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As we carry on delivering the same legacy of sleep comfort you have come to expect from Granny Goose, you can now shop your favourite down duvets, pillows, cotton linen and Gosling products from @home and on your TFG Account.

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UP FRONT ED’S LETTER p12

CONTRIBUTORS p18

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BIG WIN p70

VISION INSPIRATION: ALL THE TRENDS FROM SUPERSALONE MILAN p40 IDEAS: SUPER-COOL POOLS AROUND THE WORLD p48 ARCHITECTURAL INFLUENCES: ROBERT SILKE ON LOUIS KAROL p56 TRAVEL: ISLAND STYLE ON ZANZIBAR p64

VOICES

FEATURES

YEWANDE OMOTOSO p30 TSHIDISO MOLETSANE p32 MOGAU SESHOENE p34

MADAGASCAN HOTEL p74 SCARBOROUGH HOME p86 SOUTH QUEENSLAND HOME p96 NIEU-BETHESDA COTTAGE p108 MALLORCAN VILLA p120 ROSEBANK MULTI-PURPOSE BUILDING p132

REASONS 1. Kit out your exterior space with our stylish decor picks for outdoor living p148 2. From morning till night, Joburg’s Even After All offers a fresh take on the diner p150 3. Joe Paine’s design journey demonstrates his knack for creating unexpected twists on the everyday p152 4. Blending luxe with street, the Puma x Liberty collection has it both ways p154 5. Elevate the standard of your sundowners at one of these chic rooftop bars p156 6. A contemporary take on the country cabin at Suidster in Montagu p158 7. This summer’s art must: the KRONE X WHATIFTHEWORLD showcase of 40 artists under 40 p160 8. Local ceramic studio Rialheim has a cool new store in Rosebank p162 9. A first look at The Pencil Club, Umhlanga’s elegant private members’ club p164 10 We’ve flipped for the latest Samsung Fold3 and Flip3 smartphones p170 11. The eighth iteration of the legendary Golf GTI lives up to its illustrious predecessors p172 12. These design, architecture and decor books are top of our wish list right now p174 13. Looking for a novel travel experience? You’ll find it at Tuscany’s Villa Lena p176 14. Keiskamma Art Project’s Resilience Tapestry documents the Eastern Cape community’s experience of Covid-19 p178 15. Cape Town design studio Kino has launched a superbly smart, stackable dining chair p180 16. The ultimate celebration essential will always be French Champagne p182 17. Joburg’s Sanctuary Mandela hotel pays tribute to Madiba’s spirit and legacy p184 18. Updates to the iconic AGA stove mean there’s now a model for every kitchen p186 19. What makes Barloworld’s Gauteng showroom an award-winning piece of industrial architecture? p188 20. The Grootbos Florilegium is a noteworthy new botanical art project p190 21. Be inspired by Design Afrika’s brilliant Totem collection p192 22. From art to fragrance, our annual Gift Guide has something for everyone p194

INSPIRING FINDS

p200

COVER IMAGE CREDIT Benjamin Benschneider

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International Wine & Spirits Competition 2021: London 'Outstanding Wine Producer of the Year' 'Outstanding Red Wine Producer of the Year' vilafonte.com

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SCOTTBURGH… THAT WAS MY FIRST-EVER HOLIDAY. I MUST’VE BEEN ABOUT FOUR YEARS OLD, AND MY RECENTLY DIVORCED MOM TOOK ME OFF TO THIS LITTLE KZN SOUTH COAST TOWN FOR A WEEK.

For a boy who, until that point, thought the rest of the world looked like Benoni, Scottburgh was unimaginably exotic. One of my mother’s most oft-repeated stories is of her young son running straight into the sea, enthusiastically shouting, “Hello, big water!” – before being flattened by the rolling surf and fished out by the local lifeguard.

Subsequent travels may have changed my perspective on Scottburgh’s ranking among the world’s most desirable holiday destinations, but its Blue Marlin Hotel still holds a special place in my heart. Until the two of us moved down to Cape Town five years later, Scottburgh – and its slightly worn-out hotel – was the place I looked forward to the most every year.

I’ve enjoyed many summer holidays with my own family, and my daughter no doubt has her own foundational memories, but it’s been a long time since I’ve looked forward to the festive season break as much as this year’s.

The last 18 months have presented us all with both personal and professional challenges – some of them resulting in necessary, often innovative change; others requiring patient endurance to get through. Either way, I’m looking forward to a holiday with the kind of enthusiasm that propelled me into Scottburgh’s warm ocean all those years ago.

I hope that you’re reading this while enjoying your own well-deserved holiday, and that this sun-soaked issue of VISI inspires your summer.

PORTRAIT JAN RAS

ON BEHALF OF THE VISI CREW, THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT DURING 2021. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHOWCASING MORE EXCEPTIONAL LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL DESIGN IN 2022!

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Because the cabin is more open to view, Lexus has used innovative colour co-ordination to enhance the model’s special character and extrovert design. This, of course, also means that you get to really enjoy the enthralling automotive symphony that only a naturally aspirated V8 engine can deliver.

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Y E WA N D E O M O T O S O , ARCHITECT AND WRITER What’s your best holiday memory?

At the turn of this millennium, my family and I travelled to Barbados – my place of birth, and where my mother is from – to spend time with aunties, uncles and grandparents.

Yewande is an architect who also has a degree in creative writing from UCT. Her 2011 debut novel Bom Boy won the South African Literary Awards’ First-time Published Author prize. Her short stories include “How About The Children” (Kalahari Review) and “Things Are Hard” (anthologised in The Caine Prize For African Writing 2012). Her second novel The Woman Next Door, published in 2016, was shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award and longlisted for the Baileys Women’s Prize. Her third novel, An Unusual Grief, is out now. For this issue of VISI, she wrote one of our upfront essays (page 30), which details the mysteries and marvels of Midrand.

M AT T H E W M c C L U R E , F R E E L A N C E C O N T E N T C R E AT O R What’s your best holiday memory?

Visiting the original site of the Barnes Foundation in Merion, Pennsylvania. The art collection moved to Philadelphia in 2012, but the gardens, originally cared for by Albert Barnes’s wife Laura, remain spectacular.

It was the height of summer, so all the flowers were in bloom and full of scent, the lush greenery of the foliage highlighted against a cobalt-blue sky. I remember thinking I hadn’t ever seen colours that vivid before…

Although Matthew has spent the majority of his career in lifestyle print media, he remains an art historian at heart – which means that when he’s not behind his keyboard, you can find him at a gallery, in an art theory seminar or excavating new research for his PhD. For this issue, he explored the beginnings of an exciting new South African art project, the Grootbos Florilegium (page 190).

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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 Andrew Morgan, Ania Rokita Taylor, Annette Klinger, Biddi Rorke, Dook, Garreth van Niekerk, Graham Wood, Greg Cox, Jan Ras, Julia Freemantle, Julie Adams, Karl Rogers, Kerryn Fischer, Kristin Rawson, Leana Clunies-Ross, Lori Cohen, Luanne Toms, Lucienne van Pul, Matthew McClure, Mogau Seshoene, Nafisa Akabor, Sarah de Pina, Sarah Tarcal, Simon Russell, Sven Alberding, Tille del Negro, Tracy Lynn Chemaly, Tshidiso Moletsane, Yewande Omotoso

ADVERTISING & MARKETING Key Account Manager Eva Cookson 076 662 0785 Key Account Manager Hannelie Stemmet 083 448 2074 Key Account Manager Elna Coetzer 082 971 9715

PUBLISHING Group Account Director Raiël le Roux Production Manager Shirley Quinlan

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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PORTRAITS SUZY BERNSTEIN (YEWANDE OMOTOSO), SUPPLIED

SARAH DE PINA, PHOTOGRAPHER What’s your best holiday memory?

Snorkelling in Mauritius with my son Jack when he was about four years old, and hearing him giggle in excitement underwater through his mask at seeing all the fish.

Based in Johannesburg, Sarah discovered photography in her early teens when she started documenting family holidays. Today, she specialises in shooting interior architecture, products and portraits, and has been a regular contributor to many local and international magazines. In this issue, she photographed Even After All (page 150), the fresh new eatery and bar in Joburg.

Sarah counts “working with some of the country’s most talented creative people” among her career highlights, and says that “there is something truly magical about a photograph’s ability to capture a moment in time”.

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BY DESIGN, TAX-FREE INVESTING IS A NO BRAINER

As a VISI reader, you know the value and appeal of exceptional design. One of the best-designed products available to all South Africans is a tax-free investment (TFI). In a TFI, you pay no tax on your investment growth (interest income, dividends and capital gains), which ultimately boosts your investment return over time. Now that’s something to put on your vision board.

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TFI We encourage investors to take full advantage of their annual tax-free allowance every year. The current tax year ends on 28 February 2022. So, you still have time to ensure that you take full advantage this government to encourage us to save – an annual allowance of R36 000 that can be invested tax free.

We also encourage tax-free investors to build up towards their lifetime limit as early as possible in their investment journey and then to keep that money invested for as long as possible as they build up to a healthy nest egg.

FIRST IN If you have extra money to invest for yourself or your children, first consider taking advantage of your annual tax-free allowance.

By starting to invest tax free early, you give yourself the best opportunity to begin reaping the benefits of compound interest early on your investment journey.

When you invest tax free, you can withdraw your cash whenever you like, but you can’t put it back. All amounts invested count towards your annual (R36 000) and lifetime (R500 000) tax-free limits regardless of any withdrawals you make. In other words, you can’t ‘replace’ the money you withdraw with a new investment. So, we encourage you to start building up to that lifetime limit early to maximise the time it has to benefit from compound interest.

LAST OUT A TFI is money that you ideally want to leave invested for as long as possible. The longer you leave your money invested tax free, the harder compounding will work for you. So, for example, if you are saving for short-term goals such as a holiday or a deposit on a car, do so separately and let your TFI simmer.

Investing over multiple decades also enshort-term market volatility that is typical of the financial markets. Over the long term, the bumps smooth out and the overall trend is for your money to grow.

Naledi Makiwane, Investment Specialist

GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO DON'T WAIT TO INVEST When you invest tax-free with Coronation, you get access to a range of 22 funds that local or global markets. So whether you wish to gain access to the local equity market through the Coronation Top 20 or Equity via the rand-denominated Coronation Global Optimum Growth Feeder and Global Emerging Markets Fund, we have a fund that is right for you.

To get started, all you need is R250 per month, or if you prefer to invest a lump sum, this can be an amount from R5 000 up to your annual amount of R36 000. If you have an existing tax-free savings account with a bank, you can switch it to a TFI at no cost.

To select the funds that best suit your needs, speak to your financial adviser, or visit www.coronation.com and follow our simple investment process.

Coronation is an authorised financial services provider.

For full fund details, please refer to their minimum disclosure documents available on www.coronation.com.

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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 make sure you don’t miss out on our new limitededition collab with African Jacquard: the 100%-cotton Kuba Beach Mat in two exclusive colours.

WE ASKED YOU ONLINE: WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE HOME-BASED SPRING ACTIVITY? 495 of you took our poll to let us know. Here are the results:

37%

29%

27%

7%

Redoing the garden with loads of flowers

Afternoon picnics outside as the weather gets warmer

A giant spring-clean and reboot

Getting my summer wardrobe ready for action

#READERLOVE

Good morning inspiration! @designjunktion

Hello again fam! Check out our Inland Collective feature in the latest @visi_mag issue, telling a little bit about our story.

Words by the lovely @garrethdavid.

Buy your copy today @inland_collective

Did you get one of our BREEZE knitted throws? Hurry, cos the edition of 25 is almost sold out. @skinnylaminx

Eeeek! A dream come true to be featured in @visi_mag @arrange_studio

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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WORDS GINA DIONISIO

If you’re enjoying the latest issue, we’d love for you to take a pic of your mag and share it with us.

Simply tag VISI on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter with your snap.

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MIDDLE OF SOMEWHERE

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FOR A YEAR, I LIVED IN CENTURION, AND YEARS LATER CENTURION (AND ITS COUSIN MIDRAND) ARE STILL LIVING IN ME.

hen I decided to try to write books, I did what the cliché urges us not to do: I quit my day job. Leaving architecture was temporary, I told myself; I just needed a year to see. For money, I would hustle and freelance; for food and shelter, I would leave Cape Town and live with my dad in his new home in Centurion, Gauteng. My father’s house was on a road called Jakkalsdraf, and to get there you turned off another called Hendrik Verwoerd. For a year, I lived in Centurion, and years later Centurion (and its cousin Midrand) are still living in me.

What haunted me so much about Centurion? From my arrival onwards, a sense of nowhere-ness pervaded. The nomenclature surprised me, the spectre of Verwoerd – but I also appreciate the ways in which our towns and spaces carry footnotes to history, even painful ones. While I couldn’t put a finger on it, Centurion was not the practisedease, greased-with-money ambience of Sandton I had become accustomed to. Nor was it the trendy grit of Melville.

It was awkward; it was a mesh of cultures and tongues, navigating neighbourliness with varying degrees of success.

As someone forever wrestling with the enticing complexity of belonging, the sense of mismatch was appealing.

On moving in, I initially regarded the decor with a sense of bemusement. A bar featured a massive lion’s head in clay relief along its façade. When the lights were off, the lion’s green glass eyes (two marbles) glinted back at you. In the kitchen, the main wall had been painted by hand with a river scene – cool grey waters, the odd palm tree. In the centre of the artwork rested a small carving of a woman in a boat, paddle and all. I had imagined all these details simply as the idiosyncrasies – we all have them – of the previous owners, but a chance visit to a nearby garden store suggested something different. The gnomes, the water features, the wildlife replicas – nothing quite fit with the other, and yet the effect was of something rugged and real. One had the sense not just of home but of home-making. A kind of trying, a reaching-towards that felt poignant.

I moved on from that home. My father eventually sold it. Is that woman still placidly paddling in the kitchen? Does the lion still wink? Who knows. And yet just over half a decade later, when the time came to imagine a place for my character Mojisola to run to when she hears that her daughter has killed herself, when I had to find a place for her to hole away in and struggle and grieve, it was Midrand.

With the pace of life, there is very little time and space given to figuring, so when I knew my novel An Unusual Grief would be about a 60-year-old woman whose grief journey would also be a sexual journey with kinks and oddities, and when I knew Mojisola would spend the pages of the book figuring herself, her dead daughter and her errant husband, and when I had to think of where to place her – it was Midrand.

It seemed to me that in spaces like Midrand, whose history lies in a suburb called Halfway House, I could tell this kind of story that isn’t about arriving anywhere but about the strangeness (that woman paddling away) of getting there.

YEWANDE is an architect who also holds an MA in creative writing from the University of Cape Town. Her 2011 debut novel Bom Boy (Modjaji Books) won the South African Literary Awards’ First-time Published Author prize. Her short stories include “How About The Children” (Kalahari Review) and “Things Are Hard” (anthologised in The Caine Prize For African Writing 2012). Her second novel The Woman Next Door, published in 2016 by Chatto & Windus, was shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award and longlisted for the Baileys Women’s Prize. Her third novel, An Unusual Grief (Cassava Republic Press), is out now.

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HIGH DAYS & HOLIDAYS

The thing about setting off on any kind of journey to an unknown place or experience, writes TSHIDISO MOLETSANE, is that you never really know what you’re going to remember about it afterwards.

hen I was in Grade 1, we were taken on a school trip to some farm. We were asked to bring our own lunch, as well as food for the animals. I remember my mother had packed me a sandwich and given me a head of lettuce as an offering to the farm animals we were to encounter. I was excited to see the various animals.

When we arrived, we were first taken to the stables, and given permission to touch and interact with the horses. I offered one of the horses some of my lettuce, but he completely ignored me and chose the carrots handed to him by a young girl beside me instead. I figured maybe he just didn’t like lettuce. Afterwards, we were taken to where the goats were kept. The children threw whatever fruit they had into the enclosure for the goats to enjoy. I tossed some of my lettuce in too – and again, it was completely ignored. I started sniffing the head of lettuce to check if it had gone bad or something.

Finally, we were taken to the pig pen. For most of my life, I’d been told pigs eat anything. You can imagine my embarrassment when even the pigs didn’t want my lettuce. More than a decade has passed, and I haven’t felt that level of rejection since.

When I was 17, my family and I spent a weekend in Cape Town. We stayed in one of those Sun International hotels not too far from the beach. We were out getting groceries one day when a man approached me. He introduced himself as Masa and told me he was from Mozambique. Masa was 28 years old, and I didn’t realise he was making a pass at me until he asked if I was a good lover. You never forget the first time a guy hits on you.

When I was 23, I went to Oppikoppi for the first time. My friends never entertained the idea because they thought Oppi was for “white people and Satanists”, but after years of poking and prodding I convinced four of them to make the pilgrimage with me. We had the time of our lives. I had never been in such a vibrant and generous environment. Everyone was so kind and welcoming; it was like a dream. A couple we met told us they had been to Oppi every year for the past 15 years, and I decided right then that I wanted to do the same.

The next year, about 15 of us went. I took two weeks off work because I knew I would need a long time to recover. We spent five days on that farm and only showered once – and it was amazing. We got to hang out with Sho Madjozi for a while right after she performed, and it was the strangest thing. My cousin began singing to her and she sang back. She offered us hugs and kisses, and she really made the night special.

Afterwards, some rumblings around security concerns at the festival surfaced online. I wanted to defend Oppi, so I wrote a post about how amazing it was, even though some bad things may have happened. Some of my post was picked up by News24 and published online. Not long after that, Oppi 2019 was cancelled. It’s 2021, and we have yet to go back to that sacred ground. My friends think Oppi might never come back, and they blame me because they believe I fed the beast when I wrote a post that was picked up by a news outlet.

I sincerely hope they’re wrong.

I HAD NEVER BEEN IN SUCH A VIBRANT AND GENEROUS ENVIRONMENT. EVERYONE WAS SO KIND AND WELCOMING; IT WAS LIKE A DREAM. TSHIDISO was born and raised in Dobsonville, Soweto. At the age of 15, he read one of the Twilight books and thought, “Even me, I can do this” – and he’s been writing ever since. His first novel, Junx, was recently published by Penguin Random House/Umuzi, and is available at all good bookshops and online.

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AFROCHELLA MEMORIES

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THERE WAS A KALEIDOSCOPE OF FUTURISTIC AFRICAN REGALIA AND TRADITIONAL-INSPIRED DESIGNS THAT PAID HOMAGE TO HERITAGE.

inally 2021 is winding down. I can almost smell the festive season. It’s been a long year – the longest of our generation,it feels like,mostly because the past 24 months have seemingly rolled into one continuous and uncertain year. I still struggle with the date, often writing 2020 instead of 2021…

With the relief of the year’s end comes the reckoning with the trauma and fatigue of everything we lost in the fires of seemingly endless lockdowns. Never have I looked forward more to taking time off for a muchneeded nap, over a couple of days. And yes, this time I will keep my laptop off. I’m still reeling from the exhaustion of having the office as a permanent feature of home, with which comes the joy of working in your PJs, but also the discomfort of clients asking for the odd “favour” at the oddest hours. Because the home office is never closed, right?

As we navigate this new normal in the context of time off, I’m also wondering what travel and holidaying will look like now. Which is why I’m reminiscing about my last pre-Covid holiday – a trip I took with two of my friends to Accra, Ghana – and wondering what it would be like if we went again this year. We attended the Afrochella festival (think Coachella, but African). It was such a vibe: seven days of music, beautiful people in beautiful costumes, and delicious food in the most perfect weather on the sandy beaches of Accra.

Afrochella is music, art, culture, food, fashion. It’s a food lover’s dream, with vendors selling jerk chicken, spicy egusi soup and jollof (West Africa’s classic rice dish), as well as plantains, desserts made using naturally sweet tigernut flour, and refreshing, freshly squeezed juices. Inside the stadium that was the main venue, interactive exhibitions allowed festivalgoers to admire African and African-inspired artworks, and pose for pictures in one of the many photobooths.

And the clothes… The fashion was unlike anything I had ever seen. More than just African prints such as kente and shweshwe, there was a kaleidoscope of futuristic African regalia and traditional-inspired designs that paid homage to heritage. Everything was big and bold. There were crop tops and shorts and everything in between – and no matter the style, you could tell these looks had been well thought out, complete with face paint. It was beautiful to witness.

Being in Accra, a safe-to-walk-at-night city, is a genuine treat for any South African, and we had a jam-packed itinerary beyond the festival that included lots of fun, touristy things. We did culture and history tours to see the slave castle and famous “door of no return”; we visited the markets, where we shopped for interesting souvenirs and fabulous fabrics; we explored the food culture in depth at local eateries. It was an incredible time of vibrant colours and electrifying, bold sounds that will always remind me of Ghana – the kind of experience I hope my friends and I will be able to have again soon.

MOGAU is a trained chef, bestselling cookbook author and media personality. Her first book, The Lazy Makoti’s Guide To The Kitchen (Quivertree) won a Gourmand World Cookbook Award and went into countless reprints. Mogau was one of the Mail & Guardian’s Top 200 Young South Africans in 2015, and was included on the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 list in 2016. Her new cookbook, Hosting With The Lazy Makoti: A Celebration Of Food (Sunbird Publishers) has just been published and is available countrywide.

PORTRAIT NARDUS ENGELBRECHT

Reflecting on a trip to the Afrochella festival in Accra a few years back has got bestselling cookbook author MOGAU SESHOENE wondering what travel will be like in a post-pandemic world.

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The world is full of possibilities, here, there and everywhere. But making sure they don’t slip through your fingers takes a certain sense of urgency.

We have that, and we’d like to share it. Let’s talk. investec.com/possibilities

Investec Limited and its subsidiaries, including Investec Bank Limited - 1969/004763/06, registered credit providers and authorised financial service providers.

Johannesburg 011 286 7000 Cape Town 021 416 1000 Durban 031 575 4000 Pretoria 012 427 8300 Port Elizabeth 041 396 6700 Stellenbosch and Winelands 021 809 0700.

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I N T E R N AT I O N A L D I R E CT I O N S A N D LO CA L I N S P I R AT I O N S

SIMPLY PERFETTO

“The A’Mare collection at Edra drew the crowds,” says VISI editor-at-large Annemarie Meintjes of the 2021 edition of the Milan Furniture Fair, which was dubbed the “Supersalone” by its organisers. A’Mare, designed by Jacopo Foggini, consists of tables and chairs, a bench and a sun lounger. The water-coloured polycarbonate pieces are individually handmade, with a deliberately irregular stick-like appearance, to create a fluid and liquid look. The slight elasticity and high endurance of each “stick” – plus the generous dimensions of the sun loungers – translate into unprecedented and absolute comfort. edra.com

s SUPERSALONE

As one of the 1 800 accredited journalists at this year’s Salone del Mobile Milano, ANNEMARIE MEINTJES was granted just 120 hours in Italy – and she made the most of them. Here are her favourites among the fresh new designs that were on display.

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

A “capsule event” by the standards of this usually oversized design fair, Salone 2021 featured “just” 425 brands, who went above and beyond with great exhibits and informative representatives at their stands. Carousels of designer chairs filled the open spaces, and the brands who were not present kept their city showrooms open till late at night.

Branded the “Supersalone”, the 2021 event exceeded all expectations – it had 60 000 visitors – and set the seal on the recovery of Milan as a design- and fashion-driven city. We’re already looking forward to the 60th edition of Salone del Mobile Milano, which will take place from 5 to 10 April 2022. Arrivederci!

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I M P E RI AL SN AK ES & A R C H IT ECTU R AL MOT I F S 1. The snake is one of the oldest mythological symbols, present in many cultures, and with similar meanings. It’s connected to the power of life, and frequently represents transformation. This Imperial Snake rug is by Rug’Society. rugsociety.eu 2 . Architecture always inspires with the austerity of its forms and the precision of its design. The Console Facciata Quattrocentesca is a wooden unit with a 15th-century facade silk-screened onto it and lacquered by hand. fornasetti.com

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D E SI GN BY NATUR E Design by Nature – a project for Moroso by Swedish designers Anna Lindgren and Sofia Lagerkvist of Front Design – is an exploration of the forms, structures and textures found in the wild. The project includes furniture, objects and textiles directly informed by natural phenomena. “We 3D-scanned areas of forest and other places in the wild,” says Lindgren. “By using digital weaving techniques, the textiles mimic the texture and details as well as the colours, depth and shadows from the scans.” moroso.it | frontdesign.it

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C H A I RS N EW & RE NE W ED Carousels showcasing the design history of chairs were on display at Fiera Milano in Rho (the official exhibition space), while showrooms around Milan featured new chair designs and renewed archived pieces.

1. The Ruff armchair, designed by Patricia Urquiola for Moroso in 2020, has an ultra-functional shape that’s simultaneously full of strong personality. moroso.it | patriciaurquiola.com 2 . In a nod to sustainable design, B&B Italia presented a special edition, in cork, of Gaetano Pesce’s Up5_6 armchair with pouf, which was created in 1969 and became one of the most sensational symbols of contemporary design. bebitalia.com

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SO FAS MOD UL A R & L IN EA R In what seemed to be the year of the sofa, every furniture brand had its own collection.

3 . The Horizontal Sofa at DePadova is a Time&Style edition based on the Japanese lifestyle – and since Japanese living spaces are smaller than European ones, it makes sense for the product to expand horizontally as much as possible. depadova.com 4 . The new version of the ionic 1970 Camaleonda design by architect Mario Bellini for B&B Italia is about unlimited modularity, with tie-rods and rings that allow the 90x90cm seat modules to be easily recombined. bebitalia.com 5 . The latest variant of Sumo, designed by Piero Lissoni for Living Divani, is a fixed-size sofa with a wooden base. The fabric upholstery is fully removable, and features zips and Velcro fastenings. livingdivani.it 6 . Middleweight is the first upholstered piece of furniture by Cypriot-born designer Michael Anastassiades. Featuring a thin, open steel frame and generous cushions, this casual yet elegant design does not disappoint. karakter-copenhagen.com

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TA B LE S H I GH & LOW Choose your absolute favourite – or use them all!

1 & 2 . The Time&Style edition table designs for Boffi and DePadova communicate the discreet elegance of traditional Japanese wood craftsmanship through a contemporary lens. Each round coffee table in the Imperial Family is different in size and height; they can be used individually, or combined in a range of possible configurations. The placement of a series of them can create beautiful, orderly connections in an otherwise disorderly space. The solid-oak Temple tables, on the other hand, take inspiration from Buddhist temples in Japan, and range in size from large to small, with varied heights. boffi.com | depadova.com 3 . The Allure O’ table, designed by Monica Armani for B&B Italia, is a heartfelt tribute to 1960s glamour interpreted in a contemporary way – especially when paired with the Flair O’, a small domestic throne that matches the table perfectly. bebitalia.com

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C R EATI N G HE AT 4 . The clean and simple Tubone radiator, designed by Andrea Crosetta for Antrax IT, consists of a tubular oval 60mm in diameter, with 180° degree curves on each end. It can be installed horizontally, vertically, on the floor, under a window or even as a bench, and in any room – including the bathroom, where it can be double as a towel warmer. antrax.it C R EATI N G SPAC E S 5 . Open Projects deals with shaping architectural spaces through the use of ADL connective systems. It’s a contemporary interpretation of Mies van der Rohe’s “flowing spaces”, where dynamic elements define different areas. adldesign.it

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H O ME S PAS & S PO R TS C LUB S 6 . The Yoku Spa wellness system, designed by Marco Williams Fagioli, is made from high-performance natural wood, and includes a sauna, a shower and a hammam that can be installed in a private home. The name was inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, which is based on the principle that being deeply immersed in nature has many surprising health benefits. effe.it 7 & 8. Ethimo’s new Ace collection by Patrick Norguet is named after the winning serve in tennis, and was designed to attractively furnish tennis courts, pools, athletics clubs and holiday resorts. ethimo.com

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INSTANT AND ALL-IN-ONE AT THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON. FILTER | KET TLE | WATER-COOLER Also it’s healthy, also it’s safe, also it’s customizable, also it’s pure, also it’s green, also it looks amazing, also you can use it at home, also at your office, also for your baby, also it’s insanely cool, also it suits the space, also your friends will be jealous, also it comes in yellow, also orange, also red, also blue, also purple, also cream, also black, also it will complete your house, also your mom-in-law will finally be impressed, also it’s a great Christmas present, also who doesn’t like cold water in summer?

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s POOLS PERFECTED

The design of these jaw-dropping swimming pools demonstrates that a pool can be much more than an optional extra: the architects involved have ensured each one is an integral part of the avant-garde home it adorns.

O N T H E E D G E Casa Brutale was created, say its designers, “for people who want to live, literally and figuratively, on the edge”. Indeed: this is a house one can imagine belonging to a mysterious bitcoin billionaire. But while it is obviously ultraluxe, it’s also been designed to respect the environment, and constructed using simple materials: wood, glass and concrete.

Its roof is a swimming pool with a glazed base and sides, which allows light to move through the water and into the living space. The home’s optical impact is minimal too, with just one façade on the cliff side, and no volume extruding from the ground level. With minimalist interiors, the enormous glass façade focuses the eye entirely on the beauty of the Aegean Sea. The debut project of Open Platform for Architecture (OPA), Casa Brutale’s construction was supervised by LAAV Architects – which is the architectural follow-up practice of OPA’s founding partner Laertis-Antonios Ando Vassiliou. laav.nl

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF LAAV ARCHITECTS (CASA BRUTALE, VILLA CLESSIDRA), BENJAMIN BENSCHNEIDER (JW MARRIOT LOS CABOS RESORT), EDMUND SUMNER (CASA MONTERREY), KOIS ASSOCIATED ARCHITECTS (MIRAGE)

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

FRAME OF REFERENCE Olson Kundig’s design of the JW Marriott Los Cabos Resort in Mexico seamlessly blends architecture and art with the site’s stark desert landscape and endless views of the Pacific Ocean. Although it’s separated from the water by a dune, the resort provides visitors with a horizon-framing view directly from the main lobby, “drawing” the water inside. Just past the entrance, two infinity pools appear to come together, creating a visual connection to the ocean beyond. olsonkundig.com

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C E N T R E S T A G E A 200m2, three-level residence with an almost cubic shape, Villa Clessidra has no underground or excavated parts: it consists of a steel frame and bare concrete panelling. Its most arresting feature, though, is the swimming pool, strategically positioned in the middle of the house. The pool divides the home into two zones: the upper floor or night zone is dedicated to sleep and relaxation, with two bedrooms and en suite bathrooms. The master bedroom has a glazed floor opening, allowing direct visual contact with the swimming pool beneath the concrete bed. Below the pool level is the everyday living zone: the ground floor includes a living room, library, dining room and kitchen, opening up to the forest on the south side of the building with rotating sliding windows. Its designers say that “being required to pass through this aqueous interim distils the daily activities and purifies the mind” – and we think it looks just plain fabulous. laav.nl

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M O U N T A I N R E T R E AT Perched in the rocky landscape of the Cumbres de Monterrey National Park in Mexico, Casa Monterrey features a long, linear pool that was specifically designed to jut out from its hillside setting and provide uninterrupted views of the Sierra Las Mitras mountains. Its minimal appearance complements the geometry of the house behind it, which was laid out by Japanese architect Tadao Ando as a composition of horizontal and vertical concrete planes that appear to emerge from the landscape at different heights – as does the poolside patio. The pool itself extends from one side of the building and cantilevers over the edge of the hill, towards the horizon. tadao-ando.com

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D E E P H O R I Z O N Located on Tinos (a small island in the Cyclades) is this incredible home, named Mirage, by Kois Associated Architects. The landscape here consists of rugged hills, across which more than 40 tiny villages are “scattered, like marble fragments of an ancient statue”, say the architects; there are also hundreds of kilometres of ancient stone walls crisscrossing the island. The goal was to integrate the building into the rocky landscape so that it appeared part of it, forming a sort of invisible oasis, and the resulting residence faces south, overlooking the Aegean Sea. The living space is roofed and insulated by an infinity pool that produces the visual effect of the water extending to the horizon and merging with the sea. Viewed from a distance (and as you approach the house), the only visible feature is the surface of the pool, which evokes the optical phenomenon of a mirage – hence the project’s name. koisarchitecture.com

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THE FIRST TWELVE

The V&A Waterfront announces its first cohort for the ARTIST ALLIANCE INCUBATOR PROGRAMME.

n celebrating and championing the richness of talent, projects and people that embody the creativity and resilience of South Africa, the V&A Waterfront developed the Artist Alliance incubator programme, aimed at co-creating spaces and opportunities for young artists to explore their perspectives. Through guidance, knowledge sharing and mentor support, they will be helped to turn their talents into marketable skills and sustainable careers.

Initially, 10 people were to be selected as part of the first cohort – but after receiving an overwhelming number of applications of an excellent standard, the judges decided to settle on 12 creatives. The 12 were chosen in fields such

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THE MENTORS

Artist Alliance aims to support creative self-starters so they can get their careers off the ground with the right mix of practical advice and industry knowledge. The programme will not only teach business skills but will also give the participants access to mentorship opportunities from seven leading creative industry experts. They are: • Multidisciplinary artist Atang Tshikare • Designer Celeste Arendse, founder of clothing label Selfi • Artist duo Mrs + Mr Luke (Faatimah Mohamed-Luke and Al Luke) • Photographer Earl Abrahams • Street artist Nardstar* • Storm Janse van Rensburg, senior curator and head of curatorial affairs at Zeitz MOCAA

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as fine art, photography and film-making, illustration, design and fashion to take part in a two-month training programme.

“The aim is to provide a new platform for young artists, creators and creatives to find community, share insights and get support,” says Tinyiko Mageza, marketing executive at the V&A Waterfront. “We have reached an important milestone in the Artist Alliance journey, and we want to thank all those who expressed an interest in being part of the initiative. The fantastic response to our call for entries confirms the importance of this programme – we can’t wait to work with the selected artists as they reach new heights in their creative pursuits.”

THE 12 ARTISTS

1. Owethu Bobotyane 2. Mbali Manzini 3. Thando “Mboma” Phenyane 4. Nkhuwemi Kumwenda 5. Shakes Mbolekwana 6. Richard Average 7. Simthembile Twala 8. Kholosani Somhlahlo 9. Jozua Paulse 10. Mikhailia Vera Martha Petersen 11. Pia Truscott 12. Zilungile Hanise #LiveArtBeHeard

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s The Influencers’ Influences

ROBERT SILKE

Ever wondered who inspires our current generation of architects?

Cape Town architect Robert Silke cites the buildings of the late LOUIS KAROL as the reason he pursued a career in architecture… and an internship at his practice that ended up lasting 18 years.

WORDS ANNETTE KLINGER

your average ’80s white suburban kid in South Africa. “The Great White Lifestyle

of the time was braaiing in the back yard,” he says on Zoom from the office of Robert Silke & Partners in Cape Town’s Wale Street. “I didn’t really come from that kind of a family. My mother, Eris, was this glamorous

futuristic underground world. There was no sun, only neon lights. It was like Starship’s We Built This City.”

Designed by the late Louis Karol and completed in 1979, the Golden Acre represents to Robert one of the first architectural projects of the era that aimed to reconnect a city that had been fundamentally fractured

artist. She never learnt to drive – so she used to pick me

by the forced removals and segregated town planning of apartheid. “By the 1970s, the centre of town was a brutal

up from school in Newlands, and then we would get on a bus and head into town. Nobody else’s mother did that at the time.”

Once at the Cape Town bus terminus, mother and son would access town via the subterranean walkways of the Golden Acre Shopping Centre on the corner of Adderley and Strand streets. “At the time, the Golden Acre was this

place, socially and spatially,” says Robert. “The Foreshore had been reclaimed from the sea, and freeways had been cut not only around the city, but also through its centre.

Louis effectively tied Cape Town back together again. The Golden Acre served as a crossing of the divide between the train station and the rest of town under the Strand Street highway. It had so many connections into town.

ABOVE, FROM LEFT Cape Town architect Robert Silke; the late famed architect Louis Karol; the Louis Karol-designed Mobil Court in Thibault Square, where Robert’s father used to work; one of the most recognisable Karol buildings in Cape Town, the Golden Acre Shopping Centre has longed served as a link between Cape Town station and the centre of town, via a network of neon-lit underground shopping concourses.

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PHOTOS MICHAEL LE GRANGE (ROBERT), BARRY LATEGAN (LOUIS KAROL), SUPPLIED

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obert Silke didn’t have the childhood of

s You could arrive on a train, or on a bus. It was a completely

Thirty-three storeys high, with a dramatic glass-walled observation elevator shaft on the corner of the building, the late-modernist, futuristic Cape Sun was built by the

head to another Louis Karol-designed building, the Cape Sun, where they’d meet up with one of Eris’s friends for

late hospitality mogul Sol Kerzner in the 1980s, becoming an architectural exclamation point in a cityscape that, at

a cocktail at the glitzy bar, or hang out in the Palm Court

the time, was punctuated by Brutalist full stops. “Louis’s

lounge to wait for Robert’s father to finish work at Mobil Court on Thibault Square – another Karol building.

buildings were Baroque, opulent, optimistic and futuristic,” says Robert. “I cannot imagine any better reason to get

“The Cape Sun plugged into the Golden Acre, so you could literally walk underground from a neon-lit mall into

involved in building a building that is not apologetic, but that makes the most of the resources available to

a five-star hotel that was dripping in granite and marble,” says Robert. “It was like an episode of Dynasty!”

it, and that believes it’s creating a better world. It made me want to become an architect.”

PHOTOS JAC DE VILLIERS (MUTUAL HEIGHTS), STEFAN ZANDER (SOCIETY HOUSE/HILTON GARDEN INN), MIKE WESSON (CITADEL)

egalitarian space because anybody could access it.”

After their shopping stints, Robert and Eris would often

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT In 2004-2005, as an associate at Louis Karol, Robert designed and oversaw the conversion of the former Old Mutual head office into apartments known as Mutual Heights; the 20-storey Society House in Lusaka, Zambia – home to a Hilton Garden Inn hotel – was redeveloped by Robert while he was a partner at Louis Karol; completed in October 2016 by Robert Silke & Partners (in association with Louis Karol), the Citadel building in Claremont serves as the HQ for a wealth management company.

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futuristic Citadel building in Claremont to life. In its first six years, Robert Silke & Partners has designed and completed nearly 500 apartments and more than 200 hotel rooms, perhaps the most famous of which is the beautiful Art Deco-homage Tuynhuys apartment block that overlooks Cape Town’s historic Company’s Garden.

“Louis, ultimately, was about creating public buildings in cities,” says Robert. “He wanted corporations to spend their money in a way that benefited the whole of society.

That’s what I believe in as well. Our projects are about building in the city, with a level of detail, craftsmanship and sculptural exuberance.” robertsilke.com CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Currently under construction, The Flamingo in Sea Point is a residential project that marries the architecture of the 1920s and ’30s with tropical modernism; the Vīb hotel in Green Point (featured in VISI 112) is another example of what Robert calls “exuberant tropical modernism – think Bauhaus meets Tropical Heat ”; completed in 2020, Tuynhuys (featured in VISI 106) sits comfortably in a row of Victorian and Cape Dutch commercial buildings opposite the Cape High Court.

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PHOTOS DAVID SOUTHWOOD (VīB, TUYNHUYS)

And so it transpired that, as a fresh-faced, 17-year-old, first-year architecture student at the University of Cape Town, Robert indentured himself to Louis’s architectural firm, starting out by making photo-realistic 3D renderings – a skill that got him facetime with Louis from the get-go.

Robert ended up working at Louis Karol Architects for 18 years, before launching his own practice in 2015.

During this time, he pioneered the conversion of the iconic Art Deco Mutual Heights building in the CBD into an apartment block, designed the luxurious copper-glassclad Society House high-rise in Lusaka, and brought the

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s Travel Diary

ZANZIBAR MEMOIR

Photographer Andrew Morgan spent 10 years living on this Tanzanian gem and, after returning there recently for a two-week work gig, shares his insider take on where to stay and what to do on the “Spice Island”.

WORDS AND PHOTOS ANDREW MORGAN

STONE TOWN A heady mix of colours, smells, cultures and energy comes alive at sunrise with the muezzin’s call. Locals open shops filled with colourful fabrics and artwork; aromas of freshly pressed sugar-cane juice, dates and street food fill the air; and the sounds of happy greetings, laughter, bicycle bells and scooter horns start to build. From the Darajani Market where the island’s farmers and fishermen gather each day to sell their produce, to the island’s residents, hotels and restaurants, and the Forodhani Gardens where, every evening, you can find a plethora of seafood and other delights grilled under the stars, this bustling historical heart of Zanzibar is constantly beating.

Two standout accommodation options are Emerson Spice Hotel, a luxurious re-imagining of old-world Arabic style with expansive rooms, carved Swahili beds and lavish fabrics; and the more contemporary Upendo, where you will find a different wallpaper by South Africa’s Cara Saven Wall Design in each of the rooms. The restaurant on the fourth floor here plays host to some delicious Indian tapas-inspired dishes, and the rooftop pool and bar offer wonderful views over the town and sea beyond. emersonzanzibar.com | upendozanzibar.com SAFARI BLUE Having lived on the main island for 10 years, I still maintain that if you only had one day in Zanzibar, the original Safari Blue boat tour would be the best way to spend it.

ABOVE Stone Town is a maze of streets, energies and aromas – the historical heart of Zanzibar.

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We curate inspiration for the home, connecting the creative work of African artisans and designers to the people of Cape Town and around the world.

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2 SOUTHEAST COAST Zanzibar’s southeast coast offers some of the best kitesurfing in the world. A palm-lined coast with stretches of uninterrupted beach of up to 14km long, it is a picture-perfect Eden. The warm waters and strong winds may have made it a favourite of kiters from around the world, but it’s not just for the thrillseekers – some of the island’s most stylish hotels are also found down here. I recently spent time at White Sand Luxury Villas & Spa, set on a deep-water lagoon that isn’t affected by the substantial tidal changes on that side of the island. You can either enjoy the crystalclear water all day long, or hang out at your villa’s private plunge pool, set among tropical gardens.

Setting off on a traditional sailing dhow from the small village of Fumba in the southwest, you make your way to a tidal sandbar in the middle of the ocean, before snorkelling in the ultramarine waters that surround this tropical paradise. With the chance of sailing alongside spinner dolphins always high, it’s an exhilarating experience. After all the activity, you’re treated to a seafood lunch, followed by a legendary fruit-tasting experience. You can spend the rest of the afternoon swimming, sunbathing or enjoying the recently opened cocktail bar. safariblue.net NUNGWI & KENDWA On the northern tip of the island lies the village of Nungwi, with Kendwa adjoining to the south. Instead of the huge expanse of white-sand beaches that you find on the east coast, here you’ll enjoy a golden shore with a much deeper sea that is far less tidal, meaning you can swim throughout the day without a low-tide interruption. Being on the western coast also means you are treated to some spectacular sunsets – plus Kendwa and Nungwi are vibey villages, with many beach bars, restaurants and spots to dance the night away. One of the best places to stay is Zuri, a member of the Design Hotels group – it boasts a picturesque private beach dotted with palm trees, thatch umbrellas and sun loungers, as well as stylish rooms and fantastic restaurants. zurizanzibar.com

whitesandvillas.com

QAMBANI For years, I’d wanted to stay at Qambani – and in June 2021, I finally had the chance to spend a couple of nights there. Six completely different rooms are spread across an area where most hotels would put 60, with some offering amazing outdoor showers and others private rooftop sundowner decks. Despite being on the east coast, the lodge rounds a peninsula, ensuring beautiful sunsets while you sip your favourite cocktail in a plantation chair under the palms. The lodge is built on top of a cliff so there isn’t much of a beach at full high tide – but when the ocean goes out, it unveils a pristine private stretch of sand. qambani.com

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1. Launching from the village of Fumba, the Safari Blue boat tours are a great way to spend the day. 2. Each villa at White Sand Luxury Villas & Spa offers complete privacy – and a plunge pool. 3. The Plantation Villa at Qambani lodge on the east coast.

4. The beach at Zuri near Kendwa is dotted with thatch umbrellas.

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WIN ONE OF TWO BLOMMA PLANTERS FROM PLANTR AND COSENTINO! Two lucky readers will each win a Blomma planter by Plantr and Cosentino, worth a total of R35 000.

UP FOR GRABS: The Blomma in Black or White

worth R15 499 The Blomma Tall in Black or White (with Brazilian garapa detail) worth R19 499 Cape Town-based company Plantr, producer of unique architectural planters, has collaborated with Cosentino South Africa to bring you The Blomma planters. These high-end designer planters are available in Black and White, as well as Standard and Tall (featuring Brazilian garapa detail). Handmade in stainless steel, each planter is finished either in Cosentino’s Dekton® Radium (Black) or Dekton® Nilium (White) slabs – perfect for indoor and outdoor use. plantr.co.za | cosentino.com/en-za

Go to VISI.co.za/win to enter.

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OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Imposing 4m-high stone walls frame the extraordinary beach setting; a circular glass skylight – one of four – connects this restaurant lounge area to the night skies outside; the grand arches, pergolas and intricate palm-leaf woven roofs of Miavana’s public spaces echo the natural beauty of the island; the stackable glass doors of the steel-framed modern beachfront villas allow guests to feel immersed in nature.

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THE PALE - CREAM STONE USED TO CLAD ALL THE BUILDINGS COMES FROM A FAMILY - OWNED QUARRY ON MADAGASCAR.

Located on the largest of five islands in a remote archipelago off the north-eastern coast of Madagascar, Miavana’s villas look out over a picture-perfect white beach and shallow turquoise waters teeming with coral gardens and exotic tropical fish. To the east are views of the 10km2 island and a limitless ocean; to the west you can see the silhouette of the Madagascan mountains.

Madagascar and its islands remain a place of intrigue and mystery, with legends of undiscovered treasure, dense rainforests and mangrove forests, underground caves, and exotic wildlife – and it’s a feeling echoed in the design of Miavana by architects Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens, who created playful, carefree, uncomplicated spaces that capture the imagination of childhood.

Channelling fairy-tale stone fortresses, Miavana features an open-air central pavilion surrounded by a clear-blue moat. It floats like a mirage, linking to a bar that seems to be a part of a ruined fort with its thick, wonky walls and shelves made from hand-axed rosewood. The public spaces, surrounded by four-metre-high stone walls, pergolas and grand arches, include an outdoor pizza restaurant with an intricate palm-leaf woven roof, hammocks and a firepit, and another restaurant with four circular glass skylights, crowned by four domes to allow night skies into the space and celestial beams of light out. It’s an exhilarating mix of textures and styles, carefully curated to express the local, traditional and handmade as well as the urban, modern and minimalist.

Central to this little “village” is the “Cabinet des Curiosities”, a museum-library built to display the considerable haul of natural and man-made artefacts from the islands, collected by the two people responsible for Miavana: Time + Tide’s Thierry Dalais, and geologist, explorer and conservationist Jean-Christophe Peyre. They include extraordinary butterfly collections, the skeleton of a pygmy hippopotamus, a pair of 17th-century cannons and headgear once worn by Malagasy royalty. Guests stay in 14 steel-framed, modern beachfront villas, each with a private pool. Floor-length curtains in the suites are hand-dyed, graduating from deep aqua down through lighter shades of blue to white with a cuff of cream, and are inspired by the layers of the ocean’s depths when illuminated by a light shaft hitting the sandy floor.

Continuing this colour palette in decor that reads like a blend of Le Corbusier-inspired Modernism and breezy Breton stripes are curved ’70s-style sofas in aquamarine, cubist cabinets in canary yellow, wavy Corian-topped tables and sunken baths. Tall, conical showers clad in hand-cut stone make you feel like you’re standing outdoors under a crisp waterfall with a touch of sky above. The pale-cream stone, used to clad all the buildings, comes from a familyowned quarry on Madagascar. As part of Miavana’s goal of supporting local communities, hundreds of Malagasy were employed in the hotel’s construction, and the stone was delivered to Nosy Ankao by boat, piece by heavy piece, then lugged by teams of workers onto the shore to be chiselled into rocks by hand.

Miavana’s grounds were created by South African landscaper Greg Wepener. Sensitive to the local flora, he had previously worked on the restoration of Nosy Ankao, first removing nonendemic trees from the beachfront, then planting about 70 000 palms, fig trees and Malagasy vanilla specimens. They soften the outline of the new buildings, and fill in the bald spots in the island’s natural forest that had been destroyed by logging. Greg’s nursery holds about 600 000 plants at any given time, assiduously grown from cuttings or seed; his efforts have seen the return of native island species such as the black parrots and sleepy chameleons.

“Throughout my life I have been in awe of nature’s beautiful places,” says Miavana founder Thierry. “Nature has a way of showing you the best of what the world has to offer. My dream is to create a frame for these masterpieces, and to share them with others.” And after spending time on Nosy Ankao and enjoying all the tranquil luxury Miavana has to offer, it’s safe to say that Thierry’s dream has been realised. miavana.com | silviorechlesleycarstens.co.za

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ABOVE The outdoor restaurant, housed in an open-air decked pavilion and surrounded by a “moat”, exudes beachfront elegance.

BELOW Toulou’s Bar resembles a ruined fort, floating on its glowing moat. Above it, a rooftop viewing deck provides a spectacular spot to sit back and marvel at a sparkling canvas of stars.

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ABOVE The modern, relaxed interior of Toulou’s Bar features thick stone walls and hand-hewn rosewood shelves.

BELOW The outdoor pizza restaurant, shaded by a palm-leaf woven roof, combines gorgeous ocean vistas with laid-back holiday decor for the ultimate in barefoot luxury.

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THIS PAGE The wine cellar, known as “La Cave”, is a unique dining option, and boasts more than 2 000 bottles of wine for guests to choose from under the guidance of Miavana’s knowledgeable sommelier.

OPPOSITE A daytime view of the restaurant lounge, with the skylight offering a peek at the clear blue sky.

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THIS PAGE The open-plan guest villas are elegantly decorated with elements of hand-carved stone, Malagasy wood, circular fixtures and luxurious hand-dyed textiles. OPPOSITE A guest cloakroom near the main pool repeats the circular elements prevalent throughout the resort. The oversized Jumbo BoriBori bean bag is made by local artisans from upcycled T-shirt offcuts.

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ABOVE Each guest villa offers direct beach access and an ocean view, tuning its occupants into the ebb and flow of the tides.

BELOW There is plenty of seating on the private pool decks, courtesy of aqua Lafuma Transabed loungers, among others.

OPPOSITE The tall, conical showers magnify the sound of the water, creating the illusion of bathing under a waterfall.

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THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE Set on a dune overlooking Scarborough beach, the home nestles in the rocky landscape and will, with time, become entrenched in its surroundings as the vegetation grows around it.

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LAID OUT OVER TWO FLOORS, THE HOUSE PIVOTS OFF A CENTRAL WALL AND WIND - STILL COVERED STOEP, WITH A KITCHEN LEADING ONTO IT THAT IS AT THE HEART OF THE PLAN.

What started as an occasional getaway to the coastal village of Scarborough grew into a full-blown love affair for the owners of this home – a creative director and a surgeon. “Just 45 minutes from Cape Town, Scarborough is the last village before Cape Point – a little piece of heaven within walking distance of the beach,” they say.

The couple were so enamoured with the village, they had no desire to tell anyone about it – not even their three grown children. “It was a year before we took any of them with us,” they say with a laugh. “Predictably, they immediately fell in love with it too, and suggested we start looking for a place where we could all go to as a family.”

It took a few months to find the ideal plot of land – but as soon as they stepped onto the piece of pristine fynbos with the bush all around them and the sound of the sea in their ears, they knew they’d found their slice of paradise. They also knew exactly who they wanted to bring their vision to life: architects Saskia Vermeiren and Matthew Beatty, who had previously won an award for another residence they had designed in Scarborough.

“Our brief was for a house that would sit quietly in this space,” says Saskia, “a place that would blend in as much as possible with the landscape.” For her and Matthew, who live nearby, the knowledge of the climate helped in interpreting a design that would incorporate the owners’ distinctive style while acting as a shelter for their family during the extremes of the weather in both summer and winter.

“The focus was on controlled openings that framed the views, rather than a glass architecture,” says Saskia of the final design that is raised on a plinth in the landscape, much like a veranda or stoep. “The building aesthetic is an interpretation and a merging of African and Mediterranean architecture that suits the climate,” adds partner Matthew.

Laid out over two floors, the house pivots off a central wall and a wind-still covered stoep, with a kitchen leading onto it that is at the heart of the plan. The four bedrooms – two of them plus a small loft downstairs, with the main en suite bedroom upstairs – form a series of separate volumes, each maximising views, light, privacy and cross-ventilation. Builder Micah Burger did a phenomenal job of incorporating the owners’ must-haves in the final product, including African mahogany doors and windows, natural grey screed floors, and stone and brickwork detailing.

Seen from the beach, the house looks like a pink mirage set against the mountain behind it. “We chose the shade of pink very carefully, painting different colours on the north-, south-, east- and west-facing walls, and watching them change in the light,” recall the owners. “It was a total meditation – but in the end, the final colour revealed itself because of the way it blended in with the sky, the fynbos, the rocks and even the hills in the distance.”

And for the owners, who spent two and a half months here during lockdown, it was “a dream”. “Our goal is to have that amount of time here again. We feel so incredibly lucky and blessed and excited for our future here, as we inevitably gear down our businesses and look forward to embracing life in the simplest and purest way possible.” beattyvermeiren.com | micah@built4life.co.za

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The view from the entrance, through the hall and into the garden; the building is a series of “boxes” inspired by the climate, and by African and Mediterranean architecture; the house is set in a landscape dominated by boulders; the owners’ love of antiques is evident as soon as you reach the vintage Indian front door, which was sourced at Private Collections; the lion carving outside the front door is from Montebello Design Centre; in the living area, a botanical print above the fireplace is a reminder of an Irish family member; the owners received this old anchor from the Simon’s Town harbour as a gift; a rocker from Pezula Interiors offers a place to relax; the outdoor veranda is completely sheltered from the wind.

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THIS PAGE In the living area, built-in sofas have been fitted with cushions by Pezula Interiors and covered in cotton canvas. The Moroccan wool rug is from Private Collections, and the leather pouffe is by Cécile & Boyd.

OPPOSITE, FROM TOP Striped deck chairs from Pezula Interiors, a rattan outdoor sofa from Block & Chisel and an inherited bench provide plenty of seating on the veranda, with swathes of old sail material from a shop in Kalk Bay often used for shade; views across the wetlands towards Cape Point National Park and the beach make the Luxembourg Low Chairs from Plaisir du Jardin on the roof terrace a much-loved sundowner spot.

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THIS PAGE The dining table, bought at auction, was sanded and sealed, then paired with Houtlander chairs. The three-legged chair is an Ashbeys Galleries auction buy, and the standing lamp is from Cécile & Boyd. OPPOSITE The kitchen features a central island with stainless-steel countertop and hand-painted plywood cabinetry. Brass accents include the custom rail on the pink Zellige tiles, pendants by Pezula Interiors and a mixer by Lavo Bathroom Concepts. Oak bar stools by Houtlander provide additional seating, their warm wood tones matched by the custom-made pine balustrade.

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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The inherited bench on the veranda overlooks the lush garden; a guest bedroom with a mezzanine level, decorated with the couple’s grandchildren in mind, features an antique Indian staircase from Private Collections that leads to a kids’ sleeping area upstairs; the terrazzo counter and copper basin in the guest bathroom were made to order; the main en suite bathroom is a mix of old and new, with a freestanding bathtub from Flush, a ball-and-claw chair that was bought at auction and art by Camilla Battiss. OPPOSITE Vintage Indian doors from Private Collections separate the master bedroom from the bathroom. Natural grey screed floors are layered with hides from Woodheads and a kilim from Isfahan.

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S E A S I D E H O M E T H AT IS THE PERFECT BACKDROP F O R I T S O W N E R S ’ C R E AT I V E I M P U L S E S AND LOVE OF SURFING. OPPOSITE Owners Amanda Shadforth and Sam Williams chose low-maintenance plants for their garden, including palms and hardy cacti. Landscape architect Mon Palmer helped them bring the garden to life.

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“WE WERE DRAWN TO THE HOME BECAUSE IT HAD A MID-CENTURY, ALMOST PALM SPRINGS VIBE, WITH HIGH CEILINGS AND BEAUTIFUL VIEWS.”

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rtist, photographer and creative director Amanda Shadforth wears many hats. But perhaps her most recognisable is that of the founder of Oracle Fox, one of the original Australian style websites. It’s no surprise, then, that the South Queensland home she shares with her husband Sam Williams and their two dogs, Peaches the Pomeranian and Zion the Finnish Lapphund, is a perfect study in modern, minimalist style.

The 1970s home was purchased four years ago, and she and Sam spent six months renovating before they moved in. “We were drawn to the home because it had a mid-century, almost Palm Springs vibe, with high ceilings and beautiful views,” Amanda says. But its favourable qualities stopped there: the building had become decrepit over the years and was un-liveable when they purchased it – so they had plenty of work to do. Fortunately, Amanda had her builder dad Tony to call on to bring her vision for the house to life.

“I was brought up on a farm, so I love nature and organic forms – timber, stone, ceramics, linen and glass,” she says. “We removed several walls and tore up the carpets, allowing the concrete floors to become a feature.” This helped the home embrace seaside living and an indoor-outdoor feel, with tons of natural light and an ocean breeze that flows through the space. The other upside of concrete floors?

No sandy carpets. “My husband and I both surf and are used to walking around with sandy feet, so we didn’t want to be worried about the flooring being too precious,” she explains.

The interiors are, unsurprisingly, meticulous, with a pared-back feel and thoughtfully placed pieces of art – many of them Amanda’s own. For that Palm Springs effect, Amanda sourced furniture with a mid-century feel and mixed up materials, aiming for a combo of opulent and understated. The couple’s bedroom, by way of example, features a gilded mirror, timber bed, silk pendant and simple sheer curtains. There’s a playful element too, with vignettes of unexpected items and display objects – like the brass shark jaws and granite boulder – that make one pause.

“I have a secret obsession with interiors, so it’s difficult not to put my stamp on things,” she says. That “stamp” mixes European-style decor with pieces befitting of a relaxed Australian lifestyle. “I try to listen to my instincts, and not to fit into a certain style or trend, but to create my own vision. We collect things as we go, and slowly the style forms itself.”

Like all great artworks – and great wardrobes – Amanda’s style is definitely still evolving. “I feel like this house is still quite empty, and there are many more pieces that I’d like to buy…”

– OWNER AMANDA SHADFORTH

OPPOSITE The living room is a carefully considered mix of designer items – such as the Mario Bellini coffee table – and vintage finds, like the 1920s armchair that Amanda had reupholstered in velour.

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“I love the light fixture in the dining area; it’s like a line drawing dotted with sculptures,” Amanda says.

The dining chairs are from vintage stores, Gumtree and an art gallery she worked for prior to starting Oracle Fox. The expansive entrance area is home to two Flag Halyard chairs by Hans Wegner, a cowhide rug and a granite boulder from a local quarry. “I think it brings a gallery element to the space,” Amanda says.

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THIS PAGE A Freedom sculpture, a vintage vase and one of Amanda’s artworks are displayed on a console near the front door. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Amanda loves nature and organic forms – timber, stone, ceramics, glass; the mirror, which has travelled with the couple from home to home, refracts the morning light from its edges to create prisms around the room; Amanda sells a range of artworks and screen-printed T-shirts via her business, OF by Amanda Shadforth; “I'm drawn to graphic and simplistic work, and my own art fits within this genre,” she says.

THIS PAGE A calming and minimalist vibe ensures that the master bedroom is a retreat. OPPOSITE, FROM TOP An iconic LCW chair by Charles and Ray Eames and an Hermès throw create a cosy corner in the bedroom; both Amanda and her husband are keen surfers, as evidenced by the Haydenshapes for Alexander Wang surfboard displayed in their home.

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THIS PAGE The pool is the most recent addition to the garden. OPPOSITE Amanda and Sam can check the surf while in the bathtub, or through the shower louvres.

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THIS PAGE Above the sweeping stoep, the elegant bell-cast roof creates a cool outdoor space typical of 19th-century buildings in the semi-desert Karoo, where families spent evenings outside after the heat of the day.

OPPOSITE Owners Marc Watson (left) and James Moffatt in front of their cottage. “Nieu-Bethesda is super-remote,” says Marc. “There’s nothing here apart from charming little homes.”

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“We respect the building, and the floors tell its story.”

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ART WAS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE RENOVATION. THE COUPLE INVESTED IN ARTISTS FROM THE REGION, THEN LOOKED FOR PIECES THAT REFLECTED THE LANDSCAPE, LIVESTOCK AND TEXTURES OF THE K AROO.

Most famous for its legendary, reclusive, eccentric resident, artist Helen Martins, and her home, the Owl House, the town of Nieu-Bethesda is as far as you can get from South Africa’s big metropoles. From Joburg, it’ll take you just under nine hours to get to this remote dot nestled among the koppies of the semi-arid Great Karoo; it might be 15 minutes less from Cape Town.

And that’s just one reason that made Joburg couple Marc Watson and James Moffatt’s decision to buy a house here a brave one. The other was that they bought it without seeing the interior.

Visiting here as tourists in 2018, they bought the cottage based purely on its charming iron friezes and traditional wooden shutters, only guessing at what was hidden behind the heritage façade. “But we had a good sense of what such a traditional home would hold,” says Marc.

The hunch paid off: inside, it was everything they had hoped it would be, with wooden floors, high ceilings and thick walls. The only challenge was light. Karoo homes are typically built with small windows and shutters for climate control, so Marc and James’s only departure was to adapt or enlarge windows and doors. Typical of a Karoo cottage, the structure has a flat roof, a streetfacing façade and a central passage with rooms leading off it. “It’s a super-simple little space,” says Marc. “It has a humility about it, and doesn’t want to be designed in a certain way. It’s a place of feelings, so our approach to it was how we felt when we were there, and what we could do without damaging the heritage.” Retaining the cottage layout and many existing antique pieces, they added layers of rich hues and hand-picked treasures, and thoughtfully selected local art to imprint their energy and vision on the 142-year-old property.

“We wanted to fill this house with things we love; to create real experiences in each room without overdoing it,” says Marc. Art was an essential part of this; the couple invested in artists from the region, then looked for pieces that reflected the landscape, livestock and textures of the Karoo. They scoured auctions and vintage shops over the period of four months to fill the rooms.

Two defined relaxation spaces have been carved out of the house’s footprint: a small library off the passage, and a generous lounge at the end of it. Both feature a mix of leather chairs, ottomans and comfortable sofas. Walls are lined with art, and floors are swathed in Persian rugs and textured sisal matting. Antique pieces – some acquired with the purchase of the house, others hand-picked by Marc – provide a connection with the past, and form the dialogue of the stories the couple wanted to tell as part of the experience of the home, incorporating humour, character and surprises with a few contemporary pieces.

Leading off the lounge, the kitchen already featured a wood-fired stove, but few other details to make it the inviting, comfortable precinct Marc and James desired. “It’s quite a small room, although it doesn’t look like it now,” says Marc. “We had to think quite carefully about the size of the island and the cabinetry, so that we could still incorporate a table that’s large enough to entertain around.” A unique dining concept provided a smart solution to save space and connect the kitchen to the outside. “The kitchen table is mirrored outside, so we can comfortably seat many people inside and out. The weather in the Karoo can change in an instant, so having the duality to enjoy both spaces is important.”

Outside, the couple were free to make more of a splash, installing a raised circular pool reminiscent of the stock tanks found on the surrounding farms. Resting alongside a storage shed that has been OPPOSITE The entrance hall was painted a dark converted into a home office, the heated pool and the laid-back setting chocolate shade, which is all about embracing the big Karoo skies – peppered with clouds is also expressed on the during the day and intense stars at night. “There’s something about the front door and shutters. stillness and the light in the Karoo,” says Marc. “It’s amazing.”

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ABOVE The library, previously used as an office, was a dark space that took some thought and consideration to get right. Marc and James added a window, which filled the room with light. BELOW The size of the lounge and the height of the ceiling meant that furniture choices could be bolder here – they include a cabinet that was acquired with the house, a vintage occasional chair and a plush modular sofa from Weylandts. OPPOSITE Grass cloth was applied to the walls on one side of the lounge, where whimsical pieces such as Ghanaian fishing flags and a taxidermied ibis from Mandibles coexist with an inherited antique table and contemporary items.

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THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE In the kitchen, an inherited glass-and-wood display cabinet stands under an antique mirror from Hunter Gatherer, which reflects light and magnifies the feeling of space. The poplar beam and Dover stove are historic features the couple chose to keep.

The island, cabinets and shelves were all custom-made, with Marc and James sticking to a natural Ceasarstone countertop and raw wood to retain a “country” feel. The fixtures are by Victorian Bathrooms, and the brass pendant lights are from Orejen.

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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The ball-and-claw bathtub in the bathroom was bought with the home, and the half-moon table is inherited; a traditional guest bedroom features antique furniture, overlooked by art by William Kentridge and Simon Attwood; the office, which has been set up in an outside shed, gives the couple flexibility to work between the Karoo and their primary home in Joburg; a vintage chest of drawers in the office is home to a collection of playful pieces from second-hand stores as well as a vessel by Charmaine Haines.

OPPOSITE Also in the office, a restored daybed overlooks the inviting back courtyard.

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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The original owner, who was responsible for many landscaping projects in the town, had created a tiered structure with stone walls in the garden; the outside dining table by JetBlackRuby is a mirrored extension of the indoor kitchen table; the pool is reminiscent of the traditional stock tanks found on surrounding farms; the office and storeroom are housed in what was a crumbling shed, which had to be repatched and stabilised. OPPOSITE James and Marc relax in the courtyard.

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The interior of the spectacular infinity pool is laid with large-format, stone-finish ceramic tiles, with natural Santanyi stone from southeastern Mallorca used around the edges. More Decor – the interior-design arm of More Design’s business – created the pool loungers using reclaimed oak beams.

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THE ONE SIDE LIES A FOREST OF MALLORCAN HOLM OAK TREES. On the other, a sea view in which, on most days, the division between the Mediterranean and the sky becomes blurred into a single vista of blue. And in between is this arresting, almost sculptural, stone-clad house, which combines the relaxed simplicity of holidays with an elemental, otherworldly quality that is difficult to define, but extremely easy to admire.

Situated between Valldemossa and Deià on the scenic west coast of the island of Mallorca, this home may occupy a spectacular position, but the structure has not always been a match for its site. Originally built in the 19th century and extended during the 20th, by the 1990s it was burdened by ill-conceived renovations, and in a poor state when purchased by its present owners.

Architect Manuel Villanueva of Mallorca-based More Design was the lead designer on the renovation project that followed, taking on a home that was not merely unsightly but practically collapsing, and legally out of code. And because the island’s strict building codes mean a house cannot be completely demolished and a new structure built on the site, More Design had to come up with an architectural solution that incorporated the existing structure while conforming to regulations – and satisfying the clients’ brief.

“The solution was to introduce a new structure within the existing building, then open up some spaces and demolish others,” says Manuel. The result is a home that is the same in terms of volume but an entirely different interior space. “It was also carefully reconnected to the surrounding landscape in a way that reduced its environmental impact,” he adds.

In terms of its design aesthetic, the new home was conceived as a dialogue between extremes: the mountain side, with its prevailing green, brown and orange tones, stone and oaks; and the other side, which is all about shades of blue and the breathtaking, unobstructed view of the Mediterranean. The site is very steep, so you enter the house on its top level – where the spectacular swimming pool area is also located – then walk down through it into the rest of the spaces, which also provide access to the lower sections of the landscaped garden.

The house belongs to two families who regularly spend their holidays there, and features eight en suite bedrooms anchored by an almost gallery-like central living area. More Design conceived the house with two differentiated sleeping quarters – one for each family – with one situated across the top floors and the other on the lowest level. The middle portion, which features all the common areas, is shared, with the double-volume central space forming an especially lovely part of the home. Like many successful design elements, that double-volume space does double duty in terms of aesthetics and its structural function.

Natural morning light, coming from the mountain side at the rear of the house, beams right through into the lower levels from the patio windows and openings on the top level.

A key component of the home’s elemental appeal is its striking stone-clad façade, which the More Design team spent much time working on. The stone is laid with attention to varying the depth of the façade, so it already has “the visual appearance of the passage of time embedded in its skin,” says Manuel.

“This house,” he says, “is for a person who looks for a quiet location and enjoys spending time watching boats and time go by – but it also has a contemporary approach to art and architecture.” It’s also proof positive that a holiday home can be a sophisticated space that nevertheless enables its occupants to completely relax when they spend time there. moredesign.es THIS PAGE, FROM LEFT The view westwards from the house, towards Valldemossa and Banyalbufar; the local stone used to clad the home’s façade comes from nearby Esporles, and the shutters are made from natural iroko wood, which will turn silver over time.

OPPOSITE The curvaceous, sculptural spiral staircase connects all levels of the house through the common areas, making it “not only a staircase but a path”, according to architect Manuel Villanueva of More Design.

A KEY COMPONENT OF THE HOME’S ELEMENTAL APPEAL IS ITS STRIKING STONE - CLAD FAÇADE, WHICH THE MORE DESIGN TEAM SPENT MUCH TIME WORKING ON.

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THIS PAGE The suar wood dining table and benches are a bespoke design by More Decor, as are the hanging woven lampshades.

OPPOSITE In the lounge, reclaimed-wood ceiling beams are offset by discreet, contemporary wall sconces.

The large decorative pot is an antique, hand-worked Spanish storage jar, dating back to the 1850s and sourced at a local antiques market.

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ABOVE In the lounge, the modular sofa, woven lampshades and rope chairs are all from the More Decor collection. The coffee table is a repurposed antique African bed, the ceramic vessels are by Mallorca-based ceramicist Dora Good, and the painting is by Spanish contemporary artist Guillem Nadal. BELOW On one of the patios, a four-poster daybed made from reclaimed oak is the perfect spot from which to admire the view. OPPOSITE A boldly sculptural fireplace is softened by the grouping of candles within it. The Cubist coffee table, metal-framed LA chairs and modular daybed are all by More Decor. The bamboo screen cleverly conceals a hallway space.

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE This staircase leads to the top floor of the house, which is entirely occupied by a master bedroom suite; the lower-level bedrooms – including this one – feature floors finished in microcement, and furnishings and linen by More Decor; in the en-suite master bathroom, More Design’s artisans created the stone basin, the vanity and the wooden shelf, while the brass fixtures were supplied by Vola; furnishing the area at the top of the central spiral staircase is a More Decor daybed made from reclaimed oak and upholstered in natural, hand-dyed linen. OPPOSITE This casual lounge area, situated one floor below the main living spaces, is mainly used as a “kids’ corner”. More Decor sourced the “trophy heads” on the wall from local artists.

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| Mallorcan Villa THIS PAGE In the vanity/study area that leads into the master bedroom on the top level of the house, the wooden floors are complemented by a jute rug.

The raw brass mirror with smoky glass is a More Decor design, as is the chair (made from oak and a single piece of vegetabletanned leather), and the aged brass and iron desk. OPPOSITE The metal four-poster bed, hand-carved wooden bench and natural hemp bed linen are all by More Decor, while the brass bedside tables are by 101 Copenhagen.

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A R E VA M P O F T H E O L D F N B B U I L D I N G I N JOHANNESBURG’S ROSEBANK

B Y D A F F O N C H I O A R C H I T E C T S H A S S E E N A N AWA R D - W I N N I N G T R A N S F O R M AT I O N O F A ’ 7 0 s S TA P L E I N T O T H E B A N K – A 1 3 - S T O R E Y, V E R S A T I L E C R E A T I V E A N D S O C I A L H U B W I T H N O D S T O A M U LT I T U D E O F A R C H I T E C T U R A L M O V E M E N T S .

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“We love dark buildings, especially in the Highveld,” says architect Enrico Daffonchio. “The strong light characteristic of this region means we design buildings that absorb it rather than reflect it.”

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OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The “sea of lights” porte-cochère that leads from the pedestrian walkway into the VOCO hotel and Proud Mary; Wolkberg tiles are a striking contrast to the black brick façade, while brass accents bounce light through communal spaces; playful patterns and warm cove lighting are indicative of the congenial welcome guests can expect at the hotel; the four-storey mural by South African artist Cameron Platter, commissioned by Art Gazette, lives harmoniously alongside the New York-style windows of the open interior courtyard.

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AS YOU WALK IN THROUGH ONE OF THE THREE ENTRANCES, YOU NOTICE THE WAY THE

daffonchio.co.za | imbewudesign.co.za | artgazette.com | ihg.com/voco | proudmary.co.za | workshop17.co.za

SOFTER INTERIORS COMPLEMENT THE STRONG EXTERIOR.

FOR FURTHER INSIGHTS AND INFO ON THE BANK’S DESIGN, VISIT VISI.CO.ZA.

Banks bring to mind memories of long queues, drab interiors and quiet, stark spaces. This may have been the case for the old FNB building situated in the heart of Rosebank, a bustling retail and business district that has been blossoming since the 1930s. Today, though, The Bank – a new mixed-use space designed by Enrico Daffonchio of Daffonchio Architects – holds anything but these qualities. Just announced a winner of the Gauteng Institute for Architecture’s Award of Excellence, this extensively reworked space effectively ties together a series of different elements – a barbershop, Proud Mary restaurant and bar, Workshop 17 co-working space and VOCO hotel – while stylishly paying homage to the area’s rich architectural history and urban pedestrian lifestyle. “The concept was to accommodate different and completely separate functions while upgrading and connecting the urban surroundings,” explains Enrico.

Along with the client’s wish to establish an iconic landmark, the extensive team involved in the project was tasked with creating a statement structure that uses design, art and an element of playfulness to bring people together in a vibrant flurry of social networking and interaction.

The locally produced black bricks that make up the majority of the monolithic structure were all custom-made, and Enrico sampled a variety of architectural styles prevalent in the area while adding a contemporary spin and bringing refreshing elements to the design. “We looked at the old Rosebank and its Art Deco buildings, which have now disappeared,” he says. “NewYork’s historic buildings were also a source of inspiration. The top of the building, on the other hand, is more in line with our minimalist style and the principle that ‘form follows narrative’ – that is, we designed the building around the story of the site being an old bank.”

As you walk in through one of the three entrances, you notice the way the softer interiors complement the strong exterior. This was interior decorator Nkuli Nhleko’s intentional plan.

A feel of romance and nostalgia hits under the lobby’s undulating lights, with an old-school welcome desk illuminated by waves in the porte-cochère, created by Imbewu Design.

“We aimed to gradually introduce visitors to a more glamorous interior,” says Nkuli, “so we chose to deploy some hard materials – Nero Fiorito marble, and charcoal and light-grey terrazzo – to work in harmony with the black brick.” As a result, instead of the drab monotones of a banking-mall lobby, you experience a plethora of sensory stimuli – the sound of chatter, the smell of coffee brewing – before you lay you eyes on the striking spaces. Nkuli combined practicality with aesthetics in the screen that divides the hotel entrance and lifts from the restaurant, coffee shop and co-working lounge. Serving its purpose as an entryway into the lift lobby and a room divider, it is also the first element you see as you walk into the reception area.

Tying the spaces together is Art Gazette, who curate original contemporary artworks from an extensive catalogue for a range of business and private clients.From a carefully selected inventory, curator and co-founder Morné Visagie selected 750 artworks by more than 40 South African artists for The Bank’s VOCO hotel, the lobby and Proud Mary restaurant, as well as a 400m2 mural for the private courtyard. “We selected artworks that would not only merge holistically with the building’s design but elevate it, offering an additional feature to be admired and enjoyed,” says Morné.

The pandemic may have put many commercial projects on hold, but you get the feeling that The Bank has got its timing spot-on. We are, after all, a social species; we need to spend time in each other’s company. And The Bank is about exactly that – creating a space to hang out, eat, work, stay over and be a human being in the world once more.

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THIS PAGE The lobby that leads to the concierge houses, among other design details, a nod to the VOCO mascots – a mosaic owl and flamingo – which “live” among the Art Deco lights and rattan disk panels. OPPOSITE Chorus I, a 2018 work by artist Maja Marx, is housed in a seating alcove of off-shutter concrete and wooden panelling, and framed by pendant lights.

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THIS PAGE The warm wood panelling of the mirrored bar at Proud Mary acts as a continuance of the seating alcoves and convivial spaces throughout the chic eatery, executed by Sketch Studio. OPPOSITE Showcased in a secluded dining room is “Shoes”, a collection of ink, pencil and pastel drawings by Cameron Platter. The bespoke brass mirror-and-rattan ceiling panels reflect the geometry of the terrazzo floors by Union Tiles and klompie tiles by Wolkberg.

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THIS PAGE Private workstations were created by Hoven Design for Workshop 17’s contemporary and cool co-working space. OPPOSITE The retro-style gentleman’s barbershop on the pedestrian level of The Bank is a step back in time, with burgundy velvet trims and a molecule pendant light.

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THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE The luxurious suites at VOCO Rosebank, while sophisticated to the core, don’t skimp on home comforts or space. They also offer additional sleeping areas for children on cleverly designed couches that fold out to become beds when needed.

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JOY FROM AFRICA

100 BEAUTIFUL BASKETS EXHIBITION

isit the V&A Waterfront this festive season, and you will be welcomed by 100 Beautiful Baskets, a live installation curated by Platform Creative. Here, African pride and creativity will be celebrated, with a focus on the ingenuity of basket weaving. The exhibition forms part of “Joy from Africa to the World”, the V&A Waterfront’s campaign focused on the joy of a truly local festive season.

100 Beautiful Baskets celebrates Africa’s unique basketweaving traditions. It showcases woven vessels, furniture, jewellery and much more, from different communities, from Ghana to Zambia and Uganda. With a strong focus on southern Africa’s diverse groups of basket-weavers, this first-of-its-kind exhibition brings together some of the best-known names in basketry, giving this highly skilled handcraft the recognition it deserves. 100 Beautiful Baskets aims to showcase the transition of African heritage into a contemporary world – a collective culture that all people from this continent can share and take pride in.

Each piece in 100 Beautiful Baskets – which includes baskets, furniture, tableware, fashion accessories and jewellery – has been carefully crafted by hand by master weavers across the continent. Through its making, each item holds the imprint of its artisan – and behind every basket there’s a story to tell and a person to meet.

In addition to being master weavers, basket-makers are master mathematicians – a fact that often goes unrecognised. Weaving is based on mathematical

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principles, and weavers must be highly skilled in the field of geometry to translate the ideas of symmetry into complex patterns.

Within said patterns, you may notice indigo thread that has been woven into the design – not by creative input, but rather by purpose. In northern Niger, Tuareg weavers indicate the time spent on each basket or bowl with a beautiful design element. And at the end of every weaving day – some are longer than others, depending on family responsibilities – the artisans weave some indigo thread into the vessel, as an indication of where they left off. These Points du Jour (markers of the day) baskets thus become dotted with indigo, which subtly illustrates the story of time.

This and other stories will be shared with guests visiting the exhibition at the V&A Waterfront, which you’ll be able to view at the revamped cinema complex. Entry is free.

100 Beautiful Baskets introduces the world to the potential held in basket-weaving as an industry within Africa – from the different products it can be applied to, to the variety of materials that can be used to weave.

The exhibition focuses on contemporary weavers and products from Africa, the leading continent in making baskets on such a large scale. The aim is to inspire and enrich every visitor to the exhibition, so that they leave with a stronger appreciation for the handcraft and the human being behind each creation. joyfromafrica.com

ANGELINE MASUKU

Master weaver Angeline Masuku from Hlabisa in KwaZulu-Natal says it took her three full weeks to weave the Ukhamba Podium Basket, which is on show at the 100 Beautiful Baskets exhibition. That’s nearly 200 hours of dedicated passion poured into this unique piece of art! Angeline is well-known for her Zulu art weaving techniques as well as for the

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Baba Tree’s pieces are made by artisans in Ghana’s Gurunsi community; the sisal Ball Bag is made in Eswatini by luxury brand Khokho; a rattan headboard by People of the Sun shows a contemporary application of weaving in Malawi; Baba Tree master weaver Atiah Akolgo with his Tall Vase basket; 100 Beautiful Baskets presents not just baskets, but tableware, furniture and fashion items such as hats, including these ones by Baba Tree; the Kuba Cones, inspired by Congo’s traditional Kuba cloth, were designed by ZenZulu’s Marisa Fick-Jordaan (top) and woven by KZN artisans, including Gomazi Ntunzi (bottom); the Hlabisa Chair, made from ilala palm and American white oak, is a collaboration between Houtlander and Bambizulu.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FRANCIS KOKOROKO/BABA TREE, WILL BROWN/KHOKHO, ZENZULU, PEOPLE OF THE SUN, HOUTLANDER

The V&A Waterfront presents 100 Beautiful Baskets – a contemporary exhibition celebrating Africa’s unique basket-weaving traditions.

“FLEXIBLE and sophisticated, the outdoor Songololo sofa is a testament to the

ENDURING STYLE

of a well-designed piece.”

PHOTO BRETT RUBIN/COURTESY OF HALDANE STYLING LANA FREDERICKS

– Haldane Martin, HALDANE

Songololo sofa in outdoor fabric with powder-coated aluminium legs, and Cha Cha occasional tables POA | haldane.co.za

DESIGN, ART, ARCHITECTURE, BARS, BOOKS, CARS & GREAT GIFTS

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THE GREAT OUTDOORS

With summer in full swing, ’tis the season to spend as much time as possible outside. Here’s our pick of all you’ll need to outfit your exterior spaces in styl

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1. A low-slung, powder-coated 38cm x 24cm H&S metal planter is a sleek addition to any patio. Fill it with succulents or a selection of trailing, variegated spider plants. R799 | superbalist.com 2. Ideal for outdoor entertaining, wooden lanterns will up the atmosphere quotient – and this 37cm H&S version can be used on the table or as a hanging lamp. R249 | superbalist.com 3. Add a rustic element to your veranda furniture with La Grange’s characterful teak coffee table. R6 400 | lagrangeinteriors.co.za 4. We’re enamoured of the new outdoor ranges by Coricraft, which include the clean-lined Gama eight-seater table and Bali patio chairs, all in reclaimed teak. Table R21 999; chairs R4 499 each | coricraft.co.za 5. Mungo’s woven, patterned picnic blanket, available in three colourways, is our top choice for alfresco gatherings – and it makes a great gift, too. R1 150 | mungo.co.za

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6. Laze poolside in style on a sleek Malaga lounger by @home, available in black or white. R9 499 (excluding cushions) | home.co.za

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PHOTOS SUPPLIED COMPILED BY ROBYN ALEXANDER

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7. The latest towels by Something Good, available in three designs, are among this summer’s chicest beach accessories.

The Shongololo (pictured) by Eon Rheeder and Marching Ants by his twin brother Leo, are our favourites. From R290 each | somethinggoodstudio.com 8. Whether you’re heading to the beach or weathering regular bouts of load-shedding at home, a robust 40-litre Rogue Canvas Cooler will keep all your G&T fixings ice-cold. R3 399 | rogueicecoolers.com

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SPIRIT OF REVIVAL

A quirky lunch spot by day that transforms into a chic cocktail and music venue by night, Even After All – recently opened at Joburg’s 44 Stanley – gives a knowing nod to the retro vibes of the ’70s.

ven After All – the brainchild of Marcel and Marc Cronje of Dine & Dash, Fhatuwani Mukheli and Mary Songo – is just one of a spate of fresh new eateries around the country that were conceptualised during last year’s Level 5 lockdown. Marcel explains that the space was named for one of his favourite songs by Finley Quaye, which he felt expressed the collective resilience of the restaurant industry through the pandemic.

The interior design, on the other hand, was inspired by nostalgia-fuelled TV binge-watching. “During [the lockdown], I found myself watching a lot of television – Mad Men, Peaky Blinders and Halston,” says Marcel.

“All of these series are set in different decades of the 1900s, which got me thinking about creating a space

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from a previous era.” The interiors of some of Mad Men’s leading characters’ living spaces struck a particular chord.

“I’ve found myself circling back to Don [Draper] and Megan’s apartment,” Marcel explains. “It’s such a beautiful space, and it inspired us to create something with influences from the early ’70s.”

The Cronje siblings have a passion for launching cool restaurants, with two prestigious Johannesburg spots – The Royale and Louise & Anna – under their belts prior to Even After All. At the latter, the idea from its very inception was to create a feeling of nostalgia for the 1970s through the design, food, drinks and music. The result is a place infused with the comfortable familiarity of a bygone era, “almost like you’ve been here thousands of times before,” says Marcel.

PHOTOS SARAH DE PINA WORDS MICHAELA STEHR

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Some standout features of the restaurant include chequered black-and-white floor tiles, velvet booths, diner-style bar stools, psychedelic wallpaper, neon signage, and period TV cabinets and posters. A particularly charming statement piece – one that captures the essence of the old-school diner while being resolutely contemporary in its content – is a bespoke vending machine that dispenses beers from local craft breweries. And the in-house stash of board and card games includes chess, backgammon, 30 Seconds, Scrabble, Uno and Rummikub, creating a feeling of old-fashioned, home-style fun and togetherness.

Also gloriously retro is the corporate identity of the brand, which was conceptualised with the help of HALO, and local illustrators Jo Clarke and Kelly Brazier. Even After All pays particular homage to the orange hues that were so typical of the ’70s, and in both branding and interiors,

adds complementary tones of green to the mix too, so the colour scheme features a range of contrasts – think burnt rust with olive green, for example. Two other ’70s decor icons that are exceptionally hot right now – potted plants and wood panelling – also make an appearance, with a verdant fringe of indoor greenery scattered around the bar.

When it comes to food, expect retro classics and family-style favourites such as cheese fondue or “Mom’s Mac ’n’ Cheese” on a menu that transitions easily from breakfast right through to dinner. “We’re offering a bit of a different vibe, going from breakfast to lunch to dinner with transitioning menus, drinks, music and vibe,” says Marcel. Which means you’re welcome to stay (and play) all day. evenafterall_jhb

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DESIGN JOURNEY

Joe Paine designs everyday objects with delightfully unexpected twists – from pot-plant screens and origami-like bird feeders to coffee tables with nifty storage solutions.

The Marlena Candle Holder is a tongue-incheek take on the time when Marlena Evans was possessed in Days Of Our Lives, and levitated. It’s a very conceptual, technical product, with powerful neodymium magnets that push away from each other so that the candle appears to levitate higher as it burns and becomes lighter. For me, the way one interacts with a product is its own aesthetic.

There’s an emotion – it’s not purely visual.

I try as much as possible to bring that to my pieces.

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PHOTOS SUPPLIED WORDS TRACY LYNN CHEMALY

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I studied industrial design at Wits Technikon, and started working in the industry straight away, for about four years. During that time, I designed Kreep Planter, which later became my first product under the Joe Paine brand.

Indoor plants, which are essentially works of art, were not being given the correct interior application in those days, and I saw an opportunity. Planters became my infatuation; I’ve explored many different designs over the years.

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I designed the Mechanical Bureau for Southern Guild: using gears, arms, racks and pinions, it transforms itself to protect your laptop when you are not using it. Old-world writing bureaux similarly closed up to keep work hidden and protected. I had become fascinated by old mechanics, which have now been replaced by motion sensors, buttons and lights. Using such accessible, hand-operated technology meant I could easily learn and apply gear ratios to make my own kind of machine.

The simple structure of an arch intrigues me. I used it in the design of the Kelly Capwell Drinks Cabinet, giving it both visual and physical properties. When you flip up the door it becomes a serving top, which is something that is hidden until you engage with it, giving you that element of surprise. Such multifunctionality is massively important to me – not just existing as one thing, but having the ability to convert to something else. It allows additional joy to be imparted through the use of the product.

I started designing lighting in 2018 [Joe’s Stilt Light won Best Lighting Design at 100% Design South Africa that year]. I love the interactive aspect of lighting – it has so many nuances, yet multifunctionality has not really been applied to it, which is something I’m exploring.

These new lights – Purple Rain, Sarah Silverma’am and the Luminol standing lamp – are both sculptural and hugely practical. The standing lights have an adjustable shade so you can play with task and ambient lighting. They all have an anodised finish, in colours that are not ubiquitous, giving them a retrospective look from the 1980s or ’90s, with a futuristic aesthetic too. joepaine.com

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2 0 1 5 The Wrap Bureau defines a work space and offers privacy in an open-plan office or at home.

I included a ceramic vase that can be used for stationery if not for a plant. Back then, it was part of my design DNA to incorporate plants into my products. For my pieces, I use tube and mild-steel sheeting, a versatile material that lends itself to my industrial vernacular.

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RUNNING WILD

The covetable debut PUMA x Liberty collaboration plays on the enduring legacies of both brands, creating a unified story that combines streetwear with luxury.

lobal sports brand PUMA and iconic British design house and department store Liberty have partnered for the first time – and the results are all about embroidery, vibrant colours and iconic Liberty floral prints. Reflecting the idea that flowers are often turned to in times of trouble, the collection is inspired by the theme of “Still Growing”, and celebrates women who – much like wild flowers – are still growing and thriving, despite everything.

Known for its unique printed fabrics and exquisite craftsmanship, Liberty of London has been in the business of high-end fashion and luxury homeware since 1875.

Over the years, the brand has built a legacy dedicated to discovery and design – all underpinned by the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement that inspired its founder, Sir Arthur Lasenby Liberty.

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The bespoke Liberty print that decorates this collection features a graphic yet intricate scenic vista, and was handpainted by Liberty’s in-house team of artists in London exclusively for PUMA. Named “Wild Garden”, the landscape print features a wide range of jewel-toned flora and fauna – it’s inhabited by birds, butterflies, deer, rabbits, pink horses and even a Liberty puma.

The range includes footwear, unique apparel items such as the reversible kimono, and some of the loveliest training gear ever. The collection’s lookbook and campaign images feature bold and inspiring women from a variety of fields, each celebrating their success in their own unique way.

In short, the PUMA x Liberty collaboration flips the soft connotation of florals for a collection that reflects the strength of the wild flower – and of today’s fearless, powerful, creative women. puma.com | libertylondon.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PUMA WORDS ROBYN ALEXANDER

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RAISING THE BAR

Summer is the season to lift your spirits, celebrate the holiday season and elevate the standard of your sundowners – and where better to do that than at any one of these fabulous rooftop bars around the country?

MOUNTAIN CLUB BISTRO, CAPE TOWN Nestled in the heart of Tamboerskloof, the Mountain Club Bistro at Cloud 9 Boutique Hotel boasts a double-level restaurant with a plunge pool on the upper deck, and majestic city and Table Mountain views. Food ranges from breakfast to tapas, sushi and desserts; there are also signature cocktails on offer. Try a refreshing mojito while enjoying the bespoke decor by local creatives Etienne Hanekom and Cara Saven & Co, and illustrator and artist Lucie de Moyencourt. hotelcloudnine.com

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PHOTOS SUPPLIED WORDS MICHAELA STEHR

ALTO234, SANDTON Currently the highest urban bar in Africa, and boasting 360-degree views of Johannesburg, Alto 234 offers bespoke experiences, from high teas to sunset drinks. The sleek, chic multi-use space, designed by Varoom Interiors, draws visual inspiration from Joburg’s mining history, and the breathtaking view is always centre stage here – so come along to sip on bubbles and enjoy canapés and oysters while taking in the impressive surroundings. alto234.co.za

BACK YARD AT UMHLANGA ARCH, UMHLANGA Upstairs from the popular Legacy Yard food hall, Back Yard is the ideal location for a sophisticated summer cocktail. Embracing the tropical vibe of Durban, this new spot employs botanical themes and bright colours throughout the space, with large murals by Damn Vandal adding an urban edge. A piña colada next to the firepit, surrounded by all things tiki, will instantly evoke the feeling of summer holidays at the beach, while food prepared down at Legacy Yard will keep the peckish satisfied. Bliss… umhlangaarch.co.za

RADISSON RED ROOFTOP BAR, JOBURG Situated on the top floor of the ubercool Radisson Red in Rosebank (which we showcased in full in VISI 115), this spectacular rooftop bar and terrace allows visitors and hotel guests alike to take a dip in the bright-red mosaic pool, savour bespoke cocktails (try the dirty gin martini for a kick) created by top mixologists, or socialise and snack on culinary delights by OUI Bar & KTCHN – all while listening to the freshest DJs and live acts. This is undoubtedly one of Joburg’s hottest new summer spots. radissonhotels.com

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STAR QUALITY

At Suidster near Montagu, Hendre Bloem’s sleek yet soulful take on the country cabin elevates this humble type of dwelling to its design-driven apotheosis.

hen Suidster’s owners Cobus Van Wyk and Ruan Van De Venter moved back to South Africa after a 16-year stint in the UK, they chose a farm between Montagu and Barrydale for its likeness to the western Scottish isles. “It reminds us of Scotland – the mountains and plants,” says Cobus.

“And it has the same rugged beauty,” Ruan adds.

Here they have built their own home, and recently added two remotely situated, solar-powered mountain escapes to which guests can come in search of fresh air and fynbos. When initially imagining the cabins, they knew they wanted something that referenced the cottages they had seen in the Scottish countryside. With this in mind, they asked interior designer Hendre Bloem to bring their vision to life.

Apart from a rectangular, corrugated-iron-clad starting point and a loose framework, Hendre had relatively free rein. “We wanted to keep the footprint small, and to make the cabins simple and sustainable but also luxurious inside,”

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says Cobus. The rest was up to Hendre. What he’s come up with in response is both simple and incredibly smart: simple in that these are rectangular, barn-style structures with no interior walls; and smart because, despite being one sizeable space (of approximately 80m2), each cabin is also resolved and sophisticated. This is down to just how good Hendre is at organising space.

By cleverly placing and positioning the furniture and fittings, he has achieved a sense of flow as well as pockets of privacy – via the use of details such as curtains around the freestanding bath that also screens the shower from view, a headboard that acts as a room divider, and klompie tiles in different tones that signal the different zones in the space.

“I’m a fan of creating a continuous flow from one area to the next,” says Hendre – but he’s also very much aware that when everything is open, attention to detail is crucial.

“Everything here is integrated and unobtrusive. So, when you’re lying in bed, you can’t see the bath – and when the

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kitchen is not in use, the island looks like a nice table.”

It’s a marriage of ease of use with aesthetic appeal.

“I really wanted to create a space that was unique in its experience – to strip it back to the essentials, but to still include everything you’d need to be comfortable,” he adds. And he’s really delivered on this score – everything you need is here, yet the space feels calm, uncluttered and luxurious.

The environment was a key source of design stimulus: the cottages unobtrusively blend into the landscape, and their positioning ensures that their occupants appreciate the beautiful surroundings. Privacy and seclusion were factors when the sites were chosen, as were the views.

Hendre also drew on the name of the property, Suidster – southern star – as a source of inspiration. “I was inspired by the idea of coordinates and orientation… When we were deciding where to place doors and windows, we made sure that every area, whether you’re sitting by the fire or lying in bed, has a beautiful vantage point,” he says.

Likewise, he looked to the landscape for the palette.

“The colours – ambers, plums, rusts – were inspired by the rock formations in the area. I wanted the interiors to complement and balance the fresh greens that come in from the outside.”

As with all design, some details evolved. Here it was the outdoor areas that developed from the original plans, with Kolkol wood-fired tubs added as a savvy way to adapt to the seasons (plunge pools in summer; hot tubs in winter).

And, of course, there’s an outdoor shower.

“We want the cottages to age well and become part of the environment,” says Cobus. This sense of ease and flow is something Hendre excels at, and his designs create balance, too. Here he’s combined matt and smooth textures, sheer linen curtains and solid black eaves, lines and curves – all blended into an interior design that’s earthy yet elevated.

In short, it’s a comfortable, contemporary and charming take on the country cabin. suidster.co.za | hendrebloem.com

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SEASON’S BEST

One of the summer’s must-see contemporary art exhibitions is KRONE X WHATIFTHEWORLD – a beautifully curated showcase of 40 artists under the age of 40 that’s set to run until 28 February 2022.

eaturing 60 works by 40 artists under the age of 40, this year’s KRONE X WHATIFTHEWORLD showcase is currently taking place at Twee Jonge Gezellen – the home of Krone Cap Classique – in Tulbagh. Definitely one of the unmissable cultural events of the summer, the exhibition represents a celebratory moment for contemporary art, drawing on young talent from across the African continent – and beyond.

Most of the pieces on show were created during the Covid-19 pandemic, with selected artworks placed together in conversation; the idea is to experience all 60 pieces in relation to one another. Much of the art explores renewed negotiations of intimacy and sociality,

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and mediums span painting, photography, sculpture, murals, video, mixed media and installation. The artists – some up-and-coming, others well-established – represent a generation determined to flip the script, and manifest new ways of making and being in the world.

Lakin Ogunbanwo (Nigeria), Stephané Edith Conradie (Namibia), Sepideh Mehraban (Iran), Chris Soal (South Africa) and Ronald Muchatuta (Zimbabwe) are just a few of the noteworthy participants – and among the many standout works to look forward to are oil-paint-and-plaster sculptures by Mia Chaplin; a delicate pencil drawing by Dada Khanyisa; beadwork sculptures by Asemahle Ntlonti, in collaboration with Noxolo Dyosi and Pumla Lempuku; and large-scale woodblock reliefs by Sthenjwa Luthuli.

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Because of the way it’s been laid out, this exhibition is hugely enjoyable to explore, with a map connecting visitors to various installation sites. There are seven indoor and outdoor locations in total, situated across the Twee Jonge Gezellen estate, and the exhibition route is carefully

It makes for several hours of enjoyable exploration and contemplation, with the nearby Krone Cap Classique tasting room, set against a majestic mountain and vineyard backdrop, providing an opportunity for refreshment and reflection.

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The exhibition route takes visitors through seven different spaces on the Twee Jonge Gezellen estate; the artworks have been placed in ways that encourage a “conversation” between them – the piece on the wall here is by Buhlebezwe Siwani; Adeniyi Damilola’s Ewa (2020, acrylic on canvas); a work by Mia Chaplin (left) and Gabrielle Kruger’s Weaving Through (2020, acrylic on board). OPPOSITE, FROM LEFT This light-filled exhibition space includes pieces

by Feni Chulumanco (left) and Ben Orkin (centre); Rickshaw Cowboy (2020, acrylic on canvas) by Kylie Wentzel.

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DELICATE DISPLAY

Local ceramic studio Rialheim has launched a new concept store in the innovative SOKO District at the Rosebank Mall in Joburg.

ccupying an expansive, collaborative, open-plan space in the SOKO District – an innovative, flexible, next-gen retail area recently created at Rosebank Mall – Rialheim’s instantly recognisable ceramics hang from plywood walls in an interactive shopping display. From ceramic skulls and animal planters to mugs, bookends and various other decor accessories, all your Rialheim favourites are here.

The SOKO District was chosen for its smooth fit with the brand. Rialheim utilises a large portion of the space, displaying its best-known and most-coveted pieces as well as fresh new designs and ranges.

“SOKO has offered us an opportunity to be able to access the feet that move through shops, within a shopping centre environment,” says Rialheim CEO Daniel Swanepoel. “We weren’t expected to fork out a huge deposit, or to put shop-fitting together with all the brand collateral. SOKO had done all of this already, and had given us a shop-fitting solution that’s tailored to our visual merchandising vibe.”

In the Town Hall – the SOKO events and product activation space – Rialheim has hung hundreds of ceramic birds from the ceiling as part of an interactive exhibition entitled “We Believe Our Dreams Unite Us”.

“My favourite thing to do now is to go to SOKO and read everyone’s dreams,” says Rial Visage, the founder of Rialheim.

“It has really touched me. People have dreams about becoming a supermodel, or the end of Covid; grandparents wish their grandchildren could come from abroad to visit. It’s very emotional. I feel that every person’s dreams are valid, and I’m honoured to have been able to afford people a moment to dream and to forget about all the ugly in the world – even if it is just for a little while.” rialheim.co.za | sokodistrict.com

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HIGH DRAMA

A new private members’ club soaks up the vistas of Umhlanga in KZN from the vantage point of the area’s newest high-rise building – and makes a cohesive statement about contemporary luxury.

rom the outset, The Pencil Club was a groundbreaking project – a members’ only space laid out across the two top floors of the Umhlanga Arch mixed-use building. Inside, from the Carrara marble floors and decorative brass details to dramatic fluted-glass privacy screens and extravagant chandeliers, the glamorous venue is all about customised design, seamless elegance and innovative use of space.

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The brainchild of Renzo Scribante and Marc Rosenberg, The Pencil Club was designed by Craft of Architecture in collaboration with the Umhlanga Arch development, with interiors by Mobius Interior Architecture. The client’s intention was to create a luxurious, comfortable and exciting leisure and dining destination that doubled as a cutting-edge business and networking hub for its members.

THIS PAGE The decor at Rosewood Lounge, Bar and Restaurant – the flagship entertainment space at The Pencil Club – includes bespoke details, such as emerald-green tiles that hug the bar, and custom seating. OPPOSITE The thoroughfare from the reception area to the Rosewood features plantation-style arches that lead into the Terrace Café – a nod to architecture of days gone by.

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Key considerations? That fluid and distinct spaces would easily work both day and night, and incorporate meeting pockets, larger rooms, and surprise pause and think-tank areas for individuals and groups. The owners also wanted “spaces to be seen” for socialites; discreet nodes where industry leaders could congregate; indoor and outdoor gathering areas; plus a gym, a library, a coffee bar and a fine-dining restaurant. And most importantly – timeless, five-star appeal.

Spearheaded by Victoria Wood, Mobius Interior Architecture succeeded in not only meeting the brief,

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but in exceeding its requirements. “The site itself is magnificent, with 360-degree views over sugar-cane fields, the undulating coastline, the Indian Ocean and the city lights of Durban,” Victoria says. “It was only fitting for us to create something that reflected the diversity and uniqueness of its position.”

The starting point was choosing a colour palette that would mirror the tropical aspects of the surrounding landscape, without resorting to the predictable ice-cream shades associated with cities such as Miami. “I was inspired by the coral pinks of the setting Durban sun, and shades of

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The ribbon reception desk was designed by the Mobius Interior Architecture team and manufactured from mahogany and leather; the buzzing Arts Bar and Ballroom transform into an elegant function space at night; the mahogany-clad library wall is indicative of the Mobius team’s focus on handcrafted detailing; the screen between the Arts Bar and Ballroom easily pivots to create one large space – or ensure privacy. OPPOSITE, FROM TOP A collection of iconic Assouline books is housed in the members-only library; the Exec Desk area offers a quiet space to work or host an informal meeting.

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emerald and sage from the surrounding sugar-cane fields – there is a distinct sense of Africa in those hues,” says Victoria. “And while we wanted to reach back to the timeless glamour of the Art Deco gentleman’s club, The Pencil Club required a completely fresh, contemporary egalitarian feel.”

Creating a private club in a new building, without the patina of time and traditions, meant finding subtle but impactful ways to convey authenticity. “We were influenced by classic finishes like marble and terrazzo floors, brass inlays, leather cladding, velvet upholstery, polished hardwoods and stucco – but then we played with modern techniques and a specific palette of colours to complement the finishes we chose,” Victoria explains.

Overall, though, it was all about “creating distinct moods and evoking an emotional response”, she adds.

This ethos is clear in the details of The Pencil Club. To demarcate the many different spaces within the 1 800m2 venue, the design team used contrasting flooring, including terrazzo in the passages, marble slabs in the bar areas and herringbone timber floors in the private lounges.

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To assist with the transition between the various spaces, generous timber-lined architraves are used to introduce new thresholds, allowing guests to acknowledge the narrative of the room they are entering.

The pièce de résistance is undoubtedly the Rosewood Bar, which occupies part of the entertainment space on the 23rd floor. The horseshoe-shaped bar – complete with its Carrara-marble top, custom brass-and-leather lamps and solid-brass gantry-type light – serves as a magnetic central point between the fine-dining restaurant and the Rosewood Lounge.

In marked contrast to the Rosewood Bar’s feel of a classic Parisian café, the Ladies’ Powder Room is a fine example of a vintage glamazon’s lair. Here, it’s all about wall sconces with parchment shades, brass detailing and a palette of pinks. And these are just two of the more than 20 spaces at The Pencil Club, each outfitted with bespoke details and finishes befitting a high-status venue. This is one of those special places that needs to be experienced in person, so that every aspect of its sleek and sophisticated design can be appreciated. mobiusstudio.co.za | thepencilclub.com

THIS PAGE Mobius used a variety of finishes, fabrics and custom furniture to define different “zones” in the Rosewood, with the venue’s position overlooking Durban and the ocean a constant consideration. OPPOSITE, FROM TOP Open only to members, the intimate Ladies’ Powder Room is dressed in a subtle palette of berry tones, marble and brass finishes; the pool terrace offers a nod to classic ’50s Miami style, with terrazzo, bespoke tiles and seating in melon shades adding a delightfully nostalgic touch.

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FLIP AND FOLD

Samsung’s persistence in pursuing its folding-screen technology remains something to marvel at. Now in its third generation, the brand’s Galaxy Z series has two new entrants: the Fold3 and Flip3.

est – foldable different audience y a folding tablet ; the other includes stylis (yet tec savvy) p one users f r whom the nostalgic early-2000s feel of the Flip3 is extremely appealing.

Both the Fold3 and Flip3 have a new protective layer made from a stretchable film that’s 80% more durable than the one used on the Fold2, and are built using the toughest Armour Aluminium and Corning Gorilla Glass to protect against scratches and accidental drops. Also a first: they’re equipped with an IPX8 water-resistance rating, which means both devices can be submerged in 1.5m of fresh water for up to 30 minutes.

The Fold3 features impressive under-screen camera technology, so the user has an uninterrupted view of the 7.6-inch screen when opened. It introduces S Pen support, which replaces the Note series – and once it’s folded, you can still access a 6.8-inch display.

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It also has a trio of impressive cameras: 12MP triple rear, 10MP selfie, and the aforementioned 4MP under-display.

The Z Flip3, on the other hand, is more of a fashion statement. It’s the phone you want to be seen with while snapping selfies – yet it’s still a premium product packed with similar tech to the Fold3. The Flip3 has a larger 1.9-inch front cover display that supports widgets, notifications, Samsung Pay, and the ability to shoot pics and videos without opening it unnecessarily. It has two cameras: a 10MP dual rear and a 10MP selfie cam.

Both phones feature 5G connectivity, 120Hz screen refresh rates, wireless fast charging and Samsung’s Hideaway Hinge, which repels dust and allows the devices to be locked in multiple angles – a clever little trick that’s called Flex Mode. According to lab tests, the hinge promises to withstand 200 000 folds. That’s some serious flex!

We’re definitely impressed, and if we had to pick, we’re leaning towards the dinky, trendy Flip3. In South Africa, the Z Fold3 costs R37 999; the Z Flip3 is R21 999. samsung.com

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THE GREAT № 8

The latest generation of a bona fide automotive legend has arrived on local shores: we take a look at the new Volkswagen Golf GTI and its seven illustrious predecessors.

umber one was nearly a nein. Back in 1975, a handful of VW engineers were keen to put a more powerful engine into their new boxy hatchback, but the VW board wasn’t all that convinced. Fortunately, the engineers were enthusiastic and persuasive enough for the Herr Direktors to sign off on a run of just 5 000 examples of what was badged a Golf “GTI”.

They ended up selling 461 690 examples of the first series as the public took to the free-revving little hot hatch with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for bratwurst at Oktoberfest. Unfortunately, we had to wait a few more years before the GTI was launched in South Africa: it only hit our showroom floors in 1982 but, true to form, it proved to be as popular as our own favourite barbecued sausage.

A COMEBACK FROM THE WILDERNESS Unfortunately, once they got old enough to afford a GTI, the badge had lost its way a bit. While generations three and four boasted a few more horses under their bonnets, visually they were less exciting. Gone were the double headlights and the red stripe on the grille.

And then they were all back… Under the slightly confusing and altogether un-woke slogan, “For boys who were already men back then”, the fifth-gen GTI saw the welcome return of the characteristic red trim line around a honeycomb grille, and striking new “telephone dial” alloy wheels housed under muscular wheel arches.

That pretty much set the template for all that followed.

Generations six and seven kept the faith, blending the

Two years later, the next-generation Golf – the “Jumbo” Golf – was revealed. By then, the GTI was no longer an afterthought, but an integral part of the model lineup.

Although significantly larger than its predecessor, the GTI design DNA was clearly visible in the red stripe on the radiator grille, the black headliner and the four-spoke steering wheel with familiar round hooter buttons. In 1986, the legendary 16-valve engine was introduced – and that little red “16V” badge on the bumper was about as aspirational as it got for pimply young petrolheads.

signature GTI design accents with increasingly powerful engines and an ever more sophisticated chassis. The GTI’s silhouette grew sleeker and sharper to match its athletic abilities; the interior design also kept pace by introducing high-end finishes, as well as impressive driver-aid and infotainment tech.

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THE MASTERCLASS CONTINUES Which brings us to number eight and its recent arrival on the southern tip of Africa. It is car that’s both similar

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PRICE: R669 300, including 3-year/120 000km warranty and 5-year/90 000km service plan

THIS PAGE The fully digitised interior includes the InnoVision Cockpit’s crisp 10.25-inch touchscreen, as well as App-Connect, cruise control with speed limiter, park distance control, phone interface with inductive charging, and 30-colour ambient lighting. Kings Red is one of the four metallic colours available; the others are Dolphin Grey, Atlantic Blue and Reflex Silver.

to and radically different from its predecessor. The similar bits include the engine and the silhouette – it has #7’s 2.0-litre turbopetrol under that sculpted hood, but with 180kW and 370Nm, power is up 20kW and 20Nm over its predecessor. If you squint, #7 and #8 don’t look all that different either – until your eyes take in details. Headlights are slimmer, sharper and more elongated. And, of course, the red trim is there, now accentuated by an eye-catching light bar. Below that, a striking new flattened honeycomb grille stretches from flank to flank, cleverly incorporating the fog lights.

It’s inside that the real revolution has happened, with a fully digital cabin of flat screens, haptic feedback “buttons”, and a small gear selector that will have you re-calibrating exactly how you operate a car. It’s a triumph of functional minimalism that may not be everyone’s stein of Weissbier – but not only will you get used to it after a day or two behind the wheel, you’ll also fully understand what a complete masterclass this latest GTI is in the art of building a hot hatch. It’s a quick but supremely sophisticated vehicle that, yet again, shifts the red-accented bar a few notches higher. vw.co.za

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BE SURE TO BOOK

Looking for an especially inspiring gift for a fellow design lover – or simply feel like spoiling yourself? Here are three beautiful new architecture and design titles that will definitely fit the bill.

VIVID: STYLE IN COLOUR by Julia Green, with photography by Armelle Habib Hardie Grant Books | R620

Packed with eye candy, Vivid conveys the storied experience of renowned stylist Julia Green, showing how the application of colour in our homes and workplaces can create different atmospheres and outcomes. There are eight chapters divided by colour – orange, red, blue, green, pink, yellow, neutrals, and black – and full of inspiring imagery courtesy of photographer Armelle Habib, as well as interviews with colour mavens around the world, including designer Mariella Ienna (who is based in Sydney and Palermo), and Laurence Leenaert of LRNCE, in Marrakech. Short essays delve into topics such as the science of colour and colour psychology; the use of bold or clashing colour; and styling with colour in small spaces, and for the seasons. If you love colour, this book should be at the very top of your wish list.

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WOMAN MADE: GREAT WOMEN DESIGNERS by Jane Hall Phaidon | R1 180

As author Jane Hall says, “Woman Made attempts, as a reference point, to ensure that women designers have a better chance of visibility.” Her book profiles more than 200 female creatives – specifically within the field of product design – working from the early 20th century to the present, and includes icons and trailblazers such as Ray Eames, Eileen Gray, Florence Knoll, Ilse Crawford and Faye Toogood. Entries are arranged in alphabetical order by surname, and each features a key product image as well as a brief biography of the designer. An essential reference for anyone interested in the history of design and the often under-the-radar work done by women in this particular creative field, Woman Made both informs and inspires.

LIVING BY THE OCEAN: CONTEMPORARY HOUSES BY THE SEA by Phaidon editors Phaidon | R885

Paleontologists have determined that human beings were living alongside the Indian Ocean at Pinnacle Point, near Mossel Bay, 170 000 years ago. And if there’s one thing that hasn’t changed much since then, it’s our ongoing delight at the prospect of living close to the sea. What has changed is the style in which we do so – which is what this gorgeous coffee-table tome presents. From awe-inspiring dwellings perched on clifftops to covetable houses built on white-sand beaches and even a home constructed underwater, Living By The Ocean covers architectural innovation and creativity on six continents, and features designs by 47 internationally renowned architects. Stunning exteriors and inspiring interiors of each home are showcased, with all 50 projects sharing a genuine sense of connection between the buildings and their surroundings.

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A FINE ROMANCE

Combining art and culture with a unique natural and historical setting, Italy’s Villa Lena showcases a new, exciting type of travel destination that blends holiday relaxation with creative inspiration.

t’s an origin story redolent with romance: a country villa, situated close to the Tuscan village of Palaia – midway between Pisa and Florence – is built by a wealthy family of Italian aristocrats in the late 19th century. It soon becomes a famous venue for parties and meetings (and hunting), and the family cultivates olives, grapes and wheat on the land. But after its early 20th century heyday, and with the death of the original owner in 1931, the estate goes into decline, undergoing many changes in ownership as the subsequent decades go by.

As a result, when the current owners bought the San Michele estate in 2007, it was in a state of extensive disrepair. Fortunately, art world professional Lena

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Evstafieva, musician and producer Jérôme Hadey, and Parisian restaurateur and nightclub owner Lionel Bensemoun had a plan: they’d combine their skills and knowledge to redevelop the property, and found the Villa Lena Agriturismo Experience and Art Foundation.

Today, Villa Lena is the kind of hybrid travel destination that we’re expecting to see much more of in the coming decade: it’s a creative residence, an agritourism hotel and a tranquil holiday escape. Guests interact with Villa Lena’s creative family – and in the process, they celebrate local Tuscan history, culture and food in an environment that offers international artists, writers, designers, filmmakers, musicians, creatives, chefs and agricultural experts the space to explore and hone their respective crafts.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF VILLA LENA: DANIELE CIVETTA, LOTTIE HAMPSON, DAVID KALIGA, HENRIK LUNDELL, FREDERIK VERCRUYSSE, NIKLAS ADRIAN VINDELEV WORDS ROBYN ALEXANDER

The estate includes 500 hectares of woodland, vineyards, olive groves and organic vegetable gardens. The villa itself, sitting at the heart of the property, now houses the Villa Lena Art Foundation and artist-in-residence programme.

Beautifully converted, historic agricultural buildings – former farmhouses, stables and hunting lodges – contain guest apartments and other shared facilities.

Creativity and collaboration are essential to life at Villa Lena, with a programme of events ranging from artists’ talks to children’s activities, and alfresco film screenings to cooking workshops and candlelit concerts.

As a guest here, you can choose to spend your days exploring the woodlands, or visiting nearby towns and cities such as San Gimignano or Siena. You can learn to make fresh pasta, forage for truffles, socialise over cocktails or just relax by the pool. Each evening, guests and artists gather at the terrace restaurant for a communal dining experience – where, of course,

you can expect seasonal, organic menus rooted in Italian cuisine and prepared by the visiting chef-in-residence.

Lena was the gallery director at Pace London before coming to run the Villa Lena Art Foundation. Previous programme participants and advisory board members of the foundation include RZA (of Wu-Tang Clan fame), artist and filmmaker Lola Schnabel, fashion designer Barbara Casasola, gallerist Emmanuel Perrotin and art curator Caroline Bourgeois. The artistic energy at Villa Lena is infectious, and guests are encouraged to participate in workshops, talks and other events in collaboration with the resident artists.

With a conscious dedication to art and culture at the heart of the project, this is an inspiring and serene place for individuals and for families. Villa Lena cultivates both nature and culture, exemplifying a new way of living – and providing a genuinely fresh choice for travellers in search of something out of the ordinary. villa-lena.it

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT A table set up for one of Villa Lena’s communal dinners; British artist Bobby Dowler’s exhibition after his residency; there is also space for a yogi-in-residence at Villa Lena, open to yoga teachers of all practices; a tranquil guest bedroom in the San Michele building on the estate. OPPOSITE, FROM LEFT The Tuscan hotel and estate include a variety of carefully renovated buildings and two swimming pools; a rare handmade 1970s Murano glass chandelier by Carlo Scarpa adorns Fattoria, the building that was once the estate’s stables.

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COMMON THREAD

The Eastern Cape weavers of the Keiskamma Art Project have come together to tell the story of the pandemic through the medium of another of their extraordinary works – the Resilience Tapestry.

he Keiskamma Art Project is part of the greater Keiskamma Trust, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to uplifting the communities that live in the area alongside the Keiskamma River in the Eastern Cape with design, craft skills, and technology training – and the project’s skilled weavers have again captured an unforgettable period in our history with their work.

The project’s extraordinary 7.5m-long Covid-19 Resilience Tapestry was recently unveiled as a workin-progress installation at Union House in Cape Town as part of the “Right Here, Right Now” group exhibition.

It weaves together memories of a year that many of us will never forget, capturing – over four seasons – what life was like in Keiskamma during the first year of the pandemic. The tapestry is dominated by a giant

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fig tree at its centre – “the tree of life” – with the Keiskamma River winding behind it. Scenes from the village’s experiences of the pandemic unfold in thread from left to right, like a calendar, illustrating the seasons and events that are being lived through.

Two “prophets” begin the narrative: the historic, near-mythical Xhosa prophet Nongqawuse, and South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa. They overlook the unfolding story as birds fly between branches over the heads of masked, socially distanced community members, and woven lines of poetry by Marguerite Poland that capture the unique cosmology of the Eastern Cape.

“It is an honour to be associated with a work that will empower and enable people to express their talent, and assist them in times of economic stress,” Marguerite says of her involvement. “The tapestry, which reflects on the history, language and culture of their community in response to the devastating effect of this worldwide pandemic, will be a legacy of great significance.”

It’s difficult to capture the scope of the work without seeing it, but while much of 2020 and 2021 threatened to tear livelihoods and communities apart, particularly in rural areas, the inspirational Resilience Tapestry pieces the story back together in the sensitive and moving way that only great art can.

Michaela Howse, manager of the Keiskamma Art Project, says this woven record is an important part of the work they do. “One of the goals of the Keiskamma Art Project is to capture memory and local knowledge through quite a beautiful consultative process with the community,” she says. “Through the stitch, we make visible some of the invisible knowledge that exists.”

Since first being exhibited, the tapestry has been acquired by entrepreneur Ravi Naidoo, the founder of Design Indaba, who intends to exhibit the piece in a public space to ensure its message is seen and understood. “The tapestry captures what we’ve all just been through, and also helps us figure out what this unprecedented time in our lives has done to us collectively,” says Ravi. “The people of Keiskamma need our support more than ever – I hope that bringing awareness to their work by finding a place to display it so that the public can partake in it, will ensure their voices continue to be heard.” death_and_resurrection_

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PHOTOS SUPPLIED WORDS GARRETH VAN NIEKERK

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THIS PAGE Details of the Keiskamma Covid-19 Resilience Tapestry capture the unique response of the rural community during the pandemic. OPPOSITE A giant fig tree, which represents the Tree of Life, dominates the narrative of the tapestry.

Beneath its branches, village life and the story of the pandemic are brought into being through stitch.

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FOUR - LEGGED FRIEND

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better table companion than Kino’s new dining chair – whether you choose a striking and playful colourway, or an elegant wood finish.

andcrafted, stackable, made from solid wood: the Kino dining chair is a piece worthy of a place at any table. Use it to add a fun, colourful element to a clean-lined dining space, or keep things subtle with a pared-down natural ash or American walnut finish. Design duo Nico Hendriksz and Anton Louw (pictured opposite) explain further.

How did Kino come about? We both have a background in industrial design. A combined woodworking workshop in 2013 led to a nursery furniture range called Kind (Afrikaans word for child), but we soon realised that it was time for the brand to grow up and develop into something more.

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With a small alteration to our logo, we became Kino – a high-end furniture brand. Everything is designed and manufactured locally by our small team of skilled and passionate craftspeople.

How would you describe your design aesthetic? Ideas for new products are often sparked by experimenting with new manufacturing processes. Although we have never set out to design a product to suit a specific style, most of our work is Japandi (Japanese-influenced Scandinavian style).

Our design process happens organically – it is a natural form of self-expression – and our approach has always been towards clean, minimalist detailing.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KINO INTERVIEW BIDDI RORKE

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What sets this dining chair apart from others? Its design and proportions make it visually ”light”, considering it is a sturdy, solid-wood chair. The many colour options and finishes give clients the freedom to make a space unique and exciting. The fact that the chairs are stackable (up to four) makes them super-practical should you need to store them – and economical for global shipping too.

What type of wood do you use? Ash is used for all the colour options. This timber has a beautiful grain, which becomes even more pronounced when colour is applied.

Usually, chairs in colour finishes don’t boast the unique natural texture of timber.

Is it all manufactured locally? Yes, every detail from design to manufacturing is done in-house at our workshop in Durbanville, Cape Town. This allows us to have complete control over quality and lead times. In terms of product development, we share the design process. Nico takes the design into 3D modelling and technical drawings, before passing them on to Anton, who is in charge of production. kino.co.za

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LET’S GET FESTIVE

Champagne is still the ultimate celebration accessory – and a limited-edition bottle that looks good and offers drinking enjoyment does double duty as both a decor element and a thoughtful gift.

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1. HOOKED ON CLASSICS: Trio of Moët & Chandon Impérial, Impérial Nectar and Impérial Rosé. The annual limited-edition gift bottles and boxes by Moët & Chandon are always as fun, festive and iconic as Impérial itself.

The house’s signature Champagne was created in 1869, and embodies a seductive palate and elegant maturity.

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Rosé Impérial from R800

3. THE MEMORY MAKER: Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Radiating Retro Chic Tape. Like many excellent designs of the present, the Veuve Clicquot Radiating Retro special edition pays homage to the past with a sophisticated geometric design. Inspired by 1960s wallpaper, the pack offers a dose of vintage chic – and the irreverent Champagne inside pairs well with a playlist from just about any decade. From R650

2. A SUSTAINABLE CENTREPIECE: Ruinart Blanc de Blancs.

Ruinart’s move to replace gift boxes with a recyclable “second skin” made from pulped paper has resulted in a case that mimics the curves of the bottle, protecting its contents from light and moisture. The sculptural yet minimal surface evokes the walls of the crayères in Reims, the ancient chalk quarries where Ruinart Champagnes age – and the packaging is so ecofriendly, it’s reduced the Maison’s carbon footprint by 60%.

4. PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE: Dom Pérignon X Lady Gaga Vintage 2010 Limited Edition Blanc. Dom Pérignon’s mission to create harmony that inspires emotion is the perfect complement to Lady Gaga’s musical style. The unique conditions offered by 2010’s harvest culminated in a wine with a full presence, whose character unfolds, generous and firm, before tautening around vibrant, spicy notes and a salty finish. Choose this statement bottle to pop at midnight, and see in the new year.

From R1 195

From R3 500

Moët & Chandon Impérial from R600; Nectar Impérial from R750;

O U R G I F T T O YO U ONE LUCKY VISI READER WILL BE GIFTED ONE OF EACH OF THE BOTTLES OF CHAMPAGNE FEATURED ON THIS PAGE, WORTH A TOTAL OF R7 495. GO TO VISI.CO.ZA TO ENTER.

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PHOTOS SUPPLIED WORDS LUCIENNE VAN PUL COMPETITION ONLY OPEN TO OVER-18s.

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REFLECTIVE RETREAT

Paying tribute to the spirit and legacy of Nelson Mandela, his Houghton family home has been converted into a contemplative hotel in which visitors are encouraged to be inspired by the history of a local hero.

anctuary Mandela is exactly that: a sanctuary.

As you walk up the steps and under the archway into what was once Nelson Mandela’s Johannesburg home, you are greeted by an André Prinsloo bronze sculpture of Tata Madiba reading a newspaper, placed in almost the identical spot where the man himself would read every morning. This sets the tone for the rest of the moving, understated experience of the interiors of this new boutique hotel.

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about the concept behind the hotel. “Sanctuary Mandela had to feel like a hotel, but also like a home. I designed the space to incorporate various original elements that pay homage to the original structure, and although I kept as much intact as possible, there were sections that had to be demolished and rebuilt – but with original aspects hidden strategically, skilfully and ingeniously throughout.”

Ehrardt also actively used patterns and materials that offer subtle nods to Mandela’s heritage, with nothing

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT A tiled pathway leads to the front entrance of Sanctuary Mandela; the bronze sculpture of Madiba

by André Prinsloo; the main lobby exhibition space, which leads to the restaurant and upstairs to the guest suites; the decor of one of the guest suites includes framed letters, written by Nelson Mandela to his children while he was imprisoned; the doublevolume exhibition space features artwork donated by the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

PHOTOS SUPPLIED WORDS MICHAELA STEHR

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Each piece is part of a story that’s spun like a web throughout the building. “You will see details that reference Madiba’s life as well as the narrative of the original home,” Ehrardt says. “These are often subtle, almost hidden, encouraging the viewer to look deeper into each space.”

Certain original features were retained – including the round boundary wall of Madiba’s study, which is reflected from the boardroom and translated into the design of the

says Ehrardt. “This curve extended into the step of the swimming pool outside, where the thatched structure once existed.”

Madiba’s bedroom was also preserved and is now the hotel’s main suite. Two other bedrooms from the original house have likewise been transformed into guest rooms, and an additional six suites were added during the renovation. The quiet, calm spaces all tell a poignant and important historical tale in a one-of-a-kind

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Kim H Nieu’s Ehrardt Nieuwoudt; the hotel’s public lounge area and bar; a 1952 photo donated by the Nelson Mandela Foundation; Motsamayi Tourism Group CEO Jerry Mabena; an undercover heated pool connects the bar and lounge to the outdoors; the spacious dressing area of the Presidential Suite; the reception area connects to the lobby exhibition space that leads onto the bar, lounge and restaurant.

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AN AGA FOR ALL

Since this iconic brand of cast-iron cookers has combined all-out traditional appeal with a slew of smart, contemporary updates, there’s now an AGA for absolutely every kitchen – and every cook.

a bit smug: they’ll tell you food tastes better if it’s prepared in one of these iconic appliances, and that their AGA adds a unique feeling of warmth and tactile appeal to their kitchen. But there are also a few new things to know about AGA cookers, which have changed substantially over the last few years.

For example, there are now many sizes of AGA cooker to choose from – the smallest is just 60cm wide – as well as a wide variety of fuel options, including gas, electric, paraffin and solid fuel. These days, selected AGAs are available with state-of-the-art induction hobs, and the AGA Rayburn even has a boiler option that will provide central heating and hot water for your home, enabling you to move off the electrical grid as and when you might need to do so.

What remains unchanged is the fact that AGAs use radiant heat from their cast-iron ovens to create food that tastes fantastic – and, because this method of cooking is so gentle,

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quite forgiving: unlike with many other ovens, if you leave something in just a bit too long, it won’t dry out and become inedible.

AGA cooking is intuitive. Each oven is designed to perform a certain function, such as roasting, baking or simmering.

That means you don’t need to worry about setting exactly the right temperature – simply use the oven appropriate for the dish you are cooking. The cast iron that AGAs are made from also reduces cooking smells and flavour transfer, making it possible to cook a variety of dishes in the same oven at the same time.

There’s now an AGA cooker for each stage of your life.

Whether you live in your first studio or your forever home, whether you’re a busy commuter or a home worker, and whether you have a full house or an empty nest, there’s an AGA that’s right for you – and for your kitchen. enquiries@agastoves.co.za

PHOTO SUPPLIED WORDS SIMON RUSSELL

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EARTH MOVING

An award-winning industrial showroom in Joburg shows how, with creativity and design savvy, architecture can transcend functionality.

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However, as Anthony Orelowitz, director at Paragon Architects (who designed the building) explains, this building is as efficiently engineered and cost-sensitive as any of them. He and his team simply found a way to liberate some extra design value.

What you see from the highway is a showroom with offices at the back, which is part of a larger campus for Barloworld Equipment, the southern African dealer for Caterpillar earthmoving machinery. The complex includes the company head office and a training centre; the eye-catching showroom was a new addition in a broader renovation.

Anthony explains that the distinctive shape of the showroom building was motivated by two things. First was the realisation that one of the most efficient ways to “capture the volume” necessary to house the gigantic vehicles was to create a bubble rather than a box. The poetry came with the savvy insight that the looping shape with a roof that comes right down to the ground is reminiscent of the iconic “caterpillar” tread associated with earthmoving equipment.

And this equipment is huge – the biggest vehicles weigh in at 60 tons. Their wheels alone, Anthony points out, are too big to get through an ordinary garage door.

In fact, he says that the double-glazed vertical sliding doors they had to design to get the equipment in and out are the largest in the world, at 8.4m by 5.5m.

By playing with the iconography of the building’s form, in a single design gesture they could achieve th n cessary

Seen from a distance, the building and equipment are in proportion, but the sheer scale of the earthmoving machinery – and the space to house it – can be unsettling close up. When you take into account the fact that the building is also an office space, you get a sense of the challenge the architects faced in reconciling the vast volumes with the need for something that has comfortable human dimensions for the people working there.

The showroom has two key areas – a “loop within a loop” as Anthony describes it. There’s a glassed-in showroom, where the offices are also located, and another covered outdoor display area. The building actually curves, so that you don’t take it in all at once.

“It reveals itself in a journey, as you travel from one end to the other,” Anthony explains. The curve was a massive challenge for the engineers, especially when combined with a curved roof, but the teams pulled it off, and have rightfully won several awards for their trouble, notably at the Southern African Institute of Steel Construction’s Steel Awards.

Inside, extensive internal landscaping and planting create a soft barrier between the otherwise open and connected showroom space and the offices, which brings down the scale. The planting also “brings the outside in”, so to speak, in a playful inversion of outside and inside that riffs off the notion of having earthmoving equipment indoors in the first place.

This buildi g is a fine example of how with a lit le insight

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP The curved shape of the Barloworld Equipment HQ (the southern African dealer for Caterpillar earthmoving machinery) allows the building to reveal itself gradually as you walk alongside it; indoor planting helps manage the transition between the massive volumes in the display area and the human-scale office space; the “bubble” not only captures volumes large enough to house the machinery, but also resembles the iconic caterpillar treads, communicating the building’s purpose; the “loop within a loop” creates an indoor showroom and office, as well as a covered outdoor display area.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PARAGON ARCHITECTS WORDS GRAHAM WOOD

rive along the R24 highway near OR Tambo International Airport, and you can’t help but notice it: a huge, bubble-shaped building with a glass front displaying gigantic excavators, bulldozers, graders and the like. Recently recognised by the Gauteng Institute for Architecture with an Award of Excellence, Barloworld Equipment’s headquarters is an exciting architectural flourish in the industrial landscape of Isando – especially when viewed among the relentless functional aesthetics of the other warehouses and factories in the area.

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FLOWER POWER

Grootbos Private Nature Reserve has long been known for luxury eco-tourism. Now it’s adding a bold, ambitious, pioneering new collection of botanical art to its portfolio.

he practice of botanical art dates back to the Romans, with the Codex Vindobonensis being the earliest example on record. Botanical paintings were used during the medieval period to document important medicinal plants, and over hundreds of years the expensive, time-consuming art of painting rare and unique plants transformed into a status symbol, with kings and nobles commissioning collections of painted or sketched specimens found growing in their private gardens.

These collections are known as florilegia; among the most renowned are the Highgrove Florilegium in Gloucestershire in the UK, and the Transylvania Florilegium in Romania.

Sean Privett is the conservation director for the Grootbos Foundation and, along with resident botanical artist Chris Lochner and project leader Vicki Thomas, immersed each of the artists contributing to the new florilegium there in the diverse ecology of the local biome in preparation for their work. “I did a presentation for all of the artists, as a background story on Grootbos and the research and conservation we’re doing here. For many of them, it was quite mind-blowing,” Sean says, reminiscing about the start of the florilegium project back in 2019.

He and Chris prepared a “hit list” for the artists of the top 150 plants that they wanted included, which were chosen because of their relevance to the area and their special characteristics – or because they existed only there and nowhere else in the world. “We’re trying to tell the story of fynbos and the Cape Floristic Region, using Grootbos as an example,” says Sean.

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Together with Sean and Chris, Vicki – a local resident and a renowned botanical artist – took the first group of artists into the field to select plants for the paintings that would form the basis of this exciting new collection.

Vicki’s credentials speak for themselves: she co-founded the Botanical Society of South Africa and has had her work published in scientific journals, and her paintings can be found in collections around the world. The scope of this florilegium will include renowned botanical artists from all over the world, with painters Mieko Ishikawa of Japan and Maria Alice de Rezende of Brazil just two of those planning a trip to Grootbos to add their talent to the project.

The process of rendering fynbos specimens in pencil and paint is complicated. An artist can spend months (in some cases up to a year) with their specimen to understand the intricacies of its structure, function and relevance to the environment. While live cuttings are used as models, photography is also heavily relied on as a way of extending the life of each plant for painting. What’s more, some fynbos species are like ghosts: transient and ephemeral.

Aiming to preserve and document species of indigenous plant life that are being systematically erased from record through human activity, the Grootbos Florilegium is an ambitious and inspired story of firsts. Ground was also recently broken on construction of the Hannarie Wenhold Botanical Gallery, where the florilegium collection will be housed. The gallery will be the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere, and accessible to researchers and members of the public alike. grootbos.com

ABOVE, FROM LEFT Grootbos Foundation conservation director Sean Privett; florilegium project leader Vicki Thomas; Grootbos’s artist in residence Chris Lochner; botanical artist Lynda de Wet.

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PHOTOS GARETH WILLIAMS/GROOTBOS WORDS MATTHEW McCLURE

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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Haemanthus sanguineus vignette by Vicki Thomas; Brunia laevis by Lynda de Wet; Cyrtanthus leucanthus by Vicki Thomas; Haemanthus coccineus by Vicki Thomas.

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ELEMENTAL MOOD

Launched via an inspiring showcase in Cape Town in October 2021, Design Afrika’s new Totem collection features beautiful pieces by designers and creative makers from across the African continent.

ombining thoughtful curation with generous collaboration, and featuring the work of more than 30 designers and creatives from Africa, the Totem collection is a joyful celebration of functional art. It’s also an honouring of the creative community, inspired by artists and makers in South Africa, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and other countries.

A totem is a natural object or creature that serves as a symbol of a tribe, clan or family – and many of the pieces in the Totem collection draw inspiration from West Africa, where totemic symbolism is distinctly graphic and bold.

All items reflect each maker’s unique practice and process, too: Belinda Blignaut’s tactile ceramic vessels and vases, for example, are in part about the fact that she digs her own clay, allowing chance and the unknown to influence the final forms and shapes of her work.

Overall, the colours of the Totem collection are inspired by the earth, with deep chocolate, coffee, ochre, sand and off-white shades punctuated by bold black and touches of vibrant yellow. “Totem draws inspiration from the cultures I encounter while working in Africa,” says Binky Newman, the curatorial and creative force behind the collection, and the founder of Design Afrika. “There is huge respect for the land and the elderly, and an honouring of the ancestors.”

Our highlights include mesmerising Bogolan textile art

by Malian cooperative Atelier Autodidacts Anti-Algorithms (AAAA); Dor+Kie Objects’ sensual carved wooden Nasan range of tableware; and the elegantly simple, functional pieces by Julia Buss of Black Dog Ceramics. The Keiskamma Art Project’s beautiful embroidery and KwaZulu-Natalbased Alpha Weavers’ sophisticated monochrome woven items also caught our acquisitive eye.

As Binky suggested when we spoke to her at the exhibition, the collection forms part of the re-emergence of local makers and designers following the many losses, both financial and personal, of the past few years. It is, for Binky – and doubtless for many of those whose work is featured – about rebirth. “It’s about coming back from the fire,” she says. “It’s about grieving and rebounding.

It’s about surrounding ourselves with objects that have meaning and bring comfort.”

More than ever, it’s local and African design that needs our attention, encouragement and support – and investing in one of these beautiful pieces would be an excellent way to start doing exactly that. designafrika.co.za

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PHOTOS SULY KUHN/LAAIK SOCIAL MEDIA WORDS ROBYN ALEXANDER

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A R C H I T E C T U R A L P L A N T E R S | C U S T O M P R O J E C T S | I N S TA L L AT I O N S & M A I N T E N A N C E

CAPE TOWN | THE PALMS LIFESTYLE & DECOR CENTRE | 145 SIR LOWRY RD | WOODSTOCK | TEL 067 416 6318

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VERY GIFTED

From inspiring artworks and books to cool fashion accessories, luxe local fragrance and perfect decor touches, here’s our pick of 2021’s most-wanted gifts.

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1. The open structure of Bone – a solid-brass Tom Dixon bowl with light and effortless visual appeal – means it works well as a display platter and as an unusual table-topper. From R6 305 | cremadesign.co.za 2. Local boutique fragrance house Apartment’s offerings will appeal to the perfume lover in your life – our fave is The Other Details Were Hazy, described as “a stomp through a damp overgrown garden at dusk”. R1 490 | aptaptapt.co 3. One of South Africa’s most important abstract painters Walter Battiss (1906–1982) left behind “extraordinary artworks that we can draw inspiration from”, says ceramicist Mervyn Gers, who’s created a limited-edition set of bowls and platters featuring the artist’s imagery, in collaboration with the Walter Battiss Company. From R2 400 | mervyngers.com | walterbattiss.co.za 4. For anyone intrigued by ikebana (or simply wanting to showcase a single bloom) the gleaming tactility of a petite Gem vase by Vorster & Braye is just the ticket. Available in Alabaster, Aquamarine, Jade and Tigers Eye glazes. R290 | vorsterandbraye.co.za 5. The UNDEFEATED X Converse Half Chuck 70 sneakers combine SoCal cool with military motifs in a limited-edition rework of Converse’s icon. R1 500 | converse.co.za | shelflife.co.za

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PHOTOS JUSTIN PATRICK, SUPPLIED COMPILED BY ROBYN ALEXANDER

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1. Outdoor enthusiasts will love the VISI Shop’s newest collab: the multitasking VISI X African Jacquard Kuba Beach Mats, perfect as a towel, a sarong or a blanket. R1 275 each | shop.visi.co.za 2. Pichulik’s Amie necklace, from the brand’s 2021 Kokomo collection, will be sure to charm your BFF – and there’s a bracelet option too. R1 150 | pichulik.com 3. Hand-blown from 100% recycled glass

by Ngwenya Glass, these tumblers and carafes by Laurie Wiid are available in clear or amber. From R207 each | wiiddesign.co.za 4. Know someone as serious about water intake as they are about wine? Get them a BIBO bar, for instant access to filtered and purified ice-cold or boiling-hot water. From R13 495 | bibo.co.za 5. Available in three styles and six colours, Melle candles are designed, poured and hand-finished in the brand’s Joburg studio. From R195 for two | melle-studio.co.za 6. The Babylonstoren Quintessentials hamper has something for everyone, from the estate’s flagship wine to garden preserves, shortbread and the 2022 calendar. R1 950 | shop.babylonstoren.com 7. Light Space Life: Houses By SAOTA (Thames & Hudson) is a lavishly illustrated monograph by local architecture studio SAOTA, featuring 23 of the firm’s exceptional buildings. R1 475 | loot.co.za 8. Our favourite among print studio 50ty50ty’s latest offerings is Moment, a mesmerising work by Marna Hattingh. R4 600 | 50ty50typrints.com

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PA RT N E R

P R E S EN T T IM E !

Great festive season ideas for your friends and family to help celebrate a well-earned holiday.

V I C T O R I A LUX U RY G IN Crafted at the Oude Molen distillery in the scenic town of Elgin, Victoria gins are distilled in three copper pot stills – Big Bertha, Long Tom and Long Cecil – that are more than a century old, and that are renowned for producing the highest-quality gin.

Victoria gins – available in Classic Pink, Amber, Dry, Blue and Orange Blossom variants – are bursting with a bouquet of traditional and local botanicals, some of which are sourced in Prince Albert in the Karoo. At Victoria, we believe in making the age-old tradition of summer G&Ts a unique and flavourful experience, every day.

From R329 each at bottle stores countrywide victorialuxurygin.com

3 SUMMER COCKTAILS AMBER FASHION 60ml Victoria Amber Gin 100ml ginger ale 100ml grapefruit juice

Combine all the ingredients in a tall glass with ice, and stir. Garnish with a lime wedge.

VICTORIA DELIGHT 38ml Victoria Classic Pink Gin 20ml crème de cacao 20ml lime juice 50ml cranberry juice Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake hard, then fine-strain into a chilled glass over ice. Garnish with orange peel.

SPARKLING BLUE 1 sugar cube 10 drops orange bitters 20ml Victoria Blue Gin 50ml dry sparkling wine In a glass, douse the sugar cube with orange bitters, then pour over gin and stir. Top with dry sparkling wine. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit.

S ONO S SONOS ROAM This ultra-portable speaker allows you to bring the Sonos experience with you wherever you go. With astonishing (for its size) and adaptable sound, fast and effortless setup, intuitive controls, and all the smart features you’d expect at home packed into an ultra-light, elegant and durable form that weighs less than half a kilogram, the Sonos Roam brings great sound from the kitchen to your bag, the park, the MTB trails, and anywhere your next adventure takes you… and back home again. R3 999 SONOS BEAM GEN 2 With the rise in straight-to-streaming movie premieres (which have tripled over the last year), a theatre-like homeaudio experience has become a crucial investment for film fans. Building on the brand’s leadership in the home-theatre category, the new Sonos Beam with Dolby Atmos delivers an upgraded, more immersive sound experience – and all in the same compact size, thanks to exciting improvements in sound technology, design and packaging. R10 599 sonos.co.za

P E R S ONA L I S E D P ET P EN DA N T S

If you’re looking for a unique gift for that special person in your life, ask TOTHEBONE to create a custom pet-portrait pendant – a guaranteed win for any animal lover. The portraits are made using high-quality, archival watercolour paper and calligraphy ink, and set in a high-grade resin, accompanied by a sterling-silver chain. The portraits offer a great way to honour both the people and the pets in your family for years to come – plus for every pendant sold, TOTHEBONE will help build a kennel and provide food for rescue animals in the Ocean View community in the Western Cape. From R100 each tothebone.co.za

inspiring finds GAME ON

“A fresh take on a basic item like a holiday game can inspire us all to think out of the box, to be more adventurous, and to bring excitement to the way we live in and design our personal spaces.”

– ANNEMARIE MEINTJES

Made in France, this gorgeous 45cm x 5cm x 44cm backgammon set is finished in natural maple wood, its pawns inlaid with smooth taurillon leather and a Clou de Selle-detail base. The drawers, lined with taurillon sheets, feature saddlestitched handles. Four dice in maple wood marquetry and a cube in engraved maple wood are included. hermes.com Be inspired – and share your results with us on Instagram by tagging @visi_mag and @am_visi.

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PHOTO SUPPLIED

No-one is better at spotting a wonderful piece of design than our editor-at-large ANNEMARIE MEINTJES. Whether it’s an eclectic vintage find or comes straight out of the catalogue of the most desirable design brands, she has an eye like no other. This month, she’s found this beautiful backgammon set by iconic luxury brand, Hermès.

presents

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contact us t: +27 (0) 12 803 9431 e: support@dadoquartzbathware.com w: www.dadoquartzbathware.com Robertson - Western Cape

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