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VISION IDEAS: WHY WE LOVE JAPANESE MINIMALISM p36 INSPIRATION: GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK p44 ARCHITECTURAL INFLUENCES: GREG KATZ ON CHARLES AND RAY EAMES, LOUIS KAHN AND HANS SCHAROUN p50 TRAVEL: WHERE TO STARGAZE IN STYLE p56

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FEATURES

JOBURG ASH p26 DIANNE STEWART p28 CHINENYE EMEZIE p30

WITKLIPFONTEIN HOME p62 HERMITAGE VALLEY CONSERVATORY p74 PLETTENBERG BAY HOME p84 SYDNEY HOME p94 STEYN CITY PENTHOUSE p106 DUTCH HOUSEBOAT p118 TIMBAVATI LODGE p130

REASONS 1. A fabulous new table lamp is just what your space needs right now p144 2. The design journey of fashion and furniture iconoclast Rich Mnisi p148 3. Discover Inland Collective’s exquisite mirrors and glassware p150 4. Fancy a bespoke Nelson Makamo x Porsche, anyone? p152 5. Hyde Park fave Le Parc by tashas gets a Paris-inspired makeover p154 6. Bang & Olufsen’s Beovision Contour TV is top of our tech wish list p156 7. When in Rome… you simply have to stay at The Hoxton p158 8. Exploring the eye-catching new winery at Moya Meaker Wines in Elgin p160 9. Fresh, brave and beautiful: the M&C Saatchi Abel Contemporary Art Collection p164 10. Sandton’s new adidas flagship store is a visual feast for shoppers p168 11. Vases and vessels from Casa LV are both colourful and covetable p170 12. Book some time with these inspiring new design and food tomes p172 13. At Dream Press, it’s all about the aesthetic appeal of printed matter p174 14. We spoke to some of SA’s top architects about what “going off the grid” really encompasses p176 15. The innovative Aquatecture water-harvesting panels are smart design at its finest p180 16. In a return to form for the iconic motoring brand, Peugeot launches two striking SUVs p182 17. Welcome to the dreamy, design-driven new Tshepo Jeans store p184 18. The sun is back, so it’s time to throw some shade with Freya Hats p186 19. Looking for the perfect outdoor grill? Officine Gullo has you covered p188 20. At “Right Here, Right Now!”, new product design and art came together p190

SMART IDEA p192 COVER IMAGE CREDIT Elsa Young/Bureaux

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TH E RE ’ S A V IR G I N I A C R EE PE R that grows in our courtyard. It has pretty much colonised the entire road, and become the stuff of legend among our neighbours. From a trunk about as thick as my leg in our small flowerbed, it has spread its leafy vines all the way up and down a shared servitude, clothing several property walls with a lush green collar. Some have even strung trellises across their courtyards to enjoy its cool shade in summer.

Virginia, as she’s now affectionately called, is also the first sign of spring in our ’hood, and each year it’s like someone’s flipped a switch.

One day the plant is its dormant, wintry, brown-thicket self … then, within a week, there’s a dappled pattern of green everywhere. Looking out of the kitchen window now, the first green shoots have appeared – just in time to celebrate the Spring Issue of VISI. Virginia is also a potent reminder of seasonality and change – the force that through the green fuse drives the flower, as Dylan Thomas writes in his beautifully dark poem. It’s been a long and unusually cold winter, with chills brought on by more than just the dip in temperature. More than ever, I’m looking forward to the segue of spring through to summer – and I trust that, like Virginia, VISI 116 signals exactly that.

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If you’re looking for some inspiration to revitalise, refurbish or rebuild your kitchen, then our new special edition VISI Kitchens is exactly what you need. and appliances; we have tips from kitchen experts on design, layout and flow; and we showcase the beautiful spaces that have caught our eye.

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We’ve curated all the latest trends

JOBURG ASH, FA R M E R A N D B U S I N E S S OW N E R Fern green and moss green.

Known to his customers as Joburg Ash, Ashleigh Tumelo Machete is one of our VISI VOICES essay writers in this issue (page 26). In 2014, he established Jozi Food Farmer – an edible and ornamental landscaping business in Joburg – with his business partner, Negin Monkoe. Ashleigh wears many hats: he’s a Garden Day ambassador, a third-generation farmer, an aspiring motion-graphic artist, a plant doctor, a plant stylist and a natural-dye enthusiast.

Hailing from Soweto, he studied at the University of the Witwatersrand, and says that he’s always had a fascination with plants.

PA R I S B R U M M E R , PHOTOGRAPHER AND ARTIST 2011 introduced us to “Lady Gaga mint”. It’s a calm but bold and modern shade. Anything more yellow and it’s sickly; anything more blue and it’s dessert.

A photographer from Joburg currently based in Cape Town, Paris enjoys “incorporating the differences each city offers into my work, while also finding ways to understand what makes both cities function”. The list of her favourite things includes Japan, Brutalist architecture and Pixar animation, and her dislikes range from flat AA batteries and instant coffee to bad movie sequels and diagonal rain. Paris is a regular contributor to VISI; for this issue, she photographed the elegant new wine cellar at Moya Meaker Wines in Elgin (page 160).

BIDDI RORKE, V E R Y, V E R Y S E N I O R C O N T E N T C R E AT O R The colour of kelp forests when the sunlight hits them.

Biddi is one of VISI’s favourite contributing writers – and we’re yet to find a subject to which she doesn’t bring a fresh perspective and a canny connoisseur’s eye. In this issue, she writes about the M&C Saatchi Abel Contemporary Art Collection (page 164) and the architecture of the new buildings at Moya Meaker Wines (page 160). As a writer and editor, Biddi says her career highlights include being afforded privileged glimpses into people’s lives, homes and families in the name of work. She counts “writing for most South African magazines when they still existed” and “emerging from 2020 relatively unscathed” as key points of pride.

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 Digital Editor Gina Dionisio Content Producer Michaela Stehr Contributors Ania Rokita Taylor, Annette Klinger, Ashleigh Machete, Biddi Rorke, Catherine Cress, Chinenye Emezie, Chris Pearson, Dianne Stewart, Dook, Elsa Young, Garreth van Niekerk, Graham Wood, Inge van Lieshout, Jan Ras, Julia Freemantle, Karl Rogers, Louis Lemaire, Mila Crewe-Brown, Paris Brummer, Sarah Ellison, Sharyn Cairns, Shavan Rahim, Tracy Lynn Chemaly

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 / visi@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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One lucky VISI reader will win a Balance Narrow Modular Bookcase from CLM Home, worth R4 520.

This unique combination of stackable separate boxes and shelving provides a bespoke modern storage unit that you can configure to fit any space.

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GREEN DREAMS

Third-generation farmer and inner-city horticulturist ASHLEIGH MACHETE – aka Joburg Ash – explains how his fascination with plants developed, and how it has brought him to where he is today. or as long as I can remember,environmental awareness has been part of my life.I volunteered with many environmental organisations from my primary school days to university, and an issue that caught my attention early on was the loss of green open spaces (and the biodiversity of our precious wetlands) due to the rapid expansion of infrastructure for housing and commerce. I witnessed this first-hand as construction happened in Protea Glen, a growing development on the outskirts of Soweto, next to where I grew up. I saw the impact it had on the plant life and the environment as the neighbourhood expanded, quickly swallowing up the once-sprawling green spaces. Populations of indigenous plants in the area sharply declined, and the impact of habitat loss on the fauna of our local wetlands was clear for all to see.

Balancing the human need for infrastructure with the natural world is challenging, but we need to consider the effect that the expansion of urban areas has on the environment, and try to implement solutions to preserve our plant life. Realising this led me to understand how important the green spaces we create in our homes and gardens are, and the positive impact they can have.

My gardening business, Jozi Food Farmer (JFF), emerged from a personal need to be around plants and in close proximity to nature – and from wanting to have access to freshly grown food while living and working in the Johannesburg CBD. But as JFF has grown and developed, I now feel it fits within the greater and far more urgent mission to do work that will help preserve and protect the environment. We design and install small city gardens, which range from residential backyard gardens, balconies and patios to rooftop farms, office and restaurant interior gardens, and alleyway gardens. JFF has also opened the JFF Rooftop Farm, a rooftop plant nursery and café situated I’M SUCH A FAN in the heart of Braamfontein at 70 Juta Street. And JFF Plant Shop – a OF THE INFINITE VARIETY more boutique shopping experience situated at 44 Stanley in Milpark OF SHADES OF – specialises specifically in indigenous and tropical house plants, as well GREEN THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR ME as gardening accessories.

TO WORK WITH. I’m really pleased that both the Rooftop Farm and the Plant Shop have become regular haunts for plant enthusiasts – places where they can meet other plant lovers, pick up rare and unusual plants, and have a coffee while enjoying beautiful green views in the heart of Johannesburg.

The green oasis that is JFF Rooftop Farm has also become a favourite photoshoot location because of its backdrop of greenery among the grey city buildings.

I’m such a fan of the infinite variety of shades of green that are available for me to work with.

When designing and installing gardens, I try to create harmonious colour schemes by incorporating different greens, ranging from the palest sea-foam to the deepest moss. Outdoor spaces can be particularly fun to landscape – there are plants in every hue and for every season,so the possibilities and combinations are endless.

Plants unite people, and constantly provide links between strangers. I enjoy the way plants have opened up my own community, and that they are a common interest among people from different cultural backgrounds. May the magic of plants continue to inspire us all.

JOBURG ASH – a Garden Day ambassador and University of the Witwatersrand alumni – is a third-generation farmer, aspiring motion-graphic artist, plant doctor, plant stylist and natural-dye enthusiast from Soweto. Having always had a fascination with plants, in 2014 he established Jozi Food Farmer – an edible and ornamental landscaping business – with his business partner Negin Monkoe. joburg_ash

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THE STORY OF VANILLA

Writer and editor DIANNE STEWART explores the almost supernatural ability that smell has to trigger memories, in the context of her personal history with the rich and evocative scent of vanilla. hen I was a child, my summer holidays were usually spent with my paternal grandparents in East London, and my thoughts often return nostalgically to the time I spent with them. To this day, the smell of vanilla reminds me of my grandmother – very much in line with the cogent observation by Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov: “Nothing revives the past so completely as a smell that was once associated with it.”

I always associate the smell of vanilla with my late grandmother. A short, feisty and artistic woman, my gran was not only an accomplished seamstress, but also an avid baker. How I long for a slice of her moist sandwich cake, with fork patterns in the vanilla icing and glacé cherries on top… As a young child, I used to watch her make it, creaming eggs and sugar in a beige Mason Cash mixing bowl, originally from England. Using just her own muscle power, my gran beat the cake mixture not with an electric KitchenAid, but with a wooden spoon. Standing on tiptoes to peer into the bowl, I watched clouds of sifted flour fall into the batter, and teaspoons of baking powder being carefully measured out in an era long before self-raising flour.

Years later, as an adult, on holiday in Grand Baie in Mauritius, I encountered vanilla teabags for the first time. They were made by local company Bois Cheri, and even the cardboard box containing them emitted the scent of vanilla, causing – as always – all those memories of my grandmother to come flooding back. Standing there as the steam from the tea released the rich aroma, I was instantly transported to endless games of general knowledge at my grandparents’ home, to our visits to the aquarium to see the penguins, and to special treats at a nearby ice-cream parlour, where we indulged in vanilla (of course) cones.

Vanilla orchids, which produce vanilla pods, are pollinated by a single type of bee – from the genus Melipona – which is indigenous to Mexico’s tropical jungles. So in Mauritius (as is done everywhere else in the world other than Mexico), every vanilla plant has to be hand-pollinated, and the precious pods hand-harvested. Nearby Madagascar leads the world’s production of vanilla, with an annual output of 3 000 tonnes.

The vanilla vines grown on Madagascar and Mauritius, and in most other vanilla-producing areas, are the perennial Vanilla planifolia, colloquially known as Bourbon Vanilla on Mauritius. It takes a full three years for a vine to fruit after planting, and flavourist Michael Zampino says, “To make good vanilla, you need the seed pod to be on the vine for eight to nine months.”

Farmers of vanilla have to keep a close and constant vigil over their orchid vines, waiting for the precise moment when flowers appear, because there is just a small window of opportunity every season in which to pollinate the orchid flower by hand, or it will not produce the desired crop of vanilla pods.

Many farmers have been known to sleep beside their vines at this time.

The story of vanilla – its crisscrossing of the globe, and the endlessly difficult and labour-intensive business of farming it – is tied into its longtime desirability as a spice. And for me, that history is personal, because its aroma so instantly and strongly pulls me back to childhood, and those holidays that form a memory bank and bulwark of positive experiences.

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I ALWAYS ASSOCIATE THE SMELL OF VANILLA WITH MY LATE GRANDMOTHER.

DIANNE is the writer of Nuances (Fine Print Books), a recent collection of short stories, and the compiler of Durban In A Word: Contrasts And Colours Of eThekwini (Penguin Random House), a collection of essays about the city. She has an MA in South African literature from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and an MA in creative writing from the University of Cape Town, where she facilitates writing workshops on behalf of the summer school.

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FINDING OUR ROOTS

For novelist and short-story writer CHINENYE EMEZIE, the practice of growing food is a long-standing family tradition – and a strong statement of support for the natural environment. can see those are doing better than the last ones,” I said admiringly. “Must be the weather…”

“Yeah, must be.” My aunt Bridget smiled back at me as she tended to her onugbu plants in my cousin’s tiny makeshift garden in the US. Onugbu are bitter greens that are widely eaten as leaf vegetables in Nigeria, and my cousin is one of the many Africans living in the US who have begun planting their own food in backyards in recent years – mainly due to the need for freshly produced African crops, which they much prefer to the “dry” ones imported from the continent.

“Those things are not healthy,” my aunt continued – she was talking about those “dry” imports – as she plucked the freshly harvested leaves from their stalks. “Even if we’re far away from home, we still need to eat our dishes in their freshest form, and this is one way to ensure that. People are eating rubbish these days. Especially you young ones.”

The conversation with my aunt reminded me of one I had had with my mother in my own garden in Esther Park on Joburg’s East Rand many years ago. “Your yard is huge – huge enough to have a partitioned food garden,” she told me, looking around my expansive compound. “I wonder why you don’t use it. You can plant okra and ugu or spinach leaves, egusi seeds, and this and that, and eat wholesome meals, instead of going to the shops to buy those dry items that have lost their nutrients from overexposure to the elements during transition.”

My mother and her younger sister in the States shared precisely the same opinions on the excessive consumption of processed food. And I see their point, and more. Their view was based entirely on the nutritional benefits of growing your own food; in addition to their concerns, I’m also aware of the ways that mass production of food affects the environment.

In understanding where my mom and aunt are coming from, it’s pertinent to note that, as the years have progressed, we’ve come to accept substituting wholesome, organically produced meals with other forms of food production. So many people have stopped growing their own food, instead buying produce off the shelves of the local supermarket. It does beg the question, though: if you don’t know what’s in the food you’re consuming, how can you be certain you’re consuming the required amount of nutrients your body needs to function at its peak?

While there’s no dispute that technology has eased and improved living conditions, its negative impact on the environment can’t be overemphasised. It’s pretty evident what carbon emissions from many of the methods we’ve employed to improve our daily lives have done to the natural world. And in many cities around the world, it’s not uncommon to find places completely devoid of any greenery. I currently reside in one of those cities.

More awareness is needed. Our ancestors lived to preserve the Earth. We need to respect their efforts collectively as global citizens, and protect our environment by any means necessary, for us and for future generations. And it’s entirely possible to do your bit in your own backyard – like my mom, my aunt and so many others around the world, who have understood the assignment and are proof of its pragmatism.

CHINENYE studied creative writing at the University of the Witwatersrand, and also has a bachelor’s degree in public administration. Her short stories and essays have appeared in anthologies and literary journals continent-wide, and she is a 2013 winner of the Africa Book Club “Short Reads” Competition and an alumna of the Hedgebrook/VorTEXT Women Writers’ Workshop. Her first novel, Glass House, was recently published by Penguin Random House.

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THE FULL SUITE

Fabian Architects + MAKE Studio has built up an impressive clientele in the Mother City, Johannesburg and London. Enjoying a high conversion rate of ideas to brick and mortar, MAKE Studio carries out a full range of professional services for private residential clients, from architectural concept design and design development to project documentation, project management and interior design.

What does an architect add to a building project?

Architects have an in-depth understanding of spatial relationships, integration and flow, and of the value of the “experience” of space. As professionals, we serve an important aspect of public interest, considering all design elements in their totality. Architects can thus add enormous value to your lifestyle and investment.

What is the most important aspect of the clientarchitect relationship? Trust and collaboration are vital – magic happens when they form the base of the relationship. It is an architect’s duty to understand the client’s brief and aspirations, and to use their expertise to transform these goals into reality. Without trust, the goals would be difficult to achieve. And collaboration between client and architect is key – the client should share ideas, but also allow the architect the creative freedom to expand on them and bring them to fruition.

How does a project’s location influence its design?

Location and context dictate how our buildings are positioned, prescribing the design of spaces in terms of orientation to the sun and views. Levels and different platforms are a result of a site’s topography. Location is also an important consideration in the project budget.

Can you tell us a bit about the design principles that have been most influential in your work? We design timelessly, not fashionably, to ensure that our designs have longevity. We value the impact of experience, and how one feels walking into a space. We choose practical and honest materials, and encourage curiosity and exploration, so we can create unique solutions for each project.

What three words or phrases best describe your design aesthetic? Our designs are elegant, contemporary, and honest in their materiality and attention to detail.

In your opinion, what is the most challenging aspect of being an architect? Achieving a balance of creativity and practicality within the client’s budget and brief. makearchitects.co.za

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FABIAN ARCHITECTS + MAKE STUDIO

Cape Town firm FABIAN ARCHITECTS + MAKE STUDIO has built its reputation on trust and collaboration, creating timeless designs for clients over the past five decades.

We spoke to partner Lauren Bolus about the firm’s approach to architectural design.

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SALUTE, MILANO! VISI’s editor-at-large Annemarie Meintjes brings us this stop-press peek from 2021’s long-awaited Milan Furniture Fair. Says Annemarie, “The Hermès installation was everyone’s top highlight of the fair,” and she predicts that its patterned exteriors and bold colour combos will soon be popping up everywhere. Hermès took the simplest sort of human dwelling – a lime-plastered hut with a plain sand floor – and both celebrated and elevated it by playing with its scale and covering it with irresistibly pleasing patterns. The installation was the perfect showcase for the brand’s latest homeware collection.

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s THE RED RISING SUN

Japan has long been a source of inspiration for designers worldwide. The serene and uncluttered lifestyle known to the rest of the world as Japanese minimalism goes against modern consumerism, keeping life simple and adhering to the bare essentials.

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1 1 . A R O S A N D T AT A M I The simplicity of an irregular outline defines the circular hand-tufted Aros rug and pays homage to the Japanese flag. Meanwhile, traditional Japanese straw tatami mats were Barcelona-based designer Nani Marquina’s inspiration for this Tatami dhurrie. She used jute for structure and shine, blending them with the softness of New Zealand wool. nanimarquina.com | cremadesign.co.za 2 . L U C E Belgian fashion designer Ann Demeulemeester’s illuminated Luce vases for Serax are sculptural, sandblastedglass pieces with a rechargeable LED light source in the wooden base. The top openings allow flower stems to be placed in an upright position, merging two typologies – the vase and the lamp – and turning a flower into a light source. serax.com

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s “TO BRING THIS MINIMALIST JAPANESE AESTHETIC INTO YOUR OWN SPACE, BE INSPIRED – BUT KEEP IT SIMPLE, PURE AND HONEST. AND REMEMBER, LESS IS MORE!” – VISI editor-at-large Annemarie Meintjes

1 . S U S H I The Juju Rendez-Vous face-to-face bench by Edward van Vliet forms part of the Sushi Collection – a playful range of sophisticated seating solutions for lounge areas, which the Dutch interior and fabric designer created for furniture brand Moroso. The clever design allows two people to have a private conversation – or to lean back, relax and face the other way.

Both the collection’s simple, elegant forms and beautiful fabrics were designed by Edward. moroso.it | truedesign.co.za 2 . F O R M A K A M I Hand-crafted with rice paper, the Formakami pendant by Spanish artist Jaime Hayon is a modern take on the classic paper lanterns known as chōchin. Chōchin have served as creative inspiration to designers since the 1950s, when Japanese-American artist and designer Isamu Noguchi created his first lights based on them. finnishdesignshop.com

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1 1 . T O R I I Designed for Viccarbe by the golden couple of Italian design Ludovica and Roberto Palomba, the Torii bench takes both its name and its pure, timeless form from Japanese culture, and references the arches, usually found at the entrance to Shinto shrines, that embody the frontier between earthly and sacred matters. viccarbe.com 2 . U R U S H I The Urushi Green Console Table by Dutch artist Aldo Bakker for Danish brand Karakter depicts the simplest concept of a table, with the tabletop and the base of the legs having the same width and being equally important to the design. The table is finished with 30 layers of traditional Japanese Urushi lacquer made of tree sap. karakter-copenhagen.com 3 . B O W I E S A N Designed by Belgian architect Glenn Sestig for the Antwerp-based label valerie_objects, the Dishes to Dishes tableware range includes these elegant Wood Hunky Dory bowls, where every base forms the lid of the lower one.

“When I heard the David Bowie song Ashes To Ashes, the name Dishes to Dishes came to mind,” says Sestig. valerie-objects.com 4 . O N S E N Agape’s Immersion bathtub by Neri&Hu of Shanghai was inspired by traditional Japanese timber bathing vessels, and echoes the traditional onsen hot spring experience of more upright but fully immersed bathing. agapedesign.it

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A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES

As customisable as a piece of furniture, the new Samsung BESPOKE 4-Door Flex™ refrigerator is a unique appliance with an interchangeable front panel design and functional modularity.

The BESPOKE 4-Door Flex™ refrigerator ensures that you’re no longer limited to white and grey as your only colour options. Now you can choose the shade that matches your kitchen as if you’re selecting paint from a colour palette, and create harmony within your space with materials such as sturdy metal and smooth glass.

The BESPOKE 4-Door Flex™ includes: • 10 colour selections • Glam Glass, for a feeling of brightness that lights up space • Satin Glass, for a sense of comfort with soft and delicate glass With personal tastes now firmly at the forefront, where practicality and convenience used to be, the BESPOKE refrigerator can adjust to each person’s daily activities in the kitchen. You can select the refrigerator that best matches your preferences, and even transform the setup as your life and needs change over time. You can elevate your space with a customisable design, choosing your favourite finish, colour and material based on your individual tastes.

Alongside this aesthetic flexibility, the BESPOKE 4-Door Flex™ delivers on functionality too, with features that are bound to resonate with South Africans. It includes customised food management options such as:

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• The FlexZone™, which allows you to switch between five different temperature modes as you require; • The Beverage Centre, which ensures quick and easy access to refreshingly cold and flavoured water. The AutoFill Pitcher is automatically filled with purified water when you place it inside the fridge – and its 1.4L capacity means that you’ll always have plenty of filtered and chilled or flavoured water ready to be served.

Importantly, with load-shedding a reality in South Africa, the BESPOKE 4-Door Flex™ includes Samsung’s digital inverter motor, which can protect this incredible appliance from surge damage.

From its variable panels to its flexible storage and dispensing options, the BESPOKE 4-Door Flex™ has been designed to fit your lifestyle – seamlessly. samsung.com

s FOREVER GREEN

Because there are some things that will always be there.

They may be reinterpreted, repurposed, reimagined and reinvented, but the shapes, forms and tactility mean they are integral to the lives we live.

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COMFORT 1. Italian engraver, interior decorator and artist Piero Fornasetti was known for the interplay between two and three dimensions that was an integral part of his designs. His atelier and brand continues: this 140x200cm Fornasetti High Fidelity Throw is handcrafted from 100% Merino wool, and features a finely drawn cat on a harlequin background. fornasetti.com 2. To future-proof her business, Victoria Beckham has combined her expensive Victoria Beckham line and the more affordable Victoria, Victoria Beckham into a single, more price-conscious brand. This comfy-luxe pyjama suit comes from the newly minted range’s 2022 resort collection, and is elegantly styled in green with a newt print. victoriabeckham.com

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PHOTOS DOOK, SUPPLIED

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GLASS 1. In this new series of sustainable freestanding Borghi washbasins for Antonio Lupi, Gumdesign drew inspiration from the rich shades of Tuscany: the leaves and fruit of the olive trees, the reddish-brown colour of grapes and wine, and the sea’s deep blue. The washbasin is constructed from Cristalmood resin, with a recycled cork base. antoniolupi.it 2. Among the objects in Belgian fashion designer Ann Demeulemeester’s third collaboration with Serax is the Edu vase.

While she was working the heavy water-green glass blocks with husband Patrick Robyn, the idea struck to turn one into a vase by boring a hole in it. The result is a sandblasted-crystal vase that can handle far more than its size suggests. serax.com

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PHOTOS SUPPLIED

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WAT E R 3. The Lawrence lounge chair by Rodolfo Dordoni is based on the classic Papillon design – elegant and timeless, with a simple but robust construction. This latest version sees a powder-coated metal structure supporting leather-trimmed cotton cloth. rodaonline.com 4. Designed by Brian Sironi for Antonio Lupi, this simple but beautiful Apollo light-source-and-shower hybrid is, says the brand, “an activator of experiences that transform the shower into a luminous rain, combining relaxation with visual comfort”. antoniolupi.it

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s The Influencers’ Influences

GREGORY KATZ

Ever wondered who inspires our current generation of architects?

A stint abroad afforded Johannesburg’s Gregory Katz the chance to experience the works of architectural heroes such as CHARLES and RAY EAMES, LOUIS KAHN and HANS SCHAROUN in the flesh.

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hings have a way of coming full circle.

recalls Gregory, smiling. “He taught us to go back to

In the early ’90s, Gregory Katz was pulling

the fundamentals and to challenge convention; for me, that was very formative .”

all-nighters along with his fellow Bachelor

of Architecture students at the University of Cape Town. One of their lecturers, Gus Guernica, was

Now a lecturer himself at the Graduate School of Architecture at the University of Johannesburg, Gregory has

responsible for teaching them about detailing buildings.

“Gus would say to us, ‘Why does glass need to sit in a

spent the past year unpacking ornament and detail with his own students. “We’re revisiting ideas around ornaments in

frame? Why can’t you put the window straight into the

the local context, and pulling them away from the modernist conversation to find out what’s relevant here and now.”

wall? Don’t just accept that a window needs a frame!’”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Johannesburg architect Gregory Katz lists among his influences the work of (from left) US architect Louis Kahn, the power couple of industrial design Charles and Ray Eames, and German architect Hans Scharoun; Louis Kahn’s Phillips Exeter Academy Library; Hans Scharoun’s Berliner Philharmonie.

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For Gregory – who interned with starchitects Zvi Hecker in Berlin and Daniel Libeskind in Los Angeles during his undergraduate studies, and went on to do his MArch at Columbia University in New York – it took years abroad to truly appreciate the unique opportunities South African architects have. “If you’re in one place for a long time, you tend to become kind of myopic,” he says. “When you’re new to a place, you’re able to identify things of value in the local context.” One of his current projects that speaks to this is a prototype for low-cost, modular, barrel-vaulted brick structures that can accommodate multiple storeys, designed specifically for the back yards of RDP homes in Khayelitsha.

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“There’s a practice called back-yard housing, where homeowners build informal shacks at the back of their property to rent out,” he explains. “We’re looking to assist homeowners with the technology to make those areas more dense, so they can build two or three storeys.

The brickwork is based on old Roman technology, but in a new setting, seen through a new cultural lens.”

Gregory’s stint overseas afforded him the privilege of experiencing the works of his architectural heroes in person. “When you go on a pilgrimage to see famous buildings by skilled architects, the learnings are much deeper than when you see pictures of them,” he says.

“You’re able to take in everything in three dimensions,

PHOTOS MARC SHOUL

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP A Kramerville furniture showroom by Gregory creates a lightbox effect when its polycarbonate shell is illuminated from inside; Gregory designed precast concrete windows in nursery shapes for this pre-primary school; Corner Fox apartments in Joburg’s CBD by Gregory.

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to touch the surfaces, to feel the weight of the building emotionally. It has an impact on your soul.”

Hans Scharoun’s Berliner Philharmonie and the Berlin State Library beguiled Gregory with their masterful detailing and adventurous use of materials; Louis Kahn’s Salk Institute in San Diego and Phillips Exeter Academy Library blew him away with complex spatial hierarchies and use of concrete in conjunction with softer materials such as timber; and Charles and Ray Eames’s Case Study House in California was, to Gregory, a perfect example of how the architectural power couple’s understanding of the way things were made informed their design process.

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Gregory believes that the future of architecture is going to look very different – not just with regards to sustainable design (he rates BV Doshi, Charles Correa and Hassan Fathy as frontrunners in this field), but also when it comes to construction methods. “I’ve based a lot of what I do in my practice around the ideas of relooking, rethinking and reinterpreting old ways of doing things,” he says. “I have a student now who’s researching how to transform fungal mycelium into building material, and another one who’s 3D-printing with mud. As architects, we can’t keep doing things the same way we always have.” gregorykatz.co.za

PHOTOS ELSA YOUNG, MARC SHOUL, SUPPLIED

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT A complex of three identical homes by Gregory, executed almost entirely of cast concrete; the interior of a U-shaped home in Houghton; interspersed with glass panels, the hollow columns of the school mimic children’s building blocks; Gregory’s refurb of a ’70s courtyard home in Norwood introduced off-shutter monolithic concrete elements.

s Travel Diary

BIG SKY THINKING

The best antidote to lockdown blues? A stargazing escape. Here’s our pick of the best dark sky locations where you can connect with the cosmos, plus a couple of tips for ensuring you get to see the heavens at their finest.

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co-living/co-working spaces near Sutherland designed for sky appreciation, such as snowstars.co.za – but current accommodation options on nearby farms include Rogge Cloof (pictured above), Tankwa River Lodge and Blesfontein. roggecloof.com | perfecthideaways.co.za | blesfontein.co.za

THE KGALAGADI The !Ae!Hai Kalahari Heritage Park is the only place in South Africa that has the status of Dark Sky Sanctuary (awarded by the International Dark-Sky Association). To reach !Xaus Lodge, located in the park, you have to cross 91 sand dunes.

It is unimaginably remote and dark. According to visitors, the best way to appreciate the sky is “in the company of local people whose indigenous knowledge and traditional sky lore reflect a reverence for the sky and everything in it”.

Wild animals roam past the camp, which may be a limitation or a bonus, depending on your point of view. xauslodge.co.za

PHOTO CRAIG FOUCHE

SUTHERLAND AND THE KAROO There’s a good reason why international scientists have chosen to build some of the world’s biggest telescopes in the Karoo: we have extraordinarily dark skies for optical telescopes like the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) near Sutherland, and we have unpopulated yet accessible areas suitable for radio telescopes such as the Square Kilometre Array near Carnarvon. You can visit SALT during the day (check out saao.ac.za for details), and there are various groups that offer night-sky viewing with small telescopes – ask at the planetarium, where you can also catch an informative show that enhances outdoor stargazing experiences.

If you’re a hiker, consider the Bo-Karoo route near Loxton: they plan to incorporate “astro-art” for interesting astrophotography foregrounds. (For more info, email info@astrotourism.co.za.) There are also plans for new

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THE CEDERBERG The Cederberg offers clear, dark skies as well as some incredibly photogenic rock-formation foregrounds – a combo that makes it great for astrophotography. Visiting the Cederberg observatory at Sanddrif is a popular Saturday-night activity; it’s run by a group of amateur astronomers who offer a slide show plus a peek through their telescopes. Further to the north, on the Doring River, Bliss & Stars offers multi-day wellness retreats, which include guided exploration of the sky, astrophotography and time with an impressive collection of telescopes. sanddrif.com | blissandstars.com

BOTSWANA AND NAMIBIA A glance at the map of light pollution on the planet (see darksitefinder.com/map) shows that vast parts of Namibia and Botswana are super-dark – and mostly cloudless. You may recall the stargazing options at Namibia’s &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge in VISI 107, but there’s also the “Cosmic Connections’’ experience that the Belmond group offers at its lodges in Botswana. A top-notch guide team includes an astronomer, an astrophotographer and locals who’ll share traditional stories of the sky. Belmond also offers an “Introduction to the Southern Sky” at the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town. andbeyond.com | belmond.com

T I M I N G , A N D T H E W E AT H E R Full moon is not a good time to see the stars. With decent binoculars or a small telescope, a good time for stargazing is a few days after the new moon. In the early evening you’ll be able to marvel at features on the lunar surface and, once it’s set, you can enjoy the dark sky spectacle. Jupiter’s moons and Saturn’s rings are good targets for small telescopes – check info on planet visibility and moon phases at timeanddate.com/astronomy.

CONSIDER A GUIDE A knowledgeable guide can be the difference between an enriching, life-changing experience and “standing around in the cold looking at unknown points of light”.

So how do you choose a guide?

• Professional astronomers typically hold advanced degrees in astronomy, and use large telescopes to make scientific discoveries and collect data. They’ll know a lot of physics, and can tell you about being a scientist of the stars.

• Amateur astronomers are typically enthusiastic hobbyists who often have more experience with small telescopes that people can “look through” with an eyepiece. They’ll probably know more about what’s cool to see in the sky.

• You may also encounter astronomy guides who will tell you facts they’ve learnt about the sky just because it’s their job – be aware you may need your own passion to feel engaged here. That said, any guide who provides loungers, blankets and duvets might be a friend forever! astrotourism.co.za | celestialeventssa.com

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PHOTOS JANIK ALHEID, COURTESY OF BLISS & STARS

ABOVE, FROM LEFT !Xaus Lodge is located in !Ae!Hai Kalahari Heritage Park, the only designated Dark Sky Sanctuary in South Africa; Bliss & Stars’ wellness retreats in the Cederberg offer guided night hikes and stargazing sessions.

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WIN THIS

BUILT - IN BRAAI!

One lucky reader will win this built-in multifunction braai from FIREFOX, worth R23 985.

The FIREFOX 1000 Multifunction has a door that folds downwards and slides into the base of the braai to provide a sturdy, size-adjustable work platform, and a built-in light that’s essential for evening braais.

A stainless-steel warming drawer will keep cooked meat at an optimal temperature while you finish prepping the sides, and the easy-slide ember maker will ensure you never run out of hot charcoal.

Shipping is included in the prize. firefox.co.za | infinitifires.co.za

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

VISI COMPETITION RULES

• This competition closes at midnight on 2 December 2021.

• The winner will be the first correct entry drawn after the closing date.

• If a selected winner cannot be reached at the contact details supplied, an alternative winner will be selected.

• The prize will be delivered to the winner, unless otherwise specified.

• The winner will be required to provide their ID number as per the Consumer Protection Act guidelines.

• The winner is required to accept the prize as described in the magazine.

• • •

•

No correspondence will be entered into relating to the terms on which the prize is offered.

The winner will not be eligible for other prizes for six months after winning the competition.

The prize may not be transferred to another person or converted into cash.

VISI competitions are open to all South African residents. Employees of New Media and the prize-sponsoring companies, their family members, advertising and promotion agencies and any other parties associated with the competition may not enter.

Entrants must be 18 years or older.

• Neither New Media nor any of its partners can be held responsible for disputes in connection with prizes or for any loss, damage or injury that may be suffered or incurred by prize winners.

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• Visit VISI.co.za/terms-and-conditions.

WIN! Go to VISI.co.za/win to enter this competition. Entries close on 2 December 2021.

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INSTALLATION OF THE FIREFOX 1000 MULTIFUNCTION BRAAI IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRIZE.

Thanks to Pretoria-based outdoor cooking specialists FIREFOX, we have this built-in multifunction charcoal and wood braai in mild steel to give away, so you can enjoy cooking and entertaining outdoors all summer.

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| Witklipfontein Home P H O T O S

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At the centre of this unusual home is a sunken dome, lit only by a skylight, and built using earth bags filled with soil on site and stacked to create a dome. To the mud and straw plaster finish, architect and owner Xavier Huyberechts added a handmade Swedish paint – a mixture of flour, water and a bit of soil for colour.

“It’s a nice place to siesta, or for the kids to play or listen to music,” he says.

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T H E WAY I T H A S B E E N D E S I G N E D A N D B U I LT M E A N S

IT CAN – AND WILL, AT THE END OF ITS LIFE – BECOME

REABSORBED INTO THE EARTH.

Architect Xavier Huyberechts has a wonderfully poetic way of describing the way he designed the weekend getaway he and his brother, Damien, built on their farm in the Vredefort Dome – the oldest and biggest meteorite impact site on the planet. He wanted to “gently lift the carpet at the bottom of the hill and slide the house underneath”.

And that’s exactly what he’s done. A green roof runs seamlessly from the hillside and over the house, like a blanket of earth that renders it almost invisible from many angles. In fact, the way it has been designed and built means it can – and will, at the end of its life – disintegrate and become reabsorbed into the earth. It’s made almost entirely from the earth, and emphatically for the earth.

Xavier runs a commercial architectural practice in Johannesburg known for pioneering sustainable architecture. With Damien taking on the role of building contractor, they set about creating an earth house using local materials. It may be built of stacked stone, rammed earth, handmade compacted earth bricks and earth bags, but this is no Hobbit burrow. Beneath that green roof is a clean-lined, low-slung, modernist-inspired villa, with lofty volumes and floorto-ceiling glass doors that slide away into wall cavities and open the house completely to the surrounding landscape.

It’s impossible to take in the whole of the house at once. Rather than having a “long flat façade” of glass facing the view, Xavier and Damien have broken down the front of the building into a series of blocks, making it appear much smaller than it is, and OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The building is so well hidden that all knitting it into the surroundings rather than perching you see on arrival is a curved stone it on top to survey them. Once you’re inside, the house wall; a long picture window features a opens up – from the entrance hall, the high-volume living window seat on the inside; the variety area draws in the view. As you head towards the bedroom of materials and building techniques used wing, however, the volumes shrink. The roof is on one in the home – stacked stone, rammed earth, lime-bleached pallet pine and plane, explains Xavier, but the floor follows the natural granite – is immediately on display in the slope of the land, creating cosier, more intimate spaces entrance hall; from the air, the house at closer to the hillside.

Witklipfontein almost disappears into Just as the architecture becomes part of the landscape, the landscape around the Vredefort so the furniture becomes an extension of the architecture, Dome, the world’s oldest and largest meteor impact site (and and the brothers designed the built-in sofas and cabinets in a UNESCO World Heritage Site). a way that makes you feel as if you’re sitting on the ground.

The granite floors, too, seem of the earth itself – and are a key part of the way the house functions in harmony with nature. Xavier explains the “thermal amplitude” of the climate here: the huge temperature variations, particularly in winter, can be harnessed to make artificial heating and cooling unnecessary. The massive granite floor slabs soak up the sun all day, and radiate warmth into the rooms at night. “Often, when guests walk barefoot at night, and go from the kitchen area, which is cold stone, towards the windows, they ask, ‘Did you put underfloor heating in?’” says Xavier.

At the heart of the home, among all the straight lines, is a sunken dome with no windows – only a skylight at its apex. Apart from serving as an organically shaped counterpoint to all the sleek lines, the dome was an experiment using earth-bag construction. Like a lot of what the building tries to achieve, it’s both simple and advanced.

Xavier hopes the house will change perceptions of earth houses more broadly. As much as he wanted to demonstrate that the techniques and materials he’s built with can look sleek and modern, he also wanted to prove to locals that the vernacular techniques they were familiar with have value. “The reason they were building with earth was because it was the right thing to do,” says Xavier. “Those techniques evolved over millennia.” He speaks of the science and “climatic integration” of earth houses. Of course, as is the case with this home, old techniques and natural materials can be taken in new directions. “You can do it in a far more modern way,” he says. “And we hope that, by adding a grain of sand to the pile, we can slowly shift perceptions.”

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THIS PAGE The low window seat in the passage looks out over the path to the front door. OPPOSITE In the main living area, the vast windows slide away completely into wall cavities, connecting the space seamlessly with the outdoors. The volume allowed Xavier to slightly raise the level for his study, so he can still be part of the lounge activities while he works. The coffee table is a granite offcut of the same kind as the floors, and the artwork on the wall, made with toothpicks, is Chris Soal’s The Fourth Circle (The Demise of Frank Lucas).

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THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE The dining area and kitchen flow into each other. All cabinetry was made by a local joiner using rough planks. Xavier and his brother Damien designed and built the dining table, and second-hand chairs were given a refresh with new fabric. From the outside, it’s clear how the natural materials used throughout the house complement its setting – the volumes invite the outside in without themselves imposing on the landscape.

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THE FLOOR FOLLOWS THE NATURAL SLOPE OF THE LAND, CREATING COSIER, MORE INTIMATE SPACES CLOSER TO THE HILLSIDE.

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THIS PAGE The eco swimming pool includes two filtration ponds with plants and soil to clean the water. While it’s crystalclear, it’s also fully alive, attracting tadpoles, dragon flies and birds. Rather than a conventional rectangle, Xavier created an organic, irregular shape, with a variety of levels, depths and rocks positioned around it. Adjacent to the pool is a boma with a firepit – a wonderful spot for stargazing at night. OPPOSITE Goats seem unperturbed by the home’s presence.

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| Witklipfontein Home THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE In the master bedroom, the combination of timber, stone, granite, adobe and rammed earth imparts a textural and sensory richness to an otherwise restrained and minimalistic arrangement of furnishings. The room has a study nook, and the shower in the en suite bathroom opens to the exterior.

Artworks include Xavier’s charcoaland-gold-candy-wrapper Madonne.

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THIS PAGE The Hermitage Valley is botanically diverse and rich in fynbos.

OPPOSITE Stones used to clad the outdoor fireplace at Fazenda’s greenhouse were collected from the nearby riverbank.

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T H E S WAT H E S O F G L A S S S H O W C A S E V I E W S O F A N AT U R A L

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FOREST AND LICHEN-CLOAKED ROCKS, AND THE SILHOUETTE OF

THE LANGEBERG MOUNTAINS.

If you’re looking for tucked-away escapes in spellbinding natural surrounds, Fazenda’s Instagram account should definitely be on your list to scope out.

The images in question belong to Fazenda Luxury Retreat & Farm near Swellendam, owned by the Van der Merwe family, whose vision has produced their latest “baby” – a conservatory shaded by monolithic boulders, wattles and blue gum trees.

Begun and completed within just three short months during lockdown, the greenhouse is the fourth establishment on the working farm of Fazenda, offering guests a luxury mountainside getaway not far from Cape Town. It follows three existing mountain cabins that hug the dam’s fringes – this one, though, bears little resemblance to its siblings.

The greenhouse is owners Marilouise and Jacques’s distinctive offering to hospitality – a structure whose inherent cohesion with nature belies its striking, contemporary construction. It’s one that marries their passion for building spaces OPPOSITE that are light on the earth with adept skills in handiwork and construction, and The canopy of a studied eye for design. Their intention was for the structure to capitalise on its trees makes the space a cool oasis location in the wilderness,taking little away from the geography and environment. in summer, while With one end clad in mirror, the building reflects an image of the surroundings, a wood-burning making it all but undetectable from this angle. fireplace keeps The swathes of glass showcase views of a natural forest and lichen-cloaked rocks, things cosy in winter. and the silhouette of the Langeberg mountains and kloof. And this connection to nature is augmented by way of French doors that lead off two sides of the rectangular box, folding back flat. It’s as simple in its layout as it is in its motive to escape the demands of modern living, with an undivided interior that spans from the bed and living space at one end to the kitchenette at the other.

Protruding from this single room is a light-filled bathroom offering lofty views into the canopy overhead.

“As a designer, it was important to me that the pieces we sourced, both new and old, have a clear relation to the interior, and portray the feel of the final product,” says Marilouise, expressing the sentiment that steers her interior design studio, Experiences and Design. “The interior needs to tell the story without much explanation. To me, that’s good design.” Thus, a gathered anthology of vintage enamel pendant lights, steel trolleys, butler sinks and an arsenal of living plants tells the story of the greenhouse. Most of those furniture pieces and objets are original, antique or vintage, spotted at roadside peddlers, second-hand stores and reclamation sites, and hauled away with glee.

For the most part, the greenhouse sits on stilts, resting gently on the ground rather than anchoring into it. The steel that encompasses it is reclaimed, as are many of the pressed ceiling panels that have been shrewdly repurposed as decorative cladding.

To better cope with the elements and to draw less thermally, the space has been fitted with Sisalation reflective foil insulation, as well as fibre insulation panels.

That Fazenda is situated in Swellendam’s historic Hermitage Valley is befitting of its atmosphere and values. This secluded retreat urges you to slow down and take stock, and to be present and connect with your surroundings, albeit with the comforts of modern luxury living. In summer, when the doors are swung open, a cool forest breeze draws through the interior, and the odd bird swoops in, feeling right at home fazenda_perfect_escape | fazendaswellendam.co.za | – both inside and out.

Experiences and Design: 083 446 1123

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Walls of glass merge the interior with the exterior, and an abundance of indoor plants enhances the natural environment.

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The existing boulders dictated the positioning of the structure, ensuring minimal disruption to the natural site.

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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT An old shop front door, found in Bredasdorp, was repurposed as a room divider; the greenhouse is ensconced in a grove of wattles and blue gum trees; the bathroom was designed as a wet room; mirror cladding at one end of the structure makes it blend into the forest. OPPOSITE Pre-loved furnishings and pressed-steel ceilings used as wall covering lend the interior an eclectic vintage charm.

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OPPOSITE The imposing porte-cochère, with its ceiling of locally harvested tallow wood.

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| Plettenberg Bay Home

‘Stand like a mountain, flow like a river,’”

L AY E R E D , U N C L U T T E R E D A N D E L E G A N T. ”

– Interior designer Suzy Lubner

A N D C R E AT E A G E N T L E , P R A C T I C A L I N T E R I O R T H AT WA S E A S Y - L I V I N G ,

for 30 years, his motivation behind the design of a very special beachfront property. and in it, we say, Receding into a thicket of milkwood trees on a rocky outcrop that runs down into the Keurbooms estuary in Plettenberg Bay, the house in question is undeniably sculptural, with an interplay of curved and angular lines, and the raw materiality of a concrete finish.

“The concrete plays on the edge of that seemingly impossible fusion of soft and hard,” says Paul. “You want to be threatened by it because of its industrial, cold persona, but the way it’s been used here, those lines, it’s really seductive.”

There were also practical considerations behind Paul’s decision to use offshutter concrete during construction. “What happens in a number of places is that the wall becomes the roof through a curve, so you don’t work with too many elements. It’s as if you’ve carved the building out of something,” says Paul. “There’s an honesty to off-shutter concrete – it’s saying, ‘This is real.’”

The brief from Paul’s clients was for a home that would be able to comfortably accommodate a multi-generational family, and would maximise the pristine beauty of the north-facing site, from which you can observe the estuary and its tides. To create a harmonious flow from the interior to the exterior, Paul worked closely with landscape designer Bruce Beyer, who established a lush, tropical garden that blends in seamlessly with the indigenous flora surrounding the property. “Because of the tree line and the surrounding houses, I wanted the main living area to float on a level where you could just look out over the greenbelt,” explains Paul. “We established the solarium at the perfect height for the views; this became the hub from which the rest of the house unfolded.”

BELOW The property So as not to take away from the bedrooms’ views, Paul decided to elevate includes a stone ruin, them above the solarium by way of an imposing porte-cochère. And to not left intact amid the carefully curated garden detract from neighbours’ views, he designed the bedroom roofs to undulate

by Bruce Beyer. OPPOSITE, downwards. “The curves aren’t just frivolous design – although I do love to CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT bend concrete,” says Paul, who designed the intricate shuttering, and tasked The property’s original Cape Island Construction with moulding and pouring the components. frangipani trees were To juxtapose the industrial aesthetic of the concrete, Paul introduced several brought back to site after construction to artisanal elements to the building – most prominently, white stone panels with complete a tableau with hand-carved frangipani flowers (a nod to the original trees on the property), the Balinese carved stone which he commissioned to a stone mason in Bali; and a wooden front door screen; architect Paul with scalloped indentations hand-carved by a local carpenter. Continuing Oosthuizen; the home’s the frangipani theme, stylised patterns of the original white stone panel north elevation, floating in a subtropical forest. design were CNC-cut into Corian, a hardy polymer material usually used for countertops, to create screen doors for the bedrooms.

Suzy Lubner of Eccentrics Interior Design was tasked with designing an interior that would stand up to the gravitas of the architectural design, yet be liveable and welcoming. “The clients wanted me to soften the exquisite bespoke structure Paul had designed for them, and create a gentle, practical interior that was easy-living, layered, uncluttered and elegant,” says Suzy. “We used a lot of natural oak throughout the house. I used neutral, sandy tones and textures, encompassing the palette of the ever-changing views from the lagoon and river mouth to Lookout Beach, and beyond to Formosa Peak.”

The undisputed heart of the home is the kitchen, executed by Patrick Reid, where the family love to gather around the oversized island – often to cook whatever they’ve pulled from the lagoon or ocean that day.

Whenever Paul, who also happens to be a Plettenberg Bay local, visits the property, one of his favourite things to do is to go to the solarium, slide both glass walls away and stand in the open air, taking in his surrounds. The view is never the same – but the experience is always thrilling. pauloosthuizen.co.za

“ T H E C L I E N T S WA N T E D M E T O S O F T E N T H E E X Q U I S I T E B E S P O K E S T R U C T U R E ,

architect Paul Oosthuizen. Yes, he’s passionate about the Chinese martial Tai Chi says art, but in this particular instance, he’s using the Tai Chi principle to illustrate

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THIS PAGE Paul compares the layered concrete roof to a tent with a fly sheet, pulled taut over two leaning steel and wooden poles. OPPOSITE The river bend and undulations in the landscape visible from the dining area find reflection in the sensual curves of the concrete structure.

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The solarium opens completely to incorporate the beautiful surrounds and when the weather turns, it closes to shelter its residents in a glass box.

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| Plettenberg Bay Home THIS PAGE The pool area is surrounded by a tropical garden.

The sala flows seamlessly from the main concrete structure of the home. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The lobby includes an elevator and staircase; the oak floor and staircase read like a runner against the terrazzo background; a guest suite’s undulating roof opens to the sky, allowing the outside to flow through the space; the bedrooms all feature Corian screen doors with a stylised frangipani motif.

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A 1969 Curtis Jeré installation hugs the curved fireplace and echoes the original front door, which has been painted a rich copper colour. Owner Nancy Renzi lovingly restored all the copper fittings in the home, which the previous owners had removed. A collection of genie bottles combines a sense of fantasy with ’70s glamour.

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Designed in

1968 by icon

of Australian organic architecture

David Hollander,

the house sits like massive boulders on a hillside, with its sweeping cement curves nestled under a canopy of gumtrees. Walk through the asymmetrical front door and you enter a cosy burrow-like interior, with winding walls, shafts of daylight coming through the skylights, and planter boxes filling the spaces with greenery. “It was nonconformist and experimental, and reflective of its time,” says passionate owner Nancy Renzi of Renzi Design, who signed on the bottom line three days after the home went on the market. “The house was absolutely stunning – I loved the way it sits in the landscape, how it feels so good inside because of the rounded walls, and the light coming through those funny windows in the ceilings. It was like a fantasy land.”

While it originally embodied the anticipation and excitement that typified the ’60s, a renovation by the former owners had unfortunately left it with echoes of the ’80s, says Nancy, and chunky timber joinery that was at odds with the floating free forms. And the security screens on the windows were jarring. “The owners had tried to make the house look normal, by introducing lots of squares and rectangles, but that is something you can never do,” she says. “They replaced the original copper fittings with shiny chrome, and introduced a palette of greys, which made it look cold and uninviting. I wanted to strip it all back and play off the form and texture – shapes are the star of the show.”

Nancy found a rich source of inspiration for the transformation. The house had won House of the Year for a national magazine in 1972 and, chronicled in that title’s yellowing pages, was the home with its original decor. Hollander’s concept and Nancy’s were in tune, which validated the stripping of the interior she was about to undertake. First up, all the walls had to be resprayed with textured coating, then painted white. “Colour on the walls would close you in,” Nancy says. She reintroduced copper in the fittings – such as the pendant lights, door handles and kitchen drawer pulls – and installed warming solid timber doors throughout the home.

She also exposed the original aggregate floors that echoed the textured concrete walls, and restored the planter boxes that the former owners had covered. The real talking piece – the “conversation pit” in the living room – was richly upholstered to restore it to its original function. Nancy opted for “organic shapes and textures, with no sharp edges”.

Colourful bottles combine with a flokati rug and Mongolian wool and velvet cushions. Throughout the home, she has mixed design classics – such as Eero Saarinen’s Tulip dining table, Arne Jacobsen’s Egg chairs, and Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni’s Arco lamp – with contemporary chic. “I didn’t want retro-shop kitsch, so I mixed original 1970s pieces with cutting-edge, quirky Italian designs.”

While the rooms are bathed in natural light during the day, after sundown the mood switches, thanks to cove lighting ingeniously placed within nooks in the ceiling, which also accents the wonderful architectural twists and turns that are so integral to the home. “The lighting is amazing,” Nancy says. “All the curves light up, and it’s so moody. It screams, ‘Let’s have a party.’”

Plants are used both internally and externally to emphasise the organic nature of the house, with creepers in the planter boxes and sculptural monstera deliciosa (a firm 1960s favourite) throughout. Externally, she has grown ivy to cover the walls, both to insulate the house and to make it meld even more with the landscape.

There’s that David Hollander would

no doubt approve.

renzidesign | renzidesign.com.au

OPPOSITE The wonderfully textured concrete was the starting point for the interiors.

Mongolian wool cushions and that 1970s classic, the flokati rug, reference the home’s original era, but are also cosy counterpoints to the cooler concrete and aggregate surfaces.

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“ I L O V E D T H E WAY I T S I T S I N THE LANDSCAPE, HOW IT FEELS SO GOOD INSIDE BECAUSE OF THE ROUNDED

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THIS PAGE The multilevel house makes the most of its sloping site.

The artwork left of the dining table is

by New Zealand artist Irene Ferguson.

The original 1970s copper Lucite swivel chairs were sourced online. OPPOSITE Miles, one of Nancy’s twin sons, relaxes in the “conversation pit”, the central point of the home. The 1971 Curtis Jeré wall installation is a perfect solution for the curved wall in this room. Purple Egg chairs by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen and a Panthella table lamp

by Verner Panton and Louis Poulsen add to the retro vibe.

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“ I D I D N ’ T WA N T R E T R O - S H O P

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SO I MIXED ORIGINAL 1970s PIECES WITH CUTTING-EDGE, QUIRKY ITALIAN DESIGNS.”

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THIS PAGE Nooks can be found everywhere, adding to the home’s cosiness. In this one, a collection of artworks hangs above a Love Affair sofa by Erba Italia.

OPPOSITE The Holly All pot/chair/ sculpture by Philippe Starck for Serralunga could have been tailormade for the dining area. Indoor plants throughout the house emphasise the organic nature of the building.

The artwork is by Dutch artist Wim Worm.

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The unusual house embraces its natural bush environment in Sydney’s Northern Beaches region, so Nancy installed hardwood decking to make the most of the outside spaces. Clover chairs by Ron Arad for Driade bring a quirky vibe, as do the LED light-up plant pots.

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THIS PAGE Philippe Starck’s Bubble Club furniture for Kartell creates a funky living hub among the greenery. The copper theme continues with the coffee table and fireplace. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The fabulous Numero modular lounge suite by Featherston was re-upholstered in Kvadrat wool, and is complemented by Reverso’s DNA bookcase and Emanuele Zenere’s Yo-Yo coffee table (both for Cattelan Italia); Nancy’s dog Luna often keeps her company in the home office; bright Missoni bedding and a funky Kartell lamp create contrast with the white walls in Nancy’s son Charley’s room; the dual-basin vanity and rounded edges on the mirror echo the home’s curves.

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OPPOSITE In the living room, a giant steel light by Heino Schmitt hangs above furniture designed by Lesley Carstens and Silvio Rech.

The sofa complements the plush geometric carpet by Husky.

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It’s the first thing you notice when you walk into this striking penthouse apartment on the top floor of one of the Steyn City blocks in Johannesburg’s “new North”. The high ceilings give a first impression of an expansive home, rather than the typical boxy square found on other estates around the city. “We needed to get height into the apartment,” explains architect Lesley Carstens, who worked on the project with her partner, architect Silvio Rech, and interior designers Nabeela Abdul-Karrim and Nina Roux.

“The ceiling heights were initially quite low,” says Silvio. “We could not change the window heights, but we pushed the engineers and architects to raise our ceilings as high as possible.” To add to the feeling of space, the team made all the door and wall panels reach from floor to ceiling, and opened the spaces to create a feeling of flow rather than settle for closed-off rooms.

Homage to Japanese design is evident through the sliding bedroom and study doors that give the option of an open-plan feel or privacy with their sleek, movable panels. “We also opened the lounge, kitchen and dining area into one space, flowing into the TV room, by removing all the internal walls,” says Silvio.

“To create drama, we did a full-height 3D wall mural in the lounge – for some theatre, and to ensure the apartment had a signature look.”

Colour is the next visual element that makes a massive impact. Designed to mirror the shades reflected in the nature outside, the palette marries tones of the morning light, the surrounding grasses and wetlands, and the changing hues of the sunset. There are pale-blue sheers and shades of midnight grey in the curtains, sunset purples in one of the rooms, and green velvet couches with an abundance of planting in the TV room. In the main areas, the grey backdrop of the walls pops with the vibrancy of indigo-blue servers and bright yellow chairs that encourage what Lesley describes as “joyousness and the freedom to be eclectic”.

There’s a wonderfully unique atmosphere to the home – a character far removed from the decor-out-of-a-store feeling. “We usually design most of the furniture, joinery and decor pieces on our projects, and we wanted to use our own designs as much as possible here, too,” says Lesley. “We designed the majority of the furniture and the joinery, bar a few select items.”

The team aimed to create a space that’s contemporary and modern, but has a tactile connection to the earth. A few standout features include stone and steel coffee tables – sculptural pieces made of white Namibian marble and red Naboomspruit sandstone with blackened steel. The chunky flamed granite island with geometric faceted legs creates a hub for the home, a place to socialise and entertain in the state-of-the-art kitchen.

By using texture, the team has also created a contrast between elevated glamour and OPPOSITE The pitched roof on the top earthy tactility. Natural fabrics have been floor increases the feeling of space. employed in the form of heavy linen and The outdoor steel upholstered couch, rich velvet curtains, all-natural linen sheers, armchairs and loungers were initially and Belgian and Italian linen bedding. designed for Jao Camp in the Okavango Delta, and modified for apartment living Leather adds to this, providing further with different pattern and colour. variations in texture through the panels on the back wall of the TV room, as well as the headboards made of buffed elephant hide.

Offsetting these natural elements are glossy mirrors and grey glass, both providing a layer of urban slickness that has become this team’s trademark – a combination of steyncity.co.za | silviorechlesleycarstens.co.za nature, glamour and elegance.

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E L E VAT E D G L A M O U R A N D E A R T H Y TA C T I L I T Y.

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The dining table is made from laminated layers of brown marble and white granite from the Kalahari, while the retro dining chairs are a bright yellow reproduction of a chair Lesley and Silvio found in an antique shop.

The faceted blue server is by Modellers – Silvio’s family business, which his cousins run.

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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE A chunky flamed granite island with geometric legs takes pride of place in the open-plan kitchen; the balcony boasts a splash pool and expansive views of the Johannesburg skyline; in the study, Japanese-inspired sliding walls and doors offer the option of privacy or open-plan living. OPPOSITE “ODE” – a series of prints of sliced tree trunks – was created by Lesley’s friend, Sandy Kuper-Joffe. They were found on walks through Joburg, and cut and polished by Sandy.

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THIS PAGE The velvet couch in the TV room works well with the cleverly designed living wall of plants, which can be transported and replanted with ease. The wool carpet is by Husky. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT In the entrance lobby, an etching

by Ade Adesina is as striking as the orbital light; moody purple hues in the bedroom include bedding by Heavenly Feather, and provide contrast for the artwork by Alessandro Papetti; chunky granite in the master en suite elevates the notion of bathtime luxury; all vanities are part of Lesley and Silvio’s range with Boutique Baths, with the countertops fully moulded out of Cian.

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In the master bedroom, fabrics and textures are contrasted to create a feeling of opulence and tactility that’s offset by glossy mirrors and the use of grey glass. The artwork is by Alessandro Papetti.

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Aptly named Black Swan, Eleonora Nieuwenhuizen’s special home rests on the water in the Dutch province of North Holland. Exposed to the elements, it was cleverly designed to include outdoor spaces that are both protected and private.

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“YOU WILL ALSO FIND ALL KINDS OF ITEMS THROUGHOUT

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T H E B O AT T H AT L I N K T O L I F E O N WAT E R . ”

For Eleonora Nieuwenhuizen and partner Erwin, the pull to live on the water was a strong one.

She had grown up in Oostknollendam – a town in the Dutch province of North Holland – and the couple returned to build this special home, surrounded on three sides by archetypal Dutch landscape. “Erwin and I knew exactly what we wanted,” says Eleonora, “and we already had a good idea of what was needed to create it. We found architect Angela Holterman of Hollands Zicht architects via Pinterest – she lives on the water herself, and has experience in designing water homes – then selected several contractors and project-managed it all ourselves.”

The home’s location and surroundings dictated the architect’s approach, with the outdoor areas being a special focus. Roof terraces and floating terraces were natural options, but she had to take the elements into consideration too. “The wind around here has free rein as soon as you stick your head above ground level,” says Angela. “We solved this by including the outdoor spaces within the contours of the house. The adjacent spaces provide shelter, and a direct relationship between inside and outside.”

The patio, for example, is an extension of the kitchen, and the loggia is downstairs on the master bedroom. The waving reeds provide shelter and privacy to life in and around the water, as do the wooden slats at the “black swan” façades. And that provides two different perspectives when living here: from the sunken ground floor looking at swans floating by, or enjoying the views from upstairs.

Eleonora took on the interior design herself. “Interior design is totally my thing,” she says. “It is my passion to decorate houses beautifully, and I get inspiration during the trips I make to India, Bali, Puglia and Ibiza to visit friends. In the Black Swan, I chose green as the main colour for the ground floor. This is reflected in the green corduroy couches with the hanging plants in the living room, and the green heron Gucci wallpaper in the master bedroom.”

On the upper floor, denim-blue predominates. The carpet under the dining table, the custom cushions, and the Delft blue wallpaper all meld beautifully. “Of course, you will also find all kinds of items throughout the boat that link to life on water,” says Eleonora. “It’s a nod to the various industrial ship lights, but also the lighting in Indian kitchens that reminds me of fish traps. A ship’s bell, old doors of an Alexandrian bed box, and wallpaper in the stairwell made from my uncle Hajo’s old sea charts complete the picture.”

This typical Dutch landscape also requires Dutch elements. “I chose Delft blue wallpaper with various old Dutch signs, windmills and tile texts,” says Eleonora, “as well as some tiles that belonged to my grandmother, mixed in with new tiles with a golden edge. The Frisian Whites in the kitchen add to this, as do the two wooden bedsteads.

“I like to surround myself with beautiful things. I love colour, and I don’t really have a particular style. It’s more of everything. C’est moi!”

You can rent the home on boutiquehomesinholland.com.

– Owner Eleonora Nieuwenhuizen

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Owner Eleonora with partner Erwin and their dog, Loulou; a window-lined passage leads to the kitchen and dining area, which opens up to an outside terrace; fishing is just one of the pastimes the outside terraces can be used for.

| Dutch Houseboat

The kitchen, designed and manufactured by The Big Easy, is a study in modular luxury, with Smeg appliances and brass fixtures by Ton Scholten.

Blue is the colour of choice here, and the long dining table speaks to long and lazy social gatherings with friends.

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THIS PAGE The wooden workbench is one of Eleonora’s market finds. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT On the ground floor, a niche provides a relaxation space; Eleonora used her uncle Hajo’s old nautical charts as wallpaper in the stairwell; designed for comfort, the lounge features vintage accents, and brings the outdoors in via marine life-themed cushions and a cascade of hanging plants.

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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The spaces are designed in such a way that the views can be enjoyed whether you’re inside or out; a Piet Hein Eek chair allows its occupant to take a breather; the monochrome guest room is an homage to Eleonora’s love affair with wallpaper; clever “bed boxes”, with vintage wooden Egyptian doors for privacy, offer ample sleeping space for visiting family and friends.

OPPOSITE Delft blue wallpaper provides a backdrop for a collection of ornamental plates, many of which once belonged to Eleonora’s grandmother. The vintage door was sourced at an architectural salvage store.

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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT A collection of mirrors reflects the green tones of the master bedroom; vintage wooden Egyptian doors are used throughout the space; topped by a gorgeous chandelier, which was sourced at an antique market, the bedroom is flooded with warmth and natural light courtesy of the conservatory-like terrace linked to it; the sleek, modern lines of the bathtub and copper fixtures by Ton Scholten contribute to the sanctuary-like feel. OPPOSITE Gucci’s heron-print wallpaper plays a dual role in the master suite, as an undeniable focal point and a modern take on a headboard.

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PORTRAIT STUDIO MIRU

newmarkhotels.com | davidstrauss.co.za

The restrained glamour of old-school safari style is very much in evidence at Geiger’s Camp, a boutique lodge that forms part of Motswari Game Reserve in the Timbavati/Umbabat, on the edge of Kruger Park. At this intimate lodge, the design of both buildings and interiors is a story of one family’s love for the area, and for spending their downtime in the bush.

“It’s a philosophy, not decor,” says owner Marion Geiger-Orengo, the daughter of one of Motswari’s original founders, Paul Geiger – and when I ask her to suggest a few key words she associates with Geiger’s Camp, she answers thoughtfully, “Shade. Peace. Heritage. Layered.”

Uniting the talents of Marion, her French husband Fabrice Orengo de Lamazière and interior designer David Strauss, the camp has a unique look and feel that has evolved over the years. More than mere decoration, this is a style that is forged in equal parts from Marion’s heritage, Fabrice’s vision and David’s guidance.

According to David, working on Geiger’s Camp with Marion and Fabrice was all about creating a resolutely “un-decorated” feel that also reflected the couple’s “cosmopolitan family history”. The aim was, he says, to make guests “feel like one of the family”, and to create a place “not designed to impress, but designed for the user”.

Geiger’s Camp is small and ultra-private: situated on a secluded koppie, it has just four spacious double rooms, which are grouped around a central communal area with an expansive pool terrace-cum-veranda that sports panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. It was Fabrice who conceptualised the eye-shaped swimming pool and spacious veranda; he is consistently, say both David and Marion, the one who brings “the flair” to a project.

The outdoor lounging and dining areas are complemented by indoor spaces that include a cosy study and lounge, and all the buildings have been carefully constructed from locally collected stone, with tall thatched roofs, old-fashioned steel-framed windows and beautifully polished,patinated ochre concrete floors. The structures instantly evoke the spirit of pragmatic simplicity so characteristic of remotely situated dwellings. Layered onto this classic bush backdrop is a mix of antique and vintage furniture pieces, thoughtfully selected textiles, collected treasures that reflect the camp’s wilderness location and arresting paintings by Marion herself – she is an established contemporary artist, with a studio in situ.

BELOW Interior designer The overall effect is very much one of “living with the collections David Strauss. of bohemian travellers”, as David puts it. In my suite, an antique OPPOSITE, FROM TOP Geiger’s wardrobe, a charming vintage bench with an embroidered seat, and a Camp owner Marion beautiful old chaise longue with brocade upholstery were perfectly Geiger-Orengo comes from a family of conservationists; the complemented by a contemporary wood-beaded chandelier and a Motswari Private Game Reserve, large, pure-white mosquito net. of which Geiger’s Camp forms An overall feeling of spaciousness and comfort abounds in the rooms, part, is home to some of South with careful attention to detail evident everywhere and in everything, Africa’s most majestic animals, from the lighting design to the stone-topped bathroom vanity and the including the Big Five. nostalgia-inspiring claw-footed steel bath, which is not guilt-inducingly large, yet is delightfully deep – making it the perfect place to wallow in Africology bubbles before bed on a cool winter’s night.

The first parts of what is now Geiger’s Camp were built as a reserve manager’s house, and later became the personal bush escape of Marion’s older brother, Roland, and his wife Roxy. After Roland was tragically killed in a plane crash in 2001, it morphed into Shlaralumi Cottage, with three additional rooms added to the original house.

Finally, in 2011, the decision was made to fully refurbish the camp as a private lodge, and Marion, Fabrice and David worked collaboratively together to gradually give it the historically inflected elegance and intimacy that characterise Geiger’s Camp today. At Fabrice’s suggestion, at this time the camp was also given a new name, to honour the heritage of the Geiger family. And so it came to be that Geiger’s Camp reflects the Geigers’ history as a conservation family, and invites its guests to share in their unique take on the safari.

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| Timbavati Lodge THIS PAGE Marion designed the cushion with leopard embroidery, which was custom-made

by Kaross. OPPOSITE In the lounge, comfortable armchairs are upholstered in a mix of fabrics sourced by Marion and David. The wooden crocodiles were collected by a family friend of the Geigers, Eric Malaise, who purchased them from crafters and flea markets over the course of many years. After the collection was given to Marion for safekeeping, she and David decided to use it to create this unique display.

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It was Fabrice’s idea to use the expansive pool and viewing deck to link the various parts of Geiger’s Camp during its 2011 upgrade. The colourful pool loungers are from Canetime.

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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The basket chair on the private veranda at one of the suites is from Cane World, who have been supplying cane chairs to Motswari for 50 years; inside the same suite, a painting by Marion sets off vintage furnishings sourced by David; these butterfly-style chairs are from Jambo; a truly spectacular setting makes for the ultimate in romantic dinner dates. OPPOSITE The evocative wall hanging is an enlarged version of an original painting of a lion by Marion, printed onto pure linen. The vintage chaise and armchair were purchased at auction, then covered with fabrics from Marion’s personal collection.

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“GREAT DESIGN

is COMFORTING and INTUITIVE, and should be user-friendly.”

Roxanne Ferreira, Arrange Studio

PHOTO FRANCES MARAIS/COURTESY OF ARRANGE STUDIO STYLING SANRI PIENAAR

Paradise Lamp in Lagoon R5 800 | arrange_studio (See page 144)

DESIGN, ART, ARCHITECTURE, TECH, BOOKS & STYLISH BUYS

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MAKE LIGHT OF IT

Table lamps serve a practical purpose, and are essential to any lighting scheme – but they should also look fabulous while shining their light.

Here are our current favourites.

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1. The 152 desk lamp packs a lot of punch into a stripped-down design. R2 600 | dokterandmisses.com 2. The stainless-steel Law & Disorder lamp is simultaneously sculptural and sexy. R10 200 | okha.com 3. A fun but strong piece, the Blowtorch lamp will add playful interest to any space. R3 850 | dokterandmisses.com 4. The Blob lamp by Sixth Floor ticks all the boxes if you’re looking for a statement piece that won’t date in a year. R1 199 | superbalist.com 5. Gubi’s 5321 lamp, originally designed in 1941 by Paavo Tynell, is the epitome of vintage romance and femininity. R14 257 | cremadesign.co.za 6. Injecting a bold dose of metallic magic, the Moby light’s multi-spoke design will provide the X-factor your space needs. R4 295 | weylandts.co.za 7. An optimistic pop of candy-coated joy, the Paradise lamp adds an accent colour to your corner vignette. R5 800 | arrange_studio

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1. Using raffia for both base and shade, the Hightower lamp is a textural feast. R3 800 | studio19.co 2. For something sleek, and both modern and retro, the Pac-Man is just the ticket. R2 116 | mashtdesignstudio.com 3. A compact take on the classic Anglepoise, the Lab light will add cachet to your desk. R10 000 | anatomydesign.co.za 4. The Arch lamp’s sculptural silhouette will command a table or server nicely. R9 660 | bofred.co.za 5. The elegant Eclipse brings soft downlighting to a side table. From R8 500 | anatomydesign.co.za 6. The unusual proportions of the Miro Buffet lamp make it a great conversation piece. R5 290 | bofred.co.za 7. Palmy Living’s collab with Maria Magdalena Atelier and ceramicist Corinne de Haas has resulted in an organic range that includes this sculptural Baobab lamp. R5 175 | palmyliving.com 8. &Tradition’s SW6 lamp offers just the right dose of ornateness. R7 210 | cremadesign.co.za 9. The Scandi-inspired Stockholm lamp is the perfect desk accessory for the die-hard minimalist. R1 705 | pedersenlennard.co.za

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DESIGN JOURNEY

Rich Mnisi’s eponymous brand has become an icon of South African contemporary culture. The LISOF graduate pushes the boundaries of fashion, and is now taking the same approach to furniture.

2 0 1 6 UNTHINKING Unthinking was my first collection, debuting the year after RICH MNISI was founded. It was a representation of things I grew up seeing in township culture that were minimised or not acknowledged, especially queer identity. It encouraged “unthinking” and accepting reality.

I don’t usually speak about the matters that are close to me – I rather do it visually, with triggers that help people see things in a different light.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF RICH MNISI AND SOUTHERN GUILD WORDS TRACY LYNN CHEMALY

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COCA-COLA COLLAB The RICH MNISI Coke Threds capsule collection was a collaboration with Coca-Cola geared towards a younger generation. As much as my aesthetic is youthful, the silhouettes I go for are quite mature: pleated skirts and tailored jackets. I almost didn’t fit the demographic because I wasn’t designing hoodies and T-shirts… But the collection sold out! It was a beautiful study because it revealed that people like to style themselves, and they like to have an opportunity to mix different aesthetics. It’s fashion; it’s meant to be explored.

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SOUTHERN GUILD BEGINNINGS When I designed Nwa-Mulamula’s Chaise and Nwa-Mulamula’s Tears for Southern Guild, it was to pay tribute to my great-grandmother Nwa-Mulamula, a woman I never knew but whose story I grew up hearing and wanted to honour. These pieces later went with Southern Guild to Salon Art + Design in New York and PAD London.

Furniture design had been a long-term goal for me – but Southern Guild fast-tracked that by 10 years! Because the gallery leans towards unconventional pieces, it has been amazing to go into a world where I shouldn’t make anything conventional. It’s an extension of my fashion brand.

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LOBOLA Once I started exploring the idea of Nwa-Mulamula in my designs, she became my artistic muse, guiding me from season to season as I imagined her in different scenarios. My Lobola collection came from me daydreaming about her lobola ceremony, and what it would have been like.

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N YO K A Nyoka (opening on 2 October 2021) is my first solo show with Southern Guild. The title means “snake” in Xitsonga, and these furniture pieces are an extension of the ideas behind Ku Hahama. I am so proud of this collection, which was created through so much conversation, collaboration, craftsmanship, labour and humility. It’s been a fun and insightful journey to witness my designs transform into perfect pieces of art through the work of sculptors, bead artists, rug weavers, industrial designers, foundry workers and more. richmnisi.com | southernguild.co.za

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KU HAHAMA The Ku Hahama collection was inspired by a dream my mother had of a snake, which reminded me of the mythological god Bumba, who created the planet by vomiting stars, animals and humans. My entire family has a massive fear of snakes, so my mother’s dream was filled with terror – but she was also mesmerised by the beauty of the snake. There was a similarity in this to the pain Bumba went through to birth creation.

It’s the duality that informed Ku Hahama.

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ON REFLECTION

Brett Rubin and Io Makandal’s Inland Collective is turning the creation of mirrors and glassware into a form of art for the home.

espite – and perhaps because of – the pandemic’s many challenges, a new crop of designers are pooling their collective skills to create some of the country’s most inspiring new product designs.

Among these next-gen initiatives is Inland Collective, a Johannesburg-based art glass and mirror company that launched at Always Welcome in Hyde Park late in 2020. Founded by artists and life partners Brett Rubin and Io Makandal, who have both worked with glass in their individual practices, Inland Collective blends the processes of art and design to rethink the way in which glass and mirror come together for the home.

For Io and Brett, glass has become a canvas, and its iterations take the form of sculptural wall mirrors, shining vases and gleaming bowls that are as beautiful to use as they are to behold. Their approach comes to

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life in Cosmos, Inland Collective’s first range of hanging mirrors and vessels, which looks skyward for inspiration. The collection’s transparent layers and colours subtly evoke the tactile lines of Io’s drawings and the minimalism of Brett’s photography, at times featuring his archive ceramic-printed and layered onto the mirrors themselves.

“Despite everything that happened, 2020 was a year of growth for many people, pushing them to think about things in quite a different way,” says Io of Inland’s origins. “In art, the whole ecology of the field is changing into something even more ambiguous.

And so we took the opportunity to approach the creative process from a different angle that ultimately feeds back into our art making. Brett had been working with glass as a material for a while, and understood it. I had experimented with glass in my own work in the past as well, so together we wanted to do something more product-based that could bring our expertise together.”

Inland Collective celebrates collaboration by working with artisans, architects, product designers and interior designers to push the development of their products forward. Inland’s Galaxy bowls are produced in collaboration with glass-blowers in Tshwane – including Retief van Wyk – and many Inland pieces have been treated with unique mirrored applications that embrace new technology as well as long-forgotten glasswork techniques. Work with architects such as Counterspace, designers such as Houtlander, and interior specialists including Red Cherry continues the exploration of glass in art, retail and residential contexts.

“Glass is an alluring and unforgiving material,” Brett says. “With wood or metal, you can buff mistakes out more easily – but with glass, you often need to start all over again. From the raw material to the outcome, you never quite know what to expect. I think because we’re trained in different ways to how an industrial designer would approach the design process, there’s something quite intuitive about it – a daringness to explore how things can turn out – so you stop worrying about mistakes, and start looking at where you can take a material as you go along.” inlandcollective.co.za

1. Horizon mirror in Bronze and Amethyst. 2. Zenith mirror in Rose Gold and Bronze.

3. Galaxy bowl in Gold. 4. Galaxy bowl in Amethyst. 5. Magnetar mirror in Rose Gold and Bronze.

6. Petal mirror in Copper and Copper Patina. 7. Solar Eclipse mirror in Aqua-Marine and Copper Patina.

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ART IN MOTION

Nelson Makamo’s latest work, “My Life in Motion”, is a one-off, customised Porsche 911 featuring the artist’s signature accents.

orld-renowned South African artist Nelson Makamo’s latest installation “My Life in Motion” is literally a moving canvas. The customised Porsche 911 is an eye-catching Carrera Coupé that features the artist’s signature accents, which include a hand-painted rear bumper panel, side mirror covers, seat backs and interior trim panels.

The project encouraged Nelson to reflect on his personal journey, recalling the various individuals who have had an impact on his life. He has portrayed his belief in community through the depictions painted onto the vehicle – a community that has no particular race, age, gender or geographical origin, representing an international collective of individuals. “What better way to summarise my journey through life than by putting it in a form of collectives?” says Nelson. “We are at a point in the world where we’re slowly moving towards one culture, because we care about one another as people more than anything. I want you to see yourself on the car.”

The car has a special personal element too: the door-panel insert on the left bears the inscription “Mma”, an element purposely only visible when the door of the car is open. Meaning “mother” in Nelson’s home language of Sepedi, this constitutes a dedication to his beloved parent. “My Life in Motion” is the first artwork on which Nelson has mentioned her.

Toby Venter, CEO of Porsche South Africa, says the project has provided great motivation.

“Working with Nelson has been inspirational,” he says. “This is a truly bespoke art installation worthy of any gallery, and it illustrates the lengths Porsche South Africa will go to – the creativity and flexibility of our team to accommodate a request as personal as this. Porsche customers already have a virtually endless array of options available through Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur to make their car completely individual – but when a unique customer like Nelson chooses to do something extraordinary, we’re delighted to accommodate his wishes.”

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF PORSCHE WORDS GINA DIONISIO

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PARC LIFE

We asked Tashas Group founder and CEO Natasha Sideris about the thinking behind the revamp of Le Parc by tashas in Hyde Park Corner, which is a celebration of colour, passion and great local design.

ince opening in 2010, tashas in Hyde Park Corner has become a cornerstone of the centre, and is one of the brand’s most beautifully designed spaces. In September 2020, Tashas Group founder and CEO Natasha Sideris brought the restaurant back into her own hands – and if the new Le Parc by tashas is anything to go by, it’s the start of a bold new era for the brand. VISI caught up with Natasha in Dubai (where the brand already has eight stores!) to learn more about the new space, and about her vision for tashas going forward.

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The Hyde Park Corner tashas is a special space to a lot of people. Why is it important to you personally, since taking the business back into your own hands?

First, let me say that my partnership with Famous Brands was an extremely beneficial one. It enabled me to expand my business acumen significantly. Once I felt that my

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team and I had gleaned as much as we could from the partnership, we opened the discussion to buy my birthright back. It is my name, after all! We pursue excellence in everything we do. We make fresh food to order, using only the best ingredients. We ensure our service is top-notch with rigorous hands-on training.

Our restaurant spaces are beautifully designed.

How did you approach the redesign of this space?

After being open in Hyde Park Corner for 11 years, my team and I realised we needed to do something different. Soon it became clear that this was not going to be just another tashas. It was Le Parc by tashas: a new standalone brand, fully endorsed by Tashas Group, but with a totally new look, feel and offering.

The decor was spearheaded by Nicky Greig, head stylist for Tashas Group – she has brought to life a number of collaborations, elements and expressions from local designers and artists.

PHOTOS DAVID ROSS WORDS GARRETH VAN NIEKERK

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The real point of departure from the more conservative look and feel of tashas was when we conceptualised the idea for the papier-mâché fruit bowl by David and Alexandra Ross. It ignited a more artistic and colourful interpretation for the space. The more we developed the concept, the more we realised we were creating something completely new for the South African market. Le Parc has always had a Parisian flair, but this has been pushed to new levels. With whimsical inspiration from Annabel’s in London, the pink colour palette has added pops of fun, with wild fabric prints in contrasting and contradictory colours. The floors were replaced by slate tiles in a typically French pattern, to make the space feel separate from the mall – and more like a courtyard in Paris. The end result is an experience, one that I think people need.

It’s not just a dine-and-go place any more – it’s a step into a whimsical world.

The inclusion of a retail offering – including brands such as Assouline and Botanicus – brings a new dimension to the restaurant. What was the thinking behind this?

We don’t typically offer a retail section in our other 14 stores in South Africa – other than selling our cookbooks – so this is very different. More than 300 items are available to purchase at Le Parc; some are made in-house, some are sourced from local partners, and a few are even flown in from international suppliers.

It is the broadest selection of products available from one place, in the centre.

What are your hopes for the future of tashas?

We have already established ourselves in South Africa and Dubai, and are now exploring the potential of other international markets, including the UK and Europe.

We’re looking at big cities with high-volume traffic. leparcbytashas.com

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BANG ON TREND

Your television needn’t be bulky and clunky: invest in a sleek masterpiece that deserves to be seen – and heard.

ang & Olufsen’s luxe Beovision Contour has everything you need to recreate a theatregoing experience at home. Now available in 55” screen size, this superb piece of tech has been created for the design-forward audiophile – and in addition to its impressive functionality, the TV boasts the sleek looks that we consider to be synonymous with the premium Danish audio brand.

Encased in a barely-there aluminium frame, the Beovision Contour is a subtle addition to any room – and the choice of three colours ensures that there’s one to suit your decor. The front speaker cover can be finished in fabric or wood veneer and, as is to be expected from

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the coolest contemporary tech, there are no clunky cables or clutter to contend with.

And then there’s the sound. With unparalleled speaker technology courtesy of the Beosound Stage soundbar, the Beovision Contour delivers an elevated aural experience. It includes four custom-designed 4” bass drivers for enhanced performance down to 30Hz, while the latest-generation OLED screen offers top-quality definition and 100% realistic colour rendering to match.

You can also choose from three stand options – floor, wall or tabletop – to customise your unit. Then, sit back and enjoy the full Bang & Olufsen sound experience. Best of all? You don’t need to close your eyes. bang-olufsen.com

PHOTO SUPPLIED WORDS BIDDI RORKE

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ROMAN HOLIDAY

“Only in Rome is it possible to understand Rome,” wrote the German poet Goethe – and the Eternal City must surely be on almost every traveller’s bucket list. Now there’s a new reason to plan your visit.

eveloped mostly in the 1930s and bordering the beautiful gardens of the Villa Borghese, Rome’s Parioli area is discreet, affluent and the location of a number of embassies. It’s a little like the Roman equivalent of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, with tree-lined streets, smart shops and wellheeled locals. Parioli sports a number of art galleries, as well as being home to the collection housed in the 17th-century Villa Borghese and Italy’s National Gallery of Modern Art, which is situated near the Villa’s worldrenowned, 60-hectare gardens.

New to these under-the-tourist-radar environs is an eye-catching design hotel, The Hoxton Rome. It’s the 10th hotel in The Hoxton portfolio, and the interiors of its public areas were designed by Fettle, an interior architecture firm that specialises in hospitality design, in collaboration with Ennismore Design Studio. Using the building and its locality as reference points for the interior spaces, Fettle drew on the aesthetic already synonymous with The Hoxton brand – which combines comfort with an inviting yet understatedly stylish feel

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– to create interiors that feel residential in scale, with layered accessories and lighting.

The building in which The Hoxton Rome is located was constructed in the 1970s, and so the interiors take inspiration from mid-century Italian design, pairing this with some of the classic architectural details found in the neighbourhood’s more traditional buildings. “We had to ensure that we created a space that worked for both the surrounding community as well as hotel guests,” says Andy Goodwin, creative director and co-founder of Fettle. “So, understanding the local culture played a huge part in the design process. We took inspiration from the location as well as cues from the building’s original details.”

Many of the furniture pieces in the hotel were designed specifically for the project, from the mid-century-inspired sofas and banquettes to the dining and lounge chairs. The introduction of vintage Italian decor complements these bespoke furnishings. For example, vintage floor and table lighting has been skilfully deployed to provide a soft glow at low level around the public spaces.

ABOVE, FROM LEFT The Hoxton Rome’s restrained exterior gives no hint of the colourful mid-century style within; the hotel’s curvaceous coffee bar has a touch of theatre about it. OPPOSITE BOTTOM, FROM LEFT Luxe banquette seating in the lounge area is complemented by bespoke chandeliers; the lush planting on the terrace offsets the pink stonework of the building’s façade.

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PHOTOS THE HOXTON/HEIKO PRIGGE WORDS ROBYN ALEXANDER

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ABOVE, FROM LEFT The hotel is furnished with a mix of carefully selected vintage pieces and custom designs; in the coffee bar, Fettle drew inspiration from a typical Roman apartment. BELOW, FROM LEFT The layout of the lounge areas has been designed so each space flows into the next; the marble main bar features large, dramatically arched bottle displays on the rear wall.

The interiors incorporate a variety of seating arrangements, which cater for guests at all times of the day, whether they’re socialising, working or relaxing.

A few of the noteworthy, almost theatrical elements are The Hoxton Rome’s curved coffee bar, its main bar, and an open kitchen in the restaurant.

One of the standout aspects of the decor here is the lighting. In addition to the vintage lighting pieces already mentioned, the hotel features sculptural chandeliers that run throughout the main lobby, with brass and smokedglass globes. Custom-designed, Murano-inspired ceiling

lights are used to illuminate the bar and to help direct circulation routes through the space. Fettle also designed wall and bar lighting fixtures especially for those spaces, and placed vintage pendants over the coffee bar.

Architecturally, a natural palette creates an elegant backdrop, with finishes including timber-clad columns, patterned brickwork and textured plaster walls. This sophisticated yet approachable framework is finished off with rich upholstery fabrics, statement rugs, quirky decor objects and colourful artworks. thehoxton.com/rome | fettle-design.co.uk

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GRAPE EXPECTATIONS

A custom-built wine cellar in the Elgin Valley combines a contemporary aesthetic with smart functionality.

he new wine cellar building at Habibi is genteel yet practical – a voluminous barnlike structure that settles unobtrusively in the orchards of Elgin in the Western Cape, while still packing a serious design punch. A successful blend of cathedral and workshop, this is a space whose beauty is underpinned by honest, hard-wearing materials and optimal design decisions.

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A decade ago, when Canadian businessman and oenophile David Curl married South African-born Genevieve HamiltonBrown, they invested in an Elgin apple farm. The estate included small parcels of Pinot Noir, and the resulting wines were named after Genevieve’s late mother Moya Meaker, a former Miss South Africa. Fast-forward to today, and the farm – Habibi – boasts this state-of-the-art cellar, which allows for efficient and elegant wine production.

THIS PAGE Winemaker Jean Smit and Weimaraner Aikis ensure that things run smoothly in the maturation cellar.

OPPOSITE Sunlight streams in through the skylight in the concrete ceiling to illuminate an Icarus sculpture.

De Hoop bricks by Corobrik offer a subtle background.

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PHOTOS PARIS BRUMMER WORDS BIDDI RORKE

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The estate’s other premium label, Damascene, is a partnership between David and celebrated winemaker Jean Smit, with its debut 2018 release having been described by critics as “one of the most exciting South African releases in a decade”. The duo are passionate about their art – and their 120-tonne custom-made “studio”.

“We focused on optimising the space and the flow of production,” Jean says. “With this building, every design element was scrutinised to allow for optimal processing.”

A strategic and thoughtful use of materials – such as untreated Nordic pine for the decking, low-maintenance Saflok cladding, and a seamless polyurethane floor, none of which competes or interferes with the alchemy of wine-making – was also key to the success of the build.

Approaching the winery, the first view is of two ancient oak trees whose canopies float over the tasting room and office space. These areas are wrapped in timber cladding, which will weather in time and blend in with the landscape.

The striking elongated skylight, with its scissoring truss of untreated spruce, forms the architectural spine of the cellar, maximising natural light and creating that elusive “aha” moment that stops you in your tracks. Below, tulipshaped concrete tanks imported from Italy stand on precast concrete plinths, an artful testament to the real work that happens in the space. Jean explains that the grapes don’t have to be crushed and pumped into these vessels – instead, they are tipped intact from satellite tanks directly into the fermenters, resulting in a particular profile and elegance.

As lead architect Michelle Heidemann of Onyx Architects explains, wine cellars are usually inward-facing to minimise the light that falls on the barrels. However, she says, “Here, ancient oak trees shade the building from the eastern light, so wherever we could, we were able to add windows – from the feature skylight to the narrow slots and the huge sliding doors that frame the view and connect the structure to the landscape.”

“As you move closer, the striking black box of the cellar is revealed,” Michelle says. “Eighty-five percent of the space is about production, so we worked with a team of structural and production engineers and quantity surveyors to ensure all of David and Jean’s exacting requirements were met.”

The northern side houses the covered outside crusher pad area, where grapes arrive before being stored in the adjacent pre-cool room. Leading off the main fermentation facility, the middle block houses eight conical oak foudres from Austria, while the maturation room lies at the back of the building.

Sharing the generous deck with the main production area, the tasting room was designed around three key pieces that David and Genevieve brought with them from France. Warm tones of earthy brown form an unobtrusive backdrop to the artworks, and create an inviting space for vinophiles to savour the true centrepieces of the estate – the elegant Moya Meaker and Damascene wines.

Moya Meaker Wines |

Damascene Vineyards

THIS PAGE, FROM LEFT Landscaping by DDS Projects softens the building’s hard edges; the tulip-shaped concrete tanks were imported from Italy. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Thermo-ash joinery in Jean’s office lends a sleek profile to the space; a portrait of Moya Meaker overlooks the Houtlander table and Andrew Dominic chairs in the tasting room; the maturation cellar, located at the back of the building, features Saflok cladding and a seamless polyurethane floor; the generous Nordic-pine deck by Inhouse Finishing is shaded by two ancient oak trees; aluminium cladding provides contrast to the warmer wooden aspects of the exterior; in time, the fixed timber screening will fade and weather, blending into the surrounding landscape; the bar counter in the tasting room was custom-made by Boland Shopfitters.

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COLLECTING TREASURES The office walls of advertising agency M&C Saatchi Abel are adorned with fresh, brave and beautiful pieces by established and upcoming artists from the African continent.

hen advertising guru Mike Abel co-founded M&C Saatchi Abel in South Africa 11 years ago, he identified the perfect opportunity to merge his two great loves: creativity in the realm of advertising, and that which is formally considered art.

Today, the M&C Saatchi Abel Contemporary Art Collection encompasses more than 120 artworks, and elevates the agency’s two campuses in Cape Town and Johannesburg from functional office spaces to galleries.

From a highly covetable Mary Sibande photograph that depicts a domestic worker knitting a Superman cape, to a sparkly Rosie Mudge created from automotive paint and glitter glue, and a sobering acrylic-and-pastel tribute to the fallen miners of Marikana by Bambo Sibiya, the works co-exist in perfectly imperfect harmony.

Although there is astute business acumen behind many of the purchasing decisions, Mike is suitably irreverent when it comes to explaining his investment strategy. “Every year I set a budget aside – and then I blow it, every single time,” he says, laughing. “And while I invest too much in art for it not to be a diversified investment strategy, I never buy a piece solely for that purpose. If a piece calls me, speaks

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to me or chooses me, I simply have to have it. A passionate collector is always able to, as they say, maak ’n plan.”

Strategy aside, the impressive collection adds unquantifiable emotional value and currency to the business of making advertisements. “Art and advertising share similarities and parallels because they both start with a clear, original and intelligent concept,” Mike says.

“In addition, they are both a reflection of society at any given time.”

He adds that the lines between art and advertising often blur because “so many ads are pieces of art – they challenge and confront; they push you to think”, while art also exists to stimulate debate, and to provoke thoughts, ideas and concepts. “I see this in action every day when clients, colleagues or agency staff stand in front of an artwork, wanting to engage in conversation about the message, the technique or the artist,” he says.

When it comes to considering a new addition, Mike first looks for the simple idea or concept behind it before assessing any technical skill. “Originality is key, and we like pieces that are inherently thought-provoking or clever, as opposed to trying to be that,” he says. “There are some highly rated South African artists who aren’t part of our

ABOVE, FROM LEFT Mike Abel in front of Home at Last by Mandlenkosi Mavengere; a piece by Rosie Mudge; Pippa Hetherington’s Stitch #1 – part of “Cuttings 1820-2020”, a collaborative exhibition with the Keiskamma Art Project.

OPPOSITE David Kracov’s Homage to Jackson Pollock.

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collection because we believe their work is intentionally provocative, and lacks authenticity in its voice or message.”

In his recent autobiography Willing & Abel, Mike explains why it’s no coincidence that the Saatchi name is inextricably linked with art. “One of the global agency’s co-founders – the C of M&C Saatchi – is Charles, the ‘artoholic’ founder and owner of the Saatchi Gallery in London, one of the world’s most famous homes of contemporary art.”

As a business that operates in the creative space, the agency is proud of the meaningful role it plays in supporting young artists. “We don’t just feature established artists –

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we are constantly on the lookout for the up-and-coming and the unknown,” Mike says. “Our growing collection represents various ideologies, social commentaries and perspectives from both South African and African artists.”

And the support doesn’t stop there. “We were involved in the initial stages of the Zeitz MOCAA, donating a gallery to the museum, and handling all of its branding and marketing pro bono,” says Mike. The art-loving agency also conceptualised collateral for the Norval Foundation when it first opened, and supports an HIV/AIDS orphanage in Khayelitsha with the aim of enhancing imagination and creativity in children.

ABOVE (Top row) An untitled photo by Joshua Rubin, an untitled sketch, The Offering by Ruby Swinney, Between Grief and High Delight by Ilené Bothma, Waiting for Food Parcels by Themba Khumalo; (bottom row) Bayeza by Wonder Buhle Mbambo, After the Good Philosopher by Penny Siopis, The Position of the Artist Now, And Sculptors of Today – a two-piece wooden text work by Stuart Bird, Soup Kitchen by Marc Shoul, Venice by Gregoire Boonzaier; (on table, left) Specimen 9 by Luke Kaplan. TOP (Clockwise from left) A work by Johan Murray, Figures by Cecil Skotnes, Still Life with Red Vase by Norman O’Flynn, Saturday Afternoon in Sunward Park by David Goldblatt, Remnants 5 by Thania Petersen, Conversation by Cecil Skotnes. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Bambo Sibiya’s Tribute to the Fallen; a piece by Caryn Scrimgeour; a work by Athi-Patra Ruga; Macho Nne #07 by Cyrus Kabiru.

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PHOTOS JAN RAS WORDS BIDDI RORKE

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KICKING IT UP

The new adidas flagship store in Sandton (informally named “Home Ground”) brings an international and interactive shopping experience to South Africa.

panning a whopping 1 657m2, the new adidas store at Sandton City has been designed to create an immersive, digitally driven consumer experience on the same level as the brand’s flagships in New York, London, Paris, Dubai, Beijing and Tokyo.

The concept behind the space was to create a visual feast for shoppers by combining art installations, interactive elements, and a hub of creativity and expression. Paddy Muldoon, senior director DTC

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at adidas South Africa, says that the Sandton flagship store brings the digital and physical consumer experiences together on a level no other retailer in Africa has yet reached.

“For the first time, South African consumers can experience radio frequency identification (RFID) mirrors in changing rooms, which automatically detect product information to provide them with real-time colour and style options,” he says. “They can also choose from a variety of digital backdrops in the changing rooms, which allows them to test their look in different scenarios.”

PHOTOS SUPPLIED WORDS MICHAELA STEHR

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“ T H E C O N C E P T B E H I N D T H E S PA C E WA S T O C R E AT E A VISUAL FEAST FOR SHOPPERS.”

In keeping with the brand’s strong commitment to sustainability, a dedicated space explaining its efforts and the positive impact its eco-innovations have on the planet forms another part of the new store. The space introduces storytelling into the consumer experience.

What’s more, shoppers have the opportunity to use the in-store concierge service, drop off their adidas sneakers for a free cleaning, customise their kicks at the Maker Lab, and use the convenient online clickand-collect option.

Several South African artists collaborated to create the spaces that make up this enormous, must-visit store: Lazi Mathebula’s vibrant Collection Rug and a bespoke leather couch by Mia Senekal of murrmurr caught our eye at the launch. There’s also an ever-changing “Jozi Shop”, where local designers – including Ben Eagle, Khanyisa Klaas, Tiffany Schouw and Wesley Smuts – were briefed to create designs inspired by the city of Joburg. And in the children’s area, Cape Town-based illustrator and designer Yay Abe has added a playful 9m x 5m mural. adidas.co.za

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COLOUR CODED

Casa LV – the brainchild of glass aficionados Lynne Hirsch and Vilma Schincariol – is bringing a fresh take on boldly coloured glassware to homes around the world.

he “LV” in Casa LV’s brand name represents the first names of Lynne Hirsch and Vilma Schincariol, who created their glassware company based on a lifelong love for the material. Vilma has been a collector of glass for decades, exploring the world and finding unique pieces; while Lynne spent her childhood appreciating glass during visits to her father’s glass-making factory. We chatted to them about Casa LV’s designs, what characterises a really well-made vase, and what’s next on the horizon for their brand.

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We love your Julia and Lara vase designs.

Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind these pieces? As Casa LV expanded, we knew we were in trouble because, truth be told, technology is not our thing. So we called on our daughters for emergency help [which is how Vilma’s daughter Lara and Lynne’s daughter Julia joined Casa LV]. We are now a business of mothers and daughters! The inspiration behind the vases is simple: each design takes on the personality of its namesake.

Among the pieces you make, do you have a favourite? Without a doubt, the Cloche [pictured bottom left]. It’s ergonomically designed to protect a burning candle, but what makes it truly unique is that it’s open at the top and the bottom. This product is hand-blown from start to finish.

What constitutes a really well-made vase?

Weight, functionality, shape, and a consistently high quality of raw materials.

Can you ever have too many vases? Never.

Can you ever have too many flowers…?

What’s next for Casa LV? Alongside working with our master glass-blower (the Banksy of glass), we have also been working with one of the world’s most renowned perfume “noses”, Lorenzo Dante Ferro, collaborating on a range of unique home fragrances as an extension of our glassware. Keep an eye on our Instagram feed for more details. casa.lv

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CASA LV WORDS ROBYN ALEXANDER

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GOOD READS

Now and always, books should both inspire and delight.

We showcase three exceptional new design and food tomes that will do exactly that.

A ROOM OF HER OWN: INSIDE THE HOMES AND LIVES OF CREATIVE WOMEN

by Robyn Lea Thames & Hudson | R1 035 Featuring the homes of 20 prominent women designers, artists, jewellers, creators and makers around the world, this visual treat of a book is an inspiring showcase of what it means to live creatively today. With both photography and text by multitalented photographic artist Robyn Lea, it also succeeds in looking beyond the exquisite aesthetics of the spaces featured – which range from a castle in Liechtenstein to a sprawling compound in Mexico – to examine the personal ideals and everyday making practices of the women who have created these breathtaking homes.

OTTOLENGHI TEST KITCHEN: SHELF LOVE

by Noor Murad and Yotam Ottolenghi Ebury Press | R595 We’ve all – especially in the last year or so! – had the not-so-fun experience of standing in front of our kitchen cupboards or fridge, wondering what to cook with what we’ve got. Fortunately, help is at hand – because the latest book by celeb chef Yotam Ottolenghi and his team is all about relaxed, flexible home cooking, and is based on what the test-kitchen team like to cook for themselves. The key word is “flexible”: Shelf Love shows its readers how to create dishes that will feed the family while also packing all the “wow” factor of an Ottolenghi meal.

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IMAGES SUPPLIED COMPILED BY ROBYN ALEXANDER

ATLAS OF INTERIOR DESIGN

by Dominic Bradbury Phaidon | R2 065 The most in-depth survey of contemporary residential interior design ever published, this remarkable book includes interiors from 50 countries in its survey of more than 400 of the most inspirational residential rooms from the past eight decades. As the publishers suggest, “No one style wins out in this book” – it covers an enormous range of designers, periods and looks. It includes iconic homes belonging to such luminaries as Luis Barragán and Dieter Rams, as well as less well-known – but no less exceptional – interiors. An essential resource for any design professional.

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BOOK SMARTS

We chat to Candice Ježek, the founder of Dream Press – a small, independent publishing studio in Cape Town that specialises in design, bookbinding and printed matter in general.

hat is Dream Press all about?

Dream Press is an independent publishing studio that specialises in risograph printing and bookbinding. We promote and facilitate the production of self-published artist books and zines, while also printing artwork editions for designers, artists and illustrators. This year, Dream Press has also become a micro-publisher – we invite creatives to make a limitededition zine or artist book in collaboration with us, and take these publications to book fairs and stores around the world. Our first fair was the New York Printed Matter Virtual Art Book Fair in February, where we launched eight publications. We are proud that a few editions were purchased by the main library of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and will form part of its collection.

How did the publishing studio come into being?

The idea for Dream Press has always been at the back of my mind. After graduating from Michaelis School of Fine Art, I knew that I wanted to work with artists – and that I wanted to make beautiful things at the same time.

I aimed to do something very different from the norm; this was fuelled by my love for printed matter, books and zines, materials and processes, and resulted in a space where the book arts could be designed, printed, bound and celebrated. I decided to include risograph printing in the studio’s services because it offers a unique alternative to digital printing and encourages more experimental publications.

Dream Press grew organically from these passions.

I continue to learn as the years go by – there’s nothing quite like “learning on the job”!

Which publications have stood out for you?

I don’t really have a personal favourite, because every book has been unique in its own way… Antenna by Jean de Wet was the first book we ever published – it’s incredibly tactile and beautiful. Die Binnekamer / The Inner Room by Octavia Roodt is an autobiographical comic of a strange lucid dream, an otherworldly glimpse into the mind of an extraordinary artist. And Ukuzilanda

by Lunga Ntila is our most elaborate publication to date, with a conceptually engaging mirror cover – the artist makes you look at the many fractions of herself, then turns it on you, forcing you to look inwards. You can see our website for more.

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dream_press_sa | dreampress.co.za

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DREAM PRESS WORDS MICHAELA STEHR

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ALL CHANGE

Planning a new build or renovation, and tempted by the idea of getting off the grid? We spoke to some of South Africa’s top architects about what it really means to do so.

practical terms, going off the grid is simple.

Essentially, it involves three key services that the municipality would normally provide: power, water and waste. You could have a generator, a borehole and a septic tank, and free yourself from the grid. There are houses far from municipal services – on farms or at nature reserves, for example – where living off the grid has been the norm for years. But here’s the kicker: it isn’t necessarily the most environmentally friendly way of living.

Ken Stucke, director at Environment Response Architecture (ERA) and senior lecturer in the Department of Architecture at the University of Johannesburg, says that between the growing awareness of the global climate crisis and the erratic or threatened delivery of services by local municipalities, interest in off-grid architecture has been growing. Stucke designed a totally autonomous landmark house in Hurlingham a few years ago, which operates like its very own complex, multilayered ecosystem.

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Pieter Mathews, principal at MAAA, who recently completed an off-grid house in Pretoria, notes, however, that the term “off-grid” is used broadly, and frequently misunderstood. Photovoltaic panels and batteries can provide a few hours of back-up power during load-shedding – which might free you from the electricity grid for a few hours but, he says, “Simply using PV panels and batteries does not mean you’re saving the planet.”

Sean Mahoney of StudioMAS Architecture & Urban Design – who worked on the Deloitte building at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, and is embarking on a carbon-zero museum in Stilbaai – says that, to him, “off the grid” should imply carbon zero. He says many buildings with green credentials and certifications remain what he calls “less bad” buildings – that is, they might not be as environmentally damaging as conventional buildings, but they do not actually do any good for the environment. (Let’s not forget that the construction industry is the biggest CO2 producer in the world, accounting for 38% of all energy-related CO2 emissions globally.)

PHOTOS SARAH DE PINA/COURTESY OF THE PARAGON GROUP, COURTESY OF V&A WATERFRONT RENDERS COURTESY OF DAFFONCHIO & ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS WORDS GRAHAM WOOD

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THIS PAGE, TOP Daffonchio & Associates Architects recently broke ground on 76 Corlett Drive, which aims to be carbon negative – an example of “regenerative architecture”.

THIS PAGE, CENTRE AND BOTTOM, AND OPPOSITE The Ridge, a commercial building at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront that houses the offices of Deloitte, was designed by StudioMAS, with interior fit-outs by the Paragon Group.

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Enrico Daffonchio, principal at Daffonchio & Associates Architects, designed the buildings at 78 Corlett Drive in Johannesburg, an early project to receive Net Zero Carbon Level 1 Certification from the Green Building Council South Africa. His firm recently broke ground on its neighbour, 76 Corlett Drive, which aims to be carbon negative. It is what he calls “regenerative architecture”: it actually helps to make things better; to undo damage.

Despite these pioneering projects, Pietro Russo, architect for Ecomo Home – which creates chic modular houses ideal for low-impact construction, particularly in out-of-the-way locations - says that so far (he set up shop in 2008), he has only built three totally off-grid houses. But he adds that since the drought in Cape Town and the pandemic, during which people realised they can work from anywhere, there is considerably more interest in off-grid living.

“The trouble is that people think of green architecture as simply throwing technology at normal architecture,” Stucke says. But it’s not. “Technology is not the solution,” says Mahoney. “It’s part of it, but not… business as normal.”

Here are five principles to keep in mind to help you go off the grid meaningfully.

PASSIVE DESIGN Stucke says that perhaps the first principle when designing an off-the-grid house is to reduce its energy, water and waste treatment requirements before you start trying to satisfy them. Mathews points out that the design principles that allow for more efficient buildings have been around for a long time, and could benefit all architecture, low-cost housing included. Designing your house so that it faces the right way and using the right materials (which can be decidedly low-fi – after all, thatched roofs and stone floors can help regulate temperature) can go a long way towards reducing the amount of additional energy you’d need for heating and cooling, for example.

REDUCING WASTE The Outpost, an off-grid lodge that Daffonchio designed more than 20 years ago, could be unbolted and removed, leaving the site almost undisturbed by its presence there. Building in ways that reduce the use of materials, and that do not damage the ecology of the site, is central to the environmental impact of buildings. Russo’s modular houses are designed proportionally according to the standard lengths of manufactured beams and panels, so there are no offcuts and no waste. His designs are largely pre-manufactured off-site, so construction leaves no mess on the site itself. He uses pile foundations, minimising the use of concrete and thus reducing environmental impact, and uses almost no water during construction.

Another approach, as Mahoney points out, is to use local materials manufactured on site: rammed earth or sun-baked bricks, for example. Cutting out the transport costs reduces the carbon footprint. (In addition, more labour-intensive building methods create opportunities for employment and skills transfer.)

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R E A S O N S MULTIPLE SYSTEMS Russo says that his designs often use multiple systems. For water: a black water system (sewage); a grey water system; a rainwater harvesting system. By using grey water – from your bath or shower, for example (and using biodegradable soap) – to water the garden and grow vegetables, you can start a cycle that provides fresh produce for the kitchen; and by composting vegetable offcuts, you complete the cycle. It’s about living in a “happy, healthy, harmonious” way that contributes to the environment.

Stucke takes it a step further, advocating for “symbiosis between systems”. By this, he means that one thing can satisfy more than one need – a sun shade that captures solar energy, for example – but also that systems help back each other up. “Whatever threats there are [to one system], try to capture them and use them somewhere else,” he says. Essentially, design so that the house becomes a self-sustaining ecosystem.

CHANGES IN LIFESTYLE AND BEHAVIOUR “For me, ‘off-thegrid’ also needs to be focused on behavioural changes and how you want to live,” says Mahoney. Designing an off-thegrid house is not just about replacing one type of technology with another, and leaving your lifestyle unchanged.

StudioMAS’s design for the Deloitte building encourages the people working there to open windows and let in fresh air, which is in fact essential to the efficient functioning of the building.

Many green corporate buildings encourage the use of alternative transport – cycling, for example – or the recycling of plastic, paper and so on. Mahoney says that other simple changes – living outside in summer and around the fireplace in winter – also contribute to the effective functioning of a building. Put on a jersey, not a heater. Wear short sleeves, don’t turn on the air-con.

POETRY AND PHILOSOPHY Stucke has adapted iconic architect Mies van der Rohe’s dictum “form follows function” to “form follows flow”. This is similar to the first principle of passive design: the shape a building takes on is not preconceived, but takes its cues from the systems and efficiencies the design demands.

He says this still leaves him with enormous aesthetic control, but essentially allows the building to work with and become a part of nature. The natural rhythms and cycles of days and seasons, he says, are “the key to unlocking performance in architecture”. “The inherent energies within the climatic system enable the architect to tap into performing strategies,” he says. “And by performance, I mean comfortable buildings.”

Mahoney adds that, for him, a building needs to go beyond behaviour. To function, it should foster and even enhance your relationship with nature. “What you want to do is design buildings that make you interact with nature,” he says, “with the climate and the seasons and the sun and the rain, expressing and enjoying the seasons, and embracing them.”

PHOTOS BARRY GOLDMAN/COURTESY OF ERA, COURTESY OF DAFFONCHIO & ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS, ECOMO HOME

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TOP The Outpost by Daffonchio & Associates Architects is a pioneering off-grid lodge in the Kruger National Park. CENTRE LEFT This private residence by ERA in Hurlingham, Joburg, completed in 2012, is a complex example of off-grid architecture.

CENTRE RIGHT A model for Sekogo Lodge, an unbuilt off-grid home by MAAA. ABOVE AND RIGHT A recently completed modular house by Ecomo Home, in Gansbaai.

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WATER WISE

The Aquatecture rainwater-harvesting panels, installed close to Oranjezicht City Farm Market in Cape Town, are a laudable innovation

by South African-born designer Shaakira Jassat.

was South African-born designer Shaakira Jassat’s experience with Day Zero during a visit to Cape Town in 2018 that inspired her to create the Aquatecture rain-harvesting panels at the V&A Waterfront’s Granger Bay parking garage. Shaakira is based in the Netherlands (where she also studied), and her cleverly perforated panels divert raindrops into JoJo tanks.

The panels, installed at the car park near the market, have been dubbed “the cheese grater” because they resemble the kitchen utensil – but Shaakira’s inspiration was the world of fauna and flora. “The cheese grater never crossed my mind during the concept phase,” she says. “I was more in the realm of Namib desert beetles and tillandsia plant species.”

The design of the perforations took in-depth research, with various patterns tested to see which collected water most efficiently. After observing how the water flowed over the surfaces and into the openings, Shaakira could rework the chosen pattern to optimise it for efficient harvesting.

“The most difficult part was combining an aesthetically pleasing product suited to urban architectural language with high functionality,” she says. “Sometimes, the value of design is overlooked in the process because we tend to focus mainly on the result.”

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The integration of tanks by JoJo – the well-known South African water-solutions company – is fitting and necessary, given its pioneering and innovative work in water harvesting, storage and (now) filtration. “To be a part of this project is a perfect fit with JoJo’s abiding philosophy of not only providing water solutions, but also elevating the awareness of water security in South Africa and intensifying the conversation around it,” says JoJo MD Grant Neser.

“Aquatecture is designed as a façade panel, and can be easily installed on open structures such as the car-park framework,” explains Shaakira. “We study the direction of the rainfall at the site to determine optimal placement.”

The pilot in Cape Town was completed in 2020, and both this facility and the upcoming Aquatecture installation planned for Eindhoven in the Netherlands will be used to further test the efficiency of the collection process.

“A volunteer team from Engineers Without Borders South Africa will assist me with the research at UCT, with Jo Anderson of Green Building Council South Africa acting as facilitator,” says Shaakira. “Data will be collected and studied, and can be shared after the research term, once the project has been further developed.” jojo.co.za

PHOTOS ANGELINE SWINKELS, YAZEED HOTHEY WORDS ROBYN ALEXANDER

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THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL It’s a welcome return to form for Peugeot with two striking new SUVs that recall the edgy angularity of the brand’s sharp-edged saloons of the 1970s and ’80s.

there’s one thing a French car should never be, it’s bland. Leave that up to the Germans – they have elevated pragmatic and sensible automotive design to a point of perfection that tilts into high art. No, the French are way better at making bold, practically irresponsible statements in sheet metal that are the design equivalent of an Oh là là! or an astonished Sacré bleu!

Yes, it can mean a trip down an experimentally brave but ultimately discarded evolutionary design dead-end – but it also means they can gift the automotive world with vehicles that genuinely stand out among the generic silhouettes that ply their trade on our highways and byways. And judging by what’s emerging from the drawing boards over at Peugeot, it’s the latter we can look forward to with a series of vehicles that signal an exciting new direction for the lion-badged brand.

If

2008 This small SUV, with its striking grille, triple-lamp head- and tail-lights, and faceted body work, has been leading the design charge. The new 2008 manages to be both muscular and sculptural, with a high beltline, triangular creases on the side panels, and rising sills that cinch its waist and emphasise strong wheel arches. If the three vertical elements in the headand tail-lights remind you of a slashing lion claw, then you’re likely to get a big, beaming grin from Peugeot designers – because that’s exactly what they were shooting for.

The inside of the car is, at the very least, just as impressive. As is the case with the exterior, there’s a lot going on, but it’s all been cleverly curated to hang together as a coherent whole. The wraparound dash is a harmony of curved lines, soft hexagonal motifs, soft-touch tech and analogue switchgear that represents the latest gen of what Peugeot terms its i-Cockpit 3D. With the signature compact steering wheel allowing the driver line-of-sight to the all key info displayed in a hologram-like instrument cluster, it’s all impressively hi-tech. The ergonomics of this small steering wheel isn’t to everyone’s taste, but I love it.

3008 Launching in South Africa at the same time as the 2008 is a facelift of its bigger sibling, the numerically superior, mid-sized 3008. When it was first launched in 2016, this was the vehicle that really set Peugeot on its new design path, swivelling plenty of discerning heads and scooping many awards around the globe – most notably the coveted European Car of the Year in 2017.

The 2021 refresh is not substantial, but it’s enough to contemporise the 3008 alongside its younger family members.

The main changes are to the nose, which now features a frameless grille and daytime running lights, along with new 3D-effect rear-light LEDs and sequential-style indicators that again emphasise the lion-claw reference. Aesthetically, not too much has changed inside – frankly, there was little need for it – but it too features the somewhat polarising i-Cockpit ergonomics and a pleasingly crisper instrument cluster. What is new is the raft of safety tech that equips the 3008 with features such as road-sign detection, lane departure warning, radar-based forward collision detection, adaptive cruise control and blind-spot detection.

Engine: 1.6-litre, 4-cyl turbo petrol; 121 kW/240Nm Three trim levels: Active, Allure, GT • Price: R514 900 to R644 900

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Engine: 1.2-litre, 3-cyl turbo petrol in two outputs – PureTech 74kW/205Nm and PureTech 96kW/230Nm Three trim levels: Active, Allure, GT • Price: R364 900 to R489 900

PEUGEOT 2008

ABOVE Shown here in Fusion Orange, the 2008 features Peugeot’s i-Cockpit, with a 10-inch touchscreen controlled via touch shortcuts, toggle switches or voice command. BELOW 3008 models equipped with Visiopark 2 get 360° front and rear cameras.

It also features the latest-generation automatic emergency braking that detects pedestrians and cyclists, day and night.

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COMMON THREAD

The journey of thread began locally for designer Tshepo Mohlala, and is meticulously sewn through an international network of denim. This story was the concept behind the Tshepo store in Hyde Park Corner.

pecialising in bespoke and custom denim, Tshepo Jeans has built a devoted following around the globe since its launch in 2015.

And the brand’s new Hyde Park Corner store features a mirrored storefront with a circular entrance, alluding to passing into another dimension rather than a standard retail shop.

“We wanted every touchpoint in the store to act as a storytelling platform, so we aim to transport people into the Tshepo world as soon as they enter the space,” says founder Tshepo Mohlala. “We wanted to create something extraordinary.”

“The brief was to create a store that told Tshepo’s story – an experiential store, pushing interactive and visual design,” explains Asher Marcus of store designers Hubo Studio. The wide-ranging narrative of Tshepo denim – from the origins of the material in Zimbabwean cotton fields to products reaching international shores – is explored throughout. A lasercut world map sits prominently on the main wall, with five locations highlighted, and the network indicated via a thread artwork by local artist Usha Seejarim.

“It’s a story of young South African entrepreneurs creating a dreamland while translating the brand into a spatial experience,” says Asher. Using tactile materials, Hubo Studio aimed to build an immersive experience that extends far beyond a basic consumer store concept. There are 27 000 wooden panels on the walls, evoking a feeling of nature and comfort while tipping a hat to Tshepo’s original Victoria Yards atelier.

“Meshed into the story is the influence of three strong women, represented by three steel sculptures that are placed to simulate a coronation ceremony,” says Asher. “Each pair of legs punctures the ceiling and creates the illusion that the structure continues into another realm. The surrealism of the cottonbud clouds and sky wallpaper on the ceiling provides additional commentary on the possibilities of interpretation and the versatility of the textile.

Tshepo’s story is one of an interconnected world that relates to the three women who have inspired and supported him.”

The combination of people, countries and ideas turns the store into an experiential modern museum of denim, while also telling the story of Tshepo’s rise to success, his past, and his plans for local fashion.

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PHOTOS SUPPLIED WORDS MICHAELA STEHR

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MIND YOUR HEAD

The warm weather is here, so it’s time for a fabulously stylish hat – preferably one by Freya Hats, the new KZN-based brand we’re relying on for shade this summer.

ounded by Stephanie Brearley as a “passion project” during the first lockdown in April 2020, Freya Hats quickly blossomed into a small Instagram business – mainly “as a way to raise money for those in need”, says Stephanie – and then into an online store. During lockdown, “I was using fabric from discarded fabric sample books to make hats,” she says. “I felt quite helpless, stuck at home, and I wanted to play my part in helping somehow.”

Freya Hats still donates a portion of all its profits to charities that support women and children in need, and has a steadfast commitment to sustainability too.

Their hats are made from natural fibres (linen, cotton and straw), and Stephanie works closely with a small, local, female-owned CMT, which makes most of Freya Hats’ products.

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Can you describe a typical day in your business?

I run the business end to end, so each day is different.

It can consist of anything from packing orders for our customers to getting inspiration, researching upcoming trends and planning content. My favourite days are when I go fabric shopping, or when we have a photoshoot for an upcoming collection.

What makes a truly great hat? The person wearing it!

A hat can be such a wonderful reflection of a person’s style. It’s an accessory everyone needs.

We love your collaborative, hand-painted bucket hats.

Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind them?

I loved the idea of using fashion as a canvas, essentially creating one-of-a-kind “wearable” art. It was from this that the collaboration with artist Kirsten Jenna Haviland was born. It is a marriage of fashion and art; only 20 of these hats have been made, and each is slightly different.

For every hat sold, we donate a percentage to Sithanda Upliftment Projects to help support the Ekuthuleni Primary School in KZN. What’s your personal favourite hat style? My favourites change over time as we create new styles, but my go-to is the biscuit-coloured Leo felt hat. It just seems to work for every occasion.

What’s next for Freya Hats? By the time this is printed, most of our summer collection will have launched. In October we will be at Kamers/Makers in Stellenbosch, which we’re really looking forward to. And we might have one or two sneaky collaborations up our sleeve, so keep an eye out… freyahats.co.za

PHOTOS MICHIGAN BEHN STYLING TYLA LANE MODELS LEBOGANG MAHLANGU, JULIA SHAVE, LINDELWA VEZI WORDS ROBYN ALEXANDER

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SUMMER’S GO -TO GRILL

Officine Gullo’s new outdoor grills take your summer kitchen outside for the perfect alfresco dining experience.

fter lockdown and with the approach of summer, we’re all keen to spend more time outdoors, connecting with nature and enjoying leisure time with family and friends. Which is why we’re coveting a state-of-the-art Officine Gullo grill, which allows cooks to socialise away from the confines of four walls while whipping up a delectable alfresco feast.

The Officine Gullo professional grill cooking suite is an extension of the top-quality appliance brand’s household line into barbecue cookery, and enables you to add a piece of restaurant-quality equipment to your garden or outside space. The Italian brand is well known for its high-end selection of cooking ranges, and has used its years of practised craftsmanship and design experience to plan these statement units.

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Extending your outdoor culinary capabilities far beyond the average kettle braai, the grill cooking suite provides a functioning kitchen in a single appliance. The accessories allow chefs up to 15 cooking methods, which range from smoking and grilling to steaming and frying. Leaving your outside entertainment area for the indoor kitchen has become unnecessary – after all, the suite also includes a pasta cooker, fry top and wok, which can be inserted after removing the grill.

Available in a variety of standard colours, and completely customisable with RAL paint to fit specific decor needs, the stainless-steel grill area houses infrared burners that cook meat 50% faster than regular grills and barbecues, as well as a V-shaped trap to collect fat and juices for a full flavour experience. officinegullo.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF OFFICINE GULLO WORDS MICHAELA STEHR

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DESIGNS OF THE TIMES

Exciting new product design and work by some of the country’s most celebrated artists and designers came together in a remarkable setting at “Right Here, Right Now!”

he halls of Cape Town’s historic Union House came alive this August in a riot of bold pattern and courageous colour at the “Right Here, Right Now!” exhibition, where some of the country’s hottest emerging and established talent was showcased over four floors under the curatorial eye of Tracy Lynch, creative director of Clout/SA and the Nando’s Design Programme.

The week-long exhibition, which was also the launch of art consultancy House Union Block (HUB), featured new work by Dokter and Misses, the Keiskamma Art Project, Mash.T Design Studio and others, and formed part of the inaugural Cape Town Design Trail, organised by the Decorex Africa portfolio.

Visitors were welcomed into the space with a showcase of work on the first floor by designers established and new, ranging from TheUrbanative to ceramicist Jan Ernst, plus artwork selected from the HUB collection. At the heart of the showcase, a room-style display contained collaborative pieces – like the cork-and-steel bench by Khosi Leteba and Wiid Design, presented alongside side tables by Wiid Design featuring patterns by Glorinah Khutso Mabaso rendered in mosaics by Qaqambile Bead Studio. A screen by Dokter and Misses, with beaded panels also by Qaqambile Bead Studio, framed the space, which was softened by some of Leteba’s blankets, created in collaboration with Aranda.

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A showstopping embroidered tapestry, started at the beginning of the first lockdown by the Keiskamma Art Project, was a highlight here, with the embroiderers themselves making their way to Cape Town for the exhibit, and continuing to weave their magic in live demonstrations across the tapestry for the duration of the exhibition.

Among the works that visitors to the show were presented with were product designs by some of the finalists of the 2020 Nando’s Hot Young Designer (HYD) Talent Search competition. These designs – all benches – included pieces by Anele Vezi, Sipho Twala and Siviwe Jali, as well as the overall HYD winner Katlego Tshuma.

As part of the prize, each HYD finalist was partnered

by Clout/SA with an established designer to realise the manufacture of the benches on display. Anele’s bench was brought to life by TheUrbanative and Siviwe’s was manufactured by Takk, while Katlego’s winning Sangu Bench was created in collaboration with Dokter and Misses. The latter was on display together with a new lighting design from his debut Sangu Collection, and various pieces by the other finalists of the competition.

“I come from an advertising background, so I didn’t know much about manufacturing,” says Katlego. “Together with Dokter and Misses, we found ways to simplify the aesthetic, then put our heads together at the studio and worked with the team, going to the steel mills to get the steel galvanised, then building the final bench. Now I’m itching to do more!”

Although the exhibition’s run was brief, it brought some much-needed light to design-starved audiences, and further inspired the designers themselves to create new work and explore their process in more detail, Tracy says. “We’ve all come out of a really challenging time, and we wanted everyone to remember that, despite all the hardships and things that have been going on in the world, there is still so much to celebrate. Creatives who have been isolated continue to work, and they continue to find ways to push themselves, possibly more than ever… So it was important to me to find a way to express the energy that’s bubbling just under the surface.”

We couldn’t agree more.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CLOUT/SA WORDS GARRETH VAN NIEKERK

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dea GROW YOUR OWN

Use biodegradable cup-noodle containers to start your edible garden. Once the seedlings are established, simply plant them – still in the containers – in the ground. Remember to make holes in the base of each container to drain excess water, use the lids as drip trays, and select the best potting soil you can get.

PHOTO STUDIO MIRU WORDS AND PRODUCTION ANNEMARIE MEINTJES

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