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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
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U P F RO N T ED’S LETTER p12
CONTRIBUTORS p18
VISI.CO.ZA p20
VISION
INSPIRATION: THE YEAR OF THE TIGER p28 IDEAS: OUR FAVE FRESH TAKES ON LIGHTING DESIGN p36 ARCHITECTURAL INFLUENCES: LUYANDA MPAHLWA ON RENZO PIANO, DIÉBÉDO FRANCIS KÉRÉ AND CHARLES CORREA p40 TRAVEL: THE BIG APPLE’S HOTTEST NEW HOTELS p46
F E AT U R E S JOHANNESBURG HOME p52 GUJARATI LODGE p66 KEURBOOMSTRAND HOME p80 PROVENCE FARMHOUSE p92 SIGNAL HILL HOME p104 BIRDHAVEN HOME p116 PINELANDS HOME p126
STORIES 1. It’s been a unique, decade-plus design journey for Starry-Eve Collett and the Casamento team p140 2. Get your K-beauty essentials at Joburg’s Glow Theory, which sports up-to-the-minute interiors by Roxanne Ferreira of Arrange Studio p146 3. The Green School in Paarl is a demonstration of architecture that goes beyond being sustainable to become actively regenerative in nature p148 4. Rising local star Siyanda Magaba speaks to us about design principles – and his latest furniture collection, Guquka Africular p152 5. With undeniable links to the community it’s serving, sports centre Shapa Soweto aims to empower the next generation of athletes p154 6. To help foster connections over the fire, the new Kōl Izakhaya restaurant in Joburg features casual-luxe interiors in a range of natural materials p160 7. From petite “hole-in-the-wall” venues to a smart urban oasis, here’s our pick of the best wine bars in the country right now p164 8. The Samsung 4-Door Flex fridge combines customisable design options with the latest tech p168 9. A road trip puts the Audi e-tron 55 electric SUV to the test – and it scores top marks in all departments p170 10. Created by artist Kudzanai Chiurai in collaboration with Dokter and Misses, the Library of Things We Forgot to Remember is a living archive p172 11. Combining luxury with a modern approach to tradition, The Johri at Lal Haveli is a charming boutique hotel in the city of Jaipur, India p176 12. Fancy a bit on the side? Look no further than our roundup of the most interesting side tables for a piece that’s both fabulous and functional p180 13. In the first of our “More about…” series, we unpack the styles, formats and types of bioinspired design p184
INSPIRING FINDS
p192
COVER IMAGE CREDIT Elsa Young/Bureaux
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SO WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON MARZIPAN ... OR CROCS?
Like those two divisive examples, design tastes often also diverge into two camps. The design version tends to cleave its constituents down the divide of form versus function: do you prefer design that focuses on the job at hand, or do you like a little exuberance in the mix? The divide is, of course, more yin-and-yangy than it is a hard border. There’s always some form floating in the function side of the pond, and vice versa. In this design-focused issue of VISI, we have wonderful illustrations of each, both in our architectural features and in the Vision and Stories sections that bookend them. Architect Anthony Orelowitz starts from the point of function to create a beautiful Johannesburg sanctuary (p52), while the organic curves of Paul Oosthuizen’s Keurboomstrand home (p80) indicate that its design journey began from the opposite direction. Our look into biophilic and biomorphic design (p184) as well as Casamento’s design journey (p140) are inspiring examples of design expression, while Nike’s Shapa Soweto community and training centre (p154) and Audi’s e-tron 55 (p170) show how that little dot of yin in function’s yang makes all the difference. Ultimately, we tend to favour the ethos that speaks to our individual taste and, by extension, our personality. And whatever your personal tastes lean to, I think Ettore Sottsass, founder of the Memphis Group design collective, nailed it when he said, “A good design is like the possibility of going to the moon. Few people will have the opportunity to experience it directly – but its existence will change the lives of millions.”
VISI 118 sees the start of a brand-new section in our magazine, which focuses on items, people and buildings that inspire us. It’s a celebration of local and international design that both acknowledges what has gone before and is brave enough to be inventive.
“I’m inspired by FLEXIBLE RESPONSES to the unexpected.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF CASAMENTO
Starry Eve Collett founder and designer Casamento (see page 140)
Botan cals sofa with protea crewel-work embro dery POA | casamento co za
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LEANA CLUNIES-ROSS, PHOTOGRAPHER AND WRITER If money were no object, what one piece of iconic design would you buy? The Chrysler Building in New York City. It’s stunning, from the street all the way up to its terraced crown. A regular contributor to VISI, Leana has shot fashion and beauty editorials, covers, and campaigns for local and international clients. She’s also an accomplished writer, who in this issue explores the remarkable Aramness lodge in Gir National Park, India (page 66). Over the course of her career, she says she’s learnt to “steal away” time to do fine art photography – and to travel to as many new gardens as possible. She’s recently started studying horticulture part-time, with the ultimate aim of combining her passions for garden design, photography, and writing about horticulture, design and botanical themes. A N I A R O K I T A T AY L O R , FREEL ANCE COPY EDITOR If money were no object, what one piece of iconic design would you buy? The Eames lounge chair and ottoman – in white leather. A lover of words, Ania has made a career out of helping people use them in the best possible way – and we have no idea what we’d do without her eagle eye on our print pages. She spent most of her gainfully employed life at Cosmopolitan, a wild ride that’s left her with more R-rated knowledge than she ever expected to gain in one lifetime – and an ability to complete any Wordle in three tries. Secretly, she dreams of an (extremely) early retirement, so she can spend her time lounging in her Eames chair, reading books for fun rather than for work. When she’s not solving the world’s problems one Oxford comma at a time, she’s likely to be found eating her way through the restaurants, markets and delis of the Western Cape.
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EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Steve Smith Deputy Editor Robyn Alexander Editor-at-Large Annemarie Meintjes Creative Director Mark Serra Contributing Designer Marcus Viljoen Managing Editor Samantha Charles Content Producer Michaela Stehr Digital Editor Gina Dionisio Contributors Ania Rokita Taylor, Annette Klinger, Biddi Rorke, Danielle Weakley, David Southwood, Dook, Elsa Young, Garreth van Niekerk, Graham Wood, Jan Ras, Joanne Joseph, Klara van Wyngaarden, Laurence Dougier, Leana Clunies-Ross, Mike Nicol, Nafisa Akabor, Nicolas Mathéus, Paris Brummer, Phendu Kuta, Razina Theba, Sarah de Pina, Sven Alberding, Tracy Lynn Chemaly, Zodwa Kumalo-Valentine
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MANAGEMENT CEO: New Media Aileen Lamb Commercial Director Maria Tiganis Brand Strategy Director Andrew Nunneley Chief Financial Officer Venette Malone CEO: Media24 Ishmet Davidson
DISTRIBUTION & SUBSCRIPTIONS Distribution and print subscriptions On the Dot Call 087 353 1300 WhatsApp “VISI” to 087 353 1333 Email subs@media24.com Digital subscriptions zinio.com / magzter.com Reproduction New Media, a division of Media24 (Pty) Ltd Printing CTP Printers Cape Town Published by New Media, a division of Media24 (Pty) Ltd, 8th Floor Media24 Centre, 40 Heerengracht, Cape Town 8001 PO Box 440, Green Point, Cape Town 8051 021 406 2002 / newmedia.co.za / info@visi.co.za
All rights reserved. Whereas precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of information, neither the editor, publisher nor New Media can be held liable for any inaccuracies, injury or damages that may arise. The opinions expressed in the articles may not reflect those of the publisher.
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J OA N N E J O S E P H , F R E E L A N C E B R OA D CA S T E R A N D AU T H O R If money were no object, what one piece of iconic design would you buy? I’d buy a piece of art. Sam Nhlengethwa has produced a mohair tapestry work called After Miles Davis, featuring a trumpeter with two spotlights on him. It is so atmospheric, and it links back to my family’s cultural history. For this issue of VISI, Joanne wrote one of our upfront essays (page 22), which tells the bittersweet story of her father’s lost home in Durban’s storied Grey Street area. She’s a multitalented TV and radio broadcaster who has had a presence in the South African media for 25 years. Currently in the midst of completing her PhD at Wits, Joanne is also the author of two best-selling books, the most recent of which is a novel, Children of Sugarcane (Jonathan Ball), which was published in South Africa in 2021 and will be released internationally in May this year.
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Can’t wait for the next issue of VISI? Get your daily dose at VISI.co.za. Have you browsed VISI’s online shop? Visit shop.visi.co.za to ensure you don’t miss out on our new limited-edition collab with Sprung. The Deck Mate side table comes in two exclusive colours, and has been designed to sit alongside your pool lounger, providing the perfect platform for your drink, snack or book. WE ASKED YOU ONLINE: WHAT IS YOUR GUILTY HOME-DECOR PLEASURE? 595 of you took our poll to let us know. Here are the results:
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Retro and vintage furniture finds
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Having no signal, and being 5km away from the nearest neighbour, forced me to reconnect with myself, my husband and nature. And obviously a good interior magazine – @visi_mag! @wolwehoekreserve you are something else. We will be back @lifeunplugged.za
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INSTANT INSPIRATION Follow @visi_mag on Instagram, where we share some of the best and most beautiful designs from around the globe.
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Author and media personality JOANNE JOSEPH suggests that houses can remain in our MINDS and HEARTS long after they no longer PHYSICALLY exist – and sometimes, even when we ourselves have never spent time in them. HERE IS A HOUSE, NOW BUILT ONLY FROM MEMORY and storytelling, its bricks long dissolved by the acid of apartheid’s paintbrush. I have never seen it. Yet I have magically walked its passages, my footfalls invisible on its wooden floors. The piano is there, bathing the afternoon in the timbre of its rosewood keys; French doors thrown open to send the crush of chords wafting to the city beyond. I enter through the blaze in my father’s eye as he speaks of his childhood home – 110 Stratford Road – in which he was once ensconced with his family amid the strident harmony of Durban’s Grey Street Casbah, where everyone found a home. That was another life, when the streets were electric with the sounds of children. They played soccer in the lanes and shouted their joy to the sky; they broke windows to the bellowing of grizzling adults and fashioned their own vast families, not just from blood, but friendship. On their doorstep were churches, mosques, temples, the incantations of all melding into one. Their differences were somehow imperceptible to them, everything shared, from food to wonder to heartache. At the nucleus of my father’s life was this home where he and his brother, Chris, came safely to berth at night. They spoke in the sibling tongue of jazz; Uncle Chris much older, adept at rattling the keyboard; my father’s young ear growing accustomed to the complexity of improvisation, absorbing it almost through osmosis as he took his place at the baby grand. Musicians streamed in – Hugh Masekela and John Mehegan, larger than life – and my grandmother plied them with sustenance as the hours ticked away, the house settling while the lounge turned smoky with their cigarettes and the strains of Oscar Peterson. That was Stratford Road: a hearth that drew a rush of new and old faces – family, friends, converging in swarms for lunches, dinners, laughter.
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And then the bulldozers came. And they shattered it brick by brick till they’d left only hollowness and silence. The bureaucrats overlaid it with a bright green patch of grass where young white boys came to play cricket, while my father, suddenly a stranger to his old life, stood outside the window of their joy and watched and yearned for his home. Sometimes, before the authorities came to chase him away, he retraced its contours in his mind’s eye, grasping for the concrete sinews that had held it together, re-conjuring it, if only for a moment. I grew up in Chatsworth, where my family was sent during the forced removals. It was the only physical concept of home I should have had as a child, yet there was always more, stretching back to some imaginary time that existed before me. My father’s memory of Stratford Road has somehow become mine. I feel and taste it as vividly as if I had known it myself. My mother and brother, neither of whom had set foot there either, feel connected to it too. Yet another generation on, my daughter channels it through the memories of her grandfather. It reminds me that perhaps a home is never mere bricks and mortar. It is love and memory and, sometimes, tragedy and loss all at the same time – a human being’s indelible point of origin. An established South African media personality with more than 20 years of experience, JOANNE JOSEPH is also a best-selling author. She’s hosted radio and television shows for major broadcasters, including the SABC and Primedia. Her book Drug Muled (MF Books, 2013), which told Vanessa Goosen’s story of spending 16 years in prison in Thailand, sold more than 10 000 copies. Joanne’s first work of fiction, Children of Sugarcane, was published in 2021 by Jonathan Ball.
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That was STRATFORD ROAD: a hearth that drew a rush of NEW and OLD FACES.
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THE SPACES WE LIVE and INTERACT in are much more than MERE BACKDROPS, says best-selling novelist MIKE NICOL – THEY ARE PART OF WHO WE ARE.
A WARM HIGH ROOM ABOVE THE SEA” is the second line of William Plomer’s poem, “The Shortest Day”. That line has haunted me since I first read it decades ago; I now realise the poem taught me a lot about writing, about stories and about the characters that make those stories worth reading. Without rooms, without the scenes we set in rooms, so many novels would not resonate the way they do. In Plomer’s high room you don’t learn much about the furnishings, but you do learn about the view from the window and about the emotional vibes. My imagination has filled that room with leather couches, Persian carpets, Anglepoise floor lamps, a bookcase of novels, modernist paintings, ceramic dishes and, scattered on surfaces, bric-a-brac collected over a lifetime. And yet there is none of this in the poem. All we know of the physical room is the “fume of fine food and room-warmed wine”. There is the “aroma of living”. Yet these few allusions allow the imagination to supply physical details. But what works in poetry doesn’t always work in fiction. In fiction, readers need specific details. The room must be a place they can see. As the author David Mitchell has remarked, “Scenes need spaces to happen in. What those spaces look like, and what is in them, can determine how the action unfolds. They can even give you ideas for what unfolds.” And in truth, I have used magazines – VISI being one of them – to help me imagine rooms where scenes can happen. There needs to be furniture of a sort. Take a kitchen with a rugged oak table stained with rings of red wine, two characters sitting opposite one another on straight-backed chairs, eating macaroni and cheese from Willow-pattern plates. The floor is terracotta tiles, the sink is porcelain, the countertops cluttered, a Bialetti coffee pot on the gas hob. The decor is simple, rustic
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even; the lighting is subdued. And the characters are at ease. Surfer-dude and private investigator Fish pours wine from an unlabelled bottle into (former spy) Vicki’s long-stemmed glass. How they banter and tease one another is determined by the homely setting. She leans over to wipe cheese sauce from his chin. In turn, how they react says something about the room. As the writer Joan Didion put it, “When I talk about pictures in my mind, I am talking, quite specifically, about images that shimmer around the edges… The picture tells you how to arrange the words, and the arrangement of the words tells you – or tells me – what’s going on in the picture.” If writing a novel is about creating pictures and filling them with scenes and details, then (as Mitchell says) the story is how the characters act and react in those places. So often I have found that, to understand a character, I first have to know where she or he is at home: see the furniture, the rugs, the paintings, the oddments that make up the rooms they live in. Only then can they be characters. Only then can readers live in those rooms. Hammerman, A Walking Shadow, the latest in MIKE NICOL’S crime-fiction series featuring Fish and Vicki, is published by Umuzi in April. When he’s not writing crime, he mentors writers on his popular The Writers’ Masterclass (writeonline.pro) – or you might find him in a high room above the sea, drinking wine.
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IN FICTION, readers need SPECIFIC DETAILS. The room must be a place they can see.
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HOUSE AND HOME
It was only once she discovered an old, HIDDEN PHOTOGRAPH in her JOHANNESBURG HOME, writes RAZINA THEBA, that she was finally able to make the GRAND OLD HOUSE HER OWN. NITIALLY, THE OBJECTIVE DISADVANTAGES of renovating the grand old lady of a house outweighed my personal preferences. Built in Johannesburg’s northern suburbs in 1953, it had flowing parquet flooring that added warm tones, and ceilings high enough to scoff at ready-made curtains. The ivory-plated mid-century steel kitchen units were seductive enough to entice the novice cook in me, and the abundant garden space housed a little sparrow who knocked at her own reflection on my bedroom window every morning. She and I were equally alarmed as I threw the curtains open after my first night in the house. I long resisted disturbing the building’s skeleton as it felt offensive to interfere with such a solidly built structure – modernising it would be like adding a ganache to a Madeira cake. It would add layers of sophistication, but then it would not be a Madeira cake any more. I had to make sense of making the place my own without disturbing the tangible lightness of flowing energy. Then recently, the discovery of a photograph that had fallen between the panels at the back of a drawer revealed the human side of the previous owner, who had until then only ever been “the Seller” in a financial transaction. In her twilight years, she hobbled into the conveyancer’s practice, and within minutes sold her home to us. But the photo was of a young woman, her head thrown back in laughter, with the sun setting behind her and a baby boy on her hip. The angle at which the photo was captured made her bright red lipstick the focal point of her face, which was framed with a halo of dark brown curls. I wondered what had been said to her to make her laugh with such abandon.
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Over the years, I had found coins that had been mixed into building plaster for luck and prosperity, milk teeth belonging to a child named Liam with the dates he lost them, and a report card imploring Emily to work harder on her arithmetic. The edge of the door frame in the spare bedroom had markings of children’s growth spurts, recorded on 18 June every year. I wondered what was significant about that date, and I noticed how their handwriting matured through the years. But when I found this photo, for a reason that is difficult to articulate, it felt like the permission I needed to start making this space my home. I could finally reconcile the image of the old, frail seller and the vibrant woman who had raised her family here. And so, as I rummaged through my handbag for coins to throw into the building cement, ignoring the sniggers of the construction workers, I was hopeful that someone would find them someday, and that this would create a narrative for them in the spaces where stories that do not want to be found hide.
RAZINA THEBA lives in Johannesburg, and is an attorney and a writer. Her memoir, A Home On Vorster Street, published by Jonathan Ball in 2021, is a spirited exploration of an Indian-Muslim family in Fordsburg.
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I had to MAKE SENSE of making the place my own without DISTURBING the TANGIBLE LIGHTNESS of FLOWING ENERGY.
Thornybush Saseka Tented Camp
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It’s the Chinese Year of the Tiger, and here at VISI we hope that means new beginnings and plenty of luck for all of us. In China, the tiger is considered the king of animals, and a symbol of strength, power, vitality and fearlessness – so it’s not surprising that all over the world, designers such as Fendi are celebrating this powerful animal with capsule collections and limited editions that channel all that tiger-energy while also raising awareness about the risk of extinction that these beautiful beasts face.
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s THE YEAR OF THE TIGER
The Chinese calendar rotates in 60-year cycles based on 12 earthly branches – each represented by an animal – and five element years (wood, fire, earth, metal and water). 2022 is the Year of the Water Tiger, and its element is wood – the only element that grows, making this the year of improvement. But the tiger’s fierce instincts may generate competition and conflict too! Here’s VISI’s pick of tiger-inspired loveliness in fashion and interior design.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF VISTA ALEGRE, GUCCI PREVIOUS SPREAD COURTESY OF FENDI
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1. Calendário 2022 is a contemporary, porcelain calendar plate designed by Eduardo Fonseca for Vista Alegre. The tiger and the stars are a mixture of two horoscopes, explains Fonseca: he shows the Tiger sign of the Chinese zodiac walking confidently among Western star signs. The plate is for decorative use only. vistaalegre.com 2. The Gucci Tiger collection features both the word “tiger” and images of the biggest cats of all on ready-to-wear items and accessories. gucci.com
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s BIG CATS AT HOME
Chinese astrologers believe that adding a powerful symbol to a space will bring you good luck. And with tigers this cute… 1. The Tiggie Rug at Haus by Hertex is soft on little hands, knees and feet – and tougher than it looks! hertexhaus.co.za 2. The new Iron Tiger Fight & Fitness gym in the heart of Cape Town offers boxing, Muay Thai, functional fitness and HIIT training – plenty of ways to power up your inner animal. irontiger.co.za | irontigerct 3 & 4. The Tiger from Tibet carpet is part of Moooi’s Re-Cut Signature Collection by Atelier Reservé. moooi.com
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF HERTEX HAUS, IRON TIGER, MOOOI
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1. Emma Shipley’s fabulously sinuous Tigris fabric in Flame is from the Clarke & Clarke Animalia collection, and is available locally at Hertex. hertex.co.za | clarke-clarke.sandersondesigngroup.com 2. Inspired by the rare and exquisite Siberian tiger, striped prints take centre stage in Fendi’s Spring Festival capsule collection, with celebrated Chinese dancer Joni modelling this range of special editions in the evocative campaign images. fendi.com | joni.nii
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s LIGHTS ON
In MILAN’S CITY SHOWROOMS, new designs were launched and tributes paid to CLASSIC ICONS. And in one of the side streets, we discovered a NEWCOMER that made us smile… C O M P I L E D B Y A N N E M A R I E M E I N TJ E S
2 1. P U RE FUN Shades, a new collection of lamps with silicone shades by SowdenLight, allows for multiple configuration possibilities thanks to the modularity of the components. Great for the diffusion of light and available in bright colours, the shades are durable and entirely washable. The collection includes pendant lamps, table lights, floor lamps and a portable battery light for indoor-outdoor use. sowdenlight.com 2 . N E XT L E VE L Vine Light – the product of a collaboration between BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) and Artemide – is a newgeneration task light with a pure and balanced line and two joints that allow maximum freedom of use. It will perfectly illuminate a work surface, but it will also create multiple light scenarios, leaving you free to shape your own lighting design. There is a touch dimmer in the head for easy, intuitive adjustment. The collection includes a table lamp, a lamp that can be fixed to a work surface, two wall-mounted variants, and a floor lamp. artemide.com 3 . FO R EV ER A D J US TA B L E The Ayno lighting family is the first new design by Midgard Licht – a German company founded in Hamburg in 1919 by Curt Fischer, the inventor of adjustable lighting – since 1950. With this collection, industrial designer Stefan Diez won the German Sustainability Award in Design 2021. midgard.com
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PHOTOS ALICE FIORILLI (SOWDENLIGHT), PETER FEHRENTZ (MIDGARD LICHT), SUPPLIED
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3 1. R E - ED I TI ON Midgard Licht’s re-edition of its K831 model is based on a rare draft version of the original 1930 design. The swivelling shade allows you to direct the light wherever you need it. midgard.com 2 . MO BI L I T Y The transversal, portable Takku looks great in a workspace or living spaces, and offers 32 hours of freedom from the main electricity supply. The head controls the diffused emission with an optical element on its lower surface. artemide.com 3 . P U R E MAGI C Stellar Nebula is a family of suspension lamps designed by BIG in collaboration with Artemide. The master glassmaker not only shapes the glass by blowing into a standard mould, but also expresses their know-how with techniques that softly alter the basic shape and accentuate the uniqueness of each piece. artemide.com PAST + FUT URE ICON S 4 . Created by Copenhagen designers Birgitte Due Madsen and Jonas Trampedach, Moby is made from Acovi acrylic with an integrated LED light source. As the soft light illuminates the cavity, it draws attention to its curves. karakter-copenhagen.com 5 . To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic Parentesi light, Flos reissued it in Turquoise and Signal Orange to celebrate designer Achille Castiglioni and automotive designer Pio Manzù’s favourite colours. Parentesi hangs from the ceiling, but is anchored to the floor by a 5kg weight that keeps it straight and steady. flos.com
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s The Influencers’ Influences
LUYANDA MPAHLWA
Ever wondered who our current generation of architects looks up to? For the director of DESIGN SPACE AFRICA, the socially centred designs of RENZO PIANO, DIÉBÉDO FRANCIS KÉRÉ and CHARLES CORREA continue to inspire.
As
A YOUNG BOY GROWING UP IN THE 1960s
Education to attend a white university, Luyanda was
in the former homeland of the Transkei, Luyanda Mpahlwa loved drawing houses.
accepted at the former University of Natal. “Given the Group Areas Act, we weren’t allowed in residences on
It was something he’d completely forgotten about by the time he’d reached his matric year in 1976,
campus and could only stay at the Alan Taylor Residence for black medical students in the Austerville township,”
when it was time to make the critical decision about
he says. “It took two hours every day to travel to varsity
what he wanted to do with his life. “My father was an English and Latin teacher, and wanted his three sons
and back on public transport, hitch-hiking part of the way, because there was no university bus system. Given
and daughter to study engineering, because that’s where he thought the future of the country lay,” says Luyanda. “But my mother, a nurse, remembered that I used to love drawing houses, so she managed to get me an internship at what was, at the time, the only white architectural firm in Umtata, Osmond Lange. In the same year, the Transkei received its so-called independence, and the Soweto uprisings were happening. My politicisation started then.” Two years later, after a gap year during which he had to wait for permission from South Africa’s Minister of
the nature of architecture studies – working all-nighters, building models, needing photocopying facilities – this arrangement was designed for failure for the first group of black students allowed to study.” Logistical obstacles aside, the actual learning environment itself was also far from nurturing, with racist preconceptions among lecturers towards black students being the norm. “My first year was a disaster, and I failed.” It was only when he reached the Technikon Natal two years later that Luyanda’s confidence in his own abilities
ABOVE, FROM LEFT Design Space Africa director Luyanda Mpahlwa; Italian architect Renzo Piano; Burkinabé architect Diébédo Francis Kéré; done in collaboration with Peerutin Architects, Luyanda’s Radisson Red hotel in Cape Town’s Silo District combines robust brick with industrial and contemporary aesthetics.
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PHOTOS GETTY IMAGES (RENZO PIANO, DIÉBÉDO FRANCIS KÉRÉ), ADAM LETCH PHOTOGRAPHY (RADISSON RED), SUPPLIED
WORDS ANNETTE KLINGER
was restored. “I enrolled in 1980 as the first and only black student that year,” says Luyanda. “Our studio master, Alaric
at the Technical University of Berlin in 1989. “I was in Berlin at the time of unification, after the Wall had come down,”
Napier, recognised my capabilities and supported me. He encouraged the white students to look at my work,
says Luyanda. “There was this large area of ‘no-man’s land’ between the East and the West, where it used to stand.
and this contributed to the cohesion of my class, which to this day has maintained a relationship, even though
Berlin launched an architectural competition to design what would become Potsdamer Platz to occupy this
we’re spread all over the world.”
space. It ended up being won by one of my favourite
During Luyanda’s final exams in 1981, he was arrested
architects, Renzo Piano; then, architects from all over
by the police to provide state evidence against three peers accused of high treason. “I could not associate
the world were invited to do projects there, including Richard Rogers, Norman Foster and Zaha Hadid. It was
myself with being a state witness when I was not regarded a citizen of South Africa,” he says. “I took the principled
an exciting time to be there as a young architect.” Piano’s work has remained an inspiration throughout
position that I wouldn’t be part of the implementation
Luyanda’s 25-year architectural career, which has been a
of apartheid policies, and therefore, I essentially chose to go to prison.”
balance between public works such as the award-winning South African embassy in Berlin, NGO endeavours like
After serving a sentence of five years on Robben Island, Luyanda got in touch with Amnesty International and was sent to the former West Germany, where he spent three years learning German and getting his German A-levels, before being accepted to do his master’s in architecture
his “50 Schools in 50 Weeks” project in the rural Eastern Cape, and commercial buildings including the Radisson Red hotel in Cape Town’s Silo District. “What interests me is that Renzo works at different scales: small design projects, mega buildings, and urban design,” says Luyanda.
PHOTOS GETTY IMAGES (FONDATION BEYELER), SIMÉON DUCHOUD (GANDO SCHOOL), SUPPLIED
RENZO PIANO’S WORK has been an INSPIRATION throughout Luyanda’s career.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Luyanda cites Piano’s Fondation Beyeler museum in Basel as informing his understanding of space and scale; Diébédo Francis Kéré’s school in Gando is, according to Luyanda, the gold standard in socially inclusive design; the interior of the South African embassy in Berlin incorporates motifs that were hand-carved by a team of female artisans; the embassy in Berlin was the first major commission by the South African government.
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“One of his projects that impressed me is the Fondation Beyeler museum in Basel. It’s a simple, well-designed red sandstone building in a park-like setting, designed to human scale but with an extended roof that shades the generously glazed facade openings to allow natural light selectively from the sides and top. It really inspired my understanding of architecture in terms of space, transparency, scale, and the relationship between interior and exterior.” Luyanda has always maintained that architecture should be a socially inclusive practice, referencing and respecting the local culture of its future occupants. Perhaps the best expression of this ideology is his much lauded Design Indaba 10x10 Low-cost Housing Project in the informal settlement of Freedom Park in Cape Town’s Mitchell’s Plain, where double-storey houses were constructed by erecting timber frames and filling the wall cavities with stacked bags filled with sand – a material there’s no shortage of in the area,
and which has the added benefit of being fire-retardant. Future residents were given a sense of ownership by helping to fill the sandbags of their homes, and the design was such that they had the option of extending their properties in future. Luyanda cites Indian architect Charles Correa’s socially oriented design of (especially) low-cost housing and Burkina Faso’s Diébédo Francis Kéré (whose primary school in rural Gando was built with the community using local materials and traditional building techniques interpreted in contemporary design) as inspirational peers in the realm of social design. “There’s a lot to be said about working as a professional with ordinary people, actually relating to the way they live and work, and not imposing yourself by saying you’ve got all the answers,” he says. “Architecture requires a participatory approach.” designspaceafrica.com
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The Radisson Red hotel’s rooftop area offers sweeping views of Cape Town; Luyanda’s “50 Schools in 50 Weeks” project replaced mud schools in the rural Eastern Cape with campuses based on an easily adaptable “kit of parts” concept; his approach to the Design Indaba 10x10 Low-cost Housing Project earned him a Curry Stone Prize for humanitarian design.
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PHOTOS ADAM LETCH PHOTOGRAPHY (RADISSON RED), SUPPLIED
s
s NEW TO NYC
Channel your inner TRAVEL OPTIMIST – because these recent HOTEL ADDITIONS to the NEW YORK scene demand a stay-over. WO R DS DA N I E L L E W E A K L E Y
between the much-buzzed development of Hudson Yards and the theatre district, so its position is enviable. Arlo describes itself as a sleek urban oasis, and if the greenery is anything to go by, an oasis it is. “It’s really all about the layers – the seamless mixture of wood, marble, glass, unlacquered brass, plus the abundance of greenery – throughout the space,” says interior designer Gray Davis. Look out for the eight-storey wooden art installation, which runs the length of a concrete wall in a tribute to the nearby garment district. arlohotels | arlohotels.com
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n A R L O M I D T O W N Midtown might not be your first choice of Manhattan neighbourhood to stay but Arlo is tucked
n M O D E R N H A U S S O H O Yes, staying here is about being based in this iconic creative district, but at the Bauhausinspired ModernHaus Soho, it is also very much about its museum-worthy art collection. Find paintings and sculptures by such legendary names as Alexander Calder, Hans Hartung, George Condo, Harland Miller and Jean Dubuffet throughout the hotel and in every room – an homage to this art-led neighbourhood. Plus, there’s a rooftop pool bar at which to soak up the sun or the skyline views over Manhattan Bridge, spanning the East River. And the greenhouse that is the Veranda restaurant is run by Michelin-starred chef George Mendes. modernhaussoho | modernhaushotel.com
Staying at the BAUHAUS-INSPIRED MODERNHAUS SOHO is very much about its museum-worthy ART COLLECTION.
s n A C E H O T E L B R O O K LY N Ace Hotels are notoriously hip, and this new addition in achingly cool Brooklyn is no exception. Floor-to-ceiling windows (with views of Manhattan’s skyline on the upper storeys) offset rooms that feature a minimalist, mid-century vibe, and a muted colour palette of green, white and wood. True to the hotel’s hipster roots, every room also has an acoustic guitar, a turntable and a curated selection of vinyl. One of the Ace’s goals is to highlight the work of artists from the Brooklyn borough, so the rooms are decked out in original textile works, while the gallery in the lobby is home to a rotating exhibition. acehotelbrooklyn | acehotel.com/brooklyn
n P A R K L A N E N E W Y O R K Okay, so it’s not strictly new – but it’s had such a great revamp that it may as well be. Equally ritzy in location (within walking distance of the Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and 5th Avenue, and boasting sweeping vistas of Central Park), Park Lane was first developed as a hotel on so-called Billionaire’s Row in the 1960s by – you guessed it – a billionaire. The revamp sees a thoughtful interior renovation of this historic, post-war building. Holding on to original chandeliers, sconces and other fixtures, but offsetting them with modern design elements, has made for a striking new look. Go for a Bloody Mary on the rooftop – 47 storeys above street level – to enjoy uninterrupted views over the park. parklanenewyork | parklanenewyork.com
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FIT FOR PURPOSE
With a singular focus on creating a CAPABLE, DURABLE and RELIABLE 4X4 built to handle just about anything, AUTOMOTIVE DESIGNER TOBY ECUYER provides insights into his clean-sheet approach to designing the new INEOS GRENADIER.
ffective design doesn’t mean complicated design. It doesn’t lead with aesthetics at the expense of function. Instead, effective design is far more focused on its goal. It’s about defining a need, understanding the user, prototyping solutions, gathering feedback and, based on that, creating the final product. And that’s exactly the process followed by the INEOS team in conceptualising, creating, testing and finalising the new Grenadier. From the outset, the vehicle was designed with one purpose in mind – to meet the need for a rugged, capable and comfortable go-anywhere working vehicle.
E
THE BRIEF “The brief was simple,” says head of design Toby Ecuyer. “We set out to design a modern, functional and highly capable 4x4 vehicle with utility at its core; to create a design that’s ‘easy-to-read’, with no ambiguity about the Grenadier’s role in your life. It’s there to do everything you need, and nothing you don’t. Nothing is for show. Modern engineering and production techniques ensure the Grenadier is highly capable, but we have been
able to stay true to the essence of creating a utilitarian vehicle that will stand the test of time.” THE SOLUTION Built from the ground up on an all-new platform, and put through 1.8-million test kilometres, the INEOS Grenadier’s design was engineering-led from the outset and dictated by the function the car needed to fulfil: to meet the demands of its adventure-focused
owners. The big wheel arches, for example, are all about maximum ground clearance, the squared-off body about maximum use of space, and the clever 70:30 split rear door about ease of access. Practical functionality is everywhere, from the integrated roof bars and pre-wiring for auxiliary lamps and accessories, to a front bumper that you can sit on. That said, Toby points out, “Just because it’s been engineering-led doesn’t mean it has to be ugly. We still have to make it look good and interesting, and consider every millimetre of its design.” As with the exterior design, the focus inside is on practicality and utility, with the technology and comfort today’s users expect. Its intuitive and functional layout features physical switches, widely spaced for easy use
on the move; a central infotainment screen; and an overhead console for off-road and auxiliary controls. Hose-out rubber flooring, hard-wearing Recaro seats and numerous stowage options mean the Grenadier is ready for anything that work and life can throw at it. “The Grenadier project started by identifying a gap in the market, abandoned by a number of manufacturers, for a utilitarian off-road vehicle,” explains INEOS chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe. “This gave us an engineering blueprint for a capable, durable and reliable 4x4, built to handle the world’s harshest environments. But it had to look the part as well – and Toby and his team have done a great job in delivering a design that’s both distinctive and purposeful.” ineosgrenadier.com
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Johannesburg ARCHITECT ANTHONY ORELOWITZ designed a home for his family that REINVENTS the meaning of a HAVEN IN THE CITY. P H O T O S
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The house sits at the top of a long driveway on a “panhandle” stand. The colour variations on the aluminium strip cladding soften the expanse of the facade. Entrance is via a large glass pivot door.
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THE HOUSE IS ESSENTIALLY A SERIES OF PAVILIONS, WITH VAST SLIDING DOORS
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MOSAIC OF SPACES IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.
IN JOHANNESBURG, THERE’S NO MOUNTAIN AND THERE’S NO SEA,” says architect Anthony Orelowitz, referring to homes in Cape Town that tend to look outwards, seeking to catch a glimpse of the ocean or frame a view of Table Mountain. “Here, you have to create your own habitat.” And that, at heart, was the basis of his response to Johannesburg’s urban character when he designed his own home in the city’s forested suburbs. Anthony’s firm, Paragon, is responsible for some of the city’s most significant commercial architectural landmarks – but, he says, “I hadn’t done a house in nearly 15 years.” Nevertheless, working closely with architect Elliot Marsden and interior designer Julia Day, he conjured a vision of what it means to make a home in Joburg, at once perfectly suited to the city and utterly unlike its neighbours. To create his habitat, Anthony turned to the archetype of the atrium house: an internal courtyard wrapped on all sides by the house, creating a peaceful sanctuary at its heart, open to the sky. He calls it a “self-contained oasis in the city”. The house is essentially a series of pavilions, with vast sliding doors and screens that can be opened and closed to reconfigure a mosaic of spaces in a variety of ways. (A new rail system had to be designed to manage the massive glass panels that make up the sliding doors.) Rather than simply surround the central courtyard, however, Anthony describes the way in which he “pushed” the landscape through the pavilions and out to the edges of the site. “The ground plane washes through the house completely from one end to the other,” he says. This, he explains, creates “secondary courtyards” around the house, where the pavilions open onto private, peaceful nooks under the trees, and the boundary walls in effect become the walls of the house. Despite its long, low-slung appearance, the house also rises to create an OPPOSITE From the entrance, one staircase ascends to the upper level in the treetops, carefully designed around branches that lean into upper level, while another and over it. It’s like a “big, adult treehouse”, says Anthony. The effect is a leads down to the kitchen sense of space knitted together vertically as it is horizontally, drawing you up and dining area. The slightly to the terraces as much as through the house and gardens below. sunken floor puts the edge of Anthony designed it “upside down”, with the bedrooms at ground level, the pond outside at eye level. The Louisiana chair is by Vico nestled under the trees, and the living and outdoor entertainment areas – Magistretti for DePadova. even the pool, with portholes underneath looking down into the central courtyard – on the level above. He says that when he wakes in the morning, he wants to “touch the ground” and “be in the forest”. He also speaks of wanting “sensory feedback” when touching surfaces throughout the house, from the walls to the floors. The rough sensuality of stone, the lushness of plants and the elemental presence of air and water lean away from the minimalism of European modernism in the direction of tropical modernism, with its early origins in Brazil. Julia has echoed this with a carefully controlled palette of interior finishes selected for their natural, tactile, raw attributes. She’s also continued the sense of surprise and discovery throughout, particularly in the detailed cabinets and wall panelling that conceal storage and even entire rooms. The effect is that it brings the house down to a comfortably human scale. For the furnishings, Julia drew heavily on designs from DePadova, Ligne Roset and Wiener GTV, as well as local designers such as Haldane Martin, selecting pieces that combine beautifully without competing. She favoured low-slung designs – often light, fairly transparent pieces that don’t interrupt the lines of sight or “break” the views and the sense of flowing, continuous space. “There’s nothing that interrupts the eye,” as she puts it. The secret to this home remains in the detailing, in being able to sustain a clear vision from the “big idea” right through to the tiniest detail. Of course, such painstaking attention only pays off if the idea is convincing in the first place. If it is, the idea is elevated, and you have the makings of an architectural landmark. In this case, the idea was not so much to create a building or a house in the traditional sense, as a place. “Can you make your home your favourite space in the city?” asks Anthony. The open courtyard at the heart of this home is an invitation to do so.
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THIS PAGE The wood on the kitchen island mimics the aluminium of the external facade, while the dark panelling conceals storage as well as a back-of-house kitchen and pantry. The Vidun dining table, designed by Vico Magistretti for DePadova, is surrounded by Korium armchairs by Tito Agnoli for Matteo Grassi, which belonged to owner Anthony Orelowitz’s parents. The artwork is Four Letter Brand (Life) 1 by Kendell Geers. OPPOSITE The kitchen flows out to a covered terrace with skylights, where the light forms of the Papa Sun chair and sofa by Haldane do not interfere with the indoor-outdoor flow. The closely spaced rods that form the bases of the Cha Cha occasional tables, also by Haldane, create an illusion of movement. Anthony’s wife Zahava is pictured ascending the stairs.
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ABOVE In the master bedroom, the timber strip panelling creates an enveloping, warm atmosphere. The bed was custom-designed by interior designer Julia Day. Both the bedroom and its bathroom open onto their own internal courtyard. BELOW The main en suite bathroom features a marble shower that appears to have been “inserted” into the space. A dropped ceiling highlights the feeling of sanctuary. OPPOSITE The courtyard on the far side of the master bedroom is one of Anthony’s favourite places – a quiet, serene space under the trees.
ABOVE The upstairs lounge floats dramatically against the background of a vertical garden, suspended by a slim steel hanger. It is open to a paved terrace, which leads to the pool and an outdoor entertainment area on the opposite side of the courtyard. BELOW Also on the upper level, a smaller lounge area allows intimate gatherings around the fireplace. OPPOSITE The upstairs guest suite features a beautifully planted bathroom, which can be completely opened to the sky with an automated skylight. The sculpture on the wooden plinth is by Candice Kramer.
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THIS PAGE Three “porthole” windows on the underside of the swimming pool cast liquid light patterns over a covered section of the courtyard below. The decorative tiles on the built-in seat introduce a slightly foreign, off-theme element to deliberately “break up the perfection” of the architecture, says Julia. OPPOSITE Floating stairs lead from the internal courtyard to the entertainment area on the upper level, which Anthony calls an “adult treehouse”. The sunken firepit was inspired by the ideas of hearth and room.
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The mosaic pattern on the floor of the pool, designed by Anthony and Marley Swanepoel, was inspired by contour maps of the ocean floor – and a hint of David Hockney!
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| Gujarati Lodge
A fortuitous meeting of LIKE-MINDED CREATIVES P H O T O S
led to the development of a TRANQUIL, village-like retreat in INDIA’S GIR NATIONAL PARK. W O R D S
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L E A N A C L U N I E S - R O S S
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THIS PAGE The luck-bringing elephant-headed god Ganesha welcomes guests at the majestic antique gates of Aramness. OPPOSITE Sunrise over the Gir National Park in the Indian state of Gujarat lights up the tranquil lodge, set in a teak forest.
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A FRENETIC, BUSTLING STREET IN RURAL INDIA ,
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IMPRESSIVE SQUARE SANDSTONE TOWERS ABOVE THE HAVELI ’S COURTYARD COMBINE
aramness.com | foxbrowne.com | plewmanarchitects.co.za
MODERN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN WITH GUJARATI MOTIFS.
a turn down a winding wooded dirt road leads to a plain gate with a sandstone sign simply stating, “Aramness Gir National Park”. Past the gate, on either side of the driveway that leads to a hamlet, is an edible garden, fruit orchards and re-wilded meadows, where water buffalo and spotted deer (chital) wander through to a communal watering hole. The concept came about five years ago, when Gujarati businessman and conservationconscious wildlife photographer Jimmy Patel connected with Debra Fox and Chris Browne of Fox Browne Creative, and architect Nick Plewman. Standing on what was then an open piece of land, surrounded by natural teak forest full of birds and game, the newly assembled team came up with the name: aram, meaning peace/rest; and ness, the name for local villages. The imposing antique wooden doors of a haveli (a traditional Indian manor house) reveal themselves amid the vegetation, the elephant-headed god Ganesha standing guard in a niche above them. Stepping through these ancient doors reveals the best of Indian hospitality – a joyful yet tranquil atmosphere, with sounds of water running along furrows and pooling intermittently into formal features brimming with waterlilies. Festive overhead canopies punctuate quiet seating areas, where your journey is rewarded with aromatic Indian chai. Nick was inspired by the meandering alleys of the nearby hamlet of Haripur, its natural, organic arrangement layered over hundreds of years. And so the 18 kothi-style (bungalow) rooms at Aramness are designed to bring guests closer to nature and to the authentic rhythm of Indian life. Each has a shaded courtyard and a veranda OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP overlooking the teak forest, as well as a private pool inspired LEFT Guests can relax over pre-dinner by the region’s characteristic Indian stepwells. drinks around one of the many firepits; Fox Browne Creative filled the interiors with a mix of cobbled streets meander past the contemporary, classic and antique furniture, focusing on guest suites, with housekeeping staff transporting laundry and fresh towels textures, materials and craft techniques native to the region. in antique goods carts; intimate The soft bone palette is sharpened with brass detailing and poolside meals can be enjoyed Gujarati textiles, while ornamental jali (lattice) screens cast in the suites’ private courtyard. dappled light into the rooms. The effect is simple, elegant and understated. Impressive square sandstone towers above the haveli’s courtyard combine modern architectural design with Gujarati motifs – their jali pattern, for example, comes from the organic “lace” pattern left on teak leaves after drying. The colonnaded main building is guarded by two bronze lions, which flank the heavy, ornate wooden doors; a gleaming white terrazzo floor leads into a cool, triple-volume interior courtyard. From this central area, which is bookended by the dining room and the guest lounge, you’re drawn up an elegant, sweeping staircase to the open-plan map room and library, stocked with reading material about the area, its animals and its topography. The key feature in the library is an original wooden jali lattice screen, creating a perfect frame for the garden view. To the right of the entrance is the swimming pool, spa, craft gallery, and yoga and meditation pavilion. In contrast to the stone facades, the pool room’s modern perforated jali is constructed from metal-lattice screens, which let through light and minimise glare without affecting the view. This provides a welcome reprieve from the heat and humidity, allowing for cross breezes and ventilation. Aramness was never meant to be a gleaming diamond, standing conspicuous in the lush countryside, but rather a naturally polished gem of the sort found in a rural stream. It’s a beautifully designed space that harmoniously and respectfully blends into its surroundings – a luxurious and peaceful retreat in a very special part of the world.
THIS PAGE A canopied area just outside the main pool room provides a quiet spot for a cup of chai. OPPOSITE At night, the pool room’s modern, metallattice take on the jali screen casts ornate shadows on the surroundings.
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THIS PAGE The traditional Tikri art in the spa’s changing room was created using plaster and a multitude of tiny mirrors, imbuing the space with a delightful luminosity. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The sweeping staircase in the main building looks even more elegant in the dappled light; each kothi-style guest suite has a unique antique front door; Aramness guests enjoy the services of a dedicated butler; the suites are individually decorated, so no two are the same.
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THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE The lodge’s main building is inspired by the Gujarat’s historic manor houses, or haveli. The triple-volume space, tiled with gleaming white terrazzo, stays naturally cool in the humid conditions, while clouds of amber pendant lights keep things cosy. A large central courtyard can be accessed from the long lounge and the dining area.
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THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE BOTTOM The private lounge space in each guest room features a mix of traditional, modern and antique pieces, enhanced by the classic Tikri plasterwork. OPPOSITE TOP The pool room provides space to relax away from direct sunlight.
| Gujarati Lodge
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| Gujarati Lodge
THIS PAGE High ceilings and timber beams contribute to the generous feeling of space above the solid built-in bed. OPPOSITE Enormous hand-carved marble bathtubs are the epitome of luxury.
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K L I N G E R
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M E I N T J E S
Hidden in the canopies of an A F R O M O N TA N E F O R E S T and only accessible via a winding walkway, this OFF-THE-GRID REFUGE ensures the journey is as exciting as the DESTINATION.
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| Keurboomstrand Home
Tucked into the contours of the ancient hill, with vegetation pulled over like a quilt, the homestead blends seamlessly with its surrounds. Endemic fynbos was carefully curated by Bruce Beyer to supplement the ecology, drawing birds, insects and even deer to the roof.
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HERE WERE TWO NON-NEGOTIABLES IN THE CLIENT BRIEF: 1) respect the land, and 2) ensure that the house is elegant and small. It’s not difficult to see why – the parcel of earth the residence was built on is pristinely beautiful. “The farm is situated near Plettenberg Bay, on a large portion of land filled with indigenous forest, with rivers running through it and a view of the Tsitsikamma Mountains,” says architect Paul Oosthuizen, giving context to his client’s instructions. “There was one patch of invasive wattle on the land, which was cleared – this became the area we developed.” To find the perfect spot on which to build, Paul surveyed the sloped piece of land by climbing some of the tall trees on its periphery, then decided on the bottom of the hill, so the house could be nestled into the forest and give his client a view of the riverbed. Next up, Simon Hart and his team at No Fuss Construction brought Paul’s vision to life. The result is a home that feels intimately connected to its woodsy surroundings, and secluded from the world beyond. In fact, reaching it is a pursuit that requires visitors to make the last 60-metre journey on foot. “As you approach, you drive along a road that’s right up against the forest to your left,” says Paul. “You then park in a garage that’s buried underground, get out, and walk along a boardwalk that goes through a canopy of trees, about eight metres off the ground, before you arrive in the courtyard. It offers the guests the sense that they’ve ‘discovered’ a house in the middle of a forest.” Paul describes the level at which guests enter the two-bedroom home as organic and amorphous, with the space culminating in a curved window that lines up perfectly with Formosa Peak to the northeast. “The curved and splayed lines of the layout create a dynamic tension,” says Paul. “If a space is square, your mind recognises it and doesn’t think about it again; if it’s slightly offset, like here, your mind keeps trying to map it, but can’t. I think that’s one of the reasons why we as humans like to be in nature. Our mind is constantly stimulated because we can’t map what we’re seeing.”
REACHING THE HOUSE IS A PURSUIT THAT REQUIRES VISITORS TO MAKE THE LAST 60-METRE JOURNEY ON FOOT. To establish harmony between the building and its setting, part of Paul’s concept was to incorporate all the natural elements in the design. The homage to wood is apparent throughout, most notably in the expertly executed carpentry and joinery by Meyer Von Wielligh. Adding to this is the “treehouse” office nearest to the forest, built from Japanese cedar, then charred using the Japanese wood-preservation method of shou sugi ban. To reference air, Paul designed a pattern of scalloped, circular shapes moulded onto the off-shutter concrete of the ceiling on the lower level. For the stone element, there’s a nod to the geological landscape by employing stonemasons to create dry-packed stone walls. They’ve been used for the exterior of the house as well as the huge steps in the garden inspired by the ancient Inca terraces. As for water, the element’s presence is ubiquitous thanks to a water feature that runs the length of the house, cascades down the terraces, and culminates in a swimming pond. Beyond it, at the bottom of the property, there’s a big dam, so that visually, there’s an illusion of one continuous stream. “When you walk into the house, the textures are delicious. You just want to touch everything,” says Paul, who also headed up the interior design, in collaboration with Laura Jamieson Chatz. “All these refined finishes are offset against raw concrete elements. It gives you the tactile sensibility you’d expect from being in nature.” Beyond aesthetics, the magic of the house lies in its integration into the ecology of the forest – and part of this vision was achieved through landscaping by fynbos specialist Bruce Beyer. Since completion, the house’s roof, which is covered in indigenous grasses and fynbos, has become a sanctuary for bushbuck, bushpigs and birds. And when it comes to some of the forest’s more mischievous residents – vervet monkeys and baboons – windows and sliding doors have been designed with stops that only allow them to open up to a certain point. For areas such as the outside of the kitchen and the guest room’s private garden, Paul designed special screens with a stylised pattern of the Inca cross, to deny would-be primate intruders access. “We actually dubbed that outside lounge the monkey lounge, because there were literally monkeys hanging out there all through construction,” he says, laughing. A stamp of approval, if ever there was one… pauloosthuizen.co.za
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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE The boardwalk leads through the canopy of an Afromontane forest, with exquisite views into the gorge; purpose-designed screens allow for sleeping with the doors open and keeping primates at bay; where lightweight roofing was required, Rheinzink was hand-formed into amorphous shapes.
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THIS PAGE The patterned imprints on the concrete ceiling of the living area were designed by architect Paul Oosthuizen to resemble billowing clouds or ripples on a pond. OPPOSITE Executed in collaboration with Laura Jamieson Chatz, the interior design is characterised by concrete in a variety of finishes, offset by refined wood, stone and painted surfaces.
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THIS PAGE Flush-mounted glazing, carefully shaped concrete, raw stone masonry and natural timber were all incorporated during the construction process, which Paul describes as seamless, thanks to Simon Hart and his team at No Fuss Construction. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Solid oak treads leading up a concrete ramp were crafted by Meyer Von Wielligh; a “moon shower” in the mountains; the north patio roof is supported by a steel tree structure.
Exquisite cabinetry, designed by Paul in collaboration with Meyer Von Wielligh, floats above a granite floor, allowing the space to sweep through unhindered. The kitchen opens out to an alfresco breakfast terrace to the east as well as the firepit courtyard to the west.
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THIS PAGE The undulating form of the concrete ceiling is an inverted seascape that runs uninterrupted throughout the bedroom level. Divisions between rooms were achieved with frameless glass between the skirt-slab and the concrete sea. OPPOSITE Centrally positioned in the main en suite bathroom, an eyeshaped shower offers views to the east and west through large window boxes.
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Designed by landscape architect Jean Mus, the grounds are a riot of Mediterranean flora. To preserve the Provençal charm of the farmhouse, architect Pierre-Olivier Brèche of POBA carefully integrated the two additions that now extend the living spaces.
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OPPOSITE At the foot of the terraced garden, a table and chairs by La Maison F in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence stand in the shade of cypress trees. Surrounded by lush plantings of lavender, rosemary and santolina, it’s the perfect spot for morning coffee.
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ELEMENTS AND CONTEMPORARY PIECES, CREATES STRONG CONTRASTS.”
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couple to pick Tuscany as their European home, but it was an area northeast of Marseille in Provence that they chose instead. Dazzled by the beauty of the place and its historical heritage, for 20 years this globetrotting family had rented houses in the area, waiting for the ideal moment to buy their own. A few years ago, they were lucky enough to find a Provençal farmhouse in its original condition that had once belonged to the family of 19th-century French novelist Alphonse Daudet – and its renovation turned out to be a fascinating journey. Steering the makeover was architect Pierre-Olivier Brèche, head of the multidisciplinary firm POBA. “I was immediately drawn to the wonderful topography of sloping land – it was an opportunity to play with levels of patios, terraced gardens and roof lines,” he says. Laden with stories, punctuated by bories (dry stone huts) and famously painted by Van Gogh, the area is testament to a constant, soulful flow of energy and life. And throughout this farmhouse, everything was designed, developed and built by highly skilled craftsmen, all immensely proud to apply their knowledge of ancestral techniques. “We are particularly happy with the way our two additions complement the original farmhouse,” says PierreOlivier about the harmoniously integrated buildings. “Playing on the succession of spacious rooms, it is as if they had always been there.” From the outset, Pierre-Olivier worked with landscape architect Jean Mus on rethinking the seven-hectare estate grounds. Jean imagined and designed an extraordinary landscape, displaying various combinations of Mediterranean flora and creating individual spaces that climb towards the surrounding mountains. Interior designer Marie Laure Helmkampf, on the other hand, only became involved in the final stages of the journey, selecting a colour palette as well as furnishings, fixtures and light fittings, often custom-made, in warm combinations and complementary raw textures. The spacious lounge, for example, is a mix of soft materials and hues with designer furniture, custom-made pieces and vintage finds. In fact, most spaces in the house reflect this wonderful mix of old and new, with the dining room hosting a gorgeous raw-wood table commissioned from Laurent Passe of LPasse Design, as well as vintage Friso Kramer chairs that the owners acquired in Denmark. “I like the combination of muted khakis and ochres against light shades, of vintage elements, which I ferret out, and contemporary pieces,” says Marie Laure. “It creates strong contrasts. The owners and I took the time to seek out the ideal items for their home.” The result of these combined creative efforts is a country retreat that both acknowledges its heritage and embraces the contemporary chapters of the property’s story. PierreOlivier’s respectful approach, Marie Laure’s cleverly curated combination of the traditional, the vintage and the modern, and Jean’s peaceful Mediterranean landscape have resulted in a home that provides a cool, calm oasis during warm Provençal summers.
“THE COMBINATION OF MUTED KHAKIS AND OCHRES AGAINST LIGHT SHADES, OF VINTAGE
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A comfortable Gervasoni Ghost sofa takes pride of place in the spacious lounge. The vintage black leather Butterfly chair is by Pierre Paulin. Artworks include an owl photograph by Franck Christen, candlestick sculptures in charred wood by Christian Caulas and vases by Paola Paronetto. The antique stone mantelpiece houses a 1950s ceramic lamp by Georges Pelletier and a wood engraving by Jason Middlebrook.
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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE Designed by interior designer Marie Laure Helmkampf and custom-made by Laurent Passe of LPasse Design, a charred-wood sideboard displays sculptures by Christian Caulas; in the kitchen, dark cabinetry by Boffi is offset with Calacatta quartz countertops in a matte finish; charred-wood boards and shovels by Christian Caulas create interest, as do the pendant lights made of recycled gas cylinder tops. OPPOSITE For the dining room, Marie Laure commissioned a raw-wood table from LPasse Design.
The natural stone wall in the tranquil master bedroom provides a contrast for Ligne Roset’s curved Ploum sofa and pouf, and for the fine linen-upholstered headboard. The ceramics on the mantelpiece are carefully curated antiques, chosen by the owners.
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THIS PAGE Designed and built by POBA, the 16m x 5m swimming pool, with its Ampilly flagstone decking, is surrounded by terraced gardens brought to life by Jean, and planted with olive trees, cypresses and pines. OPPOSITE The aged timber structure and reclaimed roof tiles of the stone pool house skilfully integrate into the surroundings and stay to true to the home’s Provençal style. The lava stone, metal and glass table by Paola Lenti and the Gervasoni pendant lights are all from La Maison F.
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The living, dining and kitchen area combine to form a single, open-plan space that leads out to a deck and a spectacular 180-degree vista across the expanse of Table Bay. The eye-catching leather Outline sofa by Muuto is from Créma, as are the Flash coffee and side tables by Tom Dixon.
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CAPE TOWN interior designer ETIENNE HANEKOM has ensured that this multilevel abode on the slopes of SIGNAL HILL makes maximum use of its compact footprint, creating a home that facilitates SUMMER LIVING AT ITS FINEST. P H O T O S P R O D U C T I O N W O R D S
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t’s already become a cliché to say that the Covid-19 pandemic – and in particular, its lockdowns, which confined us to our homes for months on end in 2020 – changed the way we think about domestic space. These days, walk through a prospective new home, and one of the first questions that comes to mind is how you’d feel about being confined to that house for two months. And in the case of this cleverly remodelled abode in Cape Town, the answer is, “Bring it on immediately!” Located in the upper regions of Green Point, the house is perched on the edge of Signal Hill, and unfolds over multiple levels to accommodate the steepness of the sloped plot. Past the street entrance and parking garage at the top of the house, a short, covered walkway – encased on one side by metal palisade-style balustrades, coated in an eye-catching trio of brass, copper and bronze – leads to the main door. Inside, one is quickly drawn into an expansive, open-plan lounge, dining and kitchen area, which works seamlessly as the main living space. The entire front facade of this floor is glazed, making the most of the view – and what a view it is. Stretching from Three Anchor Bay on the left to the sculptural oval of Cape Town Stadium and the V&A Waterfront on the right, it’s centred on Robben Island and the spectacular, curved sweep of the Mouille Point coastline, with the deep blue expanse of Table Bay beyond. It’s definitely one of the finest vistas in a part of the world that isn’t exactly short on breathtaking views. A covered veranda for outdoor living fronts this floor of the house, and includes a sleek built-in braai, a lounge area, and a small outdoor dining area, which together ensure that the home’s occupants are able to make the most of this supremely covetable location. Like the interior living space (and the rest of the home), the outdoor zone feels effortlessly sophisticated in style – and it is the work of Cape Town designer Etienne Hanekom. Etienne has done a superlative job of creating interiors that facilitate a laid-back lifestyle and make the everyday experience of living here effortless. This is not a large home, but it feels spacious and clutter-free, chiefly due to the thoughtful way every part of it has been designed for ease of use. In a corner of the main living area, for example, Etienne has managed to incorporate a petite workspace with a discreet desk, facing a semi-transparent, built-in floor-to-ceiling shelf unit from which multiple plants trail, and on which sculptures and objects are displayed. This “office” is neatly secluded, yet it remains part of the room. The small scullery off the kitchen on the other side of the space is another useful inclusion: it means that the everyday detritus of living can be quickly removed from view. The home’s owner is a collector of various treasures, and Etienne has facilitated this within its compact spaces through the use of clever storage solutions. For instance, a modular Boffi shelving unit in the kitchen emerges diagonally from the wall, taking up minimal space and almost invisible from the living and dining areas. Stand in the kitchen looking out, however, and the shelves are revealed; they’re packed with colourful souvenirs, cookbooks and keepsakes that add a very personal feel. And the owner’s wine collection is stored in a cellar sunk into the floor of the atrium-like space between the bedrooms on the lower floor, complete with a glass cover that enables it to stay safely stashed, yet also temptingly on display. Two en suite bedrooms make up the remainder of the main part of the house. The beds in each are positioned to allow their occupants to take in the fabulous views; behind them are smartly designed bathrooms and dressing areas. One more floor down, en route to the glamorous plunge pool set in a verdant courtyard at the very bottom of the property, is an Art Deco-inspired guest suite. “Why didn’t I think of that?” details abound throughout the spaces – such as the built-in seat in the centre of a wardrobe, the stylish linen drawers stashed below the beds, and storage for towels tucked into the edge of a built-in bath. This house combines simplicity with thoughtful details, and blends sleek style with an easygoing atmosphere, making it the ideal backdrop for the sort of laidback living we’re all hoping for much more of in the future.
THE ENTIRE FRONT FACADE OF THIS FLOOR IS GLAZED, MAKING THE MOST OF THE VIEW – AND WHAT A VIEW IT IS. etiennehanekom.com |
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Dinners with a view take place at a Turned table by Gregor Jenkin, which pairs beautifully with Laclasica chairs by Jesús Gasca for Stua, available locally at Créma. The Multi-Lite pendant, also from Créma, is by Louis Weisdorf for Gubi.
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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE With the glass doors fully open, indoor and outdoor living spaces merge into one; in the corner of the living area, a drinks cart combines with a botanical-inspired wall covering to create an elegant take on tropical style; almost invisible from the living area, the CTline kitchen shelving unit by Boffi holds a multitude of collected treasures and cookbooks. OPPOSITE The sleek kitchen is designed to hide clutter behind multiple wooden cabinets – plus there’s extra stashing space in the compact scullery to the right of the prep island. The Multi-Lite pendant by Louis Weisdorf for Gubi hangs over the dining table.
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The second sleeping area, like the main suite, includes its own en suite bathroom and dressing room. All of the joinery was designed by Etienne Hanekom especially for the spaces, to fulfil the homeowner’s brief to create interiors with “an earthy palette, using a combination of natural stone, handmade tiles, glass, wood and steel – and some warm metallics”, says Etienne.
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Etienne’s favourite space in the house is the guest bedroom’s en suite bathroom and dressing room, where stone cladding and custom joinery create “more of a feel of a living space than a wet room”. The built-in seat – the perfect perch for putting on socks and shoes – is an especially clever touch.
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THIS PAGE On the bottom level of the property, a plunge pool with raised sides is clad in tiles by Southern Art Ceramics. OPPOSITE An ingenious wine cellar – complete with a hydraulically operated glass door – is built into the floor in the hallway space between the two bedrooms.
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An award-winning family home in the heart of BIRDHAVEN, JOHANNESBURG, brings space, volume P H O T O S
The striking northern facade, incorporating large, steelframed glass “walls” and concrete columns, encloses the central living hub, creating a light-infused space for the family to gather in.
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and GREENERY into its core, while keeping every space accessible from the heart of the living hub. P R O D U C T I O N
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R E AT I N G A S E N S E O F AW E AN D O C CAS I O N I N A FAM ILY H O ME I S N O E AS Y F E AT. For David Hollis, founder of Arch3D Architects, the approach to this brief was all about the juxtaposition of materials and designing a visual feast for the senses. After visiting the owners’ previous home, he noticed the lack of volume and layering. “Each space merged into another, with no identity,’’ David says. “I wanted to play with volume here, and bring the excitement of creating a unique feeling of space within each function of the home, but still maintain that easy, flowing openness.” An amalgamation of these concepts has resulted in a space that allows for both family interaction and for refuge, based around a central statement hub. Celebrating volume also allows for large vertical planes, perfect for displaying the owners’ art collection. Walking into the home, you are immediately struck by the use of complementary materials – concrete, timber, steel, glass. David’s main aim was to keep the walls sculptural and striking enough to exist without anything on them, for the home to speak volumes as a stand-alone creative space. “The project started off with a desire to build a house that gave us more space as a growing family, but it was important that we did not get lost in the space,” explain the homeowners. “We were nervous of creating something in which the family actually became disconnected because of a rambling design – so our initial brief was to build a large house that lives small.” With large, steel-framed glass “walls” in the living room, supported by concrete columns, David managed to blur the lines between the interior and exterior, and pull the considered landscaping to the forefront. The green elements are pops of urban jungle throughout the home, with a floor-to-ceiling living wall taking pride of place in the living room; it also effectively dampens sound and manages acoustics in the large area. “It’s light and airy, with high ceilings and lots of greenery,” say the homeowners. “Nature is a source of endorphins for us, hence the green wall and swathes of glass.” A floating concrete staircase emphasises the angular lines presented in the architecture. It leads upstairs to the bedrooms, main bathrooms and study, all of which overlook the centre without imposing on the area. “We wanted a home where every space was used – a home that made the most of the beautiful weather in Johannesburg, and that allowed OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The home for shared spaces while also offering the ability to find a quiet, secluded pocket somewhere,” lives in harmony with its the homeowners say. “We wanted a place where we could entertain friends and family, surroundings; forming no matter the weather conditions.” a series of “nodes”, Striking a balance between opening the home out towards the James & Ethel Gray the raised entrance Park across the road – and the views – but still maintaining a sense of privacy and security courtyard heightens the sense of arrival; was also a priority for David. This resulted in positioning the home strategically to the rear a Rheinzink-clad wall of the site. The natural elevation created opportunities for a visual connection between is positioned above the designated spaces of the home and the park. The driveway, car court and raised the covered outdoor entrance court were created as a series of nodes to further heighten the sense of journey terrace, which flows and occasion on arrival, with views from the street giving little away. into the garden; the main bedroom features The result is a suburban oasis that brings a family together by embracing architecture, views of the park. design and nature in equal measure. Recognised at the 2021 Gauteng Institute for Architecture Awards, the home is the recipient of an Award of Excellence, with the judges describing it as a residence that “can be celebrated for ticking all the right boxes in terms of sustainability, striking appeal, conceptual strength, technical execution and practical functionality”.
“IT TICKS THE RIGHT BOXES IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABILITY, STRIKING APPEAL, AND PRACTICAL FUNCTIONALITY.”
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CONCEPTUAL STRENGTH TECHNICAL EXECUTION
THIS PAGE Off-shutter concrete columns, bespoke steel doors, a living wall and a concrete fireplace define the living space. OPPOSITE In addition to being the focus of the living hub, the floor-to-ceiling green wall also effectively dampens sound and manages the acoustics in the double-volume space.
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THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE BOTTOM LEFT A mezzanine bridge extends across the central core, allowing the rooms upstairs to overlook the area without imposing on it. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The vertical steel rods forming the balustrade draw the eye up to the clerestory windows; the kitchen was designed as a more intimate gathering place; with steel and concrete framing the views, the dining area becomes an extension of the outdoors.
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THIS PAGE In the main bathroom, steel doors on either side of the shower open to a private courtyard. OPPOSITE Pitched ceilings emphasise the sense of space in the main bedroom, while pocket sliders offer the owners a way to immerse themselves in nature.
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Meticulous RESTORATION – not renovation – was key in giving architect ROBERT SILKE’s 1938 ARTS AND CRAFTS REVIVAL home in PINELANDS a new lease of life.
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THIS PAGE Designed by architectural firm Walgate and Elsworth, this 1938 residence’s intricate brickwork, ironwork and carpentry are characteristic of the Arts and Crafts Revival movement. OPPOSITE Milo, the blue point ragdoll cat, welcomes visitors. To the right of the door is a cast-iron lantern, original to the house.
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new family home in the Cape Town suburb of Pinelands. A darkly dramatic front gate framed by a brick archway reading Caverswall opens onto a narrow garden path, which leads you to a house that’s equal parts imposing and intriguing, with a steeply pitched, clay-tiled roof, spiral chimneys and brickwork finish - all in the same burnt-honey shade. “It’s basically a gingerbread house, right?” says Robert, taking in the facade of the 1938 Arts and Crafts Revival structure he shares with partner Gideon and their one-year-old daughter Lilith. “Pinelands was established in the 1920s, when there was a big push around the world for an approximation of English country living,” says Robert. “There was a planner in the UK called Ebenezer Howard, who invented the suburb, which he originally called a garden city. The idea gained global traction in reaction to the Spanish flu – people felt that the way they lived in cities wasn’t healthy. Pinelands was actually the third garden city in the world.” Pinelands, which has since been declared a heritage protection zone, is a stronghold of Arts and Crafts Revival architecture – a movement pioneered by John Ruskin and William Morris in the 1800s as an antidote to the industrialisation of the Victorian era. True to the vernacular, the human hand is visible in every facet of Caverswall, from the intricately patterned brickwork of the double chimneys to the irregular, wavy edges of the teak board cladding embellishing the dormer windows. “Designed by Walgate and Elsworth, Caverswall was built as a showhouse for a multinational company, the Hume Pipe Corporation,” says Robert. “The company originally made ceramic sewage pipes, but later expanded into bricks and roof tiles. They decided to buy the biggest plot in this area of Pinelands and build a ‘palace’ that would showcase everything they made out of clay. But just as they finished it, World War II broke out, and the whole enterprise went to seed because noone was building anything. By the time the war was over, people were building modern houses.” Robert remembers being mesmerised by Caverswall in his 20s when driving past it on his way to a friend’s house parties. Bought on tender in 2021, the once-stately residence had been abandoned and had fallen into disrepair – but Robert maintains his objective from day one was to restore what was there, not renovate the structure out of its identity. “For me as a modern architect, the joy with this house was in not having to make decisions. I was effectively the apprentice working for the master, trying to establish what the original architect’s intention was. I was not responsible for the house being good; it was already good. I was working in a custodial capacity, not a creative capacity.” That’s not to say that Robert didn’t approach the restoration process with the same slavish attention to detail as he does his new builds. The aged roof tiles, bloomed with lichen, were left in peace, with only the broken tiles replaced. The weathered wood was revitalised with a special oil Robert spent weeks choosing. The gutters, all rusted through, were replaced, but with ones that matched the design and cast-iron finish of the originals. “It was almost like scraping barnacles off the hull of a boat,” he says, smiling. While, aesthetically, the interior of Caverswall is a radical departure from the exterior, Robert extended the same purist principles to the inside of the house, working with what was already there instead of bringing in the sledgehammers. As many of the fixtures and fittings had been vandalised or stolen in the years the house stood empty, the work inside entailed Robert fastidiously tracking down everything from washbasins and chrome taps to light pendants – and even kitchen units that would ring true to the zeitgeist of 1938. And much of the interior’s transformation was achieved thanks to the varying shades of pale, whimsical pink that Robert chose for the walls. “The challenge was to make the house less serious about itself,” he says. “One of the few avenues of intervention without messing up a house is paint. Often the impulse with old houses is to get rid of things – but what you should be telling yourself is, ‘Slow down, slow down, slow down…’.” OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Cast-iron wall lanterns to match the originals were found at Eagle Lighting; a lavender-lined footpath adds English country charm; lichenous roof tiles and bluepatinated copper flashings were left in their original state; the blue/black-patinated copper rainwater hopper predates the house by two years; the spiral is a design meme that turns up throughout; house, garden and sky conspire to evoke John Constable’s The Hay Wain; the salvaged electric doorbell was sourced from Cape Town’s Milnerton Market; the chimney stacks reference Hampton Court Palace.
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TRUE TO THE ARTS AND CRAFTS REVIVAL MOVEMENT, THE HUMAN HAND IS VISIBLE IN EVERY FACET OF CAVERSWALL.
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THIS PAGE At the entrance, a Joburg cityscape by photographer Leon Krige hangs above a 1981 Cassina Wink recliner by Toshiyuki Kita, sourced from The Space Agency, and a Mr All Sorts ceramic totem lamp from Vorster & Braye. OPPOSITE With the dramatic lighting of a Vermeer painting, the lounge features a 1974 Cassina Maralunga sofa by Vico Magistretti, sourced from Cape City Modern, a grey sofa by Ebony/Curated, and a vintage recliner from Ride a White Swan. The 1920s Artesse fireplace was restored by Progress Fires, and the family portraits are by owner Robert Silke’s mother, Eris.
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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE The wrought-iron balustraded staircase is carpeted in French Balsan Majestic pink velvet from KBAC Flooring; period kitchen cabinets were salvaged from a neighbour’s house via Facebook Marketplace; the dining room centres around a burled maple table and 1902 Cassina Argyle chairs by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, sourced from Ashbey’s Galleries; a 1903 Cassina Hillhouse chair by Charles Rennie Mackintosh strikes a pose. OPPOSITE The English Art Deco milk glass pendant was sourced from The Space Agency.
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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE Specialist wood restoration on the window frames (above left) and waney boards (above right) was done by Anthony Turner using Dulux Woodguard Rubbol oil; Airbrushed Herons by Robert Bevan Slingsby hang in the main bedroom; the guest bathroom features original salt-glazed brickwork, a Victorian bathtub and a salvaged basin found via Facebook Marketplace. OPPOSITE The specialised period plumbing restoration in the main bathroom was done by James O’Regan.
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“I’m inspired by FLEXIBLE RESPONSES to the unexpected.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF CASAMENTO
– Starry-Eve Collett, founder and designer, Casamento (see page 140)
Botanicals sofa with protea crewel-work embroidery; POA | casamento.co.za
DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE, CARS, INTERIORS, DECOR SHOPPING & BARS
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DESIGN JOURNEY
Whimsical HAND-STITCHED heirloom chairs, sofas, cushions, HEADBOARDS and OTTOMANS are produced by CASAMENTO in Cape Town. Founder and designer STARRY-EVE COLLETT shares the brand’s journey.
ABOVE The Casamento team: (standing) embroiderer Gisele Kasumba, carpenter Lukholo Mesani, upholsterer Robin Scott; (seated) seamster Rabana Mamudu, embroiderer Yonela Phanzi, designer Starry-Eve Collett, embroiderer Vuyiseka Phanzi, upholsterer Lovemore Muchatiza.
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2 0 1 2 PHOTOS KELLY WALSH (TEAM), COURTESY OF CASAMENTO WORDS TRACY LYNN CHEMALY
n My sister and I opened Casamento in Loop Street in 2008 as a business that sold refurbished mid-century furniture. By 2012, she had left, and Casamento had moved to the Woodstock Foundry, where we were making our own pieces – like this Juno chair. Back then I tried to only use natural fibres and no foam, something that’s much harder nowadays. My co-designer at the time, Henri du Rand, helped me develop this idea, using rough linen and raw silk laid over raw cotton and coir in a patchwork way. It led to the development of a specific deconstructed style for Casamento.
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n I discovered crewel embroidery through a book about the late American embroidery artist Erica Wilson – although our
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style is much more relaxed and naive than formal crewel. I created our first embroidered Protea sofa in 2013, and my team and I have been embroidering botanicals ever since. International clients find fynbos quite exotic. The variety is pretty extraordinary, and lends itself well to embroidery.
n Casamento produced chairs and sofas for five of Nando’s global head offices. They wanted a bright African look, so I used felt – wool produces a very saturated colour and allows you to play with contrasts. In exploring African traditional designs, I discovered incredible colour combinations. Although beading is very time-consuming, I love anything three-dimensional.
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2 0 1 7 n Atang Tshikare and I worked together to create the Leifo chair, and launched it at Decorex as part of “We Are Cape Town”. The chair has a charred wooden frame in a classic antique shape. We were exploring the concept of “decolonising” this European shape, trying to break down its cultural associations and give it more freedom of expression. Atang contributed the backrest, and had it woven in grass in Lesotho. I love that the woven piece is left unfinished, and the way it resonates with the deconstructed upholstery. Leifo means “hearth” in Sesotho; our beading on the seat resembles sparks of fire.
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n During lockdown, after relocating the studio to Muizenberg, we created the soft furnishings for eight suites in a Belgian
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hotel called Indrani Lodge. It was a dream project; I was given carte blanche to come up with a different theme for each room. I looked to the Belgian countryside for inspiration, using moths, brambles, grasses and other natural elements in the designs. We’ve done work for various game lodges over the years too. I think people enjoy the luxurious quality of our embroidery – it shows the time and effort spent on a handmade piece, and they recognise that it is unique or one-off.
n Casamento has become known for sofas that use more than one type of fabric, and I am always trying to blur the joins, usually with embroidery. Here, I started playing around with folding one fabric to look like a blanket wrapped around one end of the frame. I based the design layout of the stitching on a Basotho blanket, and called it “A Seat for My Ancestor”. The corner where the swallows are is where the spirit of your favourite ancestor will sit. This was a passion project for me, in between commissions, and allowed me to explore ideas that are meaningful to me on a more personal level. I would love to work on an exhibition with more pieces like this in 2022 and 2023. casamento.co.za
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GET YOUR GL OW ON
OREAN BEAUTY – AKA K-BEAUTY – PRODUCTS have been taking over the planet in the past decade. Focused on skincare rather than on makeup, K-beauty combines innovative formulas and scientifically tested ingredients to create personally curated, multistep skincare routines. Add playful packaging and, in many cases, affordable pricing,
K
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and it’s no wonder that, in 2019, the worldwide market for K-beauty products clocked in at a staggering $10-billion (about R158-billion). Korean brands such as Laneige, Dr.Jart+ and Innisfree have also helped launch entirely new beauty product categories, including sheet masks, skin essences and BB creams. In South Africa, multibrand K-beauty retailer Glow Theory was launched in 2017, and has been so successful, it’s become something of a cult favourite and leader in the K-beauty space locally. So it’s no wonder that, late in 2021, the brand branched out into a brick-and-mortar space at 44 Stanley in Johannesburg – and its first store is a delightful pastel dream brought to life by young interior and product designer Roxanne Ferreira of Arrange Studio. No stranger to retail design, with her previous work for brands such as Freedom of Movement also bringing much-needed life into the shopping landscape, this time around Roxanne aimed to create “an environment that feels like being in a candy store, and something fresh and vibrant”, she says. “I wanted the colours to feel reminiscent of warm, glowy skin in different tones. So I looked at the brand’s main colour – pink – and used it as the base, then built around it by introducing lighter and darker tones in the same colour family.” Like K-beauty, which makes use of myriad naturally derived ingredients, the Glow Theory space needed to feel playful and inviting; a focus on materials that reference nature was key too. “Natural materials also played a role,” says Roxanne, “with the use of plywood adding warmth and texture.” Finally, she explains, the Glow Theory brand’s “secondary cobalt-blue colour was used sparingly throughout as an accent or where impact was needed, for example in the signage”. In addition to her interiors, Roxanne’s product designs have also recently got the local design world’s attention in a major way. Her debut product, the Paradise Light, was one of 2021’s standout pieces – it was showcased in VISI 116, and features proudly in the new Glow Theory store alongside a few more custom pieces, including a bench design created in collaboration with Krafted Design Studio. In short, Roxanne’s work is putting her own aesthetic and that of the brands she’s partnering with firmly on our radar. glowtheory.co.za | arrangestudio.co.za
PHOTOS SARAH DE PINA, COURTESY OF ARRANGE STUDIO WORDS GARRETH VAN NIEKERK
Designed by ROXANNE FERREIRA, the GLOW THEORY store at Joburg’s 44 Stanley is as much a must-visit for those who admire sleek, CONTEMPORARY INTERIOR DESIGN as it is an essential shopping destination for SA’s growing legion of fans of KOREAN BEAUTY PRODUCTS.
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S U S TA I NA B L E LEARNING
ABIO VENTURI OF THE TERRAMANZI GROUP, the sustainable design consultants for the recently opened Green School South Africa (GSSA) outside Paarl in the Drakenstein Valley, believes that the campus might be “the greenest school on the planet”. Because the school is on track to be the
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first Living Building Challenge (LBC) certified project in Africa, he explains, it has to be compliant with the world’s “most rigorous certification system”. To be awarded LBC certification, Fabio says, “You have to demonstrate that [the buildings are] regenerative“ – which, in the simplest terms, means “you’re basically
ABOVE Classrooms at the Green School South Africa are arranged in an asymmetrical cluster around central courtyards and gardens, reflecting patterns found in nature. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The materials used in the interiors are neutral in colour but richly textured; joinery and furniture are made from FSC-certified local timber and wood from cleared alien trees; large windows ensure that the school gardens are visible from all classrooms and other buildings; the rooms are suffused with natural light, and designs inspired by nature (in this case, birds in flight) appear frequently.
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF GASS ARCHITECTURE STUDIOS WORDS GRAHAM WOOD
A SCHOOL in the DRAKENSTEIN VALLEY, designed to EDUCATE for SUSTAINABILITY, is also a benchmark in REGENERATIVE ARCHITECTURE.
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putting in more than you’re taking out”. This is architecture that actually heals the environment rather than merely doing less damage: it generates energy, purifies waste, recycles resources and restores biodiversity. The architecture is all the more significant for its being a place of learning. GSSA is the third Green School in a growing international network. The first was launched in Bali in 2008 to, as its promotional material puts it, “educate for sustainability, through community-integrated, entrepreneurial learning, in a wall-less, natural environment”. It is education grounded in an immersive relationship with nature, designed to inspire a new generation of creative, innovative, entrepreneurial thinkers. One of Fabio’s favourite quotes, which he has included in various presentations, sums up the idea: “If our education does not prevent us from destroying our environment, then no matter what qualifications we may have, it is insufficient and irrelevant.” The same goes for the architecture. The campus was designed by GASS Architecture Studios, with landscaping by Danie Steenkamp of DDS Projects, and with close involvement from Fabio and other consultants. Fabio points out that the LBC dovetailed perfectly with
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Tiny details were scaled up, too. A curled, drying leaf the team found, which had part of its vein-like structure exposed, became the inspiration for the way the buildings dematerialise in the transition from inside to outdoors. The classrooms and other buildings are woven together with paths like “ribbons” as Chris puts it, rather than direct axes, so that navigating the campus becomes the architectural embodiment of a “process of discovery” akin to learning itself. Vernacular references are drawn into elements of the design as well, especially via the biophilic introduction of water through low werf walls and “leiwater channels”, which reinterpret aspects of the area’s architectural heritage. Salvaged teak doors from nearby demolished buildings further root the new structures in the history of the area. The GSSA’s carbon footprint has been reduced by using local materials and techniques such as rammed earth construction. Of course, there’s plenty of stateof-the-art tech, and much of it has been made visible as a teaching resource. So, too, have the food gardens,
The FOOD GARDENS, which supply the kitchen, make the REGENERATIVE CYCLE at the heart of the campus’s functioning both IMMERSIVE and TANGIBLE. the school’s values. Its biophilic approach, he says, is predicated on “the innate need of humans to connect to nature”. “You mimic forms from nature, structurally and visually,” he says, from the quality of the light and air to the materials, colours and textures, and the inclusion of plants and wildlife – all of which creates a multisensory experience that brings people and nature together. Architects Wessel van Dyk, Chris Bakker and Theuna Stoltz explain that the arrangement of the buildings and their rounded forms were inspired by the shapes of the Paarl Rock boulders in relation to the valley the school is in, drawing “from the macro-context and applying it to the micro-context”. The buildings also function like petals or the segments of a fruit, the parts in service of the whole. Their orientation and overhangs make for passive energy saving, and low-slung forms immerse the classrooms in the landscape, creating courtyards and in-between spaces that knit together structures and surroundings.
which supply the school kitchen and make the regenerative cycle at the heart of the campus’s functioning both immersive and tangible. The vegetable cuttings go to the compost heaps, which in turn nourish the soil and help grow the produce. (The school also helps recycle waste from the broader community, in a further demonstration of the regenerative potential of development.) The ripple effects go still further. The LBC is incredibly strict regarding not just building materials, but also the ingredients that make up those materials, as well as the manufacturing processes used to make them. Some local suppliers went so far as to create special new sustainable products for the GSSA project, such as the wax-sealed timber and the epoxies used for the kitchen and bathroom floors. It seems that we could all learn a thing or two from this school campus. greenschoolsa.co.za | gass.co.za | terramanzi.co.za
OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The rounded walls are inspired by nearby landmarks, such as Paarl Rock; shared play areas are integrated into the spaces between buildings; pendant lights that mimic natural forms are part of the biophilic design approach throughout; the buildings are low-slung, with deep overhangs that provide sheltered decks for children to be close to nature; the kitchen, where vegetables from the garden are transformed into sustenance, is visible from the dining area.
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R I S I N G S TA R :
S I YA N DA M A G A B A
URBAN-BASED ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGIST and interior designer Siyanda Magaba grew up in Bizana and Matatiele in the Eastern Cape. He obtained a degree in interior design and architecture at the Durban University of Technology in 2019. While completing his second year there, he created the eponymous Magaba Designs; later the same year, he launched his furniture label, Africular. We spoke to him recently to find out what drives and inspires him. My design philosophy mainly follows an eco-efficient approach in creating African-inspired designs. It rejects any form of limitation. As well as running Magaba Designs, I work for an architectural company, which continuously immerses me in architectural design and interior design. And as a designer, I find inspiration in almost everything I see and experience. These observations inform solutions, or bring life to new ideas.
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Good design is guided by evenly balanced principles of functionality, aesthetics and sustainability. It provides solutions to improve the experience of everyday living through ideas that minimise the boundaries created by capital and class. The number-one trend I see coming through in my field is biophilic design. I believe it provides multiple benefits to the sustainability aspect, by utilising natural materials to maintain a connection with nature. My latest work incorporates this trend by guiding an eco-efficient approach towards creating African-inspired furniture that references African geometric patterns. The furniture pieces in the Guquka Africular range are all made from reclaimed timber pallets, which are processed and revived to create designs characterised by sustainability and eco-efficiency. The word “guquka” means to evolve, and the concept is inspired by the symbolism in African patterns and the evolution of African cultures into the
PHOTOS @BINOBLACK INTERVIEW PHENDU KUTA
With the launch of his new furniture range GUQUKA AFRICULAR – which is inspired by the SYMBOLISM OF AFRICAN PATTERN and the EVOLUTION OF THE CONTINENT’S CULTURES in the contemporary world – SIYANDA MAGABA is a young local talent to watch.
modern world. The range is characterised by clean lines, simple shapes, functionality and truth to materials, and consists of a chest of drawers, a coffee table, a side table, a console stand, and a TV stand. Overall, the idea is to create a cross-reference between modern and vintage style. My personal favourite among the pieces I’ve designed so far is the Ukugcina chest of drawers from the Guquka Africular range – it expresses the zigzag African pattern, widely known as “the path of the ancestors”, in a bold, visible and functional manner. The designers I find most inspiring include Siyanda Mbele – he was the first designer I became aware of who was integrating African culture into furniture, paving the way for other designers to tell their African stories through furniture design. Internationally, I can’t help but go back in history to choose Walter Gropius. I first came across his work during my studies of Bauhaus at university;
its principles included truth to materials, form following function, and the merging of designer and craftsperson, all of which answered the question of the kind of designer I wanted to become. My favourite room in my home is the lounge, because it’s where people meet and socialise. If money were no object, I’d treat myself to the iconic Eames leather lounge chair and ottoman. In design, I believe that form follows function, and that a balance of both should be achieved to inform an item’s purpose and identity. The initial stage involves breaking down the concept; this is the root idea that would be a reference to an existing element in a context. The subsequent design stage includes designing the form to accommodate its function, and the final stage is the expression of the context of the referenced idea in the form of colour, texture and material. magaba_designs
“IN DESIGN, I believe that FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION, and that a balance of both should be achieved to inform an item’s PURPOSE and IDENTITY.”
ABOVE The Guquka Africular range. OPPOSITE, FROM LEFT The original Africular collection; Siyanda Magaba.
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N EW P L AYG RO U N D
DYNAMIC SPACE CREATED TO FUEL DREAMS and bring them one step closer to reality, the award-winning Nike Football Training Centre in Soweto first opened its doors in 2010, offering a much-needed space for young athletes, and giving marginalised youngsters the chance to realise their sporting prowess. Fast-forward a decade, and the most utilised training ground in the area was in need of a refurb. The plan? To transform the soccer-focused centre into a multidisciplinary sports destination that encourages social, educational and creative opportunities too.
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To bring the project to fruition, Nike enlisted the services of Joburg-based architecture outfit C76, who collaborated with Futura Design Agency and the sports brand to create this safe and freely accessible area for the community. As principal architect Carl Jacobsz explains, Chris Hani Road is the main route past the Diepkloof facility. “In the previous design, the ablution blocks were facing the busy road, which meant that the entire facility had its back to the community,” he says. “Our first priority was to move the main entrance to the south elevation, to connect it
ABOVE The floor of the players’ tunnel features the quote “There is no finish line”. OPPOSITE The large beaded tapestry in the clubhouse was designed by Futura Design Agency and made by The Herd. Athlete portraits are the work of Daniel Clarke, Seth Pimentel (aka African Ginger) and Lorenzo Plaatjies.
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PHOTOS DAVID SOUTHWOOD, COURTESY OF C76 ARCHITECTS WORDS BIDDI RORKE
A multidisciplinary SPORTS CENTRE in SOWETO aims to INSPIRE and EMPOWER the next generation of athletes.
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“The ROOF became the STAR OF THE SHOW because it successfully tackled the CONCEPT OF MOVEMENT and AFRICAN PATTERNING in one shot.” directly to Chris Hani Road. We also rejected the traditional ideas of high boundary walls, separation and disconnection in favour of attractive, open thresholds. The renamed Shapa Soweto now connects with, and reaches into, the community – both visually and physically.” The design team was committed to creating an authentic identity for the space, incorporating African patterning in the design without resorting to insensitive, discordant clichés. “We searched for ways to achieve that, and found inspiration in Nike’s technology, which incorporates weaving to form the outer structure of some shoe designs,” says Carl. “The concept of weaving a roof structure helped us create something unique for the community hub, which is visible from Chris Hani Drive. “We settled on rebar steel – usually an underground material – as the main weaving
material for the canopy. And although there is always some fluke in how shadows play out in the end, the roof became the star of the show because it successfully tackled the concept of movement and African patterning in one shot.” During the design process, consultations with community members resulted in the addition of a new community hub. The space includes a professionally designed skatepark by Olympic skateboarder Dallas Oberholzer of Indigo Youth Movement, basketball courts, five-a-side soccer fields, an athletics oval, and a cross-country running track that surrounds the centre. “Prior to the refurb, the interior of the building mainly consisted of offices, and wasn’t usually accessible to the general public,” Carl says. “We gutted everything inside to create two dance studios, a boxing studio, a gym and
THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP The new main entrance on Chris Hani Road; the kiosks in the community hub are run by locals; the new athletics track; the multipurpose makers’ studio. OPPOSITE The community hub surrounds the multifunctional sports court, which boasts portraits designed by Futura.
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a makers’ studio where people can flex their creative muscle.” On the lower ground level, locker rooms, team strategy rooms, shower facilities and the all-important tunnel for fired-up contenders to run out onto the field were also reimagined and custom-designed. Gustav Greffrath, creative director of Futura Design Agency, explains the design language of the build. “We wanted the colour palette to blend in while still being iconic, so we drew inspiration from the aerial views of the area, with its ochres, reds, browns and pinks,” he says. “We also created a graphic language by interpreting the 23.5-degree angle of the Nike swoosh as triangles that are repeated throughout the fabric of the building.” Futura is also responsible for the striking graphic statements at Shapa Soweto, having collaborated with
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local artists to establish an optimistic, futuristic feeling in the space. A massive beaded tapestry created by Mbali Mthethwa’s The Herd pays homage to Nike’s co-founder Bill Bowerman, while artworks by comic-book illustrator and artist Loyiso Mkize offer a fresh take on top athlete Caster Semenya. Hanging banners created by local artists feature inspiring portraits of Soweto sports legends such as boxer Jacob “Baby Jake” Matlala and iconic footballer Portia Modise, infusing the space with an atmosphere of promise and possibility. Grounded by textures of concrete, rammed earth, stone and glass, this impressive venue offers a sense of untapped potential, encouraging the superstars of the future to engage with and take ownership of the facility. shapasoweto.co.za | c76.co.za | futurajoburg.com
The COLOUR PALETTE is inspired by AERIAL VIEWS of the area, with its OCHRES, REDS, BROWNS and PINKS.
THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP The original facade has been refurbished; the woven metal canopy covers the community hub; the reimagined main entrance; graphic language can be seen on the lockers in the changing rooms. OPPOSITE The skatepark, designed and built by Olympic skateboarder Dallas Oberholzer of Indigo Youth Movement, is a major drawcard.
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ON FIRE
HE TRUE DELIGHT OF KŌL IZAKHAYA LIES IN the seating plan. Located in Hyde Park Corner, the restaurant offers all permutations of seating for diners – whether you’re in a large group or dining solo, you can slide into a cosy booth, book the private dining room or intimate roped-off lounge, or perch on a high stool at the bar or at one of the counters. Merging two cultures via its name – with KōL being the Japanese interpretation of the kanji symbol for coal, and Izakhaya a portmanteau-play on the informal Japanese food bar, izakaya, and khaya meaning “home”
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in Zulu – the space brings people together to connect around a fire, the robata. “It’s a contemporary take on a traditional Japanese izakaya in South Africa,” says the restaurant’s interior architect, Tristan du Plessis of Tristan Plessis Studio. “It focuses on texture and materiality, not just on aesthetic appeal. We wanted the space to be experiential.” Robatayaki, or robata – an ancient method of cooking over white-hot binchō-tan charcoal – is the focus of the menu and the heart of KōL; everything else that happens here emanates from it. The fireside grill menu is divided
PHOTOS COURTESY OF TRISTAN PLESSIS STUDIO WORDS ZODWA KUMALO-VALENTINE
Inspired by the Japanese cooking tradition of robata or grilling over charcoal, Hyde Park’s KoL IZAKHAYA is all about fostering connections around the fire – in a space by TRISTAN PLESSIS STUDIO that features natural materials with luxe, tactile appeal.
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Perhaps the MOST STRIKING ELEMENT of the INTERIOR DESIGN are the beautiful and LUXURIOUS NATURAL FINISHES used across all the spaces. into Yakitori (such as chicken hearts and livers), Niku (meat), Umi (ocean) and Yasai (vegetables), and served as one or two pieces per plate – you’ll need to order quite a number of portions, as they are on the small side. Appetisers, small plates and snack offerings include edamame; crispy, sticky hot wings; dressed Namibian oysters; gyoza; wasabi and shiso croquettes; and more. The sushi menu is wide and features the expected offerings – but those with a more adventurous palate should pull up a chair and engage with the sushi chef at the dedicated bar. Previously occupied by a bank, the sprawling restaurant also includes a private workspace, a Zen room, a shower room and a luxurious bathroom that features a tray of fragrances from Metropolitain Cosmetics, with which guests are encouraged to refresh themselves. But perhaps the most striking element of the interior design are the beautiful and luxurious natural finishes
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used across all the spaces. “Everything had to be natural,” says Tristan, “so we used refined natural products rather than anything inauthentic: charcoal, natural stone, lots of woodwork. The latter is a design cornerstone in Japan that you will see in the restaurant wall panels and the wine display.” The result is a space that features loads of luxe visual interest as well as plenty of textural appeal. “We chose materials and products based on texture – how they feel within the space rather than just how they look,” says Tristan. “So we used raw cuts of granite and huge, live-edge slabs of solid timber.” All the layered natural materials also give the space an inviting feel. “An izakaya is meant to be approachable,” says Tristan. “That’s why I wanted to use warm, rustic materials, put together in a semi-high-end finish.” kol-restaurant.co.za | tristanplessis.com
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BEHIND THE BARS
From small, cosy and intimate to BIG AND BOLD, we’ve rounded up our pick of the most BEAUTIFULLY CONCEIVED LOCAL WINE BARS for you to pour your heart into. P R O U D M A RY In the centre of Jozi’s Rosebank is the instantly iconic rectangular black building known as The Bank (which we featured in VISI 117). Proud Mary is the multiuse building’s restaurant and statement wine bar, offering discerning customers an extensive collection of smallbatch, local and independent wines in a sleek, Art Decoinspired setting that features plush textures, terrazzo, brass and natural wood finishes. The food menu celebrates cuisine from around the world, offering a refined, casual, modern approach to dining – just right for a luxe night out.
C U L T U R E W I N E B A R Owned by Matt Manning of Grub & Vine on Cape Town’s trendy Bree Street, Culture offers a curated selection of South African cult classics as well as some hidden gems, speciality international imports and natural wines, in a warm and inviting atmosphere. “The Wanderlist” is the name of Culture’s exciting recent collab with Radford Dale – a selection of premium imports from around the world that’s kept in a state-of-the-art, temperature-controlled wine fridge. And what of the food menu? “Culture follows the same ethos as our bistro: simple, honest and delicious fare that works beautifully with wine,” says Matt. culturewinebar
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PHOTOS TEGAN SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY (CULTURE), SUPPLIED WORDS MICHAELA STEHR
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STYLE HAS AN ADDRESS STOCKISTS OF THE FINEST IN DOOR AND CABINET HANDLES
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JHB: 011 325 2555 | Hyde Park
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DBN: 032 586 8219 | Ballito
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info@handleco.co.za
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V O I S I N B R E A D & W I N E Voisin (“neighbour” in French) is a micro-bakery and boutique wine store run by Jaco Smit at 44 Stanley in Joburg. All the ingredients used here are locally sourced: think stoneground flour from Prieska and the Drakensberg, hand-harvested sea salt from the Kalahari, filtered water, and natural leavening. It takes about 36 hours from start to finish to create a loaf, and no two are the same. Alongside the bread, Voisin specialises in uncommon, exciting wines from underrated South African producers, resolutely supporting winemakers who focus on organic viticulture and natural winemaking. Join the team for unique, free tasting experiences on Saturdays, from 11am onwards. voisinbreadwine
L E O ’ S W I N E B A R Popular Cape Town CBD lunch spot Max Bagels transforms into a hole-in-the-wall wine bar by night. Founded by Matthew Freemantle, the intimate spot spills out onto the pavement in the evenings. Favouring wines that are made with minimal intervention, unusual cultivars and alternative winemaking processes, the Leo’s list changes constantly – which means a new experience with each visit. The team often collaborates with chefs and winemakers on pop-ups and takeovers, but constants on the food menu include the famous pizza bagels and a variety of bar snacks to complement the curated list of wines. leoswinebar P U B L I K From the very beginning, innovative and alternative wine bar Publik had been conceptualised to veer away from the stereotypical watering hole. Owner David Cope’s idea was to take the snobbery out of wine with a humble and heartwarming space, now in its second iteration on the corner of Kloof Nek Road in Cape Town. A cute terrazzo-and-wood hatch opens to the street, with wooden and metal bar stools lining the exterior of the space. “We try to find the most interesting varietals, so guests don’t have to browse another list filled with wines they already know, but can instead try something interesting,” David explains. “Often, these wines are made by smaller producers who deserve more recognition; hence we like to support them. Rather than offering a huge list, we rotate wines to ensure there’s always something new.” Food options include cheese and meat boards, and other delectable items sourced from local suppliers. publikwine
PHOTOS JAN RAS (LEO’S WINE BAR), SUPPLIED
FLOR WINE BAR This understated, fresh-looking spot brings a taste of Italy to Joburg. Situated on the corner of Jan Smuts Avenue and Bolton Road, Flor shares a space with Coalition Pizza – fitting, since pizza and wine are boon companions. With an almost completely Italian wine list on the chalkboard (South African wines are available on request), you can scan the options for wines by the bottle or glass – or, if you’re feeling rebellious, opt for a classic margarita. flor.winebar
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LWAYS CONSIDERED YOUR FRIDGE THE MOST uninteresting visual element of your kitchen? That’s about to change with the local launch of the 4-Door Flex: this new fridge by the clever innovators at Samsung is available in 10 colours, plus a choice of versatile configurations through its customisable colour panels, which are also available in two materials or finishes. Samsung says the fridge was designed in response to consumers asking for customisation; accordingly, all four panels of this large refrigerator can be individually selected. The two finishes are Glam Glass, ideal for brightening up a space; and Satin Glass, which creates a sense of comfort through a softer look. The colour options in each of the finishes include matte black, champagne, green, lavender, yellow, navy, white, pink, grey and sky blue. Looks aside, the 713L 4-Door Flex is highly functional too. A customised food-management option called
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FlexZone allows you to switch between five different temperature modes as you require, including a separate Crisper+ and Flex Crisper. It also features Samsung’s SpaceMax tech, with thinner walls that provide more storage inside while keeping the same exterior dimensions. On the outside is a Beverage Centre – an auto-fill water pitcher that is filled with purified water when placed in the fridge, with a 1.4L capacity. And finally, given our load-shedding reality in South Africa, the fridge has a digital inverter for surge protection through volt control, which shields it from damaging voltage spikes when power returns. The 4-Door Flex French door refrigerator is available online or at Samsung stores, from R71 000. Individual panels start at just over R1 000, which makes switching up your colour options in the future a real possibility too. The fridge comes with a 10-year warranty as well as a Signature Service (valued at R3 000), which includes delivery and installation. samsung.com
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SAMSUNG WORDS NAFISA AKABOR
SAMSUNG has upped the REFRIGERATOR game in its new Bespoke lineup: the 4-DOOR FLEX is unlike any other FRIDGE, with a CUSTOMISABLE DESIGN that lets you choose a unique look to suit your style.
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CURRENT ADVENTURES
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D E S I G N Electric vehicles represent something of a tricky point of departure for traditional car brands. For a newbie like Tesla it’s easy – there’s no existing DNA, so you can basically design whatever you want. But if you’re like Audi, and you already have a range of cars that’ve been imbued with essential Audiness over many decades, you have three basic options: 1) Create a radical new design language – the way BMW did with the i3, i8 and now the iX ranges. 2) Make no sudden moves and just replace the engine with an electric motor – like the e-Golf. 3) Find a middle path and come up with a look that’s still clearly an Audi, but is different enough from its internal-combustioned siblings in a future-forward kind of way. Audi has gone for option 3, and I think we can agree that it’s mission accomplished for this new all-electric SUV. It’s a beautifully sleek design that hides its size well. Good-looking and functional, the e-tron has attractive
proportions and a relatively low roofline married to powerfully muscular flanks, large wheels and short overhangs that are right out of the Audi playbook. And make no mistake: in terms of exterior and interior dimensions, this e-tron is a proper SUV.
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B AT T E R Y : 9 5 K W H
R A N G E Employing these roomy dimensions, we packed the e-tron for a week-long road trip from Cape Town to Plettenberg Bay and back. The reason was twofold: to have a bit of a holiday; and to get a real-world sense of what it’s like to take an EV on an actual road trip, where you need to plan charging stops along the way. With an official range of 369km to 440km on a fully charged battery, no-one’s going to experience any range anxiety using the e-tron as a daily driver. And, as it turns out, you needn’t worry about road trips either, with the ever-increasing network of fast-chargers dotted around
POWER: 300KW
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PHOTOS STEVE SMITH, SUPPLIED WORDS STEVE SMITH
Audi has launched four new ELECTRIC VEHICLES in South Africa, and we took one – the AUDI E-TRON 55 – ON A WEEK-LONG ROAD TRIP along the GARDEN ROUTE.
ABOVE, FROM LEFT Road trip stopovers: outside the Mungo Mill in Plett; Herolds Bay beach; Camp Canoe at Boschendal; charging at the Knysna Mall. BELOW The official range on a fully charged battery is between 369km and 440km. OPPOSITE The Audi e-tron has aerodynamically optimised 19-inch wheels with a flatter design to reduce drag. It also features side cameras rather than side mirrors – and their aero advantage equates to a range increase of about 35km per battery charge.
the country at filling stations, malls and dealerships – especially along the Garden Route It was these I made use of during our 1 200km trip, and it took between 40 and 50 minutes to top up the e-tron’s batteries to 90%. (That last 10% seems to take disproportionately long, so I tended to unplug at the 90% mark.) The car’s own satnav locates the charging stations for you, and Grid Cars also has a great real-time website that not only maps out all the charging stations in SA but can also show you whether they’re currently being used. With a modicum of planning, we coincided each charge with a breakfast or coffee stop, so there wasn’t really any waiting around. And those 90% charges were registering about 330km of range – a figure I would regularly extend by at least 10% by keeping my cruising speed between 110 and 115km/h and harvesting additional charge through the e-tron’s regenerative braking system. 0-100KM/H: 5.7SEC
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The car returned the favour too. The absence of engine noise and my natural inclination to want to conserve battery levels made for a surprisingly relaxed and peaceful drive. The factored-in stops to refuel both driver and vehicle removed that “hurry up and get there” feeling that tends to creep into a holiday journey. And while there were huge dollops of torque on tap to embarrass most other cars on the road and make overtaking a breeze, I rarely felt the need to school my fellow road users. As a result, our road trip was less hurried, less stressful and infinitely more enjoyable. It was relatively cheap too, with the charges amounting to a total of R1 295 for the entire trip. If I had any lingering doubts that the car’s future was emblazoned with the letters E and V, a week with the Audi e-tron 55 quietly dismissed them. audi.co.za | gridcars.net
RANGE: 369KM-440KM
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44 STANLEY IN MILPARK, JOHANNESBURG, Zimbabwe-born artist Kudzanai Chiurai continues his exploration of the archive, working with elements from his own collection and items from other collectors to create an entirely new library – one he has aptly named the Library of Things We Forgot to Remember. Opened shortly after the lockdowns of early 2021, the space is located on the second floor of the precinct, and brings together an extraordinary interactive archive of audiovisual materials, including vinyl records, historic posters and original paintings. What’s more, these items are all beautifully showcased in a space brought to life through a design collaboration with Kudzanai’s longtime friends and creative partners, Katy Taplin and Adriaan Hugo of Dokter and Misses.
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Beyond a somewhat nondescript frosted glass entrance door lies a colourful and design-forward interior vision for what a library of the future could be. Featuring new and archival pieces from Dokter and Misses, and Kudzanai’s own work, the space has an office area, two booths (a listening booth and a print display booth), vinyl listening desks, a museum-style space where rotating exhibitions bring the archive into focus, and a lounge area used for workshops and discussions that highlights iconic design items such as the Dokter and Misses Smile rug and Brick tables, plus a custom photographic curtain of an oversized portrait from Kudzanai’s 2017 body of work, “We Live In Silence”. “Creating the space has been very much a collaborative effort with Kudzi, who is incredible to work with; it was an honour for us to be involved,” say Katy and Adriaan.
PHOTOS SARAH DE PINA WORDS GARRETH VAN NIEKERK
Created by artist KUDZANAI CHIURAI, the new LIBRARY OF THINGS WE FORGOT TO REMEMBER at 44 Stanley pays tribute to elements of the AFRICAN PAST that have been left out of the history books.
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With MYRIAD POSTERS and VINYL RECORDS archived here, you’re bound to come across a SPECIAL SOUND or IMAGE you perhaps never knew you were looking for. “We wanted it to feel like a library with a twist that has Kudzi’s stamp on it, using colour and elements such as the photographic curtain, which puts his aesthetic and signature into the space.” To effect all this, the designers separated the space into four zones, blocking them off with different colours to define them. They then added new and archival Dokter and Misses pieces to the space, including “our Table K, designed for Kudzi in 2008, which we’ve repurposed in new Dokter and Misses colourways”. The designers also stress how enjoyable the process of designing the library was for them, in terms of enabling them to re-examine their own work over the past decade – and even longer. “It’s been great to go back to our many partnerships with Kudzi over the years, such as the exhibitions we held with him in our Dokter and Misses spaces,” Adriaan and Katy say. Each time the archive at the new library is exhibited, Kudzanai invites a different librarian to interrogate its contents and curate a unique show. “The Library of Things We Forgot to Remember is a work that I consider to be itself a form of liberated zone,” he explains. “It functions independently: I work with different librarians every time there’s an iteration of it, and every guest librarian sees
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the process of cataloguing differently. Some approach it visually, and others aurally, and so bring to our attention dialogues and ideas forgotten but still very much a part of our present. “I consider the archival material and recordings as broadcasts of Afro-futures. It’s a frequency that mobilised and energised the struggle for independence and liberation – an archive that brings the past into the present, and that will continue to echo as we consider our future.” With myriad posters and vinyl records archived here, many of which date back to the early 20th century, you’re bound to come across a special sound or image that you perhaps never even knew you were looking for – and you might possibly not want to leave. In short, when in Joburg, definitely make an appointment to visit this wonderful new space yourself. A mobile version of the Library of Things We Forgot to Remember is currently touring Europe, too – it will form part of a group show at Palais de Tokyo in Paris this year. And if you can’t get to either the permanent space or the travelling exhibition in person, follow the Library of Things We Forgot to Remember on Instagram, where its treasures are regularly shared with the world. thelibraryo
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JAIPUR JEWEL
Unable to decide whether THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL or THE DARJEELING LIMITED is your favourite WES ANDERSON FILM? You’ll find your spiritual home at this fabulous new BOUTIQUE HOTEL in the storied city of JAIPUR, INDIA.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE JOHRI WORDS ROBYN ALEXANDER
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AMED A WORLD HERITAGE SITE IN 2019, Jaipur’s legendary walled “Pink City” is on many a must-visit list. Built in the early 1700s as the first planned city in India, it is packed with historical landmarks and architectural marvels, and is the ideal base from which to explore the many natural and cultural delights of the northern state of Rajasthan.
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In recent years, it’s hosted one of the world’s top annual literary festivals, the Jaipur Literature Festival, during which world-renowned writers – in 2022, the list includes South African Booker Prize winner Damon Galgut and the 2021 recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Tanzanianborn Abdulrazak Gurnah – talk about their work to large audiences, who get to attend the events free of charge.
ABOVE The building that houses The Johri, designed on traditional lines, includes a number of internal courtyard spaces. All the detailing of the structure was meticulously renovated and restored by skilled local artisans. OPPOSITE An opulently decorated domed entrance hall, leading into a passage that features a series of pointed archways, beckons guests into the hotel.
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Throughout The Johri, ANTIQUE and CUSTOM FURNITURE, textiles and art from RAJASTHAN come together to create spaces that are all about RELAXED SPLENDOUR. This style-conscious and architecturally remarkable city also has some fabulous hotels – and among the latest and most charming of these is The Johri at Lal Haveli. Situated in the heart of the Pink City, in the iconic jewellers’ market (the “johri bazaar”), Lal Haveli was originally built as a large dwelling for an extended family. Following its acquisition as a single unified property by current owner Sudhanshu Kasliwal, the building and its extensive courtyards were painstakingly renovated using local crafts and traditional materials, and redeveloped into a delightful small hotel. A boutique hotel genuinely worthy of the name, The Johri has just five suites, each of which is unique and overlooks an inner courtyard; like all the interiors, each courtyard showcases a careful blend of heritage, craftsmanship and comfort. Throughout the hotel, antique and custom furniture, textiles and art from Rajasthan come together to create spaces that are all about relaxed splendour. It’s not easy to choose a favourite, but we think the perfectly pink Manek Suite might just be our top pick for acting out our very own Wes Anderson-inspired holiday story.
The Johri’s interiors are by Naina Shah, who also runs Aditiany, her family’s couture embroidery atelier in Mumbai and New York. She brings an innovative use of pattern, texture and art to every space. “The revival of this legacy property captures the spirit and romanticism of an oldworld Jaipur while also bringing to light the contemporary pulse of the city with bold colours, interesting patterns, and thoughtful amenities,” she says. “We want travellers, local and international, to experience and love Jaipur the way we do,” says partner Siddharth Kasliwal – and bearing The Johri’s location and beautifully conceived interior design in mind, this outcome seems assured. Plus, with the hotel’s restaurant serving up organic vegetarian Indian dishes focused on seasonal produce and inventive flavours, its cocktail bar offering creative drinks alongside long-standing favourites, the excellent Ayurvedic massages, a daily “high-chai” afternoon tea service, and complimentary yoga and meditation sessions, every guest at this whimsical yet rejuvenating place is likely to depart The Johri feeling refreshed and inspired. thejohrijaipur.com
ABOVE The restaurant at The Johri serves up a contemporary, plant-based menu based on traditional local dishes. OPPOSITE, FROM TOP A discreet yet luxurious corner in which one would not be surprised to see a pair of Wes Anderson characters chatting over chai; the Neelam (Sapphire) Suite on the first floor overlooks Jaipur’s famous jewellers’ bazaar.
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ON THE SIDE
Seen as PRACTICAL ESSENTIALS in a variety of home settings, SIDE TABLES can also add unique STYLE, ELEGANCE and CHARACTER to a space.
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PHOTOS SUPPLIED COMPILED BY ROBYN ALEXANDER
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1. Combining skinny steel legs with a unique woven sisal top, this side table is a display piece in its own right. From R3 200 | market.designafrika.co.za 2. Available in two heights and featuring a removable powder-coated aluminium tray, the elegant Tray tables look fabulous in groups. R4 100 | dokterandmisses.com 3. In search of a side table that combines quirky cool with practical magic? Joe Paine’s Self Help design fits the brief. R3 990 | joepaine.com 4. The strong, simple lines of the Pill table make it a bold choice in contemporary settings. From R8 200 | studio19.co 5. Designed by Mia Hamborg for &Tradition, the Shuffle table is reminiscent of classic painted wooden toys – and just as charming. POA | cremadesign.co.za 6. The Insert table by Danish design company Ferm Living is a piece of functional art made from solid ash wood. POA | cremadesign.co.za 7. Graphic and bold, the Descent table is an ideal counterpoint to a minimalist decor scheme. R2 400 | hertexhaus.co.za 8. Mash.T’s unique Bright Side tables are made to order from woven ilala palm – and they’re irresistibly tactile. R6 325 each | mashtdesignstudio.com
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1. Light and easy to move around, the Angelo is ideal for those seeking to emulate the tropical style of British designer India Hicks. From R1 295 | blockandchisel.co.za 2. Woven details take the Wambo to the next level, while the combination of steel and wood keeps the overall look sleek. From R5 500 | theurbanative.com 3. Reminiscent of French artist Henri Matisse’s work with paper cutouts, the Matisse table makes a strong anchoring statement. R2 700 | coricraft.co.za 4. Available with a white or grey marble base, the Martini side table is aptly named. Cocktails, anyone? R2 399 | home.co.za 5. Calling all classicists: with its elegant turned pedestal, the Whittaker is the table you’ve been searching for. R3 495 | blockandchisel.co.za 6. Combining chunky ’70s-style steel tubing with the chicest sliver of marble, the C Table has seriously edgy appeal. R21 220 | okha.com 7. As sculptural as it is practical, the Vondel table is available in five different types of solid stone. R13 365 | lemoncollection.co.za 8. The Mason table reflects Pedersen + Lennard’s unerring ability to blend the contemporary with the classic. R2 950 | pedersenlennard.co.za 9. Available in oak, ash or wormy chestnut, the Escarpment table doubles as a discreetly minimalist bedside pedestal. From R2 050 | pedersenlennard.co.za
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M O R E A B O U T. . .
BIOINSPIRED DESIGN
BIOPHILIC BUILDINGS, BIOMORPHIC DESIGN, BIOMIMICRY, BIO COLLABORATIONS – what’s with all these bio trends? We trace the EVOLUTION of the various forms of bioinspired design.
SK ANYONE YOU KNOW TO CLOSE THEIR EYES AND VISUALISE the most inspiring or relaxing place they can, and chances are you’re not going to end up with a description of the inside of an office. As the growing climate crisis compels us to rethink the relationships between human beings (who collectively now spend 80 to 90% of their time indoors) and the natural world, designers and architects are starting to place an ever greater emphasis on sustainability – and beyond that, exploring the lessons the natural world might be able to teach us about better ways of designing, making and using things.
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ABOVE Part of Rich Mnisi’s 2021 biomorphic Nyoka collection for Southern Guild, the Vutlhari (Wisdom) chandelier is a collaboration with industrial designer Charles Haupt. OPPOSITE The low-slung Vumboni I & II (Testimony) sofas are also from the Nyoka collection.
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PHOTOS HAYDEN PHIPPS/SOUTHERN GUILD, CHRISTO VAN DER WALT/SOUTHERN GUILD COMPILED BY ROBYN ALEXANDER
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BIOPHILIA The term “biophilia” – broadly meaning “love of living things” – was first used by psychologist Erich Fromm in 1964, then by biologist Edward O Wilson in the 1980s, when he suggested that the human need to connect with nature could well be innate (in other words, written into our genes). More recently, so many have become convinced of links between people’s wellness and the way we build spaces for ourselves that connect with nature that UK-based biophilic design specialist
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Oliver Heath says wellness-focused residential projects have increased by 200% globally from 2017 to 2021. The obvious conclusion is to try to emulate, mimic, reflect or even include nature in our everyday spaces – and this is what biophilic design is all about. It would seem that there is currently little to criticise in the obviously well-intentioned area of biophilic design, but it should be noted that it is a philosophy and practice very much in its infancy, and hence, relatively untested in terms of its long-term value and efficacy.
SIX PRINCIPLES OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN 1. Connect humans with nature to improve their wellbeing. 2. Bring characteristics of the natural world, such as water, greenery and natural light, into built spaces. 3. Use natural materials such as wood (with visible grain) and stone. 4. Evoke nature by using botanical shapes and forms, and avoiding straight lines. 5. Establish visual relationships that enable spaces to be stimulating and energising, but also calming and restoring. 6. Blur the line between indoor and outside spaces.
BIOPHILIC BUILDINGS Perhaps the best-known biophilic building completed to date is the Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest) residential tower by Stefano Boeri, which was constructed in Milan between 2007 and 2014. As of 2020, researchers have discovered that the tree- and plant-clad building hosts the nests of more than 20 species of birds – and it’s become an enormously popular place to live. Boeri’s practice is currently working on more plant-covered buildings in Italy, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Albania, China and Egypt. Featured in depth on page 148 of this issue is the new Green School in Paarl, which was designed by GASS Architecture Studios, with landscaping by Danie Steenkamp of DDS Projects. Its architects – Wessel van Dyk, Chris Bakker and Theuna Stoltz – explain that the arrangement of the buildings and their rounded forms were inspired by the shapes of the Paarl Rock boulders. Each structure forges a visual connection to nature, making use of elements such as the quality of the light and air, as well as materials,
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colours and textures, and even the inclusion of plants and wildlife. The result is – as the designers intended – a multisensory experience. Another (pending) example of biophilic architectural design in South Africa is The Fynbos. Billed as the country’s first biophilic residential building by its developers, Lurra Capital, it’s scheduled for completion in the last quarter of 2024. The 24-storey building will be planted with 30 species of trees and 20 shrub varieties, creating a “green veil” that will shade and cool the 689 apartments. Their cantilevered balconies, staggered to further increase shading and greatly reduce the need for air conditioning, will also enable rainwater harvesting. Kengo Kuma & Associates’ recently completed Oath Hill Park restrooms, in Japan, feature wooden beams and columns that fan out in an “umbrella” form that draws inspiration from the parabolic ridgeline of Mount Fuji. The wooden structure is covered with a membrane finished with a fluorinated coating for weather-proofing, which means that, at night, the structure is silhouetted against a moonlit forest.
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OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT A recently completed example of biophilic architecture in South Africa is the Green School in Paarl; Milan’s Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest) apartments were completed in 2014 and have become an icon of biophilic design; these architectural renderings of The Fynbos, a biophilic residential building planned for Cape Town’s Bree Street, show what the apartment interiors will be like, the planned rooftop deck and garden, and a street view of how the plant-clad exterior will look.
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF GASS ARCHITECTURE STUDIOS (GREEN SCHOOL), GIOVANNI NARDI/STEFANO BOERI ARCHITECTS (VERTICAL FOREST), LURRA CAPITAL (THE FYNBOS)
EMULATING MIMICKING REFLECTING or even including NATURE in our EVERYDAY SPACES is what BIOPHILIC DESIGN is all about.
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BIOMORPHISM With a history stretching back into the 20th century, biomorphism has been a feature of contemporary art and design for a while. The New York Museum of Modern Art defines it as follows: “Derived from the Greek words bios (life) and morphe (form), the term refers to abstract forms or images that evoke naturally occurring forms such as plants, organisms and body parts.” Biomorphism is frequently related to a movement in modern art and design from the mid-1920s to the mid-1950s, with prominent exponents including Joan Miró, Barbara Hepworth and many of the Surrealists. In the art world, it continues today in the wildly popular work of Yayoi Kusama, for example, whose paintings often
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feature fantastical takes on vegetable forms – in particular, her famous pumpkin paintings and sculptures. In the world of industrial and product design, biomorphism has a less storied past, with Japanese designer Isamu Noguchi probably the best-known mid-century modernist to very clearly be inspired by natural forms. Biomorphic furniture design currently seems to be coming into its own, however – at least if the frequently fantastical takes on it shown at last year’s Design Miami expo are anything to go by. In terms of current South African design, one of our favourite explorers of biomorphism is Rich Mnisi, whose work for Southern Guild over the past couple of years has expressed beautifully nature-inspired shapes and themes.
BIOMORPHIC DESIGN Launched in late 2021, Rich Mnisi’s Nyoka collection for Southern Guild is all about the duality of nature and “the idea of beauty distilled from darkness” – it began with a nightmare the designer’s mother had about having a snake on her back. This slightly disturbing yet very beautiful collection includes a curved console punctuated by the winding form of a snake; a large, asymmetrical rug, woven in karakul wool and mohair; a twin-branched bronze chandelier holding resin bubbles of light; and low-slung seats covered in sheepskin, and articulated by a continuous line of black leather that traces the rise and fall of the seats’ forms. To realise his vision, Mnisi collaborated with several artisan groups, including MonkeyBiz, Coral & Hive and Bronze Age Studio.
Flora Contemporaria collection of cabinets is in part a fabulous homage to the work of Austrian-born Swedish designer Josef Frank (1885-1967). The collection is made up of four beautiful, slightly phantasmagorical flower-inspired cabinets that also contain elements of real flora, which are included via the designer’s self-developed preservation techniques, and which make each and every piece unique.
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shapes and materials at Design Miami 2021 was Pelle Designs’ Nana Lure chandelier, which features giant cast-cotton banana leaves and is reminiscent of botanical drawings; as well as their covetable, one-off Lure Eden Mirror Post, adorned with cast-cotton paper flowers and leaves. pelledesigns.com Also at Design Miami 2021 was new work by Polish artist and designer Marcin Rusak. As the son and grandson of flower growers, Rusak has long been fascinated by these natural sources of inspiration and decoration – and his
New Nature by Khaled El Mays, presented by House of Today (a collaborative design platform and non-profit organisation). Showcasing the Lebanese designer’s newest pieces, which are both exuberantly biomorphic and a reflection on Art Nouveau aesthetics, the collection includes five items: two mirrors, a cabinet, a coffee table, and El Mays’s first-ever chair. They are made from wood, leather and ceramics, and each features various forms of high craft particular to Mexico City, where the collection was produced. khaledelmays
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craftsman and artist Wendell Castle’s Chest of Drawers (1962) shows “the mid-century modern case… being invaded by the serpentine tentacles of his biomorphic sculpture”. Both arresting and thought-provoking, the piece is a classic of nature-inspired, craft-led design, with its exquisite “tentacle” drawer pulls a particular highlight.
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OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Rich Mnisi’s Nyoka collection for Southern Guild includes this snaky server; the Nana Lure chandelier by Pelle Designs was one of many biomorphic offerings at Design Miami 2021; also unveiled at Design Miami was Khaled El Mays’s playful New Nature collection; biomorphic design’s 20th-century history includes Wendell Castle’s “Chest of Drawers”; Marcin Rusak’s cabinets contain elements of real flora; Rich Mnisi’s Nyoka collection on show at Southern Guild.
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PHOTOS HAYDEN PHIPPS/SOUTHERN GUILD (RICH MNISI), ERIC PETSCHEK (PELLE DESIGNS), HECTOR MENDOZA (KHALED EL MAYS), JAMES HARRIS PHOTOGRAPHY/DESIGN MIAMI (MARCIN RUSAK), COURTESY OF R&COMPANY (WENDELL CASTLE)
BIOMORPHISM refers to ABSTRACT FORMS or IMAGES that evoke NATURALLY OCCURRING FORMS such as plants, organisms and body parts.
B I O M I M I C RY According to the Biomimicry Institute, biomimicry is “a practice that learns from and mimics the strategies found in nature to solve human design challenges – and find hope”. The goal is to understand, emulate and make use of strategies evolved in nature to inspire sustainable solutions to design problems. Not to be confused with biomorphism (in which designs “look like nature”), biomimicry is about design solutions that work like nature. Biomimetic design can be quite simple – obvious examples include the use of down-filled coats to stay warm in winter, and the creation of Velcro by engineer George de Mestral in 1941, which was inspired by burrs – or immensely complex, as in the buildings of top architecture firms such as Herzog & de Meuron. One of the best-known examples is their bird’s nest-inspired
stadium, built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Rather like a nest is insulated by stuffing material between the twigs, the facade is filled with ethylene tetrafluoroethylene panels that provide acoustic insulation, reduce the load on the roof and optimise the entry of sunlight. Closer to home is Harare’s Eastgate shopping centre and office building, designed by architect Mick Pearce. By mimicking the construction of termite mounds, and with the assistance of multinational engineering firm Arup, Pearce created a passive ventilation system that conducts night air through the structure, cooling the concrete. During the day, the system provides adequate ventilation while absorbing heat loads without causing excessive increases in temperature, which means the building does not require an air-conditioning system to cool – or heat – it in Harare’s relatively temperate climate.
ABOVE In a groundbreaking bio-collaboration project, MIT Media Lab designer Neri Oxman and her team “worked” with 6 500 silkworms to create the “Silk Pavilion”. OPPOSITE, FROM TOP Italian start-up company Vitesy already has two air purifiers on the market that make use of bio-collaboration with plants; the iconic “Bird’s Nest” stadium in Beijing is an example of biomimicry in design; the multitasking “Supertrees” in Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay harvest solar energy and act as vertical gardens.
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PHOTOS COURTESY MIT MEDIA LAB (SILK PAVILION), COURTESY OF VITESY (AIR PURIFIER), GETTY IMAGES
The goal of BIOMIMICRY is to UNDERSTAND, EMULATE and MAKE USE OF strategies evolved in nature to INSPIRE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS to design problems.
B I O C O L L A B O R AT I O N In the most complex and difficult type of bioinspired design, humans attempt to work with other parts of the natural world to create new design solutions. An example of this are air purifiers that make use of plants, with Italian start-up Vitesy (vitesy. com) already having two models on the market, and a group of scientists at the University of Delhi in India also announcing in late 2021 that they had built a “living-plantbased” air purifier called “Ubreathe Life”.
Even more cutting-edge experimental work in the area of bio collaboration is being done at various industrial design institutes, including at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab. Here, past projects include designer Neri Oxman and her team’s “Silk Pavilion”, which was built by a swarm of 6 500 silkworms with the “[o]verall density variation… informed entirely by the silkworm itself deployed as a biological printer in the creation of a secondary structure”.
I N T R I G U E D ? WA N T T O K N O W M O R E ? H E R E ’ S S O M E F U R T H E R R E A D I N G :
• thinkwood.com • terrapinbrightgreen.com • oliverheath.com biomimicry.org • media.mit.edu
stefanoboeriarchitetti.net/en/vertical-foresting
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Inspiring Finds THE ART OF PING PONG
London-based design consultancy CAMPBELL HAY has collaborated with ping-pong specialists ART OF PING PONG on a series of tables that feature COLOURFUL CONTRASTING GRAPHICS and BOLD TYPOGRAPHY, capturing the dynamic nature and signature moves of the game.
“A fresh take on a familiar item like a ping-pong table can inspire us all to think out of the box, to be more adventurous, to bring excitement to the way we live and design our personal spaces.” – ANNEMARIE MEINTJES campbellhay.com | theartofpingpong.co.uk
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