model and as a black woman in South Africa in this role.’ @theurbanative
Top, left TheUrbanative’s Nasara chair, a collaboration between TheUrbanative and Something Good Studio and TheUrbanative Oromo XL planter. Above Mpho Vackier.
Sifiso Shange from Afri Modern
Sifiso Shange’s brand, Afri Modern, reinterprets Zulu iconography and beadwork as patterns and motifs on bold, modern furniture. ‘I’ve always loved how products make us feel and the power they have to make our everyday experiences more vividly beautiful. My love for design grew when I started expressing myself and sharing more of my
culture through my work. It gave me a deep, meaningful sense of responsibility to preserve stories through my design work.’ 100% Design 2019 marked the start of Sifiso Shange’s journey with Clout/SA he was one of a group of designers pitching for the Portal to Africa marketplace. ‘He is an incredibly magnetic person,’ says Tracy. ‘His design aesthetic is absolutely unique.
He has a very strong sense of his identity and what he wants to say to the world and he brings so much love and energy to the space. Also, his references to heritage are incredibly exciting and the freshness that brings to the pieces that he makes and the storytelling that is crucial to his brand are exceptional.’ ‘My highlight [of working with Clout/SA] has been how
my work has managed to travel beyond South Africa, it has shown me that my work is worthy of being seen and celebrated throughout the world,’ Sifiso says. Going forward he’ll be crossing more borders with collaboration, experimental mediums, and new work that will ‘blur the lines between design and art with strong attributes of function and practicality.’ @afrimodern
Above Sifiso Shange sits atop his Ma Wethu (Our Mother) Server from Afri Modern.
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Sipho Khwebula Twala from Khwebula Arts ‘If you can go back in time and tell 19-year-old me that he’ll be making furniture for a living once he’s grown up, I’m certain that he would be very disappointed,’ says Sipho Khwebula Twala. The career path hadn’t occurred to him before a learnership programme involving wood working machines and power tools in 2013. He only joined the programme because it was
an available option that looked like it might offer him something different than his job driving taxis. His path has been a rollercoaster: After starting and folding his own brand in two years, Sipho found work with David Krynauw and spent his evenings learning inventor CAD and Autocad from YouTube tutorials. At the beginning of 2018, Sipho could design and
manufacture complex shapes in wood. By the end of the year, he started Khwebula Arts, where he uses various African patterns and organic shapes to create unique, compelling designs. The Ndebele wall mirror shines with the fresh dialogue Tracy believes he’s creating around his work by trying new things. ‘He’s constantly pushing the boat out. There’s
Top, left Sipho Khwebula Twala sits in his Sphozo dining chair alongside his Dongo server, all from Khwebula Arts. Above, right A red Sphozo dining chair and Ndebele wall mirror.
a lot of experimentation in his work, which is hard, because you become known for your aesthetic and to keep challenging yourself and challenging the way you use your materials and your processes. It makes him somebody who I think is very exciting, and deserves recognition even at this early stage in his career,’ she says. @khwebula
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Thabisa Mjo from Mash.T Design Studio Pictured here alongside the Bright side table, Mash.T Design Studio’s unmistakable xibelaniinspired Tutu 2.0 lampshade captured everyone’s attention as the winner of Design Indaba’s Most Beautiful Object In South Africa in 2018. ‘It’s now part of the permanent collection at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris,’ says designer Thabisa Mjo, who first connected
with the Clout/SA team when she won the Nando’s Hot Young Designer competition in 2016. Thabisa feels that this helped to legitimise her brand, which is currently focused on perfecting its own e-commerce experience. From Tracy’s perspective, Thabisa will always be ‘one to watch, she’s one of those designers that never ceases to surprise and delight; she’s agile
and exciting to watch. So I feel like no matter how often she’s been praised, she’s such an inspiration… She is incredibly generous in her vision of what she brings to the industry.’ ‘Up until this point, it’s been my lived experiences,’ Thabisa says of the influences that inform her design style. ‘Going forward, it will be my curiosity.’ @mashtdesignstudio
Above Thabisa Mjo sits below her Tutu pendant light, leaning on her Bright side table, both form Mash.T Design Studio.
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This page Tutu 2.0 Pendant by Thabisa Mjo from Mash.T Design. Shelf by Sifiso Shange from Afri Modern. Lebo Artwork in collaboration with Jo Elbourne and Nkuli Mlangeni from The Ninevites. Patterned Oromo Dining Chair by Mpho Vackier from TheUrbanative. Ndalo Rug by Siynda Mbele from Pinda Design. Mother & Daughter Heritage knitted throw by Bobolo Chepape from Lulasclan. Nomfundo Piece from the neckpieces Vol 1 Collection from The Herd.
Left Hoola Light by Thabisa Mjo from Mash.T Design. Ester Mahlangu at her home in Mabhoko. Limited Edition rug by Nkuli Mlangeni from The Ninevites in collaboration with Jo Elbourne.
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LO O K / craf t
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Photograph of Esther and her house by Trevor Stuurman
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Nest Pendants
Code: G-KLCH-70/GD and G-KLCH-70/BL
DESIGN • SER VICE • QUALIT Y Viewing Showrooms Only, K.Light Import supplies only to Retailers and not to the public directly. Cape Town: 7 Kunene Circle, Omuramba Business Park, Milnerton, 021 552 4370 Johannesburg: Units 8 & 9, The Arena, Capital Hill Business Park, Halfway House, Midrand, 011 312 1247 info@klight.co.za I www.klight.co.za I Facebook.com/klightimport
O F F I C I A L M E D I A PA R T N E R F O R D E C O R E X
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LO O K / collab orati on
Opposite page, from left Spiral light shade and Octopus light shade from Design Afrika. Mudziira (‘warmth’ in Shona) floor lamp made in collaboration with Wolkberg Casting Studios from TheUrbanative. Aids Ribbon (2021) by Ben Orkin from WHATIFTHEWORLD Gallery. Terracotta Strawberry bowl by Mandi Sandenbergh from Design Afrika. Still life for Flash chair by Alex Coetzee for the Bluet Exhibition by KSSO Exhibition. Three-legged Oak Bar Stool from James Mudge. Right The CASEY occasional chair in white by Curación Collective. Below Woven basket from Design Afrika.
change is here! As the official media partner for Decorex Africa, we’re excited to collaborate on this innovative and reimagined decor and design showcase Words by Margot Molyneux Photography by Micky Wiswedel Styling by Bielle Bellingham
Beginning, significantly, in 1994 with South Africa’s first democratic general elections, Decorex Africa has since evolved to become the continent’s largest decor, design and lifestyle exhibition – featuring innovations in architecture, homeware and lifestyle products for both the residential and commercial sectors. As an anchor in the industry for almost three decades, the past two years encouraged some much needed change, ultimately resulting in a dynamic reimagination of this heritage brand. Poised to offer a fresh vision and purpose for the year ahead,
Decorex Africa is placing the focus on Africa, her potential and the power of design to create meaningful change. With two curated shows in Cape Town and Joburg, the latter debuting at the Sandton Convention Centre, Decorex Africa will additionally host summits in both cities, offering platforms for sharing and connecting within local design communities and featuring discussions with African and international designers around ways in which we can reimagine our world. Curation is at the core of Decorex Africa, with the trained eye of executive creative director
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LO O K / collab o rat ion
Left Lucky LOOK chair by Meeco Studio Below Persimmon Slice fabric by Skinny laMinx. Woven Cacti from Moroccan Warehouse. Fabric Triangle Shape by Meeco Studio. Hardwood chair by James Mudge. Woven cushion from Design Afrika. Stacked Totem side tables from Design Afrika. Purple Rain table lamp from Joe Paine.
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(and House and Leisure’s contributing design editor), Bielle Bellingham, at the helm. Says Bielle of Decorex Africa’s vision, ‘We believe that curation can be used by both designers and consumers to encourage action that contributes to a more sustainable, ethical future.‘ The design platform plans to release additional features such as Campus, Unorthodox, Shop Decorex, Future Present, Circular Lab and Material Futures which, collectively, will aid in the objective of extending the immersive physical design events into inclusive digital platforms. RX Africa’s managing director, Carol Weaving says, ‘[Decorex] will invest significantly in its virtual infrastructure, evolving into a truly hybrid offering encompassing a world-class online
marketplace, editorial platforms and media services that serve the growth of the African design and decor industry.’ In another first, the country’s largest contemporary design exhibition, 100% Design South Africa, will take place alongside Decorex Joburg at the Sandton Convention Centre – showcasing furniture and product design, art, literature and craft, with the two design authorities remaining true to their respective offerings and ensuring visitors a unique and hybrid experience. Visit Decorex Africa at CTICC from 16 to19 June 2022 or Decorex Africa and 100% Design South Africa at Sandton Convention Centre from 28 to 31 July 2022. @decorexafrica @100percentdesignafrica
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LO O K / v isual dia r y
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eye spy In a casual tête-à-tête with Skinny laMinx’s Heather Moore, we explore her process, how the city and her travels inspire her, and we hear what’s next... Words by Lynette Botha Imagery by Heather Moore
Clockwise from top left Sea Point Library. Tiles in Porto. Stairway in Tokyo. Palmetto tile by Skinny laMinx for Concrete Studio. Vintage store in Porto. Sunny Day tile by Skinny laMinx for Concrete studio. Heather Moore in Lisbon.
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Skinny laMinx’s Heather Moore has been beautifying our interiors with her cool and quirky, bright and bold designs for over a decade. Her store on Bree Street – which has become somewhat of a landmark – may be closing, but her studio will remain, concealed beyond the shopfront, where all the magic happens. As a well-known local brand – and with an online business that’s going from strength to strength – there’s no real need for a physical store. And when one door closes
(quite literally...) others will open. Heather’s pattern designs have always been inspired by everyday things – it was in 2007 that she started screen-printing onto fabric as a fun pastime, when her hobby transformed into her business, which she named as an ode to her Siamese cat, Monkey. Fast forward 15 years, and Skinny laMinx is a household name… But it’s no easy feat staying motivated, creative and maintaining a small business. So, how does she stay inspired? >
Clockwise from top right Tiles in Aviero. Pattern experiment with carved eraser. OPorto tile by Skinny laMinx for Concrete Studio. Tile study for Daisy Day tile pattern. Daisy Day tile by Skinny laMinx for Concrete Studio. Textures in Tokyo. Patterned buildings in Aveiro.
LO O K / v isual dia r y
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The process ‘My process is very slow… it’s organic… everything and anything brings me inspiration. If I have my camera with me, nothing is off limits. I usually don’t realise in the moment that what I am capturing will form a part of my next collection or prints. It’s often that only later I will start seeing a pattern form – literally and figuratively – from things that I have gathered over time.’
The formation Patterns and shapes in architecture – and those in urban landscapes – have been a constant source of inspiration for Heather. ‘But it was only when I started visiting Portugal as a teacher that I saw that towns and cities could intentionally be covered in beautiful, colourful patterns – something that has stuck with me ever since.’
The ‘doing’ ‘During the second lockdown in South Africa I had more time on my hands, so I set myself a creative challenge to spend 100 days creating patterns from small stamps that I carved and printed daily. This reinvigorated me and kept me motivated and inspired. For me, it’s the hands-on practice – it’s in the doing that things develop. The thrill of the exercise was to discover just how many patterns I could make, just using different combinations of a single motif. It was endlessly astonishing!’
The now ‘In mid 2021 I was approached by Concrete Studio to collaborate on a range of tiles, and it couldn’t have come at a better time, I was drowning in ideas. It felt very serendipitous and of course, not something that I could turn down.’ Having her unique prints reimagined onto concrete tiles opens up a whole new avenue for Heather. Coupled with this, her designs will be further redefined into adhesive wall tile stickers in association with long-time collaborator, Robin Sprong. So whether you’d like a longterm addition or something semipermanent, you’re able to easily introduce a little bit of Skinny laMinx into your space. @skinnylaminx @concretestudiosa @robinsprongwallpapers
Clockwise from top left Skinny Curve tile by Skinny laMinx for Concrete Studio. A page from Heather’s #100daysofpattern challenge. Patterned walls in Porto. OPorto tile by Skinny laMinx for Concrete Studio. Breeze tile by Skinny laMinx for Concrete Studio. Daisy Day tile by Skinny laMinx for Concrete Studio. Patterned walls in Lisbon.
Fabrics by
Mah Jong.Modular element sofa, designed by Hans Hopfer. , Constellation collection. Upholstered in fabrics by Platforms in stained wood, Alezan finish.
JOHANNESBURG - 27 Commerce Crescent, Sandton. Tel: (+27) 087 805 7090 CAPE TOWN - 26 Hudson st, Cnr Waterkant St, De Waterkant. Tel: (+27) 021 286 0793 MAURITIUS - Circle Square, Forbach. Tel : (+230) 244 3021/22
www.roche-bobois.com
French Art de Vivre
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LO O K / d rinks
house party Raise the bar when it’s your turn to host by putting an unconventional spin on a classic drinks-and-snacks night
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Curated by CyberCellar Words by David Cope Photography by Frances Marais Styling by Sanri Pienaar
A drink that packs a punch ‘Not your typical punch, Sangria derives its name from the Spanish word for blood, ‘sangre’,’ explains CyberCellar’s David Cope. ‘This is a superb drink for warm afternoons and evenings when you want something fruity, but light on alcohol. There are many variations but the authentic way is simple and easy, with no hard tack required. Method: Mix two Tbsp sugar into 3 Tbsp lukewarm water until dissolved and add to a large pitcher. Peel 2 oranges and 1 lemon and add the peels to the
pitcher. Juice the fruit and add it to the pitcher. Core and chop 1 green apple and add to the pitcher. Add a bottle of red wine (something tasty but not too expensive) and then pop in a cinnamon stick and stir well. Leave to infuse for an hour and then mix in soda water (about 200ml). Serve in a tumbler over ice. Tip: Serve over ice rather than adding ice to the pitcher to prevent over-dilution, and for a night-time, spikier version, you can add a shot of brandy instead of soda.
LO O K / dr inks
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Host with the most ‘Variety is undoubtedly the spice of life and no more so than when it comes to offering drinks at a party,’ says David. ‘Be the host with the most and open several types of wines to start, rather than just going through one bottle at a time, to give your guests choices. And don’t be intimidated by cocktails, where sometimes simplicity wins. Try a simple tequila soda!’ Method: Here, the trick is to use a high-quality tequila (essential!) and a ratio of 1 tequila to 3 parts soda. Mix in a glass with ice and garnish with either lime or seasonal berries. Easy. Delicious!
Pairing is caring ‘The first rule when it comes to pairing food and wine is that there are no rules. Everyone’s taste is subjective so experiment and see what you enjoy or don’t,’ says David. ‘Sometimes the best pairing combinations involve opposites: an expensive, premium wine with the total opposite in food. Why not order your favourite burger and fries for delivery and pair with a serious Bordeaux-style red blend. Or try rich foods with a fresh, acidic wine – a favourite is crispy fried chicken with cold bubbly, always a great combination. Play around – food and wine pairing should be fun – as should hosting.’ @cybercellar cybercellar.com
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LO O K / food
carbon/footprint The irrepressible Luke Dale-Roberts may have moved to Joburg to launch two new restaurants, but the energy and inspiration he takes with him are still firmly influenced by his first ‘home’, Woodstock Words by Lynette Botha Photography by Justin Patrick Food by Luke Dale-Roberts
It’s hard to recall a time before Luke Dale-Roberts was Luke Dale-Roberts, if you know what I mean. Like Cape Town’s Mount Nelson Hotel or The Labia Theatre that have always just been there, it’s like there wasn’t a time before Luke was a big name in South Africa. It was while reading The Inside Job (the book that his partner Sandalene Dale-Roberts curated to document all the people behind his successful restaurants – from scullers to waiters) that I was reminded of where I actually first heard his name. Rewind a decade or so back and – in the same location that he would go on to open the award-winning The Test Kitchen, and later The Pot Luck Club – Luke used to sell breakfast rostis with bacon from a market stall at The Old Biscuit Mill on Saturdays. But even so, that was just his side hustle, by then he’d already made a name in South Africa, having spent a four-year tenure as the executive chef of La Colombe, where he earned the restaurant the12th spot in the S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards in 2010. It was later that same year that he took a leap and started The Test Kitchen, which garnered him plenty of acclaim (for all the years it remained open). >
This page In these images, Luke together with his friend and long-time collaborator, photographer Justin Patrick, took to the streets of Woodstock using the urban landscape as inspiration.
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LO O K / food
80 Then came The Pot Luck Club (2011), The Shortmarket Club (2016), Salsify at The Roundhouse (2018) and, most recently, The Test Kitchen Fledgelings, which he started together with Sandalene. An impressive feat in just over a decade. And now, he’s ready to make his mark on Johannesburg, bringing The Shortmarket Club to Jozi, as well as The Test Kitchen Carbon. While his location may be changing, both of his new endeavours take with them elements of the past – the urban grit and eclectic energy of Woodstock, the flavours and techniques honed in the Mother City and the tenacity and drive amassed as the powerhouse of a culinary empire. He may be making tracks, but his roots will always remain. @theshortmarketclub @thetestkitchenct
DISTINCTIVE CEMENT-BASED FINISHES
Visit one of our showrooms for a personalised tour Johannesburg . 227 Jan Smuts Avenue . Parktown North . 011 447 3149 Centurion . 15 Coachmen’s Park . 26 Jakaranda Street . Hennopspark . 012 653 6808 Cape Town . Eagle Park . Computer Road . Montague Gardens . 021 555 1034
Manufacturers of Distinctive Decorative Coatings www.cemcrete.co.za
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LO O K / inter iors
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the pencil club Brought to life in a whirlwind 12 months – from concept to completion amidst a global pandemic – Durban’s new members-only multi-use destination pays homage to each decade’s finest in design Photography by Elsa Young Portrait by Micky Hoyle Words by Grace Crooks
Above The play of light on the rippled glass screen throughout the day creates an ever-changing focal point, punctuated by distinct custom-designed furniture and fittings by Mobius, all manufactured locally.
LO O K / i nt er iors
The Pencil club teeters on the top two floors of Umhlanga Arch, offering visitors to the exclusive venue a variety of restaurants, four bars, numerous meeting rooms, a library, a cigar room and a custom-designed event space. Distinctly different textures, colours and detail come together in the most striking way, complemented by custom furniture and fittings. For Port Elizabeth-born Victoria Wood, managing director at Cape Town-based firm Mobius, taking on the assignment to bring The Pencil to life was one she knew would be a career highlight. ‘Our “Concept Bible” was put to good use in the first few experimental months,’ explains Victoria. ‘That, paired with a playful client – co-founders Renzo Scribante and Marc Rosenberg – meant that we really had a fluid working relationship, which helped us align from the get-go.’ And it’s evident in the result. The hybridity of old-world European club charm blending with a local context is just one facet of the club’s signature feel. Sans the elitism, this modern rendition of the members-only concept is a uniquely comfortable, familiar and exciting leisure-and-dining destination and a cutting-edge business and networking hub for its members. Incorporating elements of Durban Art Deco design into the interiors, it not only references local architecture but craft and design too, as the vast majority of artisans and installers who contributed to The Pencil’s look-and-feel were local to Durban. ‘We wanted each visitor to feel like they’re at a home-away-from-home. When I speak to members at The Pencil, they often point out their favourite spot or chair and that’s one of the feelings we wanted to evoke: a sense of belonging, which I feel we have definitely achieved.’
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This spread, clockwise from top left The Ribbon reception desk was designed by Mobius using mahogany and leather – it is an elegant foil to the linear fashion of the wall behind. Mobius’ managing director, Victoria Wood. Shielded by the rippled glass is the Graphite Room. The two Stillness Booths are calm, quiet, breakaway spaces, created for escapism in varying shades and textures of blue. Designed in KwaZulu-Natal and inspired by Southern African flora and fauna, the Ardmore wallpaper is an apt addition to the Arts Bar. The Gatsby sconce was designed by Mobius. Each artwork is courtesy of The Pencil Art Foundation. The bespoke tiles in various textures and tones are a delightfully nostalgic though timeless touch.
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The use of local artisans, Victoria explains, was important for various reasons, one of which is that the city and its people should benefit from a local project and play a part in it. Another signature element is the incorporation of The Pencil Art Foundation, exhibiting local, contemporary art on the walls of The Pencil, helping to elevate and showcase South African talent. ‘When you walk into a room at The Pencil, the aim is to experience a sense of wonderment… it’s not because of the horseshoe bar, rosewood chandelier or a curved ceiling in isolation, it’s the unification of these design elements that speak to a larger feeling – like you’ve stepped into another world,’ she says. Each room is most certainly an experience in its own. The Ladies Powder Room is detailed with a blushing palette of berry tones, brass touches and custom-made wall sconces with parchment shades – a most ‘40s glam experience with a 21st-century temptation for Instagrammable moments. The striking, eccentric and over-scaled chandelier above the Rosewood Bar reflects city light vistas as well as the dazzling personalities of its members. A combination of recognition for craft and bold use of colour make the space timeless, while simultaneously offering something quirky and playful.
Designed for night and day, business or social, there are plenty of intriguing elements: the secret door through the Cigar Lounge, bright emerald tiles that give a nod to the bygone Parisian café era, the curved clad pod Library with a bright yellow carpet gesturing to Bauhaus’ use of colour and ‘even a fireplace – most unusual for Durban,’ Victoria laughs. ‘We needed to convey the complexity of a space designed to support high volumes of members with differing needs, preferences and tastes, and for this one needs enormous aesthetic diversity yet a unifying cohesiveness. We were influenced by classic finishes like marble and terrazzo floors, brass inlays, leather cladding, velvet upholstery, polished hardwoods and stucco, but then we played with modern techniques and a palette of colours we felt reflected the exterior environment and complemented the finishes we chose.’ Albeit a popular concept overseas, The Pencil is a first of its kind in Durban, and while the ‘members-only’ notion creates an air of exclusivity, within it lives a microcosm of community which is really what the founders set out to achieve. @mobius_interior_architecture mobiusstudio.co.za @thepencilmembersclub thepencilclub.com
Above left This intimate women’s changing and bathroom area with steam and shower facilities is dressed in a subtle and pretty palette of blushing pinks, marbles and brass finishes designed by Mobius. Above right The Pool Terrace is a confectionary of tropical colours with a subtle nod to fifties Miami.
LO O K / books
( (- & &" ) " &( " & ( ()& (-' $ ' " )& " " ' #)& ' ( #" # ## ' ' #" ( & ( ( " ' ( ! " $$& ( #" #& & ( ' " Curation and words by Meghan Ho-Tong
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Right Rather than perpetuating a homogenous image of Denmark, this 800m stretch in pink is a rare fusion of landscape, architecture and art. Superkilen, by Bjarke Ingels Group and featured in The Ideal City, is a celebration of ethical diversity and uses a collection of global objects to socially challenge the neighbourhood.
Photography by Iwan Baan, The Ideal City, Gestalten 2021, featuring Bjarke Ingels Group.
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LO O K / books
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Right Miniland in Johannesburg draws attention to tall modernist towers that stood out at the time they were constructed, like the iconic Standard Bank Centre.
Photography by David Southwood, from UP UP: The story of Johannesburg’s highrises.
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LO O K / books
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Right Tokyo Cab is a typical example of a Wes Anderson-esque style, using theatrical symmetry, bold colours and decorative façades to storytell.
Photograph courtesy of Accidentally Wes Anderson. @accidentallywesanderson
LO O K / trav el
painted pink A magnificent facade coupled with an arresting shade of pink – what’s not to love? We share some of the best blushing beauties around the world
Photograph of Bo-Kaap by Claudio Fonte
Compiled by LOOKBOOK Studio Words by Lynette Botha
1 / 75 Wale Street, Bo-Kaap, South Africa (opposite) Possibly one of the most photographed houses in the historical and culture-rich Bo-Kaap, bordering the Cape Town CBD, ‘The Pink Lady’ at 75 Wale Street is a sight for sore eyes. The heritage landmark, which has been lovingly and respectfully restored inside, is available to rent via Airbnb. @airbnb
2 / 99 Juta Street, Johannesburg, South Africa (above) An almost 80-year-old building received a complete overhaul when architects Local Studio and property developers Consolidated Urban and Play Braamfontein, together with multi-disciplinary design company Dokter and Misses, joined forces. The result? A cheerfully bright design-focused hub in Braamfontein, home to various stores, events and exhibitions. @99juta
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3 / Paul Smith store, Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles (above, left) A now iconic landmark in the heart of LA, the Paul Smith store on Melrose Avenue has had its bright pink facade since the day it opened in 2005. According to reports, it costs around $60 000 a year to maintain its bright frontage official Pantone name: Pink Ladies, which is trademarked with claims that the spot is the second most photographed in the world after the Great Wall of China. @paulsmithdesign
4 / Cuadra San Cristóbal, Mexico City, Mexico (above) As noted by the Barragán Foundation, Cuadra San Cristóbal is a private estate, made up of a house, horse stables and auxiliary facilities dreamed up by renowned Mexican architect, Luis Barragán. The monumentally elemental, yet precisely nuanced design of it rests on the functional and aesthetic principles of Modernism, while also mimicking the landscapes, ranches and haciendas of rural Mexico, filtered through his personal memories and creative interpretation. @barraganfoundation
5 / La Muralla Roja, Spain (above right) Built in 1973, ‘The Red Wall’ – which is in fact made up of very many more colours than just red – was envisioned by Spanish architect, Ricardo Bofill. The building’s structure, with its constructivist aesthetic, is made up of interconnected patios linking 50 apartments. The celebrated architect, who designed plenty of noteworthy spaces, passed away earlier this year at the age of 82. @murallarojaestudio
6 / Pink House, Azores, São Miguel, Portugal (opposite) It’s easy to see why this exclusive guesthouse on the island of São Miguel won the Paulo Gouveia Architecture Award in 2018. Having been in the same family for six generations, in 2017 they converted an old barn – surrounded by gardens and orchards – into two contemporary guest houses. The project was overseen by Mezzo Atelier, who were instrumental not only in the structure, but the interiors and furniture too. @pinkhouseazores
Photograph of Cuadra San Cristóbal by Armando Salas Portugal. Photograph of La Muralla Roja by Ludwig Favre
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Photograph of Pink House by Francisco Nogueira
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7 / Uxolo Apartments, Cape Town, South Africa (top left) Located in Cape Town’s CBD, this striking apartment block – the brainchild of Two Five Five – is the first micro-unit residential development of its kind to be completed. Made up of 32 mini studios and three loft apartments, each with bright pink contained balconies, inspiration for the project was influenced by many works, including that of the iconic Esther Mahlangu. @uxolo_ct 98
8 / Office CDA, Seoul, South Korea (left) This project on the outskirts of Seoul by South Korean architecture firm, BCHO, saw the team take three existing buildings and transform them both inside and out to create the Office CDA in Seoul. To try and unite the spaces as one building, the architects opted to create a ‘front second skin’ facade. Using Meta Decor MD Expanded Metal and a ‘reddish’ powder coating, the result is this interesting frontage that doesn’t obscure any views. 9 / 32 Clarens, Cape Town, South Africa (right) Highlighting that their design prowess extends far beyond that of only fashion, Klûk CGDT’s Malcolm Klûk and Christiaan Gabriël du Toit added a residential project to their portfolio in 2021. 32 Clarens, in affluent Fresnaye, is a thing of beauty. Impeccably designed both inside and out, it’s set to become an icon in the neighbourhood. @klukcgdt
Photograph of Clarens House by Greg Cox/Bureaux
LO O K / t rav el
10 / Amanjena, Marrakesh, Morocco (left) With a name that means ‘peaceful paradise’ it’s no surprise that this exclusive resort, which is surrounded by olive groves, is often frequented by celebrities looking for a little R&R. (If it looks familiar, it may be because it was the set of Sex and the City 2.) Designed by architect Ed Tuttle, and built over two years, the style is typical of the region. Made of stone, the hotel is coloured pale peach with additions of pink, honey and sage green throughout. @amanjena_resort
12 / Buffelsdrift Farm, Ladismith, South Africa (opposite) A specialist in clay buildings, architect Jaco Booyens and SAOTA restored this farm homestead in Buffelsdrift, west of Ladismith in the Klein Karoo, earning the team many awards. Available to rent, it’s certainly worth the road trip to the arid region – you’ll be rewarded with beautiful interiors, abundant nature and a pool to cool down in. Book via Perfect Hideaways. @perfecthideaways
Photograph of Rose Building by Eduardo Nascimento
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11 / Rose Building, Vila Real de Santo António, Algarve region, Portugal (left) Located in the south of Portugal, along the riverside avenue of Vila Real de Santo António, the ‘Rose House’ – an 18th-century structure – was reimagined by Aurora Architects and completed in 2021. While the outside is a treat, the interiors are just as beautiful, but sadly, as this is a private residence, you’ll just have to admire it as a passerby. @auroraarquitectos
Photograph of Buffelsdrift by Adam Letch
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13 / Craigievar Castle, Scotland (top left) Said to be the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Cinderella castle, this beautiful grand dame is surrounded by rolling gardens and ancient trees. While you can’t stay in the castle itself – there are rental cottages on the property – you are able to tour the heritage site, view its many artefacts, artworks and antiques, and walk the gardens at leisure. @craigievar_castle
14 / Ihantola, Helsinki, Finland (above) The oldest art nouveau apartment building in Helsinki, Ihantola represents the Jugendstil architecture of the time. Designed by O. E. Koskinen and built between 1905 and 1907, it’s a popular tourist attraction and one that also caught the eye of the team behind Accidentally Wes Anderson, featured in its recent photographic exhibition and their cult favourite book. @accidentallywesanderson
15 / Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa (above, right) Possibly Cape Town’s most iconic hotel, ‘The Nellie’ continues to be a favoured urban retreat for locals and visitors alike. Flanked by Table Mountain, with its unmistable pink facade, it is said to have been the first hotel in South Africa (in 1899) to offer cold and hot running water and was applauded for being ‘even better than its London counterparts’. @belmondmountnelsonhotel
16 / Hawa Mahal, Jaipur, India (opposite) This intricately designed palace in the city of Jaipur, India, was built from red and pink sandstone in 1799. Designed by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, it is known as the most recognisable monument of Jaipur. Its 365 latticed windows are what makes it really stand out, capturing the attention of all those who seek it out. The palace is open daily, with visitors welcome. @hawamahalpalace
Photograph of Ihantola by Oksana Smolianinova. Photograph of Hawa Mahal by Annie Spratt
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LUTUA BY PLÁCIDO ‘POCHO’ GUIMARAES AVAILABLE FROM EBONY/CURATED Sisal, newsprint, fabric and wood — 190 x 175 cm — POR ‘As we know, everything is made up of interwoven tissues in a network. The textile and the text forms a semiotic relationship that helps us conceptually reflect on inner knowledge and its transfer into what we want to build.’ — Plácido ‘Pocho’ Guimaraes ebonycurated.com @ebonycurated
Photograph by Dillon Marsh, EBONY/CURATED
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HOUSE AND LEISURE
LIVE 105
The regal residence p106 Killarney The modern apartment p120 Mowbray The converted cottage p132 Parktown North The hidden homestead p144 Woodstock The church studio p156 Manor Gardens The jungle dwelling p168 Bo-Kaap The townhouse p180 Mossel Bay The lighthouse p192 City Bowl
L I V E / cit y bow l
the regal An expansive section within this iconic building was lovingly and respectfully overhauled to create a space that is grand and contemporary in equal measure
residence Words by Lynette Botha Photography by Micky Hoyle Styling & Production by Adri Clery
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A landmark in Cape Town’s city bowl, the Mutual Heights building on the corner of Darling and Parliament Street is a classic exemplar of Africaninspired art deco architecture. Constructed between 1936 and 1940, the build was a collaboration between Louw & Louw Architects and FM Glennis, and, along with the General Post Office located opposite, it was for many years the tallest building in South Africa. But, in 2003, Old Mutual initiated a residential conversion of the building – the first in a series of projects that helped revitalise the city centre. Two years later the remaining heritage sections were sold – including the banking hall, directors’ suite
and the assembly room. It’s in this historic and iconic building that two siblings bought an expansive apartment to renovate, in-line with their unique vision. Situated in the heart of the Mother City and the old business district, Darling Street runs to the front of Mutual Heights and Longmarket Street to the back; it is the only street that snakes the full width of the city bowl, from Bo-Kaap to District Six. ‘We overlook the City Hall – with its big turret clock, the old Post Office is over the road, Table Mountain is behind us, Parliament and the Company’s Garden are a block away and the Grand Parade is below us,’ describes one of the owners.
Right Mutual Heights’ grand foyer is fully clad in Nero Portoro marble with a gold-leaf ceiling.
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A historic masterpiece A visionary building of its time, it has one of the longest granite friezes in the world that stretches around three sides of its frontage, constructed from a single boulder from the Paarl mountains. Formerly the headquarters of Old Mutual (previously known as South African Mutual Life Assurance Society), it retains many of its original grand features, even though the business moved premises in the 1960s. With its structure and design influenced by the Met Life Tower in New York and the Eastern Columbia Building in Los Angeles, the Mutual Building strikes an impressive balance between architecture and design, something that attracted the homeowners – avid art, design and decor aficionados – to this location. In 2003 Old Mutual initiated a residential conversion of the building that was the first in a series of projects that helped revitalise the centre of Cape Town.
This page Beautiful architectural details throughout the space link to the heritage of the site, for instance the custom steel gates designed by architects Urbain McGee that mimic iconic art deco patterns found throughout the building. The dining table was designed by Xandre Kriel and made from raw mild steel with a sea water patina, cocooned by upholstered dining chairs by Atelier, and art decor end chairs salvaged from an antique store Right The lounge is a treasure trove of decor, design and antiques; notable pieces include the sculptural hand-carved bench made from Eucalyptus Cladocalix by artisan Adam Birch, the custom handwoven Mohair rug commissioned by Atelier and manufactured by local weavers Coral & Hive, and a curved velvet sofa by Atelier that follows the shape of the stage.
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A reimagined space like no other For this specific ‘revamp’, architects Alexander McGee and Reanne Urbain from Urbain McGee, together with Adri and Vincent Clery from Atelier Interiors, worked closely with the brother-and-sister duo on their vision, transforming the former Assembly Room – with 7.5-metre high ceilings and a stage – into a home. ‘The brief was to successfully combine the heritage-significant Assembly Room with its ancillary spaces and the two adjacent sections purchased by our clients into one inner-city apartment. It was their vision that these separate, smaller sections – juxtaposed alongside the grandiosity of the Assembly Room – could be combined to create a very unique family home,’ says Urbain McGee’s Alexander McGee. ‘The building itself served as an obvious inspiration for us to work within. The international art deco style with a regional localism, in both material selection and decorative motifs, separated it from its overseas counterparts and made it unique in its African context,’ he continues. A heritage practitioner, art historian/restorer, and feng-shui consultant were all appointed on Urbain McGee’s recommendation to prepare reports that would help characterise the layers of the space and the original materials. ‘We understood the importance of respecting the heritage and frescos and worked with the historian to research and restore every detail but we knew we had to push the boundaries, to challenge the space and look to the future,’ says one of the siblings. ‘Working with regional materials and local artisans and artists became key to the project. The architectural team are all interesting people, they have a fascination with the world and work in a thoughtful, soulful way – we connected deeply during this process.’
This page The ‘cabinet of curiosity’ boasts indigenous plants and weird and wonderful artefacts curated from all over the world including: taxidermy, whale’s teeth, voodoo dolls, bottled specimens, apothecary tannins and powders, precious stones, as well as items sourced to have particular personal significance to the clients such as antique cameras. Urbain McGee’s floorplan for the reimagined space. Right The library overlooks the mighty Assembly Hall; original Pierre Paulin Groovy chairs that were reupholstered invite you to sit down, while the Cliff Mohair rug by Bofred adds texture. The custom ottoman is by Atelier and the Caliza travertine side table is by Tonic.
This page, clockwise from top left The stairs that lead to the main bedroom are adorned with a custom brass handrail; the natural weave, double volume cupboard backing was woven by the Cape Town Society for the Blind. Blooms and foliage liven up the bathroom. A cosy corner is grounded by an Alberto Club armchair by Bofred and a Vondel marble side table by Lemon, with art by Jeanne Gaigher. The Mohair curtains were a unique find on site and were restored. Right The guest bedroom, also known as the Golden Room, features a golden silk rug, bedside tables, a feature chair, brass and glass bedside lamps and a pendant light, all sourced from various antique dealers, with art curated by Amy Badenhorst.
The finishing touches The austere granite structure helps to keep out the noise and distractions of a bustling and boisterous metropolitan below, and it makes for a brilliant canvas on which to drape art, collectables, antiques and decor. Another unique feature of the space is that the Assembly Room was originally sound-proofed, ‘so when we throw a party no one can hear us!’ Adri and Vincent Clery from Atelier Interiors loved the scope of this project and its purpose. ‘The design intent behind this unique residential renovation was to create a travelled and lived-in aesthetic that was both bold and functional as well as a continuation of the legacy of the space,’ says Adri. ‘Antiques were incorporated throughout with strong emphasis on unique custom-designed items commissioned by local artists and artisans. Almost every item was privately commissioned.’ Adri continues, ‘The striking living spaces have a worldly lived-in feel that is carried throughout the home: from the Italian-inspired modern country kitchen and alfresco back of house, to the greenroom and cabinet of curiosity, the ‘70s day bed and library, the monolithic bathrooms, the minimalist gallery halls and not least, versatile assembly hall: with kitchen, dining, entertainment and music lounges working in distinct but communal harmony.’
This page, clockwise from top left A deep monolithic bath is set atop natural limestone tiles, which are used throughout the bathroom. The metal desk is designed by Atelier and manufactured by artisan Alon Fainstein Forging, a local independent blacksmith. An antique bust. Right Pendant, antique brass parrot table lamp, Cape Yellowwood and Stinkwood panelled kist circa 1840, Mali Mowka Mask and the vintage African Tuareg rug (with reed and interwoven leather) were all sourced by Atelier from antique and second hand dealers. The custom natural Bogolan linen and bamboo bed throw are from African Jacquard and cushions by Aucamp.
A place to connect ‘We all really enjoy music – so the soundproofing is put to good use. We feel that this space brings us together, in one small lounge up on the stage. It’s here where we let our hair down, listen to music and take it all in,’ the owner says. The kitchen that leads out onto an outside terrace is a natural gathering space too – ‘we love cooking with family and friends!’ ‘One of my most favourite attributes of our apartment is the geometry of the tall, prism-shaped windows – they are quite something! I love watching as the shadows transform and move across the different spaces as the day progresses.’ The residence may be grandiose with an otherworldly opulence, but for the siblings it’s ‘just home’ – a space to spend time together and connect. @urbainmcgee @atelieradri
This page In the kitchen, a custom timber island gives a country-style feel, as do the traditional klompie clay floor tiles. A Lacanche oven is flanked by a Nico Krijno artwork. Right The al fresco dining terrace acts as an extension of the kitchen, with a heavy monolithic carved table top (to ensure it doesn’t blow away in the Cape Town wind) placed upon antique table bases with custom timber stools by Adam Birch.
L I V E / killa r ney
the modern In an unassuming building in Joburg, an apartment has been cleverly transformed to maximise space and hero its views
apartment Words by Garreth van Niekerk Photography by Sarah de Pina Styling by Storm Ross Production by LOOKBOOK Studio
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There’s a famous pride of peacocks and peahens that roam the street below. Residents and partners, Amit Nanoo and Russell Fisher, along with their neighbours, know to give space and time to this flock when they’re crossing in front of their cars. They visit from the nearby Brenthurst Estate — their permanent home — and occasionally, if you’re lucky, you may catch them fanning themselves out on the sidewalk. With the constant hum
of the M1 highway only a street away, and the concrete towers of the CBD the same distance in the other direction, their display captures you for a magical moment between the frenetic rush of life. It’s one of those idiosyncratic ‘Joburg things’ that makes you fall in love with the city’s strange beauty, over and over again, and reminds you that there’s something here, often quite hard to put your finger on, but that lives around every corner when you look for it.
Right Modern meets old-school in the building’s corridor, with the sleek golden elevator and bygone flooring hinting at what’s to come behind the closed apartment doors.
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An idyllic location The suburb of Killarney in the north of Johannesburg has long been home to a unique mix of the city’s arts and design community, and with views on a clear day out to the blue hills of the Magaliesburg on one side, and the forest canopy of The Wilds Park on the other, it’s no wonder that Joburg’s creatives continue to find inspiration among its tranquil naturescapes. When you pair this with the area’s iconic heritage-grade architecture – where romantic works by leading Art Deco architects live easily alongside later Modernist blocks – as well as the generous proportions of the apartments themselves, it’s easy to understand why partners and design acolytes, Amit Nanoo and Russell Fisher, chose a building at the top of the suburb to set down roots together. ‘In many ways I think the area is still slightly overlooked, for its architecture, convenience, and everything else it offers, but for us it’s really about the character of the people here, and the spirit of the community,’ says Amit, an architect and more recently a management consultant, from the plush couch he designed himself. ‘Every decision has been made with the view in mind. The view is comprised of three layers: land, horizon and sky that informed the materiality concept. A meditation of levels and layers of surfaces throughout the apartment,’ he says. This page, from top left Amit Nanoo and Russell Fisher have completely transformed their apartment from its original configuration. Amit’s simple free-hand sketch of a quiet corner of their home. Right The space is artfully and meticulously styled. Curated local and international items are paired with new trinkets and antiques. The custom-designed furniture created by Amit adds another layer of personality and the floor-to-ceiling windows, with magnificent views beyond, inspired the scheme for the interiors.
A considered revamp Russell, who’s namesake estate agency has been operating in the area for 30 years, and Amit wanted to maximise the value of the apartment, which meant reconfiguring the space completely. Over the course of three years they sensitively renovated each space, moving the kitchen and dining areas and transforming the apartment from its original two bedrooms and two bathrooms, into three en suite bedrooms. They’ve managed to do this all while maintaining the proportions of the private areas and creating breezy open-plan living areas that maximise the extraordinary views. This page, clockwise from top left A custom-designed oval marble dining table reflecting the existing arched doorways. A vintage library index card unit contains all manner of details. The vintage flower pendant light and Persian onyx stand were sourced separately and paired together by Amit. Right The custom-designed bent steel and velvet couch, inspired by modernist architectural forms, is Amit’s design, which incorporates a ‘side for Russell’, who prefers a couch that’s upright, with the other side lower, for Amit to lounge in perfect, horizontal bliss. Murano glass vessels sit atop a Carrara marble coffee table.
An ode to the past and a nod to the future Apart from the view as inspiration, they have also maintained a connection to the architectural styles of the area by combining contemporary design with mid-century antiques and pieces from the 1920s. But, overwhelmingly, it is marble that ties the space together, with deep veins of colourful stone moving throughout the apartment at every turn – some of it new, but largely kept in its original state. For Amit, marble is about time, in two ways: ‘In one sense marble is the solid and liquid representation of time, the veining caused by mineral deposits due to water moving through stone over millennia, and because it is not an artificial substance, it is not resistant to ageing; changes in the gloss, chips and cracks happen as you live with it. If you are comfortable with time and mortality, and the idea that things do age and get damaged, and that something can show itself to you, then you understand the beauty of marble, and life, really’.
This page Marble in various shapes, sizes and colours is found throughout the couple’s space – for Amit, marble is like an ode to time. Noteworthy is his clever use of matching the two-toned marble divide with the horizontal curtain line. Right Amit and Russell’s beloved cat, Joey, for whom they would give up all the marble in the world to see again. (Joey sadly passed away subsequent to this shoot.)
A space full of surprises The couple maintain that the apartment was a lucky find, but the location and the building itself is what really sets it apart. From its main facade the building is easily one of the more unassuming in the area. But with a short drive up a winding road behind it, towards the highest point of the Killarney ridge, the towering block’s architectural beauty reveals itself. Glass boxes protrude between panels of cast concrete, ivy threatening to creep across it. For residents the building is also beloved for its elegant bridge that passes from the building, over the head of motorists, into a little private park shared by the block, where a dip in its pool is accompanied by some of the most beautiful views in Joburg. @russellfisherproperties @another_purist
This page, clockwise from top left Undoubtedly one of the building’s greatest attributes is its bridge that connects to a private park for residents. The exterior of the block is alive with greenery. When submerged in the pool, which is tucked into the exclusive garden, you get some of the best views over the suburb. Right The apartment’s walnut and marble kitchen, cocooned by trees, is beautifully bright and airy, offering a great space to entertain.
L I V E / mow bra y
the converted Savvy architectural gymnastics and clever, cost-saving strategies transformed a generic 1930s cottage into a contemporary urban oasis
cottage Words by Justine Stafford Photography by Greg Cox Styling by Luanne Toms Production by Frank Features
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The run-down student digs that, at first sight, Pam Hoffman dismissed as uninhabitable, turned out to be the renovation project her architect husband, Ant Stricker, had long dreamed of. ‘I wanted space to experiment without being precious. The fact that the house was dilapidated made it even more appealing’, Ant laughs. Equally attractive was the affordable price tag, which, given its proximity to the city and both Ant and Pam’s respective offices, made the typical 1930s tiled-roof cottage in Mowbray a budget-friendly and convenient no-brainer purchase for the young couple.
‘We’d been looking for over two years and found nothing’, says Pam. ‘But the minute Ant walked in, he was adamant: we had to put in an offer.’ As a partner at Anderson Perry Partnership Architects, Ant immediately recognised the potential to create something special that could still be built within their budget. The problem, as Ant saw it, was the layout: the entirety of the 360m² erf was taken up by a singlestorey dwelling flanked by a narrow driveway leading to a lean-to garage. ‘It was awkward and old-fashioned, with everything orientated to face the road.’
Right A brick base was a cost-effective solution for the kitchen island, which is topped with a honed marble slab sourced directly from the supplier, with bar stools by Dokter and Misses.
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Working as a team ‘You save a lot of money with a clever architect’, says Pam who loved being Ant's 'client'. ‘He'd ask me to choose a tile or colour and I felt like I had some power but, of course, I was only seeing what he'd already curated’, she laughs, adding that this streamlined approach allowed her to avoid overwhelm and actually enjoy the building process. This shared sense of delight in what they've created together is testament to the dualities that make them a winning team, says Pam. ‘We always joke that Ant is the head and I'm the heart but we’re actually a combination of Ant's feeling head and my thinking heart, which is why our home represents us so well.’
This page, clockwise from top left Ant and Pam at the entrance to their renovated 1930s cottage. An Eames ‘Hang-It-All’ coatrack, manufactured by Herman Miller and supplied by All Office. The open-plan kitchen. Right An enviable collection of artworks from mostly South African artists adorn the walls.
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Looking inwards An earthy palette of oak timber and brick-paving floors combined with contemporary bagged-brick walls and offshutter concrete ceilings provide the calm canvas upon which the bright splashes of Ant and Pam’s life is painted on. Vintage treasures rest happily alongside designer pieces while their enviable collection of artworks take pride of place on the walls. Their pet rabbit, Atticus, rules the roost from his domain as king of the living room rug while everywhere you look, there are plants, plants and more plants... ‘I like to experiment with plants’, Ant chuckles as he surveys his ever-growing brood of green fledglings that he credits as an affordable way to add colour to a space.
This page The couple have an impressive book collection – Pam is a self-confessed bibliophile who works for the Otto Foundation, a philanthropic organisation focused on promoting reading for enjoyment and book rich environments in District Six schools. Anderson Perry Partnership Architects’ plans of the home. Right The occasional chairs were found on Gumtree; the vintage Togo Sofa is by Michel Ducaroy for Ligne Roset, while the coffee table was custom made.
Stretching the budget Other clever, cost-saving tips include using hard-wearing materials like brick paving in high-traffic, threshold spaces to prolong the life of expensive finishes like hardwood floors. A brick base was a cost-effective solution for the kitchen island while the dining room table is simply genius: a round, SupaWood top fixed to a concrete plant pot. Raw SupaWood joinery was hand-painted instead of sprayed with expensive Duco lacquer while thin batons of oak offcuts were engineered onto a basic veneer to create an eye-catching pantry and integrated fridge. The pièce de résistance, however, is the pink, steel staircase that ascends via a curved alcove off the lounge. Designed by Ant, it was laser-cut in one day, then bent into shape and welded in situ – an economical alternative to concrete. This page, top left and above Designed by Ant, the pink, laser-cut steel staircase was a much cheaper alternative to concrete. The fireplace flue goes through the wall to the bedroom and upstairs to the study, heating three spaces at once. Top right Light streams in to the upstairs study space that was added as part of the renovation extension. Right Pam’s personal collection of much-loved tchotchkes on a supersized circular pinboard that her and Ant made. Step ladder from Pedersen & Lennard.
For the love of plants Ant’s green-fingered desire for an integrated outdoor space was realised by wrapping the small garden at the back around what is now his and Pam’s bedroom, as well as ripping out the original driveway and regreening it into a lush, north-facing courtyard that the easy-living downstairs spaces flow into. The result is a contemporary urban oasis that feels quadruple its actual 190m² footprint and offers a containing sanctuary to Ant and Pam. ‘The day we moved in, I told Ant how calm and happy this house makes me feel,’ says Pam. And she’s right. A feeling of harmony is evident the minute you step through the front door and are naturally channelled through simple, light-filled spaces that feel generous and inviting to be in. @apparchitects This page, clockwise from top left The generous main en-suite enjoys beautiful light from a north-facing window. Ant and Pam’s bedroom was designed as a cocoon-like pod for a peaceful night’s sleep. Ant created the artwork above the bed by etching the lyrics of their wedding song in relief onto paper. Outside, Polycarbonate sheeting was used to replace the boundary fence. It’s slightly translucent and is up-lit at night. Right Pet rabbit Atticus enjoys the sunshine and calm containment of the north-facing courtyard garden as much as his owners.
L I V E / pa r kto wn nor t h
the hidden The rich textures and bright colours of this Johannesburg home mirror the colourful garden, which is balanced by both a sense of energy and tranquillity
homestead Words by Graham Wood Photography by Elsa Young Styling by Sven Alberding Production by Bureaux
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‘The light that we have in Africa is very different from the light in Europe, for example,’ says Johannesburg-based architect, Kate Otten. ‘There’s an intensity about it that also brings out the intensity of the colours.’ These kinds of observations about the quality of light and colour inform her idea of home – or in architectural parlance, ‘context’ – and what it means for a home to belong in its particular setting.
It’s something that governed every aspect of the design of her family home in Joburg’s Parktown North – which she shares with her partner, Paris Pitsillides, and their daughter, Paloma. The leafy green district is one of the older residential areas of the northern suburbs, which is home to an old-and-new mix of rambling houses and modern apartments, connected by a sense of community and neighbourliness.
Right A new level was added to create an upstairs bedroom for homeowners Paris and Kate’s daughter, Paloma.
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Starting with the structure ‘It was a ‘60s ranch-style house at the end of a pan-handle,’ Kate recalls; low-slung with a pitched roof, stone walls, knotty pine ceilings and slate floors. ‘It had a passage with the bathrooms on the one side and the bedrooms on the other.’ At the same time, it had a magical quality – you approach the house via a long, narrow wooded driveway. The gate is simple and unassuming; as Kate says, you wouldn’t expect that ‘any architecture has gone on here’. At the end of the driveway, the house is revealed across a clearing of green lawn, ‘this absolute haven,’ she says. Paloma was born there and the family lived in the house for around a decade, making only small tweaks, before deciding to make a substantial change. Kate concedes that it felt ‘quite squashed’. The ceiling was low, the rooms and bathrooms were small and dark. There wasn’t a covered veranda or sheltered outdoor space. ‘The lounge area always connected nicely to the garden, but none of the other spaces did,’ recalls Kate. ‘The point of doing the alteration was to have more generous, better laid-out spaces. We wanted to lift the roof substantially and connect to the outside spaces.’ They also added a level, where Paloma now has her bedroom. But they were adamant that they didn’t want to renovate away the character of the house they’d grown to love. Kate’s approach had the right balance of boldness and sensitivity to pull off quite a radical transformation, while perpetuating the character of the house. She also points out that she ran the alteration as ‘an official, proper job’ in her studio. ‘We handled it exactly as we would any other project’, right down to mood boards and detailing, weekly site meetings and an agreement that neither she nor Paris would make any unilateral decisions. This page, clockwise from top left Meeting the architecture with a rich palette of flowers and foliage, the landscaping comes right up to the house, creating a protected sanctuary. By lifting the roof, adding windows and an upstairs room, the home now welcomes the northern light, as seen in Kate’s sideview render. Dappled light filters into the home through the latte ceiling. Right The veranda, unconventionally the entrance to the house, welcomes the bright and intense colours of the garden, emitting both energy and a soothing quality mirrored in the house as a whole.
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Injecting colour throughout The house itself mirrors the garden in its sensitivity to light, colour and energy. ‘In communal spaces, there’s lots of pink and red,’ she says, referring to the colours of the vibrant wax-print fabrics, brightly-coloured chairs and stools, and even the artworks. ‘And then our bedroom is green and blue, which by its nature is cooler, calmer; in the bathrooms, there is emerald green and black – there’s a richness about the colours and textures.’ The house is undeniably colourful, but in no way exhausting or overwhelming. In fact, if anything, the way the colours are combined with natural materials is unexpectedly soothing. ‘It feels lively and fun,’ she says, but ultimately it’s a tranquil, restorative haven for Kate and her family. Paris bought the house shortly before he and Kate met, more than 20 years ago.
Above The dining table was custom made for a birthday party using reclaimed wood from another project Kate worked on. The pendant lights are from Tom Dixon’s Beat series and the chairs are from Italian brand Billiani’s Doll range, designed by Emilio Nanni. Right The kitchen is one of the few rooms where a vibrant pop of paint has been chosen over the raw materiality of the finishes. Jade slate has been selected for the kitchen to add variety, and terrazzo countertops are another reference to the ‘60s origins of the home.
Getting the interiors right Kate worked with the same distinctively ‘60s materials that gave the house its personality. She added some new stone walls and extended the slate floors. ‘We even put in bits of new knottypine ceiling,’ she says. Existing features were re-used – the lounge doors – the very same doors – were moved out three metres. ‘I had collected loads of old teak parquet from demolitions, which was used for the private areas of the house.’ Rather than laying them in the traditional checkerboard pattern, however, she chose a brick bond arrangement, giving an old material a contemporary edge. Similarly, rather than painting the plastered walls, they’ve been raked and sealed. ‘The walls have an amazing energy that you just don’t get with paint.’ Reflecting on her approach, she says that she’s come to think of the renovation as a contemporary interpretation of the ‘60s aesthetic that characterised the house. ‘There’s an artistic take on it, rather than a literal relationship. It’s more like a commentary, so that you don’t lose the thread of what it was, but it becomes wholly new. The language of the house continues in its original sensibilities, but it is rewritten, re-scripted.’
This spread The stone wall in the lounge is a new addition, extending the use of materials preserved in the home’s original palette. A vibrant combination of colours are introduced in the kilim, cushions and design pieces.
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The outside comes in The way the garden is ‘held by the trees’, Kate says, contributes to the sense of shelter and protection it provides – an escape from the world outside. ‘The trees contain our private sanctuary and screen the neighbours. The garden used to feel like it was falling back into you,’ before what she calls ‘the great levelling’, a landscaping intervention that cleared the lawn in front of the house. But perhaps most importantly, it brought the garden, the veranda and the house onto the same level. Working with landscaper and friend, Tim Conradie, they made the garden and the front veranda ‘run straight into each other’. The sliding doors in the lounge slide right out into the garden so that, when you open them, they extend the room outwards, almost enclosing a patch of garden and letting it spill into the house. Similarly, when the sliding doors of the main bedroom slide away, the boundary walls of the garden courtyards become the edge of the room. It’s that sense of openness that allows the bright colours and energy of the house – the bursts of colour and the African wax prints – to be calming rather than exhausting or too intense. The natural palette of the house, and the ‘woodedness’ outside, she says, ‘cools things down’. Just perfect. @kateottenarchitects
This spread The private areas of the house feature teak parquet floors, which Kate had collected and stockpiled. The main en suite opens onto a courtyard at the back of the house, while the sliding door in the main bedroom speaks to a silmilar blurring of, or moving beyond, the edges. Kate expresses that on a Sunday morning, it’s mandatory to open the doors and have a coffee in bed.
L I V E / wood stock
the In what was once a church, a local furniture designer and his wife created a bright and breezy work-home environment
church studio Words by Tracy Lynn Chemaly Photography by Micky Hoyle Styling by Charl Edwards & Storm Ross Production by LOOKBOOK Studio
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Making a former church one’s home and furniture-design studio is a rather unorthodox move. But then Cape Town designer Haldane Martin and his wife Danielle have never really followed the path of the ordinary. Their bedroom and kitchenette, tucked away under the church’s wooden stage, demonstrate their non-conventional inclinations. So too does the way in which they’ve transformed the actual church into a showroom. Although the colour that the Martins painted the stage walls of Woodstock’s old All Saints Church was selected for its vintage hue rather than for its name, Dulux’s ‘Tavern Green’ is an apt appellation when
one considers the Public Entertainment Licence framed in the entrance of this 1912 heritage building. It was awarded to the church rectory by the City of Cape Town in 1967, permitting ‘dancing, singing, music and theatrical performances’. ‘It’s our licence to party,’ laughs Danielle, a former professional singer herself, and now the head of PR, marketing and sales for the company that was recently rebranded as Haldane. The licence only allows for merriment between the hours of 10am and midnight – satirically appropriate considering two of the three years that the couple has spent in this home have been during the pandemic, with its stringent curfews.
Right Haldane selected ‘Tavern Green’ by Dulux for the stage walls so that the showroom could emit a vintage quality suited to a heritage building. The couple’s pets are always roaming around the studio and home; here, Tammy (aka ‘Stumpie’) sits on one of Haldane’s sofas.
Work from home For Haldane and Danielle, having a space in which they work, live and entertain has allowed them to create a showroom that feels like home in the most authentic sense, dotted with homeware accessories by some of their favourite local brands, and even some of Haldane’s older design pieces. It’s a place where clients feel comfortable enough to remove their shoes and really sink into a sofa. And it is also a sacred retreat for husband and wife, whether behind a computer or the stove. ‘It’s rather weird to integrate living with your business,’ Haldane admits, ‘but it’s been interesting. It’s more human; more casual.’ The situation particularly suited their life during lockdown. ‘We could get out of bed, climb the stairs and there we were at work,’ he says.
This spread The showroom and the home both include pieces by Vorster and Braye, Moonbasket, Jan Ernst, Okra Candles, Bofred and Frances VH, as well as Haldane’s Tuber planters made for Indigenus.
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A sense of place Although no longer a church, the building remains precious, carrying both the reverence of the heritage architecture that cannot be altered and the character that previous tenants have added inside over the years. ‘Like the urinal that was turned into a shower,’ says Haldane by way of example. What used to be a public toilet at the entrance to the church is now the couple’s bathroom – ‘quite a trek’ from their bedroom at the opposite end of the building. ‘But it’s great for kitesurfing,’ Danielle attests, ‘because we leave all the sand at the front of the house.’ Double doors (a boon for big furniture deliveries) lead from this entrance into what was once the church sanctuary. The double-volume cavity, painted white and strung with opaque curtains to create storage ‘rooms’ for packaging, reveals different spaces depending on the configuration. When drawn, the curtains form a celestial passageway into the showroom, leading the visitor toward the candy colours of Haldane’s furniture collection. This includes the iconic Songologo Sofa, reimagined for outside living. It is the piece that their two cats love most. ‘They’re drawn to whatever is new or precious,’ Danielle teases, having resigned herself to the fact that their fur, and that of Freyja the black Groenendael, is part of the ‘lived in’ showroom experience. This page A sketch of the church’s facade, drawn by artist, Di Metcalf; in the bathroom sits a handmade antique stool by Haldane’s grandfather, Knut, and a Sim-ply chair with the photographic work, ‘Iceland’ by Silas Bahlig, above it. Right The light and bright space includes an artwork from the ‘Ditwala’ series by Mohau Modisakeng, Swartberg sofas and a Plat-O dining table with Slingshot chairs.
Home life Danielle mentions that the months of lockdown gave her more time to play her piano that stands at the foot of the stage. The way the world swung to a quieter rhythm ended up being the catalyst they needed, for it was during the initial lockdown period that they pivoted the business, moving away from the interior-design work that Haldane had gravitated toward. He returned to his passion for designing furniture – this time the outdoor kind – and developed six new ranges in that first year of lockdown. ‘Haldane was happy to be left alone to obsessively design, while I was desperately making friends with the delivery guys who dropped food off,’ laughs Danielle, the extrovert in the relationship.
Above The kitchen houses an array of handmade crockery from Lazy Eye Ceramics by ceramicist Skye Corewijn. Right In this little nook, Sim-ply chairs are placed around a Plat-O table with a wooden top. The rug is from Weylandts and various local artworks that the couple have collected are displayed on the wall.
Looking ahead Now, it is business as usual, and the couple will soon be moving to a new home to make space for more furniture in their showroom. ‘We’re quite comfortable in our little den,’ says Danielle of their compact, below-stage, sleeping, cooking and dining alcove, ‘but Haldane’s making a lot of new designs and we’ve got nowhere to put them!’ The invitation will remain for clients to visit the showroom. ‘People who are into Haldane’s work are usually interested in how things are made and what they are made of. It’s cool to see how our chairs are assembled, who’s putting them together, and all the intricacies that go into making something look really simple. Working and living together isn’t for everybody,’ says Danielle, ‘but in our case we’ve been really lucky.’ @haldanemartin haldane.co.za
This page A James Mudge writing desk with Haldane’s Sim-ply chair make a fine pair. In the dressing alcove, a fine art piece by Tess Metcalf hangs on the wall while Stinky the cat peers out over a rug by Bofred. Right The couple’s beloved hound, Freyja, sits atop a leather dog mattress handmade by Dani’s grandfather, and flanked by a Meubel Fine Furniture bed with Mungo linen. The bird adornments are by Sarah Pratt and Tess Metcalf from Salon 91.
L I V E / manor ga rd e ns
the Positioned between treetops, in Durban’s Manor Gardens suburb, this family home is an architectural feat with a layered and personal history
jungle dwelling Words by Jess Nicholson Photography by Roger Jardine Styling by Roxanne Robinson Production by LOOKBOOK Studio
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Zwelisha Giampietri and Steve Jones’ Manor Gardens home is so close to the treetops that the couple can watch birds and monkeys swooping through the neighbourhood from their sofa. ‘The access to nature is wonderful. We can observe each creative construction decision the weavers make as they build their nests – from ours,’ says Zweli. Their home – not of twigs, but of concrete, Corobrik, brise-soleil and expert shuttering – was built with the same fastidious attention to problemsolving and a tough environment the nesting birds apply. Architect Paul Mikula, who designed ‘House Meyer’ (named after the first owner) with his partner Rob Johnson in 1981, basically constructed a viewing platform – floating above the tropical jungle that characterises Durban and immersing its dwellers into the city’s green belt – and making the most of the spectacular view inland. To do so, he needed to anchor the structure securely
into the excessively steep slopes typical of the University suburb’s plots. Success came with 15-metre pillars propping up a concrete slab, and bedrooms hung below. He then used a penetrable façade: breeze blocks and louvre windows to steer in the light, air and humidity, lighting up and cooling down what is essentially a very creative Modernist interpretation of a Durban veranda house. You’re almost always both inside and outside at the same time. But what is extra special about this home, is that while it was being built, Zweli’s mother, Maria Cristina, who was studying architecture, watched its progress from her own home two doors down. ‘My mother’s family hails from Italy, and she grew up in this street. She documented the construction as part of a first-year exercise and kept the project from all those years back, not knowing then, that one day I would be here, raising our little one, Neo.’
Right Giving credit for the build to a civil engineering company, the designer, Paul Mikula, describes the deep consideration he took for both the literal and abstract characteristics of the environment.
A place to grow Zweli and Steve (and then along came baby Neo), bought the house in 2018. Apart from a very personal connection to their home through their family history, the young couple, who have recently launched New Noise – a multidisciplinary creative design studio – say the house provides a connection to nature: its calm, offers a breeze through the humidity, and endless inspiration. ‘We like the light, and the flow and the view down the valley. Being here during lockdown felt like a holiday. We love the privacy, but at the same time still feel the need to be connected to our surroundings. The house does that. Even the maintenance requires enormous amounts of imagination. In a normal house, to tackle say, a wall problem, you might simply put a ladder up. Here we are 15 metres in the air, so each bit of maintenance becomes a special-case scenario. With a baby in the mix we will need to look at how he uses the space and reinvent once more. I’d like to make the garden into a jungle playground,’ says Steve.
Above Zweli, Steve and their baby, Neo, are flanked by a Louis de Villiers artwork that takes pride of place on the staircase. Right The kitchen is certainly the heart of the home, as the family love to cook – Italian and Asian-inspired vegan recipes are their favourites.
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All things bright and beautiful Mervin Jordan, a naval doctor, was the house’s second owner and Zweli and Steve bought the place from him when he retired, acquiring some of his furniture, which fits perfectly. ‘It was fairly seamless, we kept some of Mervin’s stuff – he had made some excellent decisions for the interior, and then we brought our old life in,’ says Zweli. The walls are adorned with indigenous musical instruments made by Zweli’s dad, ethnomusicologist, Dr Sazi Dlamini. Durban Film Festival posters hark back to Steve’s days working for the Centre for Creative Arts and bookshelves heave with Zweli’s magazines (mostly fashion titles interspersed with culture, interiors and lifestyle mags), a collection built up while working as designer and brand manager for Amanda Laird Cherry. ‘Most of our pieces connect to Durban in some way: the Cameron Platter paintings, work by Nikhil Tricam, lights by Xavier Clarisse, a Shaun Tomson surfboard Steve restored and Themba Mathenjwa’s animal sculptures. These we bought from Zendawo, a small business that we assisted in establishing, owned by Steve’s mom. And then there are some pieces that come from my teenage years – a vintage wooden cabinet that came from India. It used to house my books but now it serves as our drinks cabinet,’ says Zweli.
This page, from top to bottom The interiors are bright and layered, dotted with old and new — the lamp is by Lisa Twyman and the artworks by Cameron Platter from the KZNSA. A Derrick Nxumalo artwork from the KZNSA sits above Zweli’s vintage cabinet from India. Right The home is light and colourful, inviting the outdoors in —standout pieces in the lounge include Halo Stool by Antidote and a Supine Lounger by Kipekee Studio.
This page, clockwise from top left An intricate artwork by Nikhil Tricam hangs above the KPA Pedersen + Lennard bed, with a vintage Tiffany lamp and an Arkivio mirror to the right. In Neo’s nursery, an Animal Mobile by Themba Mathenjwa from Zandawo and Pom Pom garland from Noush Projects hang above the KPA cot by Pedersen + Lennard with a receiving blanket by Mungo and a leaf rug by Lorena Canals from CLA. Right A quiet spot to work is surrounded by family photos and varied artworks.
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An incredible framework Paul Mikula, who designed the house in the early ‘80s, humbly suggests it was a feat of engineering skill rather than anything architectural. ‘Instead of battling steep slopes with retaining walls and creating endless seeping waterproofing problems, you just float it. You build a large concrete platform on some very long columns. The living area must be at the top, and you can hang bedrooms off the bottom. It might seem daunting to a young architect, but really just look at any bridge. If you get a civil engineering company to do the work, which I did, it is really a simple solution – a bold one – but simple. Civil engineers build huge structures like this all the time, for them it was par for the course.’ At the time, Paul and his contemporaries were exploring Modernism and ‘contextual architecture’, building on from the ideas of Hans Hallen, Lance Smith, Louis Kahn and Danie Theron. He was also influenced by the way structures are made in traditional Zulu architecture. Nowadays he runs the Phansi museum, which houses a spectacular collection of African art. The architectural significance and layered personal history attached to ‘House Meyer’ makes it that much more unique – and it’s set to welcome new memories for the lovely family of three. @newnoise031 @housesoleil
Above, from top to bottom A sentimental sketch drawn by Zweli’s mom, Maria Cristina Giampietri, capturing the patio. The couple recently undertook structural restoration and revamped the outdoor entertaining area — a jewel of the home and Bollo the dog’s favorite spot. The pool is a focal point of the patio, a welcome oasis with the city’s sweltering temperatures. Right The façade of the house is constructed with brise-soleil.
L I V E / b o-kaa p
the The colourful revamp of a temporary rental has unexpectedly become the long-term home – and happy place – of this Capetonian spatial activist
townhouse Words by Justine Stafford Photography by Greg Cox Art Direction & Styling by Luanne Toms Production by Frank Features
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‘Everything I owned used to fit into two suitcases,’ laughs John Edwards, a self-confessed professional nomad who now calls this colourful, two-storey cottage in the Bo-Kaap home. His unlikely decision to settle after years abroad was the result of a job offer to work within the public sector and the opportunity to focus on his passion for ‘spatial justice’ and the fair redistribution of resources and opportunities for people displaced by political volatility. Although formally trained as an architect, John quit his job in 2013 and moved to England to study a Masters of Philosophy in Development Studies at Oxford University: a once-in-alifetime experience that, he maintains, changed his life. ‘I went from working on a penthouse in Sea Point to a university classroom talking about what mattered to me most,’ he recalls. This change of direction was further emphasised during a research trip to Palestine, where John personally witnessed the devastating reality of political displacement.
‘Their plight was desperate: they had no passports; they were denied the same services as the Syrians and their future was hopeless.’ The experience had a profound effect on John, who was at the time struggling with his own personal odyssey of coming out to friends and family. ‘Seeing people who had been forced to run from everything they knew and loved made me realise I was running away too. I knew I had to own it.’ Not the easiest thing to do when you’ve been brought up in a religious, Calvinist culture but, he says, he received ‘amazing’ support and, postgraduation, returned home to work as a researcher on the Better Living Challenge – a project by The Craft & Design Institute that focused on the incremental upgrading of informal settlements. Unfortunately, project funding ran out after two years, which was when John jumped at the unexpected chance to launch a design hub in Luanda, Angola. ‘It meant experiencing another African country, so I just went for it,’ he says.
Right The soothing sage green of the dining room was chosen to complement the old gold velvet of the dining room chairs. ‘They’re from a friend who moved to Zurich,’ says John.
Moving along Despite enjoying the experience, John didn’t hesitate when he heard about a role within the Informal Settlement Support Unit within the Western Cape Department of Human Settlements. He applied, flew back to Cape Town for the interview and, before he knew it, had been offered the job of his dreams: project managing and consulting with government officials on the policies and guidelines affecting informal settlement upgrades. Now he just needed somewhere to live... A good friend had just bought a cottage in the Bo-Kaap and offered it to John as a rental for six months. John immediately set to work sanding floors and doors and painting every room in the house a different colour; inspired, in part, by the rainbowhued houses characteristic of the Bo-Kaap, but also by the temporary nature of his proposed tenure. ‘I knew I was only going to live here for a few months so I could be playful without overthinking my choices.’ Blossoming in bright colours at the foot of Signal Hill, on the outskirts of Cape Town’s CBD, Bo-Kaap was formerly known as the Malay Quarter with origins dating back to the 1760s. This page John’s decision to paint every room in the house a different colour was inspired, in part, by the rainbow-hued characteristics of the Bo-Kaap heritage area. A sketch of the townhouse’s facade, drawn by John. Right On the upstairs landing, John used white to transition between the hot pink coming up from the kitchen and the grey of his bedroom. Colourful accents like a tiger’s head from Superbalist, a Heath Nash light and crocheted buck head made by John’s aunt, Antjie van der Merwe, emphasise the sense of playful irreverence that is palpable throughout his home.
True colours ‘It was fun to pick random colours and go for it in an intuitive way, knowing that I couldn’t over-commit,’ says John, who didn’t even daub swatches on the walls before making his final colour choices. It may sound haphazard however it’s anything but: this is a home comfortable with containing shifting human moods and that sense of ‘anything goes’ is what makes it remarkable. It’s just the kind of uplifting tonic John needs to help him cope with the demands of his working day. ‘What I do requires energy and self-motivation; especially as bureaucratic systems and processes often limit what is possible to achieve,’ he says.
This spread An artwork of a plant by Matthew Prins. Plants are displayed on top of the bright countertop and lime green plastic drawer trolleys by Kartell. The hot pink kitchen also functions as John’s indoor greenhouse, with plants, and artworks of plants, happily growing amongst the appliances and a quirky array of vintage collectables.
Making it personal As he settled in, the space started to take shape, each room morphing with its own distinct personality. This included a moody ‘voorkamer’ painted dark blue – an homage to John’s artist and gallerist friend, Michael Chandler – and layered with similar-hued furnishings and art. The hot pink kitchen towards the back of the house also functions as John’s indoor greenhouse, with plants, and artworks of plants, happily growing amongst the appliances and his quirky array of vintage collectables. Connecting the kitchen with a small outdoor bathroom is a Ferrari-red suntrap of a courtyard inspired by Mexican architect Luis Barragan, who mixed vibrant shades of colour to evoke an emotionally passionate response. In contrast, the sage green walls of the dining room provide a calm base for the earthy, textural tones of the old-but-gold velvet dining chairs, warm wood accents and ceramics, handmade by John’s mother, Myrtle, when she was his age.
This spread The ‘voorkamer’ is painted a dark blue as an homage to John’s good friend Michael Chandler’s iconic use of blue-and-white in his ceramics. A collection of ceramics by John’s mother, Myrtle.
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A happy space Coming home to a happy space that doesn’t take itself too seriously is a pleasure that helps John to stay on track. ‘It’s easy to become despondent but I want to specialise in this area so I’m not going anywhere just yet.’ The synchronicity of how his professional passion for improving informal settlements has been mirrored by the revamp of his temporary living space is not lost on him. ‘It’s true: I suppose my work made me open to the concept of transient living where you may need to move on or create something out of nothing.’ This awareness, combined with a desire as a designer and consumer to tread lightly on the planet, extends further than just his living arrangement: all his furniture is either on ‘long loan’ from equally nomadic friends, personally collected or inherited and upcycled for modern living. The effect is a feeling of comfortable familiarity; that John is surrounded by the loving energy of family and friends. The irony now is that his initial six-month rental has already extended to over a year. John doesn’t need to leave and, he says, he’s enjoying being in one place and having access to all his things. ‘Although I do sometimes wonder, if I had to pack everything up and leave again, how would I fit it all into those two suitcases?’ Above, left John’s upstairs lounge employs a serene colour palette of grey walls and muted decor to create a calm relaxation zone. The velvet couch and swivel chair are both inherited vintage treasures; the artworks above the couch are by John’s friends Lucie de Moyencourt, Lilianne Kiame and Renée Rossouw. The wooden globe is by New Zealand designer, David Trubridge. Above, right Architectural models by John. Right The graphic screen is by Renée Rossouw. He uses it to divide the bedroom space from his open-plan work and upstairs lounge.
L I V E / mossel bay
the In a small seaside town, a husband-and-wife duo have created their perfect contemporary home – a simple structure that belies the intricacies of its well-thought-out detailing
lighthouse Words by Alma Viviers Photography by Frances Marais Styling by Storm Ross Production by LOOKBOOK Studio
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‘This way home’ read the note, architect-owner Yvette van Zyl left on the kitchen counter for her husband, pointing to a scale model of their dream home. Dëon spent several days contemplating the little model, which Yvette built on the sly, ultimately feeling compelled by the design to invest in the building of their own home rather than buying a house on the plummeting pandemicdriven property market. The couple never planned to live in Mossel Bay but a work opportunity meant Dëon, a chemical engineer who now operates in the fishing industry, had to relocate to the small town, which is known for many things
including being the landing place of Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias and its great archaeological significance. Initially this was quite the adjustment, but they soon succumbed to the charms of the historic harbour town and the natural beauty such as the tidal pool, ‘Die Poort’, which they discovered on many walks. Making sure they could live out their passion for rock climbing, Dëon and Yvette have already bolted over 25 routes in the surrounding area. ‘What I didn’t anticipate is how much time it saves to live in a small town,’ Yvette laughs. ‘I’ve gained hours in my day from not having to navigate a big city.’
Right Stone excavated from the site was repurposed for the retaining walls as well as this distinct entrance hall floor.
In search of the perfect spot Finding a home, however, proved to be more difficult to navigate in the architectural mishmash of the typical South African coastal town. Yvette laments that she must have looked at over a hundred properties but in the end settled on the idea of buying a plot and building their own house. Rather than opt for property in the newer estate-driven developments, they looked for a plot in the historic heart of the town, but these were scarce and came at a premium. As luck would have it, a property came onto the market just then and met all the Van Zyls’ criteria. The plot, tucked at the end of a servitude, had no street frontage, which meant total privacy; it had enough space for an olive grove and it had spectacular views towards the harbour and bay as well as the Outeniqua mountains beyond. This page A nautical theme is evident throughout, with curved walls, porthole windows and key decor and design pieces from Kartell, &Tradition, Ligne Roset, HAY, Castelli and more. The textural finishes become dynamic as light moves through the house during the day. The scale-like texture of the half-moon door handles by Meyer Von Wielligh (top left) gesture to Dëon’s work in the fishing industry. Right The living and dining room, with a view over the bay, is populated with old and new pieces. The dining room table is a retro find, perfectly complemented by Louw Roets’ Ori chairs. The champagne coupés were vintage finds for the couple’s wedding.
Putting the plans in place Even before Yvette put pen to paper to design the house, the couple drew up a design manifesto of the qualities that they valued in a house. The list of 22 attributes included both spatial qualities like natural light, flow, and raw materiality as well as specific design elements such as the use of breeze blocks, a window seat and hearth. ‘For us it was important to be intentional about the quality of the space rather than a specific style of architecture,’ explains Yvette, who has worked in large architectural practices for more than 15 years and used the design of their house as a springboard to launch her own practice, YvZA, in Mossel Bay. ‘This was really the first time I tackled a building project solo, and I could channel my experience into something wholly my own. Despite the demands of it, it made me relish the design and construction process again. It was life changing.’ Drawing on environmental and site context but also the vernacular languages of architects such as Gawie Fagan, who designed the Mossel Bay post office and was responsible for the renovations of the Dias Museum, she wanted to create a home with a sense of seaside ease and effortlessness.
This spread, from left to right Homeowners Dëon and Yvette in the kitchen that they designed together. A cute little storage area, complete with a Pedersen + Lennard coatrack, houses all manner of items that are special to the couple. It was important that Yvette and Dëon agreed on the layout of the kitchen, as he does most of the cooking. All the kitchen joinery was done by the skillful team from Meyer Von Wielligh; an artwork by Fred Schimmel resides above the stove and a Skinny laMinx tea towel takes pride of place on the sink.
The intricacies of a build Playfully dubbed the IGLOO – after Dëon quipped that even if Yvette built him an igloo he’d like it – the house has a simple geometry: an off-shutter concrete box that cantilevers over the bedrock anchored by a hefty column that forms the house’s monumental hearth. The plan is basically a parallelogram angled at 20 degrees east of north to ensure optimal passive climate control. ‘Mossel Bay is one of the few places in South Africa where you get a north-facing sea view. I wanted to optimise the views for each room, ensuring privacy and cutting down on heat and glare,’ explains Yvette. ‘I also used the strict envelop of the parallelogram as a way to temper the urge of designing a bigger and bigger building.’ Taking a stereotomic approach, she proceeded to scoop out spaces from the constraining box, creating gently curved interiors, which avoided rooms with awkwardly sharp corners due to the angled walls. The result is a sense of simplicity that belies the meticulous and painstaking detailing and crafting of the spaces. ‘I could not have completed this house without our contractor, Eric Waterson from Procon Construction,’ she says. ‘Eric is the kind of can-do pragmatic builder that works with you to achieve on site what you envisioned, particularly when things don’t go according to the plan. It was a relationship built on trust and respect for each other’s expertise and competence.’
This page An architectural blueprint and maquette of the IGLOO, showcasing the elongated, yet compact design. Right The breeze blocks, paired with the large glass-panel doors and skylight, add to the sense of openness and offer a subtle nod to the seaside location.
Looking from the inside out ‘The sun never knew how great it was until it hit the side of a building’ is one of Yvette’s favourite quotes from revered American architect, Louis Kahn – and the words come to life in the interiors of the house. Considered openings balanced by the solidness of thickened walls, carefully placed porthole windows mitigate against harsh light and a series of skylights throughout the house turn light painterly; at times washing over textured walls, at others drawing crisp contrasting lines across surfaces. The house also provided the couple with the chance to decorate a home from scratch. ‘I lived in studio apartments for most of my life and Dëon relocated from the UK with just his sound system and personal items’, Yvette explains. The risk, she points out is, that if you decorate all in one go, it might end up looking like a catalogue of whatever is in vogue, that there is little layering and personality. The upside of a delayed building process due to Covid-19 meant they could source fittings and furnishing over time for their first truly shared space. During the process the couple was delighted to discover that their personal tastes were well-matched. The interiors are a quirky and creative assemblage of international high design and the best of local; collections of trinkets and curios from travels, local art, and a vast library of books. Living with the ever-changing views and light are some of the couples’ favourite aspects of the house: ‘Dëon’s best part is that he can enjoy the harbour and Outeniqua mountain view from the kitchen while cooking, and I love waking up with the eastern sunlight on the soft curtains and plush carpet from the vertical slot on the eastern side of the bedroom.’ @_yvza
This page, clockwise from top left A vintage Shell chair and HAY side table stand in front of a collection of Tintin books from Yvette’s childhood. The couple’s passion for colour is even filtered through to their favourite hobby — rock climbing. The signature furniture and decor mimic the darts of sunshine streaming through the home — light being one of Yvette’s favourite touches. Right The Joe Paine STILT standing lamp cradles the lounge, coupled with the Ligne Roset Togo sofas and a sentimental basket from Dëon’s mom.
This page Kartell storage units and porthole windows add a playful and functional element to the bedrooms. The print above the guest bed (top left) is from THEFOURTH, with plenty more artworks by South African artists featured throughout. Right The choice of colours for the mosaics in the bathroom were inspired by the surrounding environment, accompanied by framed works from Alan McIintyre and Bordallo Pinheiro fish.
This page In the main bathroom, a palette of verdant green draws on the Milkwoods and cacti outside. Right Yvette took pains to hunt down a supplier that could still install ‘70s-style louvre windows in the kitchen, which aid in choreographing the sunlight and sea breeze.
THE COLONY IS A KIND OF CREATURE IX BY CHRISÉL ATTEWELL AVAILABLE FROM BERMAN CONTEMPORARY Stained wood and glass 40 x 30 x 8 cm – POR ‘I wanted to investigate the burnt body of the forest, to find signs of healing and life. The bark of dead trees looked like the burnt skin of a creature. I peeled away at the skin, picking at the scabs, expecting raw infected flesh, but instead I found patterns. Underneath the bark of the dead trees was bare wood, tattooed throughout.’ – Chrisél Attewell bermancontemporary.com @bermancontemporary
Photograph courtesy of Berman Contemporary
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HOUSE AND LEISURE
DIGEST 209
Designing to follow, not lead p210 Garden Uplifting a community one seed at a time p212 Wine Building a bridge through wine p213 Education Mentoring the next generation p214 Food Sharing food with new friends p215 Finance Mapping your future in property p216 Tech Adapting to an alternate reality p218 Wellness Embracing tech for positive change p220 Fashion Shifting your mindset for good p221 Art Fostering a community in the arts p222 Architecture
D I G E ST / arc hitect ure
designing to follow, not lead With a prediction that the majority of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050, it’s imperative that these inner-city zones also hold space for community cohesion. Open City Architects’ director, Bettina Woodward, shares her thoughts
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Above Open City Architects’ director, Bettina Woodward
Photography of Rowan House and Block House by Greg Cox / House and Leisure
Architect Mariam Kamara’s remarkable Hikma complex (above) and Dandaji Daily Market (right) in Niger; created by architects Adele Naude Santos and Antonio de Souza Santos, Rowan House (above right) is an iconic South African home – originally designed in 1972 and later restored by Open City – it is coincidentally, now home to Bettina Woodward; the Block House is another one of the duo’s notable spaces (bottom left); Japanese architect Toshiko Mori’s cultural centre in Senegal was constructed using exclusively local materials and techniques (left and below right).
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uplifting a community one seed at a time On a trip to The Jardim Farm in Noordhoek, contributing sustainability editor, Jackie May, discovers a unique garden that feeds a family and serves a community, all of which is symbolised in its unique stained glass window...
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Above Jardim Barn has been designed as a place for real, in-person connections; previous collaborations have included artists like Andile Dyalvane (above, left), Mpho Vackier, Zizipho Poswa and Candice Lawrence
It’s a windy day when I visit the The Jardim Farm, located about two kilometres from Noordhoek beach. From my car, clutching my sun hat, I walk past a striking stained glass window, the only opening to the south eastern side of a renovated barn. This wall faces the Gomes family home, while the other sides of the barn open to south peninsula views, nature’s elements and a large firepit. Rotem Shachar, one half of MR Design Studio’s creative duo, is responsible for the barn renovation, and explains how the building is an album of family memories executed not in images but in materiality. The interior wood cladding represents Justin Gomes’ upbringing in Cape Town; a lattice-like brick wall evokes images of Angela Gomes’ childhood in Benoni; the round window, designed by artist Andrew Whitehouse and made by stained glass artist, Anika van der Merwe, is a reference to the Notre Dame cathedral and the years Angela and Justin lived in Paris. While the window is a reminder of more carefree days, its design is an interpretation of an aerial photograph of the family’s vegetable garden. In the middle is the harvest table, with five purple strips symbolising Justin, Angela and their three children, while around the table are the beds of organic vegetables. Although a private property and home to the family, and a menagerie of animals, the barn is used for public functions and their vegetable garden has become a community hub. Stretching across the front of the property, the vegetable garden is an oasis of verdant, organic vegetables. Planted in 2015, Angela harvested her first crop in 2016 and since those early days the garden has grown to provide food not only for the family, but
also the surrounding community. On Saturdays, families visit to pick vegetables and during the week, Angela offers workshops and school programmes about food growing and the meaning of organic. She is also integrally involved with food growing in neighbouring community, Masiphumelele. Here she assists Yandiswa Mazwana, founder of the Masi Creative Hub, with seedlings, workshops and networking. There is a quiet global revolution underway and The Jardim Farm is a part of this revolution of growing food, sharing seeds and knowledge about local and organic food systems. In cities across the world, communities are using open spaces – curb sides, pavements, empty plots, their own gardens – to grow food. I wander around the garden once more and spot a small shed. The previously underutilised space has been transformed into a meditation room filled with indoor plants. This is where Justin wrote his illustrated book, ‘The Cloud that Helped People See’, an allegory about the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has helped people understand the devastation we have caused to the planet. Justin writes about a tribe of faceless people with their machines who ‘took more from the Kingdom than they could ever eat or drink’. After a cloud envelopes the tribe, they were forced to stop and be still and they realised that the small things are the big things. Before I leave, Angela picks up a halved green pepper to show me the seeds she is saving. These will be planted, shared and then offered to her family and to her community once more. It truly is the small things that are the big things. @thejardimfarm @jackiemay_sa
Photograph by Rotem Shachar
D I G E ST / ga rd en
D I G E ST / wine
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building a bridge through wine Lauren Manuel McShane engages with a new narrative surrounding Cape Town’s wine culture, and chats to tenacious entrepreneur, Lindile Ndzaba whose brand, Khayelitsha’s Finest Wines, is paving this connection
D I G E ST / educatio n
mentoring the next generation Global brand, Sanpellegrino, believe in the power of growing and nurturing young talent within the culinary industry, which is why they created the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy – a platform to connect, educate and mentor the next generation. The project spans an18-month period leading up to the global Grand Finale. Paul Prinsloo tells Lynette Botha about his experience
Above A creative illustration of Chef Paul’s finale dish, Bouillabaisse 2.0
selected to compete again in the Africa and Middle East regional in 2019, he really helped me to refine the dish. He guided me on methods and ingredients as well as helping with plating,’ says Paul. ‘His involvement as a mentor to me played a huge part in getting me to the grand finale.’ The dish Paul entered was called ‘Bouillabaisse 2.0’ a classic that he reinvented to make modern. ‘This is where Gregory gave me profound input on the flavour of the dish. I would practice it once a week
for six weeks and he would taste it and give his input each time, teaching me how to tweak it. I’m sure by the end of our practice runs he was a bit tired of eating Bouillabaisse, but it helped a lot,’ Paul laughs. When asked why he feels that it’s important for projects such as S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy to exist, he answers, ‘Sanpellegrino plays such an important role in the global food industry, supporting and nurturing younger chefs to become the next generation
of “greats”. It is an amazing platform and just the exposure received from the Academy itself is spectacular. I’m honoured to have had this opportunity.’ While Paul didn’t take the 2019-2021 title he certainly made his mark on an international stage, and was recently appointed head chef of Gåte Restaurant at Quoin Rock. @paulthinus @spyoungchefacademy @sanpellegrino_official Entries for the 5th edition of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy (2022-23) are currently open.
Illustrations by Grace Crooks / LOOKBOOK Studio
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Chef Paul Prinsloo describes himself as a simple guy who likes to keep things uncomplicated. Having grown up in Klerksdorp in the North West, he moved to Cape Town seven years ago and says that it’s the best decision that he’s ever made. It’s in the Western Cape where he really started to pursue his culinary career, having known from the age of 14 that he wanted to become a chef. While Paul has worked at various restaurants since starting out, it was during his time at The Restaurant at Waterkloof that he became interested in the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy competition. ‘One of the Chef de Parties I worked with was entering this competition I knew nothing about. I was intrigued and went home to research it, and it was there and then that I decided that I would enter the following year,’ he says. ‘I had no idea then that I would actually make it to the Africa and Middle East regional that was held in Dubai.’ As a part of his preparation for the grand finale of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy 2019-21, Paul was mentored by renowned French chef Gregory Czarnecki, who worked at several Michelinstarred restaurants in Paris and has cooked for plenty of superstars before setting down roots in Cape Town. ‘When I first entered my dish, it was completely my own recipe and idea, but when I got
sharing food with new friends Connecting through food is nothing novel, but after two years of uncertainty and isolation, coming together to break bread with strangers in fun and creative environments has been a tonic for so many, says Iga Motylska Havana Goblet in amber from Soho. Red bottom glass from Homesense. Knoll Tulip Chair from Nest. Muuto Nerd Chair from Nest. Bit stool from Normann Copenhagen. Round Outdoor Harvest Table from James Mudge.
Clockwise from left Vitra DKR Eames Wire Chair from Nest. Ripple Champagne Saucer from Ferm Living. Bottoms Up Vase in electric blue by HAY. Green glass from Homesense. Tivoli Orient Carafe in pale yellow from Normann Copenhagen.
D I G E ST / fo od
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Above An orginal sketch of Steyn City’s City Centre before development began
D I G E ST / finance
mapping your future in property More than just a wise move financially, investing in lifestyle-estate living is an investment into your wellbeing. Lynette Botha finds out more... 217 One of the key reasons that property is an attractive investment is due to it being seen as a stable place to put your money. Investing in the right property ensures attractive returns, but more than financial gain, the right realty can truly transform your way of life. A 2021 study conducted by wealth intelligence firm New World Wealth found that lifestyle estate living is on the rise for many reasons: it provides security and privacy; a safe outdoor lifestyle and sense of community; myriad facilities (gyms, pools, parks, schools) all in one location and limited and controlled traffic. South Africa is recognised as a global pioneer in estate living and, if you have the means, there’s no shortage of choice in this arena, but there are those that are a cut above the rest – particularly if you’re looking at your property as an investment. Enter: Steyn City. This Johannesburg landmark
since 2015, has since its inception enabled potential buyers to see upfront precisely what they were buying into, as all infrastructure was already in place – a marked departure from usual practice, where purchasers are encouraged to imagine the amenities and accommodation that will form their future home. Early investors are already reaping rewards, according to Giuseppe Plumari, CEO of Steyn City Properties, as well as investors at the brand-new City Centre, which ushered in a new way of urban living when it launched last year, where similar returns can be expected in the future. Steyn City is continuously transforming and being developed, which of course has an impact on the value of its properties. Recent updates to facilities include a 300m lagoon and the Ultimate Helistop (allowing residents and non-
residents alike to schedule flights around the city and beyond), adding to its already impressive amenities, which include an 18-hole Nicklausdesign championship golf course with award-winning clubhouse, children’s play nodes, a choice of eateries, resort pools, a 45km floodlit promenade ideal for cycling and running, a 50km MTB track, flood-lit tennis courts, fully equipped gym and outdoor workout stations – plus the on-site AAA-grade offices at Capital Park and the renowned Steyn City School campus. All have contributed towards the development’s ranking as one of the world’s top 10 residential lifestyle estates, according to New World Wealth. The innovative design of homes, which make a drastic departure from traditional solid, monolithic apartment blocks, is also exciting. The City Centre repositions homes as communities,
with each apartment forming part of a smaller cluster where there is significant emphasis on green landscapes, in keeping with Steyn City’s philosophy (the development’s famed indigenous parkland was previously a disused quarry until the planting of thousands of shrubs and trees transformed it into a haven for bird and plant species). Equally important is the sense of light that abounds throughout the City Centre – not only in the apartments, where rooms are large enough to accommodate a king size bed with ease, but even in the 2 000-car super basement, where architectural cut-outs turn a typically dark and dingy space into a brightly illuminated, easily navigable one. While investing in a property here is a smart financial move, it’s an even smarter choice for quality of living and peace of mind. 010 597 1170 / steyncity.co.za @steyncity
D I G E ST / t ech
adapting to an alternate reality Welcome to The Metaverse! Here, ownership and design take on a whole new meaning as this parallel universe becomes a reality, writes Mila Crewe-Brown
218 We’re living in a world where virtual real estate has already outpriced many equivalent brick and mortar properties. A world where architects have a future in designing SimCity-like urban spaces rather than physical ones. A world where digital twins can predict future outcomes in the construction and engineering sector and avatars sport the season’s latest digital fashion from Balenciaga. In this new online universe, Snoop Dogg has his own virtual world the Snoopverse, of course But, we’re still living in this world so to speak, not that one. But wait… what? Enter: the Metaverse, an umbrella term for a shared 3D virtual space (or spaces). There, instead of reading your House and Leisure as a paper iteration… even a digital iteration, you’ll slip on your VR glasses and walk among the very walls of one of the featured homes or engage with some of the design
products featured in 3D. You’ll hang out with your friends (the ones who live in New Zealand) on a beach in Sardinia. Or you’ll gather in one of Meta’s Horizon Workrooms with internationally based colleagues to present a project this last example of a Covid-constrained workforce being one of the drivers behind the Metaverse’s hurtling pace of progression. The Meta we refer to above is in fact Facebook, who relaunched as a technology company that is ‘helping bring the Metaverse to life’ according to the brand. They’re joined by companies like Epic Games, Microsoft and Roblox and are (allegedly) building ethics and regulation into its fabric from the start, with one of the biggest issues being: who owns assets and content which doesn’t exist tangibly in the real world? That’s where NFTs (non-fungible tokens) come in, attaching a unique identity, value and ownership to each asset.
Brands like Decentraland Architects (whose own blockchain-based open world famously sold a plot of virtual land for $900 000) are using a combination of 3D design and coding with blockchain technology to create offices, homes, furniture and accessories for this, the internet’s next chapter. It’s design on a whole new level, for a whole new client the player or avatar. For architects and designers, this is the next frontier. ‘Architecture is going to be very important in the Metaverse. It might be digital, but the experiences are visceral and powerful and they’re going to be better if the spaces they happen in are beautifully designed,’ says Greg Truen, director of SAOTA, who have already fully integrated VR technology into their design and presentation process. Together with architect Alba de la Fuente, Argentinian digital designer Andrés Reisinger created Winter House:
a pink-hued, Modernist-inspired hideaway that we’d happily leave the tethered world behind for. When auctioned, ten of Andrés’ furniture pieces collected an impressive $450 000. Our pick of the crop The Hortensia Chair is a voluptuous and highly tactile armchair so covetable that Moooi is mass producing real versions of it, cloaked in 30 000 laser-cut pink polyester petals. If this digital-first system gains momentum, then the design industry as we know it will be flipped on its head with demand now preceding supply. The sustainability implications of this kind of model would completely disrupt the current status quo, as resources would be used only when the demand exists. Used responsibly, the Metaverse is expanding design horizons, birthing new job titles and generating new income streams. The future is now. @milaproudfoot
Visual created by Reisinger Studio
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Above A render by Argentinian artist Andrés Reisinger, known for his futuristic designs that hint at an alternate reality
D I G E ST / wellness
embracing tech for positive change
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Illustrations by Robynne -Elaine La Cock
Celebrating sisterhood and the power of safe spaces for women to talk, question, learn and feel seen is at the heart of what Khwela Womxn aims to achieve. Binwe Adebayo talks to its founder to learn more
D I G E ST / f ashion
shifting your mindset for good
Photography by The Slum Studio
Lifestyle writer, Nabeela Karim, highlights the clothing crisis impacting third-world cities and how small changes really can make a difference
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D I G E ST / ar t
fostering a community in the arts An annual highlight on the calendar – and one sorely missed in its physical form during its hiatus – Investec Cape Town Art Fair is back
Clockwise, from top left Artists to see at the fair include Uche Okeka, Dada Khanyisa, DuduBloom More, Tafadzwa Masudi, Anico Mostert, Uche Okeka, Hugh Byrne, Kylie Wentzel and Lulama Wolf. Above Wycliffe Mundopa
As Africa’s largest contemporary art fair, Investec Cape Town Art Fair, has always aimed to unite people through art. After an (in-person) hiatus brought on by Covid-19 and lockdowns, the 2022 edition of the fair is largely focused on the notion of collaboration in many spheres the intention is to open up a dialogue and a shared support structure, with an exchange of ideas, research, artists, strategies and resources. The fair seeks to bring people together to connect, converse and contemplate at the forefront of contemporary art. Having been the title sponsor of the art fair since 2018, Investec is not only committed to showcasing African artists’ works, but to supporting, mentoring and building a community through this showcase too. Artists and the art industry, like so many others, were very hard hit in the last two years it is imperative to buoy up the field and those creating within it. ‘The return of the physical event offers some reprieve and restoration for the global art community,’ says Investec Cape Town Art Fair Director, Laura Vincenti. ‘We believe it will be a deeply emotionally, spiritually, and physically rewarding experience.’ Echoing these sentiments, Investec’s head of Sponsorships,
Peta Dixon, notes, ‘We believe art can break down barriers and bring people together. So, we’re delighted to welcome back a faceto-face fair, combined with the digital edition, which could bring the world of art to a potentially larger, more diverse audience. Cape Town tourism has also been badly impacted due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, but we are hopeful that the 9th edition of Investec Cape Town Art Fair will be a drawcard for the city synonymous with art and creativity.’ In addition to a broader artist presentation, the 2022 Investec Cape Town Art Fair has some exciting new additions. The new ‘ALT’ section takes a different spin on a similar theme, inviting alternative galleries to portray the way in which the pandemic has affected how artists engage with the real and more pressingly, virtual worlds of art. In addition to ALT, the signature line-up includes: Tomorrows/Today guest-curated by Nkule Mabaso and Luigi Fassi and Past Modern guest-curated by João Ferreira; SOLO (which explores how artists have reacted to intimacy and introspection caused by the pandemic), as well as cultural platforms, a magazines and books area, and more. investeccapetownartfair.co.za @ investeccapetownartfair
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colour code I’ve always been attuned to the affect of colour on my mood. My keen interest in colour therapy as a teenager suggests as much. But then again, what wasn’t I curious about at that age? Unlike the teenage stereotype, I had a penchant for spiritual discovery, religious research and an acute interest in alternative healing; I spent a lot of my time in my bedroom – which was mostly white, black and nude. At the beginning of my studies I dared not associate myself with what I considered to be the frivolity of colour, but the more that I learnt about different faiths, the more I discovered each one’s relationship with colour; I found myself starting to intentionally introduce colour into my world. As a conscious teen (today’s equivalent of ‘woke’), I once spotted a badge of the Pan African flag – a horizontal triband of red, green and black – which represented the struggle and liberation of African people. Red representing the bloodshed, black representing our race and green representing the luxuriant vegetation of our continent. I read about colour symbolism in Buddhist art and, in praying to my ancestors, my mother taught me which colour candle to use for what and when. I also came to understand the significance of the colours used by my clan to decorate the rondavels at our family homestead, kwa Ndaba.
As an adult, I spent the first decade of my career working in design agencies and as a result my appreciation and understanding of colour deepened. Within my own agency, Mamakashaka, what lies at the centre of all of our experiences is my deepest desire: to bring beauty and joy to the world. When conceptualising our colour-themed fashion parties, Pantone Sundays, the thought of tapping into the world of colour was non-negotiable – using it as a way to activate and evoke positive emotions intrigued me. By simply theming each edition with a colour the events offer a common thread for strangers to express themselves, not only as individuals but as a collective too. There’s a sense of togetherness. Then Covid happened – is still happening – and we all longed to be together again. When we were finally able to host a Pantone Sunday event recently, to witness a sea of bodies clad in blue was incredible in so many ways. Blue, the colour that chromatherapists use to treat depression and pain. The colour that also calls to mind feelings of calmness and serenity. The underlying magic of colour, felt by our guests, is the intentional culmination of my long relationship with it and all it encompasses. @mamakashaka @pantonesundays
Photography by Pantone Sundays
Entrepreneur, connector, one of House and Leisure’s editors-at-large and the driving force behind Pantone Sundays, Nandi Dlepu reflects on her journey with colour and its impact on her life
FLOORING TO COMPLEMENT YOUR LIFESTYLE
F O R F U R T H E R I N F O R M AT I O N C A L L 0 1 1 6 6 9 0 5 0 0
HOUSE AND LEISURE
LOOKBOOK
Above, from left to right: Kuku Cov 3 Light R7 825 from Ashanti Design. Smeg Combi Fridge-Freezer R49 999 (60cm) from Wakefords Homestore. The Capsule Pendant Light R4 150 from Lisa Twyman. Whistling Stovetop Kettle R1 899 by Le Creuset from Yuppiechef. Fiorentina 90 Oven POR from Officine Gullo. Madame O Chair starting at R12 570 and The Loop Chair starting at R9 330 both from Roche Bobois. Two-colour Round Table in green mint R29 295 (105cm D) by HAY from Créma Design. Tint Wine Glass R1 237 (set of 2) by HAY from Créma Design. Glass Candle Holder in light purple from H&M. Long Spiral Candle in light blue R152 by HAY from Créma Design. Pad Locker in jungle green R18 300 from Dokter and Misses. Sowden Kettle in yellow R2 752 by HAY from Créma Design. Matégot Bowl in yellow POR by Gubi from Salt Design Store. Medium Yellow Gloss Tiles R180 p/sheet (30x30cm) by Douglas Jones. Crudo Rustic Planks with No. 1 Lacquer POR from Oggie Flooring.
lookbookstudio.com
Scotch & Soda LOOKBOOK : Fall 2021 Look 1 Gradient melange knit sweater, organic cotton shorts and cream beanie. Look 2 Pastel pink sweatshirt, matching sweat pants and beanie. Look 3 Charcoal and beige patterned jacket and shorts with white shirt. Look 4 Ochre blazer and pants in subtle verticle stripe. Look 5 Denim jacket and matching all-in-one. Look 6 Tartan coat and shorts with brown detail, cream sweatshirt and lime green beanie.
LO O K B O O K
# # # ! # " # # $ # " # # % #
Above, from left to right: Wide Juice Vase in yellow from HAY. Magic Jar in candyfloss rose from Tivoli Collection from Normann Copenhagen. Vase ‘Dorit’ Mouth Blown Glass in orchid hush/puce aubergine from Broste Copenhagen. Small Ballon Vase in caramel from the Tivoli Collection from Normann Copenhagen. Hurricane ‘Esther’ Mouth Blown Glass in serenity light blue from Broste Copenhagen. Green Glass Vase from Country Road. All vases POR.
LOOK 1
Get organising
Compiled by Storm Ross Main image by Ferm Living
Declutter your home with sculptural yet smart storage solutions for every room
Storage tip Use aesthetically pleasing and functional items as a way to decorate and simultaneously tidy your space – simple shapes and exposed metal make for a polished look.
LO O K B O O K
1. Vase Bowl in Yves Klein blue R7 200 by De Nagmaal. One-off Hand Printed Lampshade R1 450 by Heather Moore from Skinny laMinx. Ceramic Lamp Base R2 400 by Sarah Walters 2. Montego Glass and Metal Shelf in black R5 999 from @Home. Sugar Cube Side Table in yellow R1 899 from Popstrukt. 3. Arc Floor Mirror R15 995 from Weylandts. 4. Interior Print (FPPLC0242) R2 668 from Lemon Collection. 5. Large Abaca Basket R1 295 from Weylandts. Midi Foldable Crate in purple R150 from Typo. 6. Easy Coatstand in graphite black R4 850 by Dokter & Misses. Estenda Clothes Stand R22 300 by Busetti Garuti Redaelli for Ligne Roset. 7. Foglio Screen R58 499 by Tonic Design. 8. Carraway Coat Hanger in black R275 from Weylandts . Two-Tone Denim Jacket R2 800 from Scotch and Soda. 9. Tall Hinge Trio in light grey R37 300 from Dokter & Misses. 10. Savoy Collection POR from BestWood Flooring. Long Pile Rug in olive green R6 035 by Ferm Living from Créma Design. 11. Pukka Fireside chair R54 600 by Yabu Pushelberg from Ligne Roset.
LOOK 2
Go and play Enhance a youthful space with the addition of cute accessories and a warm colour palette
Colour tip Pair pops of primary red and soft pastel pinks with warm neutral tones to create a cheerful, quirky space that is easily adaptable.
LO O K B O O K
1. Porthole Mirror in yellow R1 600 (40cm) from Vamp Furniture. 2. Dollhouse Bookshelf in white R3 050 from Design Store. Shlufalump Elephant Desk POR from Shluf. 3. Happy Hook in blush POR by Fritz Hansen from Limeline. 4. Vintage Fish 35 custom print R1 795 (70x100cm, unframed) by Pezula Interiors. 5. Lion Face Wall Hanging R950 from Weev. 6. Chair 3 R1 639 from 8° South. Small Braided Pear Basket R1 136 by Ferm Living from Créma Design. 7. Togo ® Fireside Chair in curry alcantara R54 800 by Michel Ducaroy from Ligne Roset. Cushion Cover Solid Orla in shell R515 by Skinny laMinx. 8. Renocrete in coral POR by Cemcrete. 9. Luminol Standing Lamp in red R9 240 by Joe Paine. 10. Rug 4 in red R6 050 (90x120 cm) by The Ninevites. Satkania Round Rug in natural and coffee R1 595 from Weylandts. Modern Kaudani Kelim Stripes R24 150 (290x216 cm) from Herringbone. 11. Scallop Drinks Cabinet with Duco 1000W finish R20 700 from Studio 19. Dining chair in maroon R4 370 from Kino.
LOOK 3
Head back to work
Compiled by Storm Ross Main image by Ferm Living
Mix structured shapes with curvy add-ons for a look that is sophisticated yet fun
Textural tip Allow the textures to do the talking by stripping down your work zone and keeping colour pops to a minimum, letting materiality do all the work.
LO O K B O O K
1. Diary Planner in beige R550 by Taryn Diab. Hermès – Arceau Watch on swift orange calfskin R48 995 from Picot and Moss. 2. Holiday Ample Armoire Cabinet in black R24 500 by Dokter & Misses. 3. Perforated Bin in yellow R1 490 by HAY from Créma Design. 4. Vase Gear in white R3 695 (large) from LaGrange. 5. LIDO Little Dining Chair POR by Gamfratesi from Minotti Cape Town. 6. 8W LED Picture Light 3000K in antique brass R1 310 (56cm) from K.Light. Slow Day Art Print R1 600 from Design Store. 7. Kanoko in green POR by Zoffany Fabrics from St Ledger & Viney. Segato in carbon black POR from Oggie Flooring. 8. Dot Workstation R5 600 from Dokter and Misses. Linha Studio Desk POR design by Marcio Kogan/Studio MK27 from Minotti Cape Town. Joburg Stoel 1101 POR from David Krynauw. 11. Flowerpot VP3 Table Lamp in signal green R8 786 by &Tradition from Créma Design. Mesh 3 Shelf Storage in gold R2 199 from @Home.
LOOK 4
Take it outside
Compiled by Storm Ross Main image by Ferm Living
Create a stylish outdoor sitting area by pairing natural textures with uplifting brights
Style tip Keep things modern by teaming natural and organic materials with standout design pieces that are both functional and easy on the eye.
LO O K B O O K
1. Fez Candle Box in grey R9 900 by Gandia Blasco from Limeline. 2. Orb Watering Can in cashmere R2 398 by Ferm Living from Créma Design. 3. Libhuma Planter and Log Basket with incobozo trim R3 800 from Pezula Interiors. Seagrass Basket with Handles R899 form Zara Home. 4. Broadleaf Lady Palm in sinan basket R2 505 from Plantify. 5. Pebble Pollen Pillow Cover R590 (50x50cm) and Sliced Persimmon Round Pillow Cover R700 (40x40cm) both from Skinny laMinx. 6. Classic Range Quartz Carpet in linen POR form Quartz Carpet. Danish Irregular Deep Brushed Cladding in grey POR from Oggie Flooring. Terracotta Decorative Breeze Bricks R150 each (11x20.5cm) from Moroccan Warehouse. 7. Garden Café Set in orange R4 495 from Block and Chisel. 8. Dinner Bench in natural R5 340 (1.2m) from Houtlander. 9. Passage Stool R3 406 by Kroyer Saetter Lassen for Menu from Salt Design Store. Short Fold Nesting Table in mustard R2 430 from Acre Studio.
DIY
Add colour to your interiors and influence your mood with these Duram paints
Paint tip Combine pale shades with bold tones for a more-is-more aesthetic – dare to experiment and don’t be afraid to play.
Main image of the Up-side -down House. Photographed by Margaret M. DeLange. Styled by Kirsten Visdal. Colour design by KOI Colour Studio. Paints by Pure & Original Paints
Mix and match
LO O K B O O K
1. Cheeky 109-3 Pastel Base. 2. Sunny Saturday 097-6 Clear Base. 3. Jade Jest 060-4 Pastel Base. 4. Zanzibar Retreat 083-6 Clear Base. 5. Cool Dude 020-4 Pastel Base. 6. Ember’s Glow 107-6 Clear Base. 7. Spring Cosmos 115-6 Clear Base. 8. Peaceful Princess 004-3 Pastel Base. 9. Bailey Green 056-6 Clear Base. 10. Infinite Grace 027-5 Deep Base. 11. Sunny at Heart 087-6 Clear Base. 12. Queen of Angels 115-4 Pastel Base.
REVAMP
Above, from left to right: Oval Mirror with aged brass wooden edging R3 900 from Victorian Bathrooms. Collect SC71 Planter in sage R1 315 (24x8 cm) by Space Copenhagen openhagen for &Tradition from Créma Design. Dune Floating Shelf R1 999 (115cm) from @Home. Philodendron Scandens ‘Heartleaf philodendron’ R190 (16cm) from Folha. Spartan F Heated Towel Rail R5 425 (1065x520mm) by Jeeves from Builders Warehouse. Bijou Towel in canary R525 from Mungo. Chambray Shower Curtain R2 398 by Ferm Living from Créma Design. Hamilton Toilet Suite R5 340 from Victorian Bathrooms. Braided Laundry Basket R3 761 by Ferm Living from Créma Design. Crudo Rustic Planks with No.1 Lacquer POR from Oggie Flooring. Cape Cod Freestanding Bath R61 743 by Duravit from Bella Bathrooms. Short Milk Stool R1 800 from Houtlander. Toy Bath Duck R65 by Tolo from Takealot.com. Round Stand Washbasin in white POR by Ex-T from Still Bathrooms. Single-Lever Basin Mixer with pop-up waste in yellow R6 812 by Dornbracht from Flush Bathrooms.
LO O K B O O K
@Home home.co.za 8° South eightdegreessouth.com Acre Studio acrestudio.co.za Afrimodern afrimodern.co.za Alex Coetzee @alex_f_coetzee Always Welcome alwayswelcome.store Ashanti Design ashantidesign.com Bella Bathrooms bellabathrooms.co.za Berman Contemporary bermancontemporary.com BestWood bestwood.co.za Block and Chisel blockandchisel.co.za Bofred bofred.co.za Broste Copenhagen brostecopenhagen.com Builders Warehouse builders.co.za Carin Dorrington carindorrington Cécile & Boyd cecileandboyds.com Cemcrete cemcrete.co.za Central @central_ct Clementina Ceramics clementina.co.za Country Road woolworths.co.za Créma Design cremadesign.co.za Curación Collective curacion-collection.co.za De Nagmaal denagmaal.com Design Afrika designafrika.co.za Design Store designstore.co.za Dokter & Misses dokterandmisses.com Douglas Jones douglasjones.co.za Duram Paint duram.co.za Duravit duravit.com Ebony Curated ebonycurated.com Ferm Living fermliving.com Flush flushbathrooms.co.za Folha folhashop.com H&M hm.com HAY hay.dk Herringbone herringbone.co.za Homesense homesense.com Houtlander houtlander.co.za Indigenus indigenus.co.za Jade Paton Ceramics jadepaton.com James Mudge jamesmudge.com Joe Paine joepaine.com K.Light klight.co.za Khwebula Arts @khwebula Kino kino.co.za La Grange Interiors lagrangeinteriors.co.za Le Creuset lecreuset.co.za Lemon Collection lemoncollection.co.za Leroy Merlin leroymerlin.co.za Ligne Roset lignerosetsa.co.za Limeline limeline.co.za
Lisa Twyman lisatwyman.com Louw Roets louwroets.co.za Mabeo Furniture mabeofurniture.com Mash.T Design Studio mashtdesignstudio.com Meeco Studio meecostudio.com Meyer Von Wielligh meyervonwielligh.co.za Minotti Cape Town limeline.co.za Mooi Mirrors @mooimirrors Moroccan Warehouse moroccanwarehouse.com Mungo mungo.co.za Nest nest.co.uk Normann Copenhagen normann-copenhagen.com Officine Gullo officinegullo.com Oggie Flooring oggieflooring.com Pedersen and Lennard pedersenlennard.co.za Pezula Interiors pezulainteriors.co.za Picot and Moss picotandmoss.co.za Poetry poetrystores.co.za Popstrukt popstrukt.com Quartz Carpet quartzcarpet.co.za Reticence Design reticence.co.za Roche Bobois roche-bobois.com/en-ZA Salt Design Store saltdesignstore.com Sarah Walters sarahwalters.co.za Scotch and Soda scotch-soda.co.za Shluf shlufkids.com Skinny laMinx skinnylaminx.com Southern Guild southernguild.co.za St Leger & Viney stleger.co.za Still Bathrooms still.za.com Studio 19 studio19.co Takealot takealot.com Taryn Diab via houseandleisure.co.za THEFOURTH thefourth.co.za The Ninevites theninevites.com The Storer thestorer.co TheUrbanative theurbanative.com Tonic Design tonicdesign.co.za True Design truedesign.co.za Typo cottonon.com Vamp Furniture vampfurniture.co.za Via Wax @via.wax Victorian Bathrooms victorianbathrooms.co.za Wakefords Homestore wakefords.com Weylandts weylandts.co.za WHATIFTHEWORLD Gallery whatiftheworld.com Wiid Design wiiddesign.co.za Wolkberg Casting Studios wolkberg.com Yuppiechef yuppiechef.com Zara Home zarahome.com/za
HOUSE AND LEISURE
Scan. Shop. Smile :)
Scan the QR code to view these looks online and discover more inspirational decor content
lookbookstudio.com
HOUSE AND LEISURE
LOOKBOOK House and Leisure and the Cape Institute for Architecture (CIfA) have teamed up to highlight the incredible architectural work of several local firms who were honoured at the Awards for Architecture 2021 by LOOKBOOK Studio
houseandleisure.co.za
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H E L LO F R O M H O U S E A N D L E I S U R E ’S P U B L I S H E R
hello! LOOKBOOK Studio and House and Leisure are proud to bring you this exclusive insert that honours the recent winners and notable mentions in the Cape Institute for Architecture’s (CIfA) Awards for Architecture (AWA) 2021, highlighting some exceptional work.
House and Leisure houseandleisure.co.za @houseandleisure
It’s quite unbelievable that it was only just over a year ago that LOOKBOOK Studio, our new start-up – a creative content studio – acquired the iconic House and Leisure brand. From the get-go, the objective was to reinvent and redesign the almost 30-year-old publication – a most ambitious task. Our first issue, Vol. 1 : Escape, landed on the shelves in May 2021. As we now release Vol. 4 : Build, which is aptly named and timed, I am extremely pleased to be able to reflect on the publication’s speedy evolution and growth. The inclusion of a ‘Lookbook’ for the Cape Institute for Architecture (CIfA) is another milestone for us. Architecture is one of our key content pillars and this collaboration demonstrates our support for the architectural fraternity and organisations, such as CIfA. There are many talented architects working day and night to design and build beautiful structures that will certainly outlive us all. And CIfA, through their merit awards, is working tirelessly to celebrate those making noteworthy contributions to architecture. This insert aims to showcase these merit award winners to a wider audience – to develop an appreciation for the profession itself and recognise its unique ability to be transformational in communities and societies. Many of these noteworthy structures may go unnoticed by the general public unless, of course, they are spotlighted, and their architectural merit explained beyond just the design community. We hope that this is the beginning of what will eventually become a more inclusive and representative showcase of architectural excellence across our entire country. Pieter Bruwer Co-founder : LOOKBOOK Studio Publisher : House and Leisure
W E LC O M E F R O M C I FA’S P R E S I D E N T
The Cape Institute for Architecture (CIfA) is excited to be collaborating with House and Leisure to share the amazing work submitted for our most recent Awards for Architecture.
Cape Institute for Architecture cifa.org.za @capeinstituteforarchitecture
It was a tough couple of years for us all, so a big thank you to everyone who submitted projects to the 2021 awards programme! We were surprised and excited to receive 59 submissions – an enormous achievement. In this time of the pandemic, we congratulate all of those who submitted for completing excellent projects and, thanks to House and Leisure, we are so pleased that we can share these incredible achievements in architecture with the broader public. The 2021 submissions consisted of 57 projects in Category A, in the form of built projects and two in Category B, in the form of publications. Residential projects remained the dominant character of the submissions, but we saw an increase in residential apartment blocks, with some mixed-use buildings as well. The remaining projects ranged from educational to hospitality to small-scale industrial, with one religious building. Our panel consisted of a range of thoughtful practicing architects and educators, with a good mix of skills and experience – both life and architectural. The criteria relied upon by our panel to assess entries encompassed the broad South African Institute of Architects (SAIA) Awards criteria of firmness, commodity, delight, and ecology. In addition, the panel dwelled on how each project related to its site, it’s detailing and the consistency of approach for the bigger picture all the way down to the finer details. In essence, a sense of place and a sense of making, as well as an appropriate architectural response to site and to the community using the building were pivotal. The projects noted within include 10 award winners, one recognised heritage build and three commendations. We hope you love viewing and appreciating these spaces as much as we did! Nicola Irving CIfA President and AFA 2021 Convener
Paarl. Architect: Louis Phillips. Joiner y, finishes and lighting: Block Plan. Furniture and styling: Salome Interiors. Oggie Oak Grande Rustic with WOCA Denmark UV White Oil - 15 x 305 x 2800
...wide plank oak floors and walls by Oggie.
Cape Town: 021 510 2846 | Paarden Eiland Johannesburg: 011 262 3117 | Parkhurst Durban: 031 000 1000 | Umhlanga nick@oggie.co.za www.oggieflooring.com
NEWLANDS
Upper Wheelan House A simple street-facing facade belies the intricacies of the incredible design and architecture that live beyond Architect: Douglas & Co AWA 2021 winner
Upper Wheelan House appears, from the outside, to be a very modest building – on purpose. It was designed to be respectful to its streetscape context. Only the red oxidepainted gates give away any hint of the architectural approach within. The masonry facade, with verticallyproportioned and symmetrical openings under a hipped roof, are all polite gestures to the context. Inside, the architects have managed to create a sense of generosity within a very tight footprint. The old cottage has been extended upwards to create a first floor, and half of that space is reserved for a living area beneath double volume. Fully glazed to the south and with bay windows to the east, this space extends into a small backyard garden. After moving through the front door from the traditional stoep space, the sense of volume and connection to the outside that are achieved are unanticipated and delightful. The other half of the footprint has been infilled with a carefully crafted and scaled timber and steel frame structure. This framework, over three levels, accommodates a scullery, bathrooms, bedrooms and a study. All these spaces flow from a tight but comfortably designed central staircase. The spaces are designed to pivot the user towards framed views of the mountain and surrounding historic townscape, which allows these efficiently-designed spaces to feel generous. The material palette is similarly restrained. The structure is exposed: varnished South African pine is used for floors, walls, bay windows and ceilings, and steel is painted oxide red throughout, from beams and posts to handrails and light fittings. All other materials – chosen to impart a sense of luxury and texture within the space – are green in tone, from the green slate floor tiles to the cabinetry. Altogether, this building is notable for the sense of craftsmanship, surprise and delight it manages to impart, while remaining respectful to its spatially- and heritageconstrained environment. douglasandco.co.za @do_andco
Photography courtesy of Douglas and Co Architects
AWA 2021 W I N N E R
CLAREMONT
Herschel Atrium An existing building gets an addition that slots in seamlessly and allows the space to sing (quite literally) Architect: KLG Architects AWA 2021 winner
This project was an extension to an existing building and falls within an existing campus architectural identity. Its success is in how seamlessly the new construction integrates with the existing one on multiple levels, layers, and scales. Circulation to and through the new amenity is a fluid experience. A courtyard is carved out as an articulated void space of composed proportion that seamlessly merges old with new. The project is heightened through its layering of space that intensifies through the narrative experience of the building. The courtyard enhances and relates to the atrium. The ground floor lowers to define the choir practice room foyer, which acts as an informal performance space with double volume height and an evocative saw tooth roof with northeast clerestory light. The gathering space and circulation arms on the first floor further hold and interact with the lower ground floor atrium space. The choir practice room, with its clerestory windows, submerges to hold the music and the ceiling is lifted above ground to allow light and lightness to reverberate. The music school is a complex building in terms of its programmatic, sound barrier and acoustic requirements. These complexities are handled with grace and finesse. The architectural articulation has a quality of seeming effortless. Through a multitude of careful and thoughtful decisions, the architects have created a fluent space of lightness and restrained calm that allows the users a place of expression and for the music to sing. klg.co.za @klgarchitects
Photography by Dave Southwood
AWA 2021 W I N N E R
KLEINMOND
Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve A conscious and sensitive approach to accommodation and visitor facilities was brilliantly executed by the team overseeing this project Architect: KLG Architects AWA 2021 winner For this build, the brief asked for the design of new tourist accommodation, an administration block, public ablutions and parking for day visitors, as well as walkways within the UNESCO designated Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. This ecologically sensitive and environmentally volatile area is home to the world’s richest concentration of floral diversity per unit-area. The winters are wet and cool, while the hot, dry summers can see the ferocious southeaster tearing through the Palmiet River valley at extreme speeds. The architects’ response is the outcome of a highly informed approach to site, scale and materiality, carefully executed throughout the range of interventions that compromise the public and private elements of the programme. The self-catering units, which are available to rent exclusively through Cape Nature, serve to subsidise the extensive conservation programme mandated to that body. The accommodation provided, five one-bedroom and three three-bedroom units, is spatially generous, providing just the right amount of amenities and comfort to create a sense of being truly tucked into nature. In an environment that is as majestic as it is sensitive, the architects do not sacrifice the delight of the user (or dayvisitor hiking past) in seeking appropriate responses in the forms they create and the spaces these hold. Thresholds between inside and outside are masterfully negotiated and manipulated in the handling of shading, fenestration and openings. Details such as the baboonproof solid-timber ventilation slots, are placed with common sense, consistency and poetry. There was questioning within the jury regarding the economic accessibility of the accommodation provided and whether further typologies could have been explored to share the wonder of this place with more South Africans. Environmentally-appropriate technology, including solar and wind, is deployed in a manner that creates the possibility to expand the scope of the architecture beyond that of shelter and, into that of the educational and didactic. This group of carefully designed and placed objects in the landscape quietly demonstrate new approaches in negotiating the needs of humanity and those of the world within which it dwells. klg.co.za @klgarchitects
Photography by Dave Southwood
AWA 2021 W I N N E R
BETTY’S BAY
Watson Cottage In the seaside town of Betty’s Bay a less-is-more approach has delivered big time Architect: KLG Architects AWA 2021 winner
This cottage, in the peri-urban makeshift sprawl that is Betty’s Bay, is an exercise in smallness that tests size requirements of the holiday house typology. The result is cause for the idioms ‘small is beautiful’ and ‘less is more’. In this inspired setting, with its magnificent mountainous backdrop, the new building sits lightly and somewhat afloat on a rock landscape. The cutaway porch, the projecting bay windows and the sensitive low flush-aligned roof all contribute to an architecture of humble restraint in service of its dramatic backdrop. The simplicity of the L-shaped footprint shows a deft hand at planning that can align and overlay entry, connection between sea and mountain and the pragmatics of use and circulation into an accomplished and efficient layout. The uncomplicated materials and skilful detailing contribute sparse interiors that – through strategic apertures and bay window seats – connect the scale of the body inside, to the staggering views beyond. The architects have achieved, through smallness, a space and place of elegant repose. klg.co.za @klgarchitects
Photography by Dave Southwood
AWA 2021 W I N N E R
CONSTANTIA
Private Gymnasium This enigmatic and delightful structure has been deemed a joy to exercise within, with good reason Architect: Malan Vorster AWA 2021 winner
The brief for the team from Malan Vorster was to transform a private residential gym in Constantia into a space that would make exercise feel like a pleasurable experience for the client. And the team nailed the brief. The gym is set within a sophisticated terrain of other folly-type structures in a lush garden landscape, under the dappled light of mature oak trees. It is perched atop a heavy stone-clad and stippled pigmented plaster base wall that stretches into the landscape and helps define the garden’s many terraces that tumble down the mountainside. This base equally delineates the car park forecourt realm from the upper tranquility of the garden. Within this base is a carefully crafted self-contained guest suite. The gym can be accessed via this guest suite up an elaborate circular timber staircase that feels as if you are rising within one of the many oak trees. The gym can also be entered via the water terraces in the garden that span from the owner’s treehouse, along a bridge-like structure that winds through the lush foliage of the garden. The gym itself – in contrast to the base – is an elegantly crafted lightweight timber shrouded structure with a roof that effortlessly floats above. The piquant smell of the cedar timber works well with the roof plane that has been masterly crafted with subtle inflictions to infer to specific mountain and garden views, allowing filtered light through the established oak trees to softly enter the buildings clere-storey windows and grace the gym studio. Via large openings, the entire gym opens to the garden where the boundaries are blurred, sitting alongside a network of dark mountain water-filled pools. Water lily-filled ponds create a cooling effect to the side of the gym-studio. As if the timber cladding is not enough the gym instruments and equipment have been specially ordered for their Swedish-like timber componentry and detailing that completes the entire experience. The long-term planning of the estate has also been foreseen where if extra accommodation is required, the gym can easily be converted into a living-dining and kitchen area with the guest suite below as the bedroom. malanvorster.co.za @malan_vorster
Photography by Adam Letch
AWA 2021 W I N N E R
VREDEHOEK
House Campbell At the end of an ordinary street in Vredehoek an extraordinary home was imagined and brought to life, maximising light and space Architect: Michael Lumby Architecture AWA 2021 winner
Seemingly taking its cue from a standard Vredehoek home footprint, here the architect carved out a remarkable celebration of form, space and a play of light. From the outside, every beautifully crafted steel opening introduces a new form, a change in the configuration or a coursing of the dominant brick facades. These facades provide to either offset the planting in the boxes generated by the formal interplay, or to eventually allow a total overgrow of the entire structure. Internally, every space is carved out of this solid brick form with a remarkable balance between economy of space and comfort. Moving through the house it is difficult sometimes to understand how, within such confined parameters, opportunities for space and volume could be found, how each opening to the outside could so perfectly capture particular views and aspects and yet respond so excellently to the form making from the outside. And then, how the use of natural light can have so many meanings in so little space. It may be easy to write a thousand words about the architecture of this house (and it is just a house), but it is true to say that every human being deserves waking in the delight of space and light and to end the day in the comfort of this cocoon. ml-a.co.za @michael_lumby_architecture
Photography courtesy of Michael Lumby Architecture
AWA 2021 W I N N E R
SOMERSET WEST
Christ Church Balancing old and new – the highlight of this subtly choreographed sequence is that it screens-off without shutting out, accommodates without prescribing and holds without constraining Architect: Noero Architects AWA 2021 winner This brief called for an extension to an existing complex of church buildings, to accommodate an expanding congregation in Somerset West. The immediate context of the site is suburban in form and programme. The approach, off of Old Stellenbosch Road, meanders up a narrow street that is shared with a medium-sized shopping centre, its parking lot and a Tudor-styled gated-estate. The incline, together with the facade of the centre, effectively diminishes the scale of the new church building, which in its cylindrical form and industrial detail, recalls the language of the concrete reservoirs that it joins on the slopes of the Helderberg. The complex is accessed through a gently sloping ramp, screened in white breeze block, modulating light whilst softening the banality of its immediate context. One exits the ramp into a courtyard around which the new and existing structures are arranged, with the old and new church buildings aligned axially, parallel to the slope. The new church building, a cylinder set into a cube, allows for fluctuations in capacity and programme. It succeeds in creating a space that is non-hierarchical, austere and doctrinally appropriate, while maintaining a sense of the sublime. Light pours in from above, through the central clerestory that crowns the drum-like structure. The cylinder is clad with carefully articulated courses of air-bricks, modulating acoustics while subtly animating the largely unadorned interior with a play of light and shadow. The exit is through the same door as the entry to the church, where you find yourself under the heavens once more. Across the courtyard, the old building is newly painted in white and is linked to the new church along the north-eastern boundary by a strip of cellular spaces (accommodating kitchens, storage, creches, and more) and to the southwest by the screened brick wall enclosing the ramp. Covered walkways finished in white concrete and supported on galvanised steel posts flank the courtyard, providing shelter from the sun and rain. This carefully deployed material language of brick, concrete and steel unifies the disparate elements of the scheme, creating a continuity that recedes gently as it frames the world beyond. noeroarchitects.com @noeroarchitects
Photography courtesy of Noero Architects
AWA 2021 W I N N E R
BUFFELSBAAI
House Ferreira Indistinct at first, this family holiday home was brilliantly realised, while keeping the link to ocean and greenery fully intact Architect: Pinard Architecture AWA 2021 winner
It took three attempts to find this house… On the first two occasions it went unnoticed. And this, to a large extent, is where the beauty and the value of this seaside holiday house lies, in its absolute and carefully crafted humility. Where its neighbours push forward and higher to announce their presence and their occupation of the magnificent bay, the Ferreira home pulls itself back and down into the milkwood forest without sacrificing its connection to the ocean. The intention to connect the ocean in the east and the milkwood thicket in the west is achieved in absolutely every space inside the house. In addition, the extensive accommodation on its very restrictive site is filled with natural light, the breeze from the ocean and the cool shade of the milkwoods. Every space is crafted around human occupation – a balance between public and private, a sensibility in material use and the relaxed habitation of an extended family on holiday. Although this house responds so poetically to its existing context and its attempts to form a future context of a submissive human habitation, legitimate questions can be raised about the extensive use of concrete. Nevertheless, it remains a building that sets a further example for humility, for contextual engagement, for the rejection of stylistic surrender and for bold and outgoing good-mannered architecture. pinard.tv @pinardarchitecture
Photography courtesy of Pinard Architecture
AWA 2021 W I N N E R
LADISMITH
Buffelsdrift Farm This heritage site was respectfully reimagined, resulting in its new exterior and interior working in perfect unison Architect: SAOTA and Jaco Booyens AWA 2021 winner
Buffelsldrift Farm in the Klein Karoo is an adaptive reuse heritage project. The site originally housed several Cape Dutch buildings that were built on the farm during the mid-1800s with the main house dating back to 1852. In 2017 the architects were faced with a dilapidated and neglected site and chose to approach it with love. Evidence from earlier refurbishments of the 1970s were removed. The plaster was stripped out to reveal the original palimpsest of the structures and the construction technique. These traditional construction techniques, such as the use of poured earth, were recognised and adopted by the architects. The project acts as a dialogue between historic Cape vernacular techniques, indigenous construction and contemporary urgencies around sustainability in the built environment. The project is very much about landscape. The most significant external works are in the subtle but effective terraced platforms that set the existing buildings into the landscape. This is a project of infrastructure, of a water system and of the rehabilitation of the farm into a productive olive orchard. The use of traditional techniques, with a contemporary reading and heritage reinterpretation, transforms and enhances the original structures into a seamless new narrative between vernacular architecture and contemporary interior design, and into its new adapted use as a place of leisure and retreat. The quality of the interior and exterior space is so compelling that any visitor would be reluctant to leave. saota.com @_saota rysmierberg.com @jacobooyensarchitect
Photography by Adam Letch
AWA 20 21 WINNE R
BO-KAAP
Buitengracht Street Urban living is elevated to new heights in this constricted spot that is uncharacteristically spacious Architect: Team Architects AWA 2021 winner
At this somewhat awkward knuckle between the Bo-Kaap and Tamboerskloof, this development – which is much more than an alteration or an addition – appropriately respects that which is worthy and integrates a new urban compact accommodation. The original stone and cast iron boundary wall gives over to the new brick wall that also partly forms the gables of the two new shed-like structures, which mimic the reworked gable of the original Victorian, and gently march up the slope of the street boundary. Every inch of this wall is carefully proportioned to eventually reach the full height of the studios at the northwestern corner, next to the site of a three-storey block of flats. The actual gables are formed with corrugated iron sheeting, cascading down the boundary wall. The addition of the two new shed structures created two courtyards; one a generous entry courtyard, which gives access to all four new living units, as well as to the shared studio space. Upon entry one is struck by the generosity of this space, its comfortable proportions and the opportunities for interaction. The second courtyard is split in two and acts as a horizontal and vertical connection between living and working and also between public and private. The same generosity and humane attention to scale and materiality is carried through to every space, internal or external, to every detail and to every choice of material. This project is exemplary for its celebration of history of occupation and for its sharing of space between working and living, but beyond that its generosity of accommodating extended living on a really constricted urban site. teamarchitects.co.za @team_architects
Photography courtesy of Team Architects
AWA 2021 WINNER
LIGHT SPACE LIFE is SAOTA’s first monograph. Presenting twenty-three bold and innovative global residences, seamlessly woven into each location and its landscape, this book shows how SAOTA’s language has travelled continents and captured the imagination of clients around the world from Cape Town to Dakar, Lagos, Sydney, Los Angeles, Miami, Bali, Geneva, and Mallorca. LIGHT SPACE LIFE is a representation of thirty-five years of work that express SAOTA’s craft and approach to the design of villas. Available online and in bookstores worldwide.
AWA 20 21 C O M M E N D AT I O N
ELGIN
Moya Meaker Winery Here, through simple forms and careful detailing, the architect celebrates the wine-making process as intrinsic to the built form
Photography by Paris Brummer
Architect: Onyx Architects AWA 2021 commendation
As one approaches the winery from a meandering path through a fynbos garden, the symmetrical glass facade of the cellar is framed by two beautiful mature oak trees. Just one of the sensitive ways that the building is shaped around the constraints and opportunities of the site. The building is both intensely pragmatic and robust, yet elevates the function through its celebration of form, to create an almost cathedral-like quality. This is mainly achieved through the detailing of the timber scissor trusses, which allows natural top light to illuminate the double-volume structure of the fermentation cellar. This distinguishes itself from the traditionally dark and cave-like typology of a wine cellar. The backdrop of the oak trees on the glass facade become an intrinsic element of the internal spatial experience of the cellar. Elevated large wine storage drums create a balanced symmetry along this axis, becoming inherent to the architecture. The lightness of the fermentation cellar leads into the Malolactic room, which is in contrast a dark space, but where visual connections with the orchards occur in unexpected moments. These visual connections serve as a constant reminder of the winemaking process from fruit to final product. Moving through the building allows the visitor a unique view into the inner workings of this process, which ends the journey in the wine tasting room. This project is the joyful product of an architect who has taken pleasure in understanding the complex practical requirements of the brief, yet elevating the function through form making and detailing, making the building well worthy of a commendation. onyxarchitects.com @onyxarchitects
AWA 20 21 C O M M E N D AT I O N
ROSEBANK
Garden Studio The joy in this build is in its masterful detailing and the way that it effortlessly merges indoors and outdoors
This garden studio is the admirable product of an owner who is both the architect and the builder, one who found joy in making a jewel of a building, just in time for lockdown. Many previous city-commuters are choosing to work from home. This project is an example of responding to this need, in a wonderful and sensitive manner. Its typology becomes a thought-provoking example of how to densify a suburban plot, through good design principles, to create an appropriate addition to the site. This building conveys a delightfully experimental approach towards making and detailing. Simple in form, the layers of complexity are in the detail. The building is a simple lean-to structure that blurs the lines between inside and outside. A sustainable architectonic is intrinsic to the making. The facade allows in natural light through double-glazed steel windows, with a green ‘eyebrow’ which creates screening in summer and allows sun in during winter. Ventilation is hidden from view around the building, including sliding ventilation slots between the rafters. A wood-burning fireplace warms the studio during winter and rainwater is harvested into a custom corrugated water tank. Much care was taken in the choice of materials, which were chosen for affordability, durability and delight. Another interesting aspect was that the materials were chosen to be examples of different options and applications, allowing the building to become a type of architectural library in its very form. The building feels timeless in its nature. The placement of the garden studio is sensitive and creates a welcoming connection between the studio and garden, opening out into a courtyard that extends the design studio to an external ‘boardroom’ under a beautiful old fig tree. markthomasarchitects.co.za
Photography courtesy of Mark Thomas Architects
Architect: Mark Thomas Architects AWA 2021 commendation
AWA 20 21 C O M M E N D AT I O N
WORCESTER
Botha’s Halte Primary An innovative and colourful addition to Worcester’s landscape, this school lives up to the notion of ‘making learning fun’
Photography by Adam Letch
Architect: Meyer & Associates AWA 2021 commendation
This school in Worcester is essentially a gesture of gratitude to the community and, although it is privately funded, it is operated by the Western Cape Education Department. The result of this build is a wonderland of expressive architectural forms and elements, which are packed full of topical, ecological and sustainable responses to the environment. With each of these attributes being used as learning opportunities for the young scholars and the community at large; from the generation of its own electrical power, to collecting rainwater, to the demonstration gardens providing food, and more. With a pioneering spirit, breaking from the usual institutional form, the school accommodates 250 learners from this previously disadvantaged rural, farm-working community, in its outstretched dove-like wings. With a sweeping forecourt that greets you, with the curvaceous darkly rendered buildings set between two whitewashed elements, (namely the newly repurposed circa 1927 ‘Anna Zaal’ building), which now represents the front door and the corbeled wind turbine tower that creates a full-stop in the landscape. The darkly tinted wings of the buildings are highlighted at intervals with brightly contrasting accent colours to entertain the users and mark significant moments in the buildings programme. The novel tree-like structural columns and skylight structures in the library/multi-media venue at the centre of the school epitomise the African tree notion of nurturing and new growth. Although conflicted on some of the elements, like the prominence of the corbeled wind turbine tower in the landscape, possibly overshadowing the now infamous Bosjes chapel, this project is still very worthy of its regional commendation. meyerandassociates.co.za @meyer_and_associates
AWA 20 21 H E R I TAG E R E C O G N I T I O N
CAPE TOWN CENTRAL
Gorgeous George Hotel This heritage renovation is cleverly considered yet refreshingly playful and innovative
This project – which involved the refurbishment of two neighbouring heritage buildings of different eras and architectural styles – is notable for its careful understanding of, and response to, the heritage significance and character of the site and its component structures. Rather than retaining historical features for reasons of heritage constraints alone, here the architects have treated the structures’ heritage elements in a respectful but playful manner – in dialogue with them rather than simply preserving them. The result is a building where the new insertions are in balance with the older elements in terms of their craftsmanship, fine detailing and location. Historic lobbies, lifts, roof tiles, windows and structure are exposed and add texture and a sense of time and bygone grandeur to the refurbished spaces. While the programme allowed the architects a degree of flexibility and creativity that is often not possible in other building types, this project makes a valuable contribution to the challenge of adapting urban structures, designed for different purposes, to new and contemporary uses. The resulting design enhances and brings a new vibrancy to the historical character of these buildings, on this significant urban street. urbanecitizen.co.za @urbane.citizen
Photography courtesy of Urbane Citizen
Architect: Urbane Citizen AWA 2021 heritage recognition
HOUSE AND LEISURE
Vol. 4 : Build
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