SA’S MOST BEAUT IFUL MAGAZINE
CELEBRATING LOCAL TALENT
SUMMER ISSUE
EXCLUDING TAX
R65.22
SA R75
C I T Y B OW L H O M E , C A P E T OW N
THE BRAVE, BOLD AND COLOURFUL
OTHER COUNTRIES
PULENG MONGALE • FAITH XLVII • LADUMA NGXOKOLO • CARA SAVEN
DECOR DIRECTIONS POWER OF YELLOW, LIGHT AS ART, MODERN CLASSICS
The Frame
TV when it’s on. Art when it’s off.
Happy D.2 Plus. Design and technology perfectly combined. The perfect combination of iconic design and innovative technology: the bathroom classic Happy D.2 Plus with harmoniously rounded corners in new variants. The unique Duravit technologies like the patented c-bonded open up new, individual solutions. Design by sieger design. Duravit South Africa (Pty) Ltd, 30 Archimedes Road, Kramerville, Sandton, Johannesburg, Telephone +27 (0) 11 555 1220, info@za.duravit.com and www.duravit.com
UP FRONT ED’S LETTER p6
CONTRIBUTORS p8
VISI.CO.ZA p10
VISI ONLINE SHOP p12
VISION DECOR INSPO: THE POWER OF YELLOW p20 DESIGN DECONSTRUCTION: ART DECO p24
VOICES
BRONWYN DAVIDS p40 JEN THORPE p42 YOLISA MKELE p45
INSPIRATION: EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED p30 TRAVEL DIARY: CHEF KOBUS VAN DER MERWE p36
FEATURES
CITY BOWL HOME p50 SABI SAND LODGE p62 FRESNAYE APARTMENT COMPLEX p74 SALT ROCK HOME p86 NEW ORLEANS HOTEL p96 WATERFRONT APARTMENT p108 BAINSKLOOF VALLEY HOME p118
REASONS
1. John Vogel’s subtle designs celebrate the warmth and beauty of wood p132 2. Welcome to the luxurious new MaXhosa store at the V&A Waterfront p134 3. Get a piece of pod living at its best from local designers SPAAS p136 4. Four up-and-coming South African ceramicists to keep your eye on p138 5. We check out Frederick Sinclair, a new furniture and design showroom p140 6. How designer-maker Frances van Hasselt creates exquisite mohair rugs p142 7. Planted in style: we chat to Indigenus founder Peter van der Post p146 8. A new monograph celebrates award-winning SA architect Peter Rich p148 9. Joburg’s Local Studio demonstrates its design smarts at a new school p150 10. You’ll be spirited away by these unusual tipples p152 11. These ultra-covetable Fieldbar coolers are summer-ready p154 12. Too rugged? Too slick? Nope – the new Land Rover Defender is just right p156 13. Meet the Frame and the Serif, Samsung’s game-changing new TVs p158 14. At BlackBrick, the 21st-century vertical village becomes a reality p160 15. The inside track on SA artist Faith XLVII’s collab with Hennessy p162 16. Lockdown loveliness from Ilukuluku at a Cape Town school in need p164 17. Beyond the selfie: artist Puleng Mongale on being her own best subject p166 18. We pick the modern-classic decor pieces that’ll never go out of style p168 19. Kirstin Lund’s SA Bauhaus is a website about building your own home p170 20. Exploring Lemon design studio’s tranquil Cape Town showroom p172 21. Go beyond the usual “gallery wall” with fab Cara Saven wallpapers p174
WIN p46 SMART IDEA p176 COVER IMAGE CREDIT Photograph Warren Heath/Bureaux
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winters go, this one was pretty long and bleak. And particularly cold, right? It was like the physical effects of a more distant sun and the psychological chill of lockdown combined for a cold front greater than any weather radar could pick up. “This too shall pass” is one maxim I’ve always relied on, though – and one that this painting has been a constant reminder of. It hangs on my living-room wall and was always there, in my peripheral vision, during the many lockdown months spent working from home. Painted in 1980 by local artist Penny Layland, it recalls balmy late afternoons warmed by a big, low African sun. It was a source of hope – that seasons change; that from dark comes light, and with it we are renewed. Welcome, then, to our summer issue. It’s one of resurgence and the promise of possibility; where we shine a big, bright light on some of South Africa’s inspirational design, architectural and artistic talents. From the positivity of yellow (page 18) to our featured homes, hotels and lodges, a chronicle of John Vogel’s iconic furniture (page 132) and Puleng Mongale’s evocative self-portraits (page 166), VISI 110 is about stepping out into the glorious summer sun. Here’s to our revival…
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PORTRAIT JAN RAS
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TAG Heuer Boutiques: Sandton City and V&A Waterfront Also at selected fine jewellers nationwide For further information please call 011 669 0500. www.picotandmoss.co.za
If your house were on fire or floodwaters were rising, what’s the precious item you’d grab as you had to leave? If we’re talking about material objects, it would definitely be my one and only son’s (who will be turning 21 soon) baby-photo album, still neatly packed away in its box. It’s filled with irreplaceable pictures, his handprints and footprints, and drawings and memories that I will forever hold close to my heart. Also stored beneath that album in the same box are all our primary personal documents. As for the rest of the stuff… it’s all replaceable! It’s safe to say that without Samantha, VISI’s inimitable managing editor, you probably would not be holding this (or indeed any) issue of the magazine in your hands right now. She keeps tabs on every aspect of production, and combines devastating efficiency with an ability to solve just about any problem, while being exceptionally kind and monumentally great to work with at the same time.
GARRETH VAN NIEKERK, WRITER AND CURATOR
If your house were on fire or floodwaters were rising, what’s the precious item you’d grab as you had to leave? I’ve got a shelf of drawings and paintings by artists, designers and architects that I’ve worked with over the years that I haven’t managed to frame yet – I can’t think of anything more sad than losing them before even framing them. There’s also a particular Basotho blanket that flipped my career path around, and which I would easily jump through flames to salvage. For this edition of VISI, freelance writer and curator Garreth wrote about the fabulous new MaXhosa store (page 134), a book about the work of South African architectural icon Peter Rich (page 148) and an innovative architecture project by Local Studio (page 150).
PALESA KGASANE, DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER AND FREELANCE WRITER
If your house were on fire or floodwaters were rising, what’s the precious item you’d grab as you had to leave? I would grab my laptop – it’s like an archive of personal and researched work, pictures, thoughts and ideas. I feel that anything else in my apartment can be replaced. On a sentimental note, though, I would hate to lose my vinyl copy of Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black… Palesa is a regular contributor to VISI’s website. In this issue of the magazine, she explored a chic, minimalist V&A Waterfront apartment with breathtaking views of the harbour, the city and Table Mountain (page 108), and talked to artist Puleng Mongale about her work (page 166).
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EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Steve Smith Deputy Editor Robyn Alexander Editor-at-Large Annemarie Meintjes Creative Director Mark Serra Managing Editor Samantha Charles Online Editor Lindi Brownell Meiring Content Producer Michaela Stehr Contributors Ania Rokita, Annalize Nel, Annette Klinger, Biddi Rorke, Bronwyn Davids, Dave Southwood, Dook, Garreth van Niekerk, Inge Prins, Jan Ras, Jen Thorpe, Julia Freemantle, Khotso Bantu Mahlangu, Lar Glutz, Leana Clunies-Ross, Martin Jacobs, Palesa Kgasane, Paris Brummer, Sanri Pienaar, Stephen Kent Johnson, Sven Alberding, Tracy Lynn Chemaly, Warren Heath, Yolisa Mkele, Zanele Kumalo
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 Managing Director Aileen Lamb Commercial Director Maria Tiganis Brand Strategy Director Andrew Nunneley Chief Financial Officer Venette Malone Head of HR Leoné Fouché 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, New Media House, 19 Bree Street, Cape Town 8001 PO Box 440, Green Point, Cape Town 8051 021 417 1111 / 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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CAPE TOWN
16 295 (Q2 2019)
PORTRAIT GRAEME WYLLIE (GARRETH)
SAMANTHA CHARLES, MANAGING EDITOR
LET US DESIGN* YOUR
DREAM KITCHEN
WIN
R1 MILLION CASH VISIT
easylifekitchens.co.za *Ts & Cs apply
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Can’t wait for the next issue of VISI? Get your daily dose at VISI.co.za.
WIN WITH THE PAUSE ROOM
The Pause Room is giving away a vintage-style wall hanging and three cushions by HOT COFFEE, valued at more than R4 900. Printed on natural fabrics, Hot Coffee creations are available exclusively via The Pause Room online, or at any of its three Cape Town-based shops. VISIT VISI.CO.ZA/WIN TO ENTER.
SHOP START
WE ASKED YOU ONLINE: WHERE IN YOUR HOME DO YOU MOST ENJOY SPENDING TIME? More than 1 000 of you took our poll to let us now. Here are the results:
33%
32%
Living room
I prefer to spend time in the garden, on the patio or on the balcony
22%
13%
Bedroom
Kitchen
#READERLOVE
If you’re enjoying the latest issue, we’d love for you to take a pic of your mag and share it with us. Simply tag VISI on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter with your snap. How gorgeous is this keyring?!! Collaboration between Visi Magazine and Pichulik! We have soooo much local talent in South Africa! So happy I could get one of these! @just_h_design
YES!!!! The most beautiful blanket in the world featured in the most fabulous decor magazine in Africa! @r_o_m_a_r_i_a & @visi_mag @african_ stylestory
#amazingview #relaxingmood @visi_mag @c__emery
Essential shopping. @visi_mag @alfromcapetown
INSTANT INSPIRATION Follow @visi_mag on Instagram, where we share some of the best and most beautiful designs from around the globe.
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WORDS LINDI BROWNELL MEIRING FIND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE COMPETITION ON PAGE 46.
Have you browsed VISI’s online shop? Visit shop.visi.co.za to make sure you don’t miss out on our exclusive offerings, from pendant necklaces made exclusively for VISI to handmade ceramic tableware.
ROUND TAPS IN BLACK. Also in Tiger Bronze, Champagne or Brushed Nickel.
ww w.meir b lac k.c o.z a 021 510 0489
EXCLUSIVE | LIMITED | LOCAL
SHOP NOW SHOP.VISI.CO.ZA
BEAUTIFUL OBJECTS FROM SA’S MOST BEAUTIFUL MAGAZINE
Hotel & Residential Bathroom Accessories Available in two different stylish designs, the new Franke Stainless Steel Bathroom Accessories Range is ideal for hotels, offices, homes, retail or any semi-public washroom.
Hotel & Residential Bathroom Mixers The most recent addition to the Franke family of washroom products, the Franke Bathroom Mixer Range covers bath and shower mixers with a stylish and modern look. Available in three different stylish designs, the Bathroom Mixer Range is perfect for hotel or residential bathrooms.
makeitwonderful.co.za 031 001 5000 | enquiry.fsa@franke.com | www.franke.co.za
Kromme River. Architect: Ber t Pepler Architects. Interior : GDF Designs. Ande Irregular Hand-Scraped finished with WOCA Denmark 2K Lacquer - 20/6 x 220 x 2200mm
...hand-scraped oak flooring
in beautiful spaces.
Cape Town: 021 510 2846 | Paarden Eiland Johannesburg: 011 262 3117 | Parkhurst Durban: 031 000 1000 | Umhlanga nick@oggie.co.za www.oggieflooring.com
INTERNATIONAL DIRECTIONS AND LOCAL INSPIRATIONS
YELLOW IS UPLIFTING AND ILLUMINATING, OFFERING HOPE, HAPPINESS, CHEERFULNESS AND FUN.
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PHOTOS JAN RAS
YELLOW ON YELLOW The industrial Steelclad Server is by local duo Luke Pedersen and James Lennard. Their Pedersen + Lennard brand is known for timeless, functional design and clean, simple lines. pedersenlennard.co.za Entitled “Envelope”, the series of contemporary abstract oil paintings by Cape Town artist Medina Morphet plays with the illusion of depth through subtle details and shifts in colour and texture. The planter and Monstera deliciosa (yes, delicious monster) are from Plantify. plantify.co.za The Murano glass and ceramics are market finds, and the wall colour is Plascon’s Buttery. plascon.com
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s THE POWER OF YELLOW
It’s the colour of hope and happiness, and is always uplifting and illuminating. Just remember: yellow stimulates the brain and excites the spirit, so it might not be suitable for a newborn’s nursery – nor ideal in an insomniac’s bedroom… C O M P I L E D B Y A N N E M A R I E M E I N TJ E S
FOCUS CITRON RUG
MINI MPUMELELO BAG
The FOCUS CITRON rug was created by Cédric Ragot for Roche Bobois. Available in two sizes (280cm and 300cm diameter), the design is hand-tufted in New Zealand wool.
Kat van Duinen’s MINI MPUMELELO bag in yellow python is a tailored beauty, featuring a detachable crossbody strap and a suede lining.
roche-bobois.com
katvanduinen.com
We’ve got our sights set on tubular steel pieces right now – like this OFFICINA three-seater by brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Magis. The wroughtiron frame can be galvanised or powder-coated, and the expanded polyurethane cushions feature removable covers that can be upholstered in fabric or leather. magisdesign.com
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PHOTOS SUPPLIED
OFFICINA SOFA
BUBBLE 2 SOFA
Based on the classic forms of Catalan modernism, the MILÀ outdoor chairs by Jaime Hayón for Magis are made from gas injection-moulded polypropylene.
Created by Sacha Lakic, the BUBBLE 2 curved sofa is a brilliant balance of design, innovation and function, and an iconic model in the Roche Bobois collection. The manufacturing, done entirely by hand, required the development of a new, stretchable fabric that maintains the sofa’s curvaceous shape, with a soft honeycomb wool attached on top.
magisdesign.com
roche-bobois.com
MILÀ CHAIRS
ALGORITMO FLOOOR LIGHTS Artemide’s ALGORITMO FLOOR recessed LED lighting system, designed by Carlotta de Bevilacqua and Paola di Arianello, is ideal for structuring spaces, outlining architectural features or providing orientation lighting. It’s available in various colour options, and in three lengths that can be cut to measure. artemide.com
TRIBAL MELODY WALLPAPER Glorinah Khutso Mabaso, founder of Renaissance Design, was born in Limpopo and grew up in Pretoria. Her nostalgia for her early childhood is reflected in her pattern work, which includes this TRIBAL MELODY 142 wallpaper – just one of her bold, geometric designs, available at Robin Sprong. robinsprong.com
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s Design Deconstruction
ART DECO
Decorative and sculptural, Art Deco was a statement of progress and celebration, where form made the greatest impression. W O R D S T R A C Y LY N N C H E M A LY
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Buildings that resemble vacuum cleaners, refrigerators and rocket ships.” That is how Cape Town architect Robert Silke simplifies the Art Deco aesthetic. Living in an Art Deco building himself – rood apartment block in Queen Victoria Street, built
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in 1938 – Robert is a passionate proponent of the movement that infiltrated art, fashion, jewellery, automobiles, furniture and architecture in the years between the two World Wars. His first major project was to turn one of Cape Town’s most recognisable buildings of this style, the Old Mutual building in
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PHOTOS RONNIE LEVITAN, JAC DE VILLIERS, PARIS BRUMMER, GETTY IMAGES
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9 1 & 2. The exterior of Mutual Heights, the former Cape Town CBD headquarters of Old Mutual, features signature Art Deco motifs – in this case of African cultural elements – carved into the stone façade. The building was converted into an apartment block by architect Robert Silke. 3. The old Banking Hall at Mutual Heights is now used as an events venue. 4-6. The details in the entrance lobby and boardroom are fine examples of Art Deco design. 7. The Holyrood apartment block in Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town, was built in 1938. 8 & 9. The beautifully restored interior of one of the Holyrood apartments Robert owns features parquet flooring, an original bookshelf/mantelpiece and light fixture, and Art Deco armchairs he picked up at Milnerton Market.
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s the CBD, into an apartment block. The reinforced-concrete structure, clad in granite, holds another telltale Art Deco signature: stylised scenes and motifs on the façade – these portraying African indigenous cultures, carved into the stone. Art Deco got its name from Paris’s 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes (International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts), which recognised a new post-WWI style that combined craftsmanship with materials such as ebony, ivory and marble. Notable features were geometric lines – said to be influenced by Mayan art and the structures of ancient Egypt – and a rich colour palette. This was a period to show off and rejoice. As silent films were punched with sound, movie theatres became more elaborate in response, with many of these buildings still being some of the best preserved examples of the Art Deco style. The age of ocean travel was also doused with this air of evolution, and France’s leading decorators at the time, André Mare and Louis Süe, decked ships in the movement’s ornamented style. Christofle silverware and Lalique glassware embraced this new approach to design, and even Cartier jewellery incorporated more colourful gemstones into ever more embellished settings.
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“Art Deco celebrated the technology of the here and now,” says Robert, “but it also celebrated – with excitement and optimism – the possibilities of the future.” In the US, the Chrysler Building, completed in 1930, became a high point of this style, its sunburst-patterned spire shining in reflective stainless steel. Later in the ’30s, the ziggurat (stepped) rooflines that had dominated the style transformed into curved corners and long horizontal lines with nautical features, such as the railings found on boats and porthole windows. This form of Art Deco – known as Streamline Moderne – is particularly prevalent in Miami and Los Angeles. Our own cities of Durban and Springs were influenced by this period too; and Robert lists the Bloemfontein post office with its stone carvings, and Johannesburg’s Ansteys Building as other local gems from the Art Deco years. Although Art Deco made way for the Modernist movement, it never fled fully. Robert considers it to have lived on in Italian Futurism and Googie architecture, and through the work of the late Pritzker Prize winner Zaha Hadid. “They’re streamlined and futuristic,” he says of the buildings that emerged from these three iterations of what he sees as Art Deco successors. “It’s not always entirely about function…”
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1. French designer René Lalique was known for his glass and crystal creations. 2. An Art Deco lamp surmounted by two peacocks, designed by Lalique in 1920. 3. Lalique’s Longchamp car ornament. 4. Lalique columns in the opulent dining room of the French ocean liner Normandie, 1935. 5. The spire of the Chrysler Building in New York is clad in reflective stainless steel. 6. The Avalon Hotel in the Art Deco Historic District of Miami, Florida. 7. The Congress Hotel in South Beach, Miami.
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8. The NBC HQ in Hollywood, 1940. 9. A dining-room by Austrian Art Deco furniture designer Paul T Frankl. 10. René Lalique’s illuminated crystal fountain at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes. 11. A modern display of Lalique glass. 12. Lalique’s dragonfly. 13. Lalique crystal. 14. Louis Süe co-founded the Compagnie des Arts Français, which produced Art Deco furniture. 15. Colony Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida. 16. Loews Miami Beach Hotel in South Beach, Miami.
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s EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED
These brilliant systems allow you to create your own compositions, brighten up dead zones and enhance the architectural genius of your space.
STICKS Pure and graphic, the minimalist aluminium rods of STICKS – designed by Arik Levy for Vibia – can be used to transform linear light into a floating sculpture, to brighten corners and to highlight architectural elements using light. Create your own layout by adding connectible STICKS or stand-alone models to your composition. The STICKS measure 1.5m, 2m or 3m, linking together to reach a maximum length of 6.5m with a single electrical connection. vibia.com
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PHOTOS SUPPLIED
C O M P I L E D B Y A N N E M A R I E M E I N TJ E S
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WIRERING Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin, better known as Studio Formafantasma, are Italian designers based in Amsterdam. Since graduating from Design Academy Eindhoven, they have developed a body of work characterised by experimental material investigations and a critical approach to the significance of objects as cultural conduits. Studio Formafantasma’s WIRERING light range for Flos includes a belt-like electrical cable and a ring containing an LED strip. The cable – often considered something to hide – is the focus, cleverly drawing attention to the transmission of energy through the design. formafantasma.com | flos.com
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INFRA-STRUCTURE Vincent Van Duysen, a Belgian architect based in Antwerp, is well known for his restrained, pared-back design. His INFRA-STRUCTURE range for Flos is tubular, and compatible with a wide range of light fixtures, with magnetic fastening and mechanical safety locking that make it possible to combine vertical and horizontal elements to generate 3D combinations in infinite variations. The graphic simplicity of the elements – and the speed with which they can be combined – allows for a creative approach to any space. flos.com
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FLAT The FLAT collection is one of three lighting collections created by Japanese designer Ichiro Iwasaki for Vibia. The FLAT hanging lamps are expressed as metal planes that descend from above and terminate at different heights. Hanging from cables suspended from the ceiling, the pendant fittings are both delicate and strikingly graphic, and seem to almost float overhead. They reflect light from their surfaces too, projecting an enveloping luminance into a space. vibia.com
s Travel Diary
BLUE MOOD
Lunching alfresco holds even more appeal than usual this summer (thanks, Covid-19). We asked Wolfgat founder and chef Kobus van der Merwe about his dream outdoor dining spots, both near and far. W O R D S K O B U S VA N D E R M E R W E
hen I think of alfresco dining, a number of cinematic references immediately pop up – none more clear than a scene from the 1988 classic, The Big Blue, where Rosanna Arquette’s character Johanna meets legendary freedivers Jacques Mayol (played by Jean-Marc Barr) and Enzo Molinari (Jean Reno) at a terraced ocean-side restaurant for an epic portion of spaghetti frutti di mare. The stage is set: bare white tables and chairs in the dappled shade of a simple slatted veranda, with sweeping views of the big blue ocean beyond. For me, the beauty of such restaurants lies in that holy trinity of honest food, minimal decor and a beautiful natural location. In southern Africa, we are blessed with alfresco dining weather almost year round. When dreaming of local outdoor dining, my mind wanders first to lazy lunches in the pool restaurants of Maputo (Clube Naval de Maputo, or Clube dos Empresários) and the airy, exotic rooftop restaurants of Stone Town in Zanzibar, such as the Tea House at Emerson Spice Hotel, or The Silk Route. And, perhaps the most romantic of them all, The Rock in Paje, for local seafood specialities served on a small rock island in the Indian Ocean. But given the opportunity to (armchair) travel to my favourite alfresco eateries around the globe this summer, these three places are at the top of the list. MUISBOSSKERM, Lambert’s Bay, South Africa There can hardly be a more romantic beachside eating experience than Muisbosskerm, with its uninterrupted sea view, fresh seafood and mussel shells as your only cutlery – all served with true South African hospitality. Central to their success (and there have been many who have tried to imitate their iconic recipe) is the honesty and generosity of the dishes, prepared mostly on the open fire. Fresh fish is the main focus, enhanced by regional specialities such as bokkoms, bakbrood and bredies, all using seasonal local ingredients such as veldkool and waterblommetjies. Yes, it’s sometimes overrun by big crowds pouring out of tour buses – but if you’re able to avoid peak season and holidays, and go at a quieter midweek slot, you’re sure to experience the simple romance of this place in all its glory. muisbosskerm.co.za
RILEY’S FISH SHACK, Tynemouth, United Kingdom Ever since I met the jovial Adam and Lucy Riley at the inaugural World Restaurant Awards in Paris in 2019 (we were co-nominees in the category for off-thebeaten-track restaurants), a visit to their beachside restaurant on the north-eastern coast of England has been top of my wish list. Riley’s offers sustainable, traceable seafood in simple preparations served in a tiny, makeshift container building perched on a dune. Weather permitting, first prize would be a spot on the veranda – or, even better, slouched in one of their signature deck chairs right on the beach, eating Lindisfarne oysters three ways: au naturel, Rockefeller and with mignonette sauce. rileysfishshack.com
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FERVOR, various locations, Western Australia I’ve never dined as a guest at Fervor, but I had the honour of cooking alongside chef-owner Paul Iskov, one of Australia’s most respected wild-food chefs, at last year’s Gourmet Escape event in Margaret River in Australia. Paul runs Fervor with his South African wife, Stephne Pronk, offering alfresco pop-up dining experiences in spectacular, remote locations throughout Western Australia. Working closely with local communities and traditional landowners, Fervor highlights an array of unique Australian native ingredients in a multicourse menu. Think wallaby with quandong, barramundi with bush banana, and a dessert of honey ants. It’s interesting, clever fine dining under starry skies. At the heart of the Fervor operation is a small overland truck, which has been converted into possibly the world’s most sought-after camping kitchen, complete with solar-powered refrigeration, all the appliances of a well-stocked restaurant outfit and simple tools for cooking over the open fire – plus off-road-proof drawers full of beautiful stemware and handmade crockery, of course. fervor.com.au 1. Chef Paul Iskov’s alfresco pop-up Fervor offers fine dining in remote locations all over Western Australia. 2. Kobus van der Merwe’s Wolfgat in Paternoster is at the centre of Strandveld cuisine. 3. Kobus works with foraged seasonal ingredients. 4. An old fishing boat forms part of the beach decor at Muisbosskerm. 5. The deck chairs at Riley’s Fish Shack are a signature of this King Edward’s Bay beach spot in Tynemouth.
PHOTOS MICK SIPPE, COURTESY OF WOLFGAT, MUISBOSSKERM, RILEY’S FISH SHACK
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EVERYTHING, INCLUDING THE KITCHEN SINK. Beautiful gold taps and sinks online. www.flushbathrooms.co.za
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Where long lunches turn into late dinners. Take a seat at our new Camden dining table, crafted from reclaimed wood and black metal. Available at selected stores and online.
www.coricraft.co.za
V I S I
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HOME WORK
After a lifetime of looking for her “real” home, writer and journalist BRONWYN DAVIDS isn’t sure that she’ll ever find it. But she won’t stop searching.
a home that will always be broken?” I can’t help sin possibly mean to me. For six decades I have had the sense that Cape eally the place where I was meant to be born, because I’ve never ascended to roots or rest. I questioned God ab I’ve yet to get a reply. Always when I thought, “This is it, this is home,” there was something pushing me thro ace. And even my chosen profession of journalism – I just wrote for years every day, put my life on the line wh t broke. Psychologists would say this is a result of my earl g under the dark days of apartheid-era forced removals in terms of the brutal Group Areas Act that limited po all people of colour. On the surface I appeared as stable as a ruminating brown cow in a pastoral scene. I lived s in Mitchells Plain, enamoured by light, movement, space and books. When I came back to Lansdowne – where my family had been excised from – I could only stay four years in what seemed to be a climate of oppression that I had not felt the full impact of when I was young. An itinerant life rose to the surface for me.I travelled to every continent on the planet, catching glimpses of things that I liked, and that one day I could thread into a home wherever. Always what I liked about the houses I saw were features in the gardens, especially courtyards. I LIVED FOR In Spain, the citrus or pomegranate trees in paved yards, 17 YEARS IN or herbs and veggie gardens in containers. Decorative MITCHELLS PLAIN, tiles, mosaics, fish ponds, art in museums, light streaming ENAMOURED BY LIGHT, through stained glass in cathedrals and mezzanine levels MOVEMENT, in compact homes caught my eye. SPACE It was like that in my childhood too. I remember the gardens and bookshelves regardless of the other decor AND BOOKS. trends on show. There was a lone fig tree in a concrete yard in Wynberg or a cypress or poinsettia in Claremont and, in the last decade, a Japanese cherry tree in bloom at a Constantia estate. Then there were the ephemera: architectural features, flavours, flashes of colour, fabric, a piece of music playing on a stereo and views that became insights. I would be on my way soon enough, no need to recall it all. When the world was done with me, I came back to my mom, her sisters, my books, my writing and my painting. While my family was still alive, I owned first a spacious, light-filled flat, and then a dark place of misery where I lost them and all that we’d gathered, including all that I had painted. For a while I found a sense of wonder while living in Muizenberg. Then I came to serve time in a really tiny servant’s quarters in Claremont that I was convinced intended to kill me. That was until I carved a book out of its constraints, using my memory as a chisel. Now I intend staying, living out of storage bins as I have done for the past eight years, until I’ve conjured up another book for the sake of honour and closure. BRONWYN is a sometime-journalist and Cape Town local who has never found her place in the grand scheme of being local. She is the author of Lansdowne Dearest (Kwela Books), a story about home. When she grows up she wants to be an abstract artist.
PORTRAIT LYNNE WONG
What’s home got to do… got to do with it? Who needs ords in my head as I ponder the idea of what home could
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THE MOTHER LODE
For JEN THORPE, the quintessence of being “at home” is much more than spaces or places – it’s about learning how to be yourself.
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y mother turned 60 this August, and it is impossible for me to think about home without thinking about her. All my childhood memories have her in them. Each recollection is filled to the brim with sensory information that makes remembering feel like reliving. There is the sight of her on dark, icy Highveld mornings, making us Jungle Oats and sipping sweet tea in her sheepskin slippers. The sound of her clapping to the beat as she teaches me how to dance to Kylie Minogue’s Locomotion in our lounge after I ditched ballet for modern dance, and her cheers poolside at galas. The taste of kumquats picked from our garden, their citrussy smell and sour flavour always taking me back to our first house. The soft texture of her dressing gown that my head rested on as she read to my sister and me in bed. The smell of her perfume that lingered on her clothes as I borrowed (stole) them as a teenager. Home is not a place; it is a person. My mom courageously left an unhappy marriage at 33 years old. She put my sister and me and our pets in her red Nissan EXA, and drove 760 kilometres to make us a new life on her own. I am 35 now, and thinking about what that journey meant for her then, and for all of us now, leaves me breathless with gratitude. Home is not a location; it is in the endeavour for a better life. My mom encouraged us to pursue impossible dreams. When I told her, at 12 years old, that I intended to complete high school at a prestigious school far away, her response was to encourage me to work hard, to drive me to scholarship entrance exams, and to lobby for me at every turn. When I got the scholarship and left home at 13, my mother had to do a two-hour round trip twice a week to take me to and from boarding school. But home was always only a call away, and the distance was useless against the force of the love that came down the line accompanied by the beep-boep of the Telkom tickey box. Home is not being in the same place; it is connection. When I left home again to go to university, my mother made the 20-hour round trip to take me there. Home was now even further away, but it never felt like it. The beeping of a call box was replaced by a Nokia 3310, and when I called and sobbed about my realisation that I wanted to change my degree, my mother listened, then reminded me to trust my gut. Home is not a place; it is the space that is made for you to be yourself. My mom taught me that kind words matter, that women can do whatever they put their mind to, and that I should never settle for less than what I know I need – in work, in friendships, in love, in life. She showed me that you can survive anything with a laugh and a smile, a photograph of a sunrise, and occasionally with a well-placed curse word. She will always be my first and forever home. JEN is a feminist writer and researcher. She has published five books – most recently a novel, The Fall, and an edited essay collection, Living While Feminist (both Kwela Books, 2020).
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PORTRAIT COLIN USHER
HOME IS NOT A PLACE; IT IS A PERSON.
Durbanville . Paarl . Somerset West Pretoria . Bloemfontein . Hermanus
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HOME IS AWAY
The true value of extended family gatherings, suggests YOLISA MKELE, is that no matter where they take place, that’s where “home” is to be found.
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far back as the mists surrounding my memories will allow me to pierce, there has been an annual migration. The Mkeles and Socikwas (on my mother’s side of the family) from every corner of the country would gravitate towards Mthatha in the Eastern Cape as if called by an unseen force – a force that I later learnt was my grandmothers. It wasn’t quite the mass movement of flesh that makes the Serengeti famous, but there were a lot of us. My grandmothers on both sides lived near each other and the idea of staying at a hotel was blasphemy, so anywhere between 15 and 25 people would try to cram themselves into a total of six bedrooms and two living rooms. Of course, the parents got the pick of the sleeping quarters; the rest of us had to make do with what was left. Beds were shared and mattresses were strewn across the floors. Sometimes our annual migration would take us to my aunt’s house in Cape Town. She was a doctor, owned a Pajero and lived in a double-storey house, so my youngest sister (who was still too young to form sentences at the time) and I thought she was the richest woman in the world. That said, our family was still so numerous that her lounge would be littered with the sleeping bodies of little people. When we were lucky (at least in my mind), the Johannesburg crew would host Christmas and the family would come together from their own homes around the city. Those who came from further afield could be housed with less discomfort. As a child, I was ostensibly annoyed by the idea of Christmas. I hated being stuck in a car or sleeping on the floor. I was lying to myself, though: in reality, Christmas was my favourite time of the year. The presents were great but, in hindsight, grumpily stomping across my grandmother’s house to pass my uncle the remote control that was just beyond his reach was the real gift. Learning how to slaughter sheep, eavesdropping on my older cousins and pretending I didn’t enjoy playing hideand-seek with the younger ones are memories that have lasted longer than the husks of whatever toys we got. WE WOULD My aunt passed away in the early 2000s,and eventually GRAVITATE TOWARDS my grandmothers moved up to Joburg due to old age – MTHATHA IN THE but every year, we still congregate. It has become family EASTERN CAPE law: “We spend Christmas together; after that you can AS IF CALLED BY do what you want.” This is seldom said about laws, but AN UNSEEN FORCE ours is a beautiful one. It taught us years ago that home is wherever the people who love you are, even if that is – A FORCE THAT on a 30-person Zoom call during a global pandemic. I LATER LEARNT WAS MY Home can be frustrating or comforting or downright GRANDMOTHERS. maddening – but when you’ve been self-isolating for months, there is nowhere you would rather go. A freelance writer, YOLISA describes himself as “a wannabe grumpy old man who keeps having too much fun being alive for it to come off as authentic”.
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WIN A MOSAIC PLANTER
LOCAL BRAND OBBLIGATO, KNOWN FOR ITS EXCLUSIVE RANGE OF HANDCRAFTED PLANTERS, FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES, IS GIVING AWAY A 1 500MM-HIGH MOSAIC PLANTER TO ONE LUCKY VISI READER. THE ROUND FIBREGLASS PLANTER IS COVERED IN COLOURFUL GLASS-MOSAIC PIECES, CREATING A STRIKING PATTERN. obbligato.co.za
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GONANA PRIZE SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. CANNOT BE BOOKED BETWEEN 15 DECEMBER 2020 AND 15 JANUARY 2021. ONLY AFRICAN RESIDENTS WILL BE ELIGIBLE. EXCLUDES TRANSPORT TO AND FROM PATERNOSTER. HENDRICK’S AND FIELDBAR ONLY AVAILABLE FOR OVER-18s.
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P R O D U C T I O N
SVEN ALBERDING
W O R D S RO B Y N A L E X A N D E R
A CONFIDENTLY CONTEMPORARY UPDATE HAS GIVEN NEW LIFE TO A GREAT OLD GRANDE DAME OF A HOUSE IN CAPE TOWN’S CITY BOWL.
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H E R I TAG E FRESH
H E AT H / BU R E AU X
P H O T O S WA R R E N
Owner Charlotte Collins in the spacious entrance hall of her home, which features a quirky cuckoo clock, and a sculpture by Johannesburg salvage artist Philippe Bousquet, sourced at Southern Guild.
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AVE YOU EVER DRIVEN REPEATEDLY PAST AN OLD house in your neighbourhood that you find deeply interesting, looking at it carefully each time and thinking, “I wonder who lives there… What would I do if that place were mine?” Certainly very few will have actually pushed ahead and persuaded the property’s current owner to part with it, then undertaken a major renovation. But that’s precisely what interior designer Charlotte Collins managed to accomplish. Having become fascinated with this beautiful heritage home, several years ago she finally persuaded its elderly owner to part with it. It may have needed much work, but Charlotte could see the potential. And then there was the home’s hard-to-beat location. Situated across the road from historic Leeuwenhof, the official residence of the premier of the Western Cape, the property sports views of Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, Signal Hill and the harbour; in other words, a full 360-degree panorama of some of Cape Town’s most picturesque landmarks. This is also probably one of Cape Town’s oldest suburban streets. This aspect of the property was very much part of the heritage home’s attraction for her. “I love pieces with a story,” she says. “When I started renovating, I tried to make everything look like it was original to the house.” Sadly, much of the interior was in a terrible state. “I basically gutted the entire house,” says Charlotte. The flow of the spaces needed to be updated and modernised, and some of the original wooden flooring had to be replaced. And then there was the bathroom: it reminded her of “the one from that scene in Trainspotting!” she says. It, too, had to be completely renovated, with all the fittings needing to be replaced. From the start, Charlotte – who, before going into interior design, worked as a stylist on photographic and film shoots – knew precisely what she was after in terms of the look and feel of every room in her home. Plus, her experience of being “perpetually out there looking for stuff for shoots” meant that she already had a wellpopulated black book of resources when it came to finding the right fixtures and furnishings for each space. The vast majority of these items are pre-loved pieces, including architectural salvage elements. “I naturally gravitate to items with history because they were just better made back in the day – and I love thinking about who had them before,” she says. Unsurprisingly, she is a loyal customer of the Milnerton Market, one of Cape Town’s most famous weekend flea markets, and from which the vintage telephones lining the stairwell were collected. “That said, I do use the odd modern piece,” Charlotte adds, pointing out the witty sculpture in the hallway by Johannesburg-based Philippe Bousquet, and the sleek green-velvet sectional sofa in the new TV room. Overall, it’s the thoughtful juxtaposition of old and new elements in the interiors that makes this home feel so fresh and contemporary. Charlotte’s unique and fearless approach to colour and pattern can be seen throughout the house, which includes several living spaces on the ground floor and, on the first floor, three spacious bedrooms and a bathroom. Downstairs, besides the newly updated, very glam TV room, there is a library and study, and a delightful open-plan kitchen, dining and casual lounge area, which leads directly out to the garden. “The house suits us perfectly,” says Charlotte – the “us” being her teenage daughter Willow and their four large rescue dogs. “It now has a great flow and is very manageable for our needs, if perhaps a bit too big! And we’re right in the city, even though it feels like suburbia – it’s leafy and has great walks.” With its blend of enviable location, heritage atmosphere and airy, contemporary interior, this home is a charming reflection of its owner’s multifaceted life and style. @charlottecollinsdesignstudio
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THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE ITEMS ARE PRE-LOVED PIECES, INCLUDING ARCHITECTURAL SALVAGE ELEMENTS. “I LOVE PIECES WITH A STORY,” SAYS OWNER AND INTERIOR DESIGNER CHARLOTTE COLLINS.
The collection of vintage telephones in the stairwell was put together by Charlotte over the course of many visits to Cape Town’s Milnerton Market. OPPOSITE, FROM TOP The stairs from the front gate (which is a salvage feature originally from Argentina, sourced at Onsite Gallery) are clad in patterned encaustic tiles imported from Vietnam; the home’s mock-Tudor timbering and bay windows are typical of Cape Edwardian architecture, with the exterior painted a fresh shade of blue – Babbling Creek by Plascon.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The indoor sitting area leads out to a patio with a velvet-covered couch by Odd Chair Upholstery & Furniture; the wall of the formal living room houses framed vintage stamp collections; a petite library off the lounge features shelves designed by Charlotte herself and a window seat that’s perfect for reading; the characterful wooden coffee table on the covered patio was found abandoned on the property – Charlotte simply cut its legs to the right height. OPPOSITE The formal living room’s sofa and armchairs were sourced years ago at a decor sale. The “silver bubble” standing lamp is from Yesteryear, and the coffee table is from Tonic Design.
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The vintage “Circus” sign in the TV room is Charlotte’s favourite piece. The sectional couch is from Ascot Upholstery, and the marble coffee table by MIT Granite is topped with a selection of collectibles, including a brass dog from John Brass and glass vases from Haus by Hertex. OPPOSITE Charlotte found the twin chrome chairs at Gilles de Moyencourt Haute-Antiques. The large portrait is by South African artist John Smith.
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IT’S THE THOUGHTFUL JUXTAPOSITION OF OLD AND NEW ELEMENTS IN THE INTERIORS THAT MAKES THIS HOME FEEL FRESH AND CONTEMPORARY.
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THIS PAGE In the open-plan kitchen and dining space, vintage pharmacy cabinets are offset by traditional joinery made by Chris Willemse Bespoke Carpentry. Charlotte imported the floor tiles from Vietnam, and the marble-topped dining table is from Die Ossewa Antiques. The two vintage benches were found at second-hand stores in Cape Town. The glass-and-wood salvaged exterior doors that lead out to the garden are from Onsite Gallery. OPPOSITE Charlotte designed the yellow two-seater couch in the sitting area and had it made up locally. She found the pair of armchairs while on a shoot in an abandoned building in Johannesburg, and had them reupholstered in this striped Kenzo fabric.
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The wallpaper in the “pool room” guest suite is by Ellie Cashman, and the vintage bed is from Koöperasie Stories; the bathroom in the guest suite is encased in metal and glass, which adds to the vintage feel. The armchair is from Decade; Charlotte with daughter Willow outside the “pool room”, where they lived (with four rescue dogs) while the main house was renovated; a guest bedroom in the main house features a charming porthole window. OPPOSITE Willow’s bedroom combines ornate furnishings with a glam-rock sensibility. The custom wallpaper was created using a photograph taken at Paris Fashion Week by Ulrich Knoblauch.
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| Sabi Sand Lodge
IN PLAIN SIGHT
L ODGE, CHEETAH PLAINS REDEFINES
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BUSH.
C L U N I E S - RO S S
LUXURY
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O UR Y TRADITIONAL
Welcoming guests at the entrance to Mapogo House, one of the four-bedroom accommodation structures at Cheetah Plains.
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celebrated architect and ARRCC director Stefan Antoni may WELL-KNOWN not be the first name that springs to mind when looking for someone to design a game lodge in the famous Sabi Sand Game Reserve. It’s a choice that has nonetheless translated impressively well,creating sophisticated structures that manage the difficult trick of being different enough to stand out, yet still blending into the surrounding environment. Natural materials complement the shuttered cement with feature walls of hand-packed mica, panels of rusted Corten steel, stone and wood, helping it sit comfortably amid the scenery. To create separation and to help preserve the large trees on the site, Stefan fractured the buildings to better fit into the landscape. From the small gym, three main structures fan out, each containing a generous wine cellar, a library, and an open-plan lounge, dining and bar area that overlooks a pool and boma. Named Mapogo, Karula and Mvula after famous wild cats that have been a significant part of the history of this area, each structure has four bedrooms evenly split either side of these main areas, all placed far enough apart to be private but close enough to have family and friends. To enhance the experience of being in the wild, the voluminous roofs are cantilevered so that the massive glass doors can glide fully open, giving the guests a seamless interaction with the bush that surrounds them. The long lines in the lounge are softened by the sweeping bend of a substantial fireplace, with ample use of organic materials evident in the furniture and fittings. Apart from the stunning array of South African art on the walls and sculptures that are carefully placed in and out of the buildings, some of the decor pieces could be individual artworks themselves. Many were handcrafted by local artisans in collaboration with interior designers ARRCC and Okha. Pierre Cronje made each impressive dark dining table from a single slice of heavy leadwood, keeping the natural shape of the tree, inserting brass inlays in the cracks and placing it on curved golden plinths. Over this hangs a playful chandelier of a cascading rise of glass, hand-blown bronzed bubbles by Martin Doller, making you feel as if you’ve dived into champagne. The beautiful drinks bars were carved from solid travertine blocks by skilled hands. “Ecoluxe” is the key marketing buzzword here, and the entire high-end village is solar-powered – this includes the game-drive vehicles, which glide along in almost complete silence. The grey-water treatment OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM plant recycles this precious resource for the gardens. TOP LEFT The entrance to Karula Stefan sensibly decided not to blend in with more House is framed in metal; “traditional” safari lodges, but rather to stand out with overlooked by Azael Langa’s a bush home. It’s maybe not unique in itself, but where After The Rush Hour, the formal lounge at Mvula House also it is situated makes it so, like a cut diamond on a plain features a wild dog sculpture pebble beach. by Gail Catlin at the entrance; Regardless of its slick splendour, and with the help the communal gym at the centre of the welcoming warmth from the staff, it feels like a of the accommodation complex wealthy relative’s house – which, for a short time, can is guarded by another Gail Catlin sculpture; Mapogo House sits on become your home from home.
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the edge of a wildlife-attracting, hippo-filled dam.
FEATURE WALLS OF HAND-PACKED MICA, PANELS OF RUSTED CORTEN STEEL, STONE AND WOOD HELP IT SIT COMFORTABLY AMID THE SCENERY.
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The Tamboti branch installation takes pride of place at the Mapogo House wine gallery. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Pray by Loyiso Mkize hangs in the Mvula House entertainment lounge; at Mapogo House, Conor Mccreedy’s Blue Mapogo Brothers is a moody contrast to the playful golden bubbles of the Martin Doller chandelier above the solid Pierre Cronje leadwood dining table; even the guest bathrooms are filled with artworks – this one at Karula House is an untitled piece by Gail Catlin.
The curve of the fireplace at Mapogo House softens the otherwise harsh, graphic lines of the formal lounge. Gail Catlin’s cheetah sculpture and a painting from her “Happy Tree” series are complemented by Angus Taylor’s bronze and aluminium piece, Grounded.
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TO ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN THE WILD, THE VOLUMINOUS ROOFS ARE CANTILEVERED SO THAT THE MASSIVE GLASS DOORS CAN GLIDE FULLY OPEN.
ABOVE One of the guest suites at Karula House, known as the Mccreedy Suite, features the artist’s Blue Double Abstract as well as Loyiso Mkize’s Veiled Lady. BELOW, FROM LEFT Keeping to theme, a Martin Doller chandelier hangs above the solid Pierre Cronje table in the Mvula House indoor dining room; Sibongile by Sanusi Olatunji injects a spark of colour to the open-plan main living area of Karula House, which is also decorated with a commissioned assembly of framed photographs, displayed with permission from the artist, Gail Catlin.
ABOVE Another guest suite at Karula House is dominated by Greatjoy Ndlovu’s bright painting, Woke Up Feeling Yellow. Each individual guest suite at Cheetah Plains features a private lounge and outside daybed, while the shared common space of each House includes an expansive formal lounge, living room, sun deck, lap pool, loggia, wine gallery and dining room. BELOW The floor-to-ceiling sliding doors in the bedrooms can be opened fully, stacking out of sight so guests can immerse themselves in nature.
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ABOVE Each House has its own boma and outdoor dining space – this one at Mvula House features a cheetah sculpture by Arend Eloff. BELOW Taking the “bath with a view” concept to a new level, this bathroom in one of the Karula House guest suites opens up to welcome the outside in.
ABOVE Overlooking the Mapogo dam, the shared pool deck at Mapogo House is the ideal place for guests to gather for sundowners. The sculpture is Exposed Banking Eagle by Malcolm Solomon. BELOW Seen from across the dam, Mapogo House is one of three beautifully appointed accommodation options at Cheetah Plains, offering a private bush retreat and an immersive connection with nature.
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| Fresnaye Apartment Complex
P H O T O S
DOOK
P R O D U C T I O N
ANNETTE KLINGER
ANNEMARIE MEINTJES
PERCHED ON THE SLOPES OF FRESNAYE IN CAPE TOWN, THE FORTE ARCHITETTI-DESIGNED ARCADIA RE-IMAGINES THE LUXURY RESIDENTIAL COMPLEX AS WE KNOW IT – AND LOOKS SHARP WHILE DOING SO. W O R D S
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Designed by Forte Architetti to offer shade and privacy from the unit above, this aluminium pergola spans almost 11 metres without support, thanks to some engineering chops from LH Consulting.
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T FIRST GLANCE, THE ARCADIA LOOKS LIKE A HOUSE –
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THE FAÇADE OFFERS SEEMINGLY ENDLESS COMBINATIONS OF DIAGONAL LINES AND VANISHING POINTS DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU STAND.
a very striking house, but a house nonetheless. Architecturally assertive and sculptural, it even stands out among its Fresnaye neighbours – a collection of imposingly big properties one wouldn’t exactly classify as retiring daisies. According to its architect Roberto Forte, whose firm Forte Architetti is based in Sicily, with additional offices in Milan and Cape Town, that was the goal. “The brief from my client at Axis Property Group was clear,” he says. “He wanted a luxury residential complex that wouldn’t read as just a regular block of flats. Each of the five units had to be unique, but still needed to present as a whole.” Additional requirements from the client were that future residents enjoy absolute privacy from one another and, perhaps most importantly, that they all have the sense their views of the Atlantic Ocean were theirs alone. The last mentioned prerequisite is no small feat, as bagging a great view is the objective of all new builds in Fresnaye – often to the vexation of existing homeowners. “I went back to Sicily and we closed our offices for two weeks to brainstorm the design of the building,” says Roberto. “Our main goal when we start any project is to work with the space we are given.” In the case of The Arcadia, the space the team was presented with was an awkward, rhomboid-shaped parcel of land consisting of two erfs, one perched above the other. Roberto and his team utilised every square metre to come up with a structure that’s immediately iconic in its geometrically fragmented exterior. Dominated by two overlapping tapered slabs and a graphic iroko screen, the façade offers seemingly endless combinations of diagonal lines and vanishing points depending on where you stand. “We work with shapes and angles a lot,” says Roberto, adding that his years spent working with renowned architect Daniel Libeskind in Berlin definitely informed his approach to design. From the back, five separate units are visible – stacked on top of one another but fanned out like a deck of cards to ensure that each gets its own unobstructed ocean view. Roberto was also tasked with the interior design of the apartments. To echo the sleek design of the exterior, he went to great lengths to keep lines sharp and seamless by paying careful attention to the details: doors and skirting boards sit flush with the walls, bathroom mirrors extend into the ceilings, air-con vents are recessed, and terrace doors disappear when not required. On the fourth floor – the largest unit at 416 square metres – the interior opens up onto a sprawling terrace that culminates in a raised timber deck around a rim-flow pool that appears to be spilling straight into the ocean. At its edge, two bronze hares by sculptor Guy du Toit sit on a bench, staring at The Arcadia as if in deep contemplation. “I loved them from the first second the owner introduced them,” says Roberto. “They fit really nicely with the space, and bring the entire composition to the right proportion. They also add a touch of irony.” After all, who could blame the bunnies for turning their backs on the ocean, when the view in front of them is so thoroughly absorbing? fortearchitetti.it
THIS PAGE The dynamic, sleek lines of the interior echo those of The Arcadia’s façade. OPPOSITE, FROM LEFT Architect Roberto Forte; the geometrically fragmented exterior of the apartment complex changes according to your vantage point.
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THIS PAGE A modern Arrangements chandelier by Flos illuminates the dining area, which features a darkly dramatic 12-seater table by Modulnova. OPPOSITE A bespoke room divider by Micaela Assirelli of Assirelli Italian Design, who also curated the furniture selection, separates the lounge and dining room while maintaining a sense of cohesion in the open-plan living space.
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| Fresnaye Apartment Complex
THIS PAGE A collaborative project between Forte Architetti and Andrea Graff Interior Design, the bespoke kitchen island has a steel skeleton that’s clad with Neolith sintered stone at the bottom and Vicostone quartz on top. OPPOSITE Jasper Morrison’s Superloon floor lamp overlooks chairs by Minotti, creating a sophisticated nook that opens up onto the terrace.
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The terraces of The Arcadia offer residents a view of Lion’s Head; an Arco floor lamp by Flos illuminates this bedroom’s design corner, which also stars Smeg’s fiery-red retro fridge, and an Up 50 armchair and pouffe designed by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia; Globo sanitaryware and Fantini mixers were used throughout The Arcadia’s bathrooms; one of David Bromley’s iconic nudes takes pride of place in the bedroom. OPPOSITE The bathroom gets some lip service courtesy of Frances Goodman’s sequined work.
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| Fresnaye Apartment Complex
Sculptor Guy du Toit’s bronze hares look at The Arcadia approvingly. The chaise longues are from Paola Lenti.
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P R O D U C T I O N
SVEN ALBERDING
W O R D S
D A Y O P E N
RO B Y N A L E X A N D E R
BLURRING THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN INDOORS AND OUT, THIS INSPIRING FAMILY HOME COMBINES A LAID- BACK LIFESTYLE WITH SUBTLY SOPHISTICATED INTERIORS.
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Owner Lisa Twyman on the staircase – which has a steel frame and polished concrete treads – that leads to the first-floor bedrooms of her home. The flooring is made of polished concrete with crusher dust aggregate.
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| Salt Rock Home
“IT’S A GREAT HOUSE TO WAKE UP IN
lisatwyman.com
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ADDING TO THE HOME’S RADICAL OPENNESS IS ITS STRIKING CENTRAL COURTYARD.
every morning, and a great house to dwell in,” says interior designer and artist Lisa Twyman of her home. “It makes you feel free, positive, motivated, excited.” Lisa and husband Will Haynes fell in love with the plot situated in Salt Rock, on the Indian Ocean coastline north of Durban, because of its geography – so much so that the build became very much about the garden. “We did not want to impose on it or mess up the flow of it too much,” she says. “During the first few years that we lived here, any extra budget was spent on the garden and planting.” The key principle for Lisa and Will was that the house needed to become a part of the landscape. This meant including elements such as a ground-floor living area that opens up completely to the outdoors, allowing the spaces to be opened or enclosed as required.This “blurred boundary” – as Lisa describes it – between interior and exterior is further enhanced by the fully open-plan nature of the living, dining and kitchen spaces, as well as the application of simple, low-maintenance materials such as unadorned off-shutter concrete, and the balau wood used for cladding and screening where necessary. Adding to the home’s radical openness is its striking central courtyard. A trio of trees grows up through an organically shaped cutout in the slab that forms the first floor of the house, drawing the eye up towards the sky, and disrupting conventional distinctions between indoors and out. When it came to decorating the living areas, Lisa says the concept was to create a relaxed yet creative space and to keep things minimal, playing with colour and texture – and a few touches of pattern – so that the interior became an oasis of calm in a riot of green garden. The garden is visible from everywhere in the home, becoming part of the interior, and was taken into account when implementing the decor and finishes. While an uncluttered interior enhanced the simple, sculptural qualities of the house, it didn’t necessarily mean creating a brutally minimalist look. Rather, the finishes have been pared back and kept subtle, so that the raw materials and construction of the house remain central. Colour is also important for designer Lisa – and that’s especially evident in the way she’s combined unexpected hues like mannequin pink and deep orange to create depth and surprise. For both Lisa and Will, the loveliest place in their home is their tranquil bedroom. Essentially a simple box with an outlook that frames the nearby Indian Ocean, “It’s great for a siesta, and offers the best views to wake up to,” says Lisa. “The place where you start and end your day is so essential to your wellbeing – this room has proven that to me tenfold.” Form follows function in the best possible way in this home.It combines authentic materials with an architectural design that sensitively responds to its location, as well as Lisa’s laid-back yet sophisticated approach to its inviting interiors. No wonder, then, that she happily declares this house to be “the most uplifting space I have ever lived in”.
The front of the house is clad in hard-wearing raw balau timber, which is ageing naturally. Karl Wang of KR Projects, the contractor who built the house, was “exceptional�, says Lisa, dealing with all challenges effectively and expediently.
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Lisa with husband Will Haynes, their daughter Bo and son Jock; the kids with their cat, Stripes. Behind them, the ground floor of the house is seen fully opened to the garden; Will surfs whenever he can, and collects surfboards – most, including this one, are from Natural Curve, and are shaped by Hugh Thompson; the pool was designed by Will and built from concrete by Karl Wang of KR Projects. The “lifeguard chair” is an old tennis umpire’s chair from Lisa’s primary school. OPPOSITE The open-plan ground-floor living spaces link to the garden via glass doors on both sides, helping to keep the house cool during Salt Rock’s humid summers. The day bed with metal legs is one of Lisa’s own designs.
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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE The galley-style kitchen is an entertainer’s dream, with @home bar stools reupholstered in vinyl and a Marc Newson-designed hob from Smeg; Lisa won the crystal glassware in a competition. The large green vase is from Cécile & Boyd, and the coloured glassware is from MRP Home; the wooden table in Lisa’s studio was a present from her mother; three indigenous Vachellia robusta trees grow up through the centre of the house; the section with shutters on the first floor houses the main bedroom.
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| Salt Rock Home
In the dining area, a Gregor Jenkin table is surrounded by chairs made by local carpenter By Conrad. The black lamp is a replica of a Serge Mouille design; the white wall sconce and ceramic vessels were designed by Lisa. The wooden cabinet is from Vamp, and the yellow table is a refurbished hand-me-down from Lisa’s mother.
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ABOVE, BELOW CENTRE AND BELOW RIGHT The dark walls in the main bedroom and bathroom create a cosy atmosphere, and ensure the room recedes from view from the outside, as it essentially has no front wall, just glass doors. The standalone bath is from Victoria + Albert and the standing mixer tap is by Isca. The basins, also from Victoria + Albert, sit atop a kiaat timber vanity designed by Lisa. The artwork is also one of Lisa’s. BELOW LEFT Bo’s bedroom features wallpaper by Eijffinger and a headboard upholstered in fabric by Design Team. The bedside table is from IKEA. OPPOSITE The bed in the main bedroom was made by local carpenter By Conrad. The bedside pedestal is from Habitat and the wall-mounted lights are from Zebbies. The tasselled throw is from Woolworths while the linen is from Loads of Living.
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THE KEY PRINCIPLE WAS THAT THE HOUSE NEEDED TO BECOME PART OF THE LANDSCAPE, AND NOT FEEL IMPOSED ONTO IT.
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| New Orleans Hotel
MIDNIGHT CRUSH W O R D S M A RT I N
JACOBS
MADCAP
P H O T O S STEPHEN
KENT JOHNSON
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MEMORABLE DESIGN WILL HAVE YOUR LOOKS TURNING FROM LINGERING TO LUSTFUL AT NEW ORLEANS’S IDIOSYNCRATIC MAISON DE LA LUZ HOTEL.
Art Deco elements that include vintage lighting and a period font frame the lobby’s midnight-coloured concierge desk. Championing old-world charm, the design team opted for silk-tasselled key fobs rather than electronic key cards; these are housed in a wooden pigeonhole frame.
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| New Orleans Hotel
ABOVE Situated mere metres from the historic Lafayette Square and housed in a former City Hall annex, the hotel’s exterior reveals little of its quirky interiors. OPPOSITE The statement-making lobby sets the tone for the guest experience. “It’s a nod to traditional hotel luxury, but there’s the Ace twist to it – it’s very thoughtful,” says designer Pamela Shamshiri of the consideration that went into the space. The chequered marble floors were restored, and a dusting of gold added to the detailing of the original twin staircases to enhance their French flair. Sourced from local antique stores, nautical collectibles are reminders of the Mississippi beyond.
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“NEW ORLEANS IS SUCH A COMPLICATED, BEAUTIFUL AND LAYERED CITY; WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING THAT REALLY CELEBRATES THAT.” – ARCHITECT KELLY SAWDON
sk anyone what it means to reinvent design-hotel luxury for the 2020s, and Kelly Sawdon is best poised to answer. A partner at Atelier Ace – the studio known for its creative work on the global collection of Ace Hotels – Kelly was tasked with converting New Orleans’s 1908-built City Hall annex into what the company considers its first foray into luxury properties. The former office building, with its imposing edifice complete with Beaux-Arts flourishes, reveals little of its now offbeat interior. Enlisting the help of Pamela Shamshiri of the brother-sister interiors team behind LA’s Studio Shamshiri multidisciplinary design firm, Kelly set about conceptualising the hotel by questioning contemporary luxury. “New Orleans is such a complicated, beautiful and layered city; we wanted to do something that really celebrates that on a more human scale,” she says. “We asked a lot of questions about what luxury is right now, and what the Ace version of that is,” adds Pamela, citing nonagenarian style icon Iris Apfel as an influence on the maximalist aesthetic. Intimacy, a strong sense of place and New Orleans’s multicultural heritage were key to the look. The outcome is a hotel that’s reminiscent of a worldly collector-traveller’s townhouse. “It’s almost like a quirky residence; there are aspects of it that really, truly do feel like a home,” says Pamela. Maison de la Luz is nothing short of audacious, and a welcome assault on the senses. The Art Deco lobby makes for a cinematic entrance, one that’s given next-level impact by a chequered floor and Wes Anderson-style concierge desk. Complete with vintage lamps, period fonts and pigeonholes for silk-tasselled key fobs, the desk sets the tone for the guest experience. So too do the original twin staircases: thoughtfully restored, they anchor the entrance. “We just dusted in the gold,” Pamela says of the colour added to their intricate metalwork to enhance their French detailing. Glass cabinets housing antique-store finds, and framed ceramic snakes forming sailing knots that reference the Mississippi’s maritime endeavours, add personality to the space. Nothing shouts multicultural quite like an assortment of collectibles, including artworks of ancient Egyptian pharaohs, African masks, festive Indian headwear and torsos referencing Greek antiquity. Their display in the guest lounge has a fun pick-’n’-mix approach. Positioned at eye level and above, they draw attention upwards, encouraging an appreciation of the grandness of the high-ceilinged space. They are the room’s showstoppers, and are paired with understated velvet armchairs and banquettes in a playful, jewel-toned palette. Completing the scheme are colourful custom carpets created in partnership with Christopher Farr and depicting menacing wild animals. Pamela describes the space as madcap, and one that deliberately references global iconography, thereby acknowledging the city’s diverse past. The breakfast room offers a dramatic change of mood from the hotel’s other public areas, its airy freshness a contrast to the prevailing drama. Here Pamela celebrates the outdoors, despite it being a space that largely shuts out views of the neighbourhood beyond. Visuals of overscaled botanicals in Delft blue, and taking the form of leafy foliage fussed over by bees, grace the white walls. Wicker chairs surround scalloped dining tables. These, and the trompe l’oeil forms of the striped tent-like ceiling, conjure the decorative trimmings of a Louisiana garden party. “New Orleans is a town of pirates and ghosts, and when you walk around, you’re very aware of different spiritual influences,” says Pamela. The private salon speaks to this, and is as rich in mysticism and Southern darkness as the town of Savannah is in John Berendt’s Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil. Saturated in night-time blues and gold, the room’s colours are not its only nod to the skies above: framed celestial maps, astrological charts and vintage diagrams of heavenly eclipses add an erudite edge. The spiritual realm isn’t far from reach, as the room’s fringed stools, studded sofas, alabaster urns and dimmed sconces intentionally lend the space an occult mood fit for a séance… maisondelaluz.com
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Airy and whimsical in mood, the breakfast room is a celebration of the city’s great outdoors. Treated in a monochrome palette of Delft blue, the wicker chairs, tent-like ceiling and trompe l’oeil botanicals call to mind Southern garden parties; Pamela collaborated with Christopher Farr on the design of the guest lounge’s menacing tiger carpet; an honour system cocktail cabinet takes pride of place in a corner of the hotel’s shared living space. OPPOSITE Mix-and-match mythology of a global nature dominates the colourful aesthetic in the hotel’s guest lounge. The lighting fixtures drew inspiration from corsetry boning.
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| New Orleans Hotel
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For Pamela, the challenge was to make the once formal room feel like a corner of a collector-traveller’s grand home. Floor-toceiling art – mostly Egyptian, Indian and African collectibles, along with rebirth iconography such as snakes and eggs – draws the eye upwards and enhances the residential feel.
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| New Orleans Hotel
INTIMACY, A STRONG SENSE OF PLACE, AND NEW ORLEANS’S MULTICULTURAL HERITAGE WERE KEY TO THE LOOK.
ABOVE Scarlet-coloured bookshelves add a flirtatious element to Bar Marilou, the only space in the hotel that is open to the public rather than reserved for use by its guests. Designed with the guidance of French hospitality consultants Quixotic Projects, the bar’s fringed seating adds naughtiness to the night-time boudoir mood. BELOW AND OPPOSITE Accessed through a hidden bookcase door in Bar Marilou, the private salon is intimate and offers hotel guests respite from the busier bar. Its decor is a celebration of Southern darkness and mysticism, with celestial and astrological motifs adding character and charm.
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THIS PAGE Kelly and Pamela envisaged the bedroom suites as sanctuaries of calm in a city that parties day and night. The colour palette was inspired by the subtlety of clouds, with ethereal inspiration reflected in wind-chime-like pendant lights that tinkle as they move. In the bathrooms, metal snakes wind through the shower doors, doubling as handles. OPPOSITE Doorframes were replaced with archways that, along with curved headboards and lavender paint, add femininity to the suites. Allegorical paintings by Louisiana artist Rebecca RebouchĂŠ hang above the beds, and boxed sculptures by Los Angeles artist Clare Crespo decorate bedside tables.
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P H O T O S
PA R I S B RU M M E R P R O D U C T I O N
ANNEMARIE MEINTJES W O R D S
PA L E S A K G A S A N E
WHEN RENOVATING HER WATERFRONT APARTMENT, PROPERTY DEVELOPER KARIN DE KLERK FUSED HER LOVE OF MINIMALIST ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN WITH THE NEED TO CREATE A HOME THAT FEELS WARM AND WELCOMING.
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| Waterfront Apartment
THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE In the foyer, a subtly moody atmosphere is created by a marble-clad wall and floor-to-ceiling mirrors, which contrast with the slatted-wood ceiling and wall near the stairwell.
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| Waterfront Apartment
ELOCATING FROM PIETERMARITZBURG TO CAPE TOWN
THE INTERIORS PROJECT AN OVERALL SENSE OF CALM.
in 2018 was something homeowner Karin de Klerk had always dreamed of doing. But it also provided the perfect opportunity for her as a developer, working with her daughter Elzanne le Roux-Preis – who is an interior designer – to mastermind a light-filled sanctuary in which to live. From the start, Karin says, it was all about striking a balance – between light and dark; sophistication and ease; minimalism and richness – and this is something this top-floor, three-bedroom apartment in Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront has definitely managed to do. Undertaking the total revamp of her newly acquired apartment was exciting yet a trifle daunting, says Karin. “I knew I just wanted a place I could feel relaxed in, something modern that shows off my love of minimalism,” she says. She and her daughter had to start from scratch on the interiors, but collaborating with Elzanne was something that “made sense”, Karin says – and doing so has certainly produced spectacular results. Entering the foyer of the apartment, you’re immediately enveloped in the subtle, moody atmosphere created by a marble-clad wall and floor-to-ceiling mirrors, contrasted by a light, slatted-wood ceiling as you move to the stairwell … to heaven. At the top of these stairs is the main attraction: drenched in light, you are immediately surrounded by panoramic views of Cape Town. Here, everything feels illuminated. This is the centre of the home, a spacious living room with a fireplace embedded into slatted-wood wall cladding. The adjacent kitchen is where you get a feel for Karin’s taste for the finer things; it includes a dining table and chairs paired with a contemporary pendant light, as well as stunning marble countertops with matte-black accents for balance. “I love the colour black, and I wear grey and black often. Much of the interior is inspired by these colours,” says Karin. White-painted walls play a role in enhancing the feeling of spaciousness and creating an uninterrupted, easy flow from the lounge to the main bedroom and bathroom. In minimalist style, most of the walls are kept free of art, but the slatted-wood cladding used on accent walls and ceilings adds a feeling of warmth, and gives the home a bit of an Eastern feel architecturally. Throughout, sliding glass doors and expansive windows provide unobstructed views. Combine all this with the careful detailing in every space, and the apartment exudes a seemingly effortless charm. Karin’s personal haven is the master suite, which is understated yet stylish. The glass façade means that spending time here feels almost as though you’re bathing in light. Even the shower offers a view of the sky and ocean. The interiors of the apartment project an overall sense of calm, the rationale being that there is so much to look at outside that the indoor spaces should remain as tranquil as possible. In keeping with this theme OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT of simplicity, the main feature on the large balcony is a long White walls are repeated throughout wooden table with a bench and chairs – designed by Elzanne – the home, creating an easy flow and that speaks both to simple design and the convivial meals shared sense of space; panoramic views of the here with family and friends. city and ocean can be taken in from the wraparound balcony; at the heart Combining modernity and minimalism with light, warmth of the home is a light-filled living room and sheer good taste – the soundtrack on the day we visited was with a contemporary fireplace and TV provided by the smooth, soulful sounds of Sam Cooke – Karin’s embedded in the slatted wall; a dining sanctuary is a tranquil haven from the constant buzz and bustle set designed by Elzanne le Roux-Preis of the V&A Waterfront and the city beyond. takes pride of place on the balcony.
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“I KNEW I JUST WANTED A PLACE I COULD FEEL RELAXED IN.” – OWNER KARIN DE KLERK
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| Waterfront Apartment
Clean lines, Asian-inspired architecture and minimalist elements are central to the apartment’s look and feel. It’s modern, yet it still feels welcoming.
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THIS PAGE Considered design and an eye for detail have resulted in a sophisticated kitchen that’s laid-back enough to entertain guests. OPPOSITE Matte-black surfaces, furniture and accessories are offset by the light wooden slats and modern light fixtures.
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THIS PAGE Although colour is not a prominent feature in the apartment, this guest bedroom introduces a slight contrast with a leaf-printed carpet. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Bathed in light,owner Karin de Klerk’s no-frills master suite is a sanctuary; a luxurious oval soaking tub maintains the minimalist theme; the guest bathroom combines all the elements present in the rest of the home, from wood to marble; stylish and functional, the slatted walls conceal a guest lavatory.
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| Bainskloof Valley Home
DOOK
ANNEMARIE MEINTJES
S A N C T U A R Y
A YOUNG CAPE TOWN FAMILY’S PRIVATE NATURE RESERVE IN THE BAINSKLOOF VALLEY IS INSPIRED BY INDIAN AND SWAHILLI DESIGN AND DECOR.
P R O D U C T I O N
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Surrounded by natural beauty, India House is located in a private nature reserve, Kerala Estate. The jewel-green front door hints at the treasures inside.
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| Bainskloof Valley Home
nikki@keralaestate.co.za | daniel@keralaestate.co.za
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THE MAIN INTENT AT KERALA IS FOR GUESTS TO IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN NATURE WHILE ENJOYING DIALLED-BACK LUXURY.
“We wanted this space to be a special place to connect with nature and make memories with friends and family,” says Keri Paddock, who together with husband Sam (founder of GetSmarter and JEFF Fitness) and toddler twins, Violet and Fletcher, makes every effort to spend as much time as possible at India House on Kerala Estate. Home to the elusive Cape leopard, caracal, duiker, buck and impressive birdlife, this private reserve boasts access to spectacular mountain hikes and trails, and proximity to the Witte and Bastiaanskloof rivers. “We say the water has magical properties because we always feel so fantastic after a swim,” Keri says of the picnic-perfect river frontage just 150 metres from their door. After purchasing the Bainskloof Valley property two years ago, the couple tasked Bridget George of KLG Architects with updating the main stone building, and creating a sense of symmetry and purpose with a few considered additions. For instance, the new master suite boasts a deck, walk-in closet and outside shower; while a pavilion and pergola addition, framed by a gabion wall that recedes into the mountainous landscape, affords the family a unique outside space to socialise and relax. The four-bedroom, five-bathroom dwelling is arranged around a central courtyard that, with its low-slung heritage Indian coffee table and quirky cork stools, lends itself to informal gatherings. Also making their property available for exclusive-use hire for four weeks of the year, the Paddocks explain that the main intent at Kerala is for guests to immerse themselves in nature while enjoying dialled-back luxury in which no area is too precious for the busy feet of young children and active dogs. Hard-wearing polyurethane floors in the entranceways and bedrooms give way to sugar-gum planks in the reconfigured open-plan kitchen and dining area, adding warmth, interest and texture; while exposed trusses overhead imbue the home with a generous, airy feel. Keri, who assumed the role of interior designer and project manager, chose to keep the Swahili elements of the previous owner’s vision while adding her own unique stamp. The rich colour palette reflects the surrounding landscape – but her affinity for India, Morocco and Zanzibar aesthetics is evident in the striking pieces throughout India House. An ornate, burnished-gold chandelier is offset by retro pendants; cherry-red lacquered pedestals pop next to contemporary fourposter beds; and elegant benches and daybeds evoke feelings of laid-back Lamu Island style. “After doing a DNA test for fun a few years ago, I realised my family has Indian blood,” Keri says. “That’s why renaming the estate Kerala (a state on the south-western Malabar Coast of India) seemed to make sense.” The couple also made every effort to draw on their wealth of creative friends to pepper the homestead with quirky yet meaningful art. Cue bespoke wallpaper by Katie Lund, punch needle artworks by Caro Hickson and photographic art by Filipa Domingues of Check My Plants. Landscaping company Oasis Design skilfully integrated India House into the terrain, softening edges, planting grassy verges and creating unexpected garden spaces filled with fynbos and proteas. The end result is a harmonious living space that pleases the eye and sits respectfully in the landscape. Keri and Sam still have many plans for the surrounding buildings and cottages, but at present are content to focus on the main reason for owning the reserve – spending quality time together as a family. India House at Kerala Estate is available for hire as an exclusiveuse villa – complete with chef, nanny, butler and guide – for four weeks of the year.
A sculptural David Krynauw play bench creates a focal point in a secret alcove of the garden.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT What used to be a storeroom is now a second entrance and mudroom; a one-of-a-kind Bomba bag, ideal for trips to the river, is based on a Katie Lund wallpaper design; the property forms part of the Boland Mountain Complex in the Cape Floral Region, one of nine areas in South Africa designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites; Keri’s friend and decor consultant Catherine Bowen sourced the cane cupboard to complement the tapestry chairs Keri found at Kamers Vol Geskenke. OPPOSITE In the open-plan dining room, a Gregor Jenkin table is flanked by lightweight chairs from Pezula Interiors and solid-wood sculptural chairs from Bofred.
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| Bainskloof Valley Home
A daybed from Soba Studios reflects an element of Swahili architecture, the mashrabiya screen – a wood-lattice screen used to shade the interior of buildings and decorate the exterior. OPPOSITE A clever reconfiguration of the kitchen allows for a central island – perfect for informal breakfasts.
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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT The Moroccan-themed internal courtyard allows for casual, intimate outdoor meals; gabion stone walls extend into the distance, blending in with the surrounding landscape. The outdoor furniture is from the Hula range by Haldane Martin; India House affords guests the ultimate indoor-outdoor living experience. OPPOSITE Rich, bold colours and textured fabrics add warmth to the open-plan lounge. The slipcover Catherine chairs are from Pezula Interiors.
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The guest bathrooms got a dramatic makeover with bespoke wallpaper by Katie Lund. OPPOSITE A contemporary four-poster from Weylandts blends beautifully with matching Ethiopian coffee side tables and a statement light fitting.
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“WOOD
is one of the great
NOBLE MATERIALS. It fits in with my
DESIGN IDEALS and
VALUES.” – John Vogel, Vogel Design (see page 132)
PHOTO SUPPLIED
Ripple table and Stitch chair POA | vogeldesign.co.za
DESIGN, ART, ARCHITECTURE, TECH, BOOKS, BOOZE & ENTERTAINMENT
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DESIGN JOURNEY
Inspired by nature and its organic forms, John Vogel has created a reinterpretation of vernacular design through woodwork and weaving that has made Vogel Design a leader in local furniture.
I started designing limitededition pieces for collectible design gallery Southern Guild because I don’t like to be restricted to one way of thinking. In 2013, I launched Bloom, which the gallery has shown at fairs around the world. The first piece was made from walnut wood. It was inspired by the Namaqualand flowers, and is made up of separate side tables that fit together like a never-ending puzzle, which you can arrange as you wish. I love it when people interact with the piece.
PHOTOS SOUTHERN GUILD, NANDO’S, SUPPLIED PORTRAIT RUDI GEYSER/SOUTHERN GUILD WORDS TRACY LYNN CHEMALY
The Nguni dining chair was designed a year before I opened Vogel Design, and was first supplied to a restaurant called !Khwa ttu on the West Coast. That kick-started everything. It became one of the best-selling pieces in US store West Elm’s “design under licence” programme. Back then, I had no workshop or big machinery, and made the prototype by hand with an angle grinder and drill in my garage, weaving the seat as an experiment. The weaving of the chair (and my subsequent designs) is my reinvention of the riempie style.
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I’ve been working with Nando’s ever since interior designer Tracy Lynch approached me to design pieces for Nando’s Central Kitchen in 2015, and we clad their offices and conference room in woven panels. Now our products are available on the Nando’s portal for all stores to procure, and we’ve decorated many of its restaurant walls. Our work, made by my 30-strong team, appears in more than 50 outlets around the world.
The Rus bench debuted at Maison&Objet in Paris in 2017. It was specifically designed for export, and is a smaller, more adaptable piece that suits the European market, where people live in smaller spaces. It can be used as a side table, bench or stool, and the weaving can be done in either cord or plastic, in a variety of colours. Plastic makes it suitable for outdoors and also allows for more solid pattern options. I love the hands-on aspect of weaving, and now have five weavers dedicated to this craft in my factory.
2 0 1 7 Ripple is one of my latest designs. It is a flat-pack ebonisedash table that’s simple but expressive. The table looks like it’s almost separated from the legs, so it deconstructs the idea of a dining table in a subtle way. The ripple shape is the first of a variety of legs I will be designing for this tabletop, and is my interpretation of modernising a traditional turned leg. The repeated pattern was inspired by a similarlooking jar that I got in Mozambique. I have chosen wood as my speciality because I love its wonderful warmth, beautiful grain, and the fact that it’s sustainable if it’s managed well. It’s one of the great noble materials, and fits in with all my design ideals and values. vogeldesign.co.za
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NEXT LEVEL
MaXhosa Africa, the pioneering South African fashion label helmed by designer Laduma Ngxokolo, has opened a luxurious new store in Cape Town.
ince its early days in 2010, the MaXhosa Africa brand has been on a stellar trajectory, rapidly developing into a local design powerhouse. Now, with the recent launch of a new space at the Victoria Wharf shopping centre (a sister store for the existing flagship at Johannesburg’s Mall of Africa), founder Laduma Ngxokolo is taking MaXhosa to a new level. Located in the upper mall, MaXhosa Cape Town ramps up the luxury offering of the Joburg store. Featuring sleek chrome rails for the brand’s signature fashion pieces, and wall-to-wall MaXhosa carpeting handwoven in KwaZuluNatal, the space is a brilliant blend of colour and pattern that takes its cues from traditional beadwork and Ndebele graphics. “We went all out because we wanted to tell a strong story to the Cape Town market, which is an important audience for us as a brand,” Laduma says. “It isn’t the same as Joburg. We wanted to speak to the tourists, to visitors from all over Africa – and we also wanted to tell a story to the Cape Town natives.”
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One of the standout elements of the new space is a piece by artist Nelson Makamo, whose reputation continues to expand in international art circles. The work has also been reproduced as a woven collaborative piece with MaXhosa. “About two years ago, Nelson and I discussed doing a collab,” says Laduma. “We decided to drive to the Lesotho mountains to meet with the best weavers in the country, who work with 100% mohair. Nelson brought a template of the artwork to them, and we ended up working with a single person to realise it. The finished product arrived in Cape Town eight weeks later. When Covid-19 arrived in March, Save A Business approached us to help them raise funds. So we auctioned the piece, and it raised R690 000, which was then donated to save small businesses.” The designer says the response from Capetonians to the new space has already been fantastic – which bodes well for the latest phase of this inspiring South African success story. maxhosa.africa
PHOTO JAN RAS WORDS GARRETH VAN NIEKERK
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TUBER by Haldane Martin
B H AC A by Andile Dyalvane
SOMA by Laurie Wiid van Heerden
TERRA by Laurie Wiid van Heerden
HOME IS SANCTUARY Home has returned to the centre of our lives. We believe beauty and nature nourish the soul. indigenus.co.za
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OUT THE BOX
Local flat-pack furniture brand SPAAS has added easy-to-erect living “pods” to its repertoire. We talk to co-owner Dean Westmore about this innovative housing option.
hat makes this type of home different from regular buildings? These custom homes are made from lightweight steel (LWS), which has many efficiencies: it’s accurate, square, environmentally friendly and extremely strong. The components are precision-manufactured and assembled to tight tolerances using advanced techniques. Computer-aided design, computer-controlled manufacturing and advanced engineering ensure that the customer gets the plans he or she wants, and that installation is quick and easy. The idea is to have a light footprint and minimal impact on the environment, and to be completely off the grid. We use a matte-black exterior that blends into the environment like a shadow, while our soft, warm interiors are inviting and cosy. How do you go about getting one built? We work closely with our clients, who tend to be as excited about the project as we are. After a briefing, we work on a base layout, with options. The only problem we have is that there are so many options to choose from: layouts, materials, finishes; whether the overall shape will be a modern Swedish barn or a Danish box… When the base pack is finalised, we cost. We then work closely with engineers, architects and any other relevant professionals. Once construction begins, the build itself is quick – between two and four months. How do you tailor the experience of building a pod to suit your client? Our responsibility is not just to design but also to manufacture and construct. The most important part of the process is the consumer journey – the experience they have during the design process and (unlike traditional building) the experience they have during the build, as well as how they interact with the final product. Where do they put the keys when they arrive home? Where does their laptop bag go? Where is a good place to drink morning coffee, read or work quietly? The user experience is the most important factor. spaas.co.za
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PHOTOS PEORTREE INTERVIEW MICHAELA STEHR CLIENT DWARSBERG TROUT HIDEAWAY ARCHITECT MODH DESIGN INTERIORS OOOCH INTERIOR DESIGN JOINERY GREEN WAY INTERIORS
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Proudly brought to you by
2020
WINNER!
ABOUT THE SWITCH DESIGN COMPETITION The ACDC Express SWITC H Design Competition encouraged South African designers to solve the problem faced by so many citizens – having to study by candlelight. ACDC Express and their partners are proud to contribute to our country and local communities. We provided a platform for local designers to showcase their talents by designing an innovative light that utilises solar power to improve the lives of struggling South Africans.
Look out for the upcoming
ACDC Express SWITCH Design Competition in 2021, and you could find yourself a winner, just like Micah!
Micah Donnoli 1st Place: Micah D nnoli Micah Donnoli | @micah_donnoli on Ins agram ACDC Express would like to congratulate the winner of the 2020 SWITCH Design Competition – Micah Donnoli. Micah’s passion for social design and high-impact solutions that support sustainable development goals stems from his early exposure to cultural diversity. He became fascinated by the interconnectedness of people, places, and the cultures that bind them. This innate curiosity and intrigue u became the foundation for his drive to design g and implement creative problem-solving techniques for products and systems that can be utilised in a variety of industries. He describes his design history and creative problem-solving capabilities as having been a part of his life for as long as he can remember – from being fascinated with the original MacGyver series as a child, to completing his Master degree in design. Life viewed through the lens of design made anything possible for this passionate
From this wellspring of inspiration, his experience in the field of design increased, drawing him towards people-centered problems and the effects of these on the environment. His designs evolved from being merely aesthetically pleasing, to being more critically developed solutions. Micah found himself constantly seeking out new design opportunities, and driving his designs to more sustainable developments. This notion of sustainability still motivates him in every piece he designs today. This was particularly evident in the design he submitted for the ACDC Express 2020 SWITCH Design Competition. Micah’s Isicholo Solar Lamp is a 3D print-ready design, requiring only the fitting of components (without the need for any other manufacturing processes). The lamp is intended to curb the dangers surrounding studying by candlelight, and to combat the learning inefficiencies that millions of children experience
every day. Micah’s design was influenced by traditional Zulu Isicholo hats, and celebrates the rich artistic expression and culture in South Africa Africa. A . Going forward, Micah strives to constantly create and to have a never-ending learning experience. He hopes that he will find continued momentum and enthusiasm in the field of design. Micah also intends to further his education so that he can nurture the minds of future designers. Eventually, Micah wishes to start his own company that would endorse the causes dear to his own heart – sustainability, ‘good design’ practice, and education.
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CLAY NATION
A new generation of South African ceramicists is reminding us of the wealth of talent we are able to celebrate in the genre. Here is the beautiful work of four local rising stars.
DUMA MTIMKULU An interest in art from a young age was a foretelling of Duma’s future vocation. While studying fine and applied arts at the Tshwane University of Technology, he discovered ceramics, his major in his final year. He chose to specialise in this field for its opportunity for manipulation and for the freedom of creation. His other motivation was a deeply embedded emotional attachment that he finds hard to put into words. Inspired mainly by the material itself, the textures and the process, Duma also draws on the places where he works. “I enjoy the entire process from start to finish,” he says. “I love the idea of working on my own threedimensional canvases.” @duma.mtkl
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PHOTOS SUPPLIED WORDS JULIA FREEMANTLE
NKUTHAZO ALEXIS DYALVANE With a background in visual arts (multimedia, media and retail), Nkuthazo has worked in ceramics in different capacities for the last decade, but only started crafting her own in 2018. However, the spark was ignited as early as 2008 when she met Andile Dyalvane, the celebrated ceramic artist who is her life partner. After years of observing and being surrounded by the medium, it became an accessible creative resource to explore. Inspired by the way in which inner worlds are expressed outwardly, and by nature in its ancient ancestral forms, Nkuthazo’s work was finally prompted by a setback in her life. “Clay and other healing therapies became an amazing reset,” she says.
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JADE PATON Jade’s background in sculpture – she studied at Michaelis School of Fine Art at UCT – paved the way for her move into ceramics. She fell in love with the medium after taking a pottery class in 2018. Inspired by ancient vessels from a variety of cultures, and by forms in nature, Jade loves the malleability of the medium, as well as the fact that she can build three-dimensionally. The volatile nature of ceramics can lead to unexpected results as cracks occur and glazes go wrong – but she accepts this as part of the process. The upside of this unpredictability is that it can also yield positive results. @jadepatonceramics
CERI MÜLLER Following a hiatus from art after completing her sculpture studies at UCT’s Michaelis School of Fine Art, Ceri returned to ceramics as a creative outlet. “I’ve always loved making things and creating with my hands,” she says. “Every evening after work, I’d play around with clay; I found it to be incredibly meditative and soothing.” Inspired predominantly by the human body as well as the fluid, organic shapes of the natural world, each of Ceri’s pieces is a unique expression. “I really enjoy getting lost in the rhythm of creating with clay, and seeing what forms emerge,” she says. cerimuller.com | @cerimuller_studio
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FURNITURE FUSION
A new furniture concept store and showroom in Cape Town’s city centre, Frederick Sinclair, adds bespoke flair and colour to classic design pieces.
hen three professionals put their heads together to fill a gap in the furniture industry, this bold new showroom was the result. After spending the last few years developing Frederick Sinclair items and concepts, they have also lovingly restored an old Victorian building on petite Watson Street in the Cape Town CBD. The refreshed space is the stage for presenting a convergence of industrial design, clean lines and an ode to the future of furniture. “We introduce vibrancy, life and colour to homes in a sophisticated manner,” says co-founder Greg Sinclair (pictured with partners Johan Taute and Candice Sinclair). “Handcrafted furniture that’s made locally, paired with contemporary oil paintings and botanical artworks, make up a unique and bespoke interior for the modern South African living space.” The showroom is designed to present an informal yet considered approach to living, and is set out as a modern home with lounges, a dining area, foyers and bedrooms in a beautifully lit space. It houses the brand’s own designs – including customisable sofas and tables – as well as pieces from local designers such as African Jacquard and Corinne de Haas Ceramics, alongside lighting by The Artisan, Kirsten Lilford’s oil paintings and Chris van Niekerk’s botanical works. Dramatic splashes of colour complement the old-world charm of rejuvenated and previously loved vintage finds, which are casually set among the new items. “We’re excited to see Frederick Sinclair evolve into an institution of design in Cape Town,” says Greg. “It’s a place where clients can fall in love with an aesthetic that’s not only contemporary, but that has a sense of history unique to our lifestyle.” @frederick.sinclair.furniture | fredericksinclair.co.za
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PHOTOS STUDIO MIRU WORDS MICHAELA STEHR
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IN THE WEAVE
Designer and entrepreneur Frances van Hasselt creates beautiful mohair rugs that reflect all the uniqueness of their origins in the South African Karoo.
he arid, semi-desert landscapes of the Karoo are an acquired taste. This is a place where extreme harshness – scorching heat on summer days, icy cold on winter nights – coexists with the delicate beauty of plant life, and where the bone-dry air is scented with dust yet still clean and crisp. Sunrise and sunset are soft and subtle, the land stretches seemingly endlessly to the distant horizons, and the sky feels somehow higher above than it does elsewhere. This is also a region renowned for its mohair. The mohair fibres produced by the angora goats of the Karoo are some of the best in the world, and prized around the globe (most especially in the textile centres of Italy and Japan). And designer and rug maker Frances van Hasselt has always
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known about the superb quality of South African mohair: she grew up on her family’s farm, which is located outside the small town of Prince Albert and includes one of the oldest angora goat studs in South Africa. Making each one of her rugs is a unique process for Frances. “When I am in the Karoo, I spend time outside walking, as this is where most of my inspiration comes from,” she says. The light and the colours, the patterns formed by the gravel roads and folded mountain ranges – all of these unique signifiers of place are reflected in her designs. These might be inspired by “the tiniest folds of a veld flower or the balancing act performed by rock formations”, she says, adding that nature’s most valuable lesson is that of simplicity.
Creating one of Frances van Hasselt’s rugs starts with taking care of the land, and of the herd of angora goats that produce the mohair. “Our rugs are inspired by the Karoo,” she says. “We try to replicate its textured landscapes and crisp light, and the rich colours of delicate vegetation.” The Swartberg Pass that curves through the mountains not far from the farm is an example of the sort of landscape that informs Frances’s designs – one of her most recent rugs (opposite) reflects its colours and textures.
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PHOTOS WARREN HEATH/BUREAUX PRODUCTION SVEN ALBERDING WORDS ROBYN ALEXANDER
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For Frances, weaving and finishing a rug are the last steps in an intricate supply chain that “starts with rain, the ecosystem of the veld, the role of the herdsmen, and the importance of healthy animals”. She’s also very aware that the resulting raw fibre has to undergo multiple processes – washing, cleaning, dyeing and spinning, most of which are done by hand – before the yarn ends up on her loom. No two days of Frances’s working life are the same. She spends time finding inspiration, formulating designs and collaborating with clients. “All our work is made to order, so I have a close relationship with clients,” she says. She’s also sharing the story of the Frances V.H brand with the world, plus “there’s always something happening in the studio”. As this is a working farm, there’s plenty of admin,
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logistics, packaging of orders and fixing of equipment that makes up an inevitable part of the day too. Reflecting the uniqueness of the Karoo’s landscapes and her personal passion for mohair as a fibre, Frances’s rugs are a demonstration of her view that “South African mohair should be recognised in the same way cashmere is in Scotland or alpaca in Peru – and to achieve this, we need to create exceptional products.” Frances V.H creations are luxurious not as a result of being costly, but because they encapsulate Frances’s world view that’s all about “clean air, open spaces, an appreciation for nature, meals around a table with friends and family, and building a home in which you feel safe, calm and functional”. francesvh.com | @francesv.h_mohair_rugs
THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Frances’s studio and workroom is located on the farm, and is furnished with heirloom chairs and decorated with weaving samples; this recently completed rug is the first in a collaboration with Leandi Mulder Designs, and is Frances’s current favourite – “probably because it’s so different and excitingly new,” she says; undyed and hand-spun mohair in a bulky yarn weight is the essence of tactility and natural loveliness; Frances constantly experiments with colours and yarn weights, as well as with ways these might be blended in a single rug. OPPOSITE Another one of Frances’s most recent designs.
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POWER PLANTS
Indigenus’s artisan planters are what happens when considered design and nature collide. We talk to the brand’s founder about why staying connected to the natural world is a design priority.
eter van der Post, the founder and CEO of Indigenus, turned his love of nature and art into a business that manufactures architectural planters that uplift and enhance the spaces they’re placed in. The venture is rooted in collaborations with South African designers, artists and architects – the Indigenus brand has worked with Andile Dyalvane, SAOTA and Haldane Martin, among others – who appreciate the transformative power of great planters. With indoor plants continuing their ascendancy in interiors everywhere, we asked Peter why he thinks we’re so enamoured of all things green at the moment. What do you believe is the reason plants yield so much power over a space? I’m not a horticulturalist or a biologist, but I believe they connect us with nature, which is always healing. They also break up lines with organic shapes, which I think is good for our psyche at some level. Which aspects of modern life do you think have encouraged people to buy and grow plants? Our disconnect from nature: this is a way of reconnecting. Do you see this green trend as a shift towards natural living? If by “natural living” you mean a movement towards more natural materials and handcrafted items, less clutter, fewer but better things, and more plants in our homes and on our plates, then yes. What distinguishes your brand’s ethos from other planter companies? We will not compromise on the quest for beauty in our designs – even if it increases the price. You collaborate with local artists to create your designs. How do you go about choosing them? For me, it’s about the designs they’ve already done, and whether I can see them translating into an Indigenus planter. I like designers who don’t compromise on achieving something exceptional and original, and who seek to create their best work using real materials. All our designs have a link to the earth, so that too must be present. What’s the best plant-buying advice for apartment dwellers who don’t have gardens? Choose plants suited to the environment they will live in, accounting for light, air flow, humidity and temperature. And don’t be scripted in how you use them – I think eclecticism is more soulful than something that’s overly manicured. How do we strike a balance between “too many plants” and planters versus just enough? That is completely individual – do whatever feels right for you! indigenus.co.za
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PHOTOS MARK WILLIAMS WORDS PALESA KGASANE
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JEWELLERY HANDCRAFTED FROM U N E X P E C T E D O R GA N I C MAT E R I A LS. PICHULIK.COM
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AFRICAN DREAMS
A new monograph dedicated to the work of South African architect Peter Rich reveals the remarkable legacy – and future – of this groundbreaking design hero.
PHOTOS SUPPLIED WORDS GARRETH VAN NIEKERK
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ioneering Joburg-based architect Peter Rich has radically transformed the way architecture is practised and taught around the world, and has shifted perceptions of architecture from Africa while he’s been at it. Yet until now, nothing had been done to put that work together in one volume. That’s why there’s so much excitement in design circles that Jonathan Noble – who is currently a professor of architecture at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein – is launching his long-awaited monograph on Rich’s work. Noble has partnered with publisher Lund Humphries to release the long-awaited The Architecture Of Peter Rich:
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Conversations With Africa in October this year. Across almost 200 pages, alongside breathtaking photographs by Barry Goldman and wonderfully reproduced drawings from Peter’s archive, Noble takes a thorough look at the architect’s work over four decades of practising in Africa. From Peter’s monumental 10-year effort to capture in pen and ink the Ndebele settlements in Mpumalanga in the 1970s, to the Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre in Limpopo (for which he received the World Building of the Year award in 2009), and his new, otherworldly work on the Wu Shan retreat in China, this is a book with something for everyone.
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THIS PAGE Architect Peter Rich’s drawings (below left) were celebrated at the 2018 Venice Biennale; the Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre in Limpopo won the World Building of the Year Award in 2009. OPPOSITE The Alexandra Interpretation Centre (top) is a focus of The Architecture Of Peter Rich; Peter’s home and garden (bottom left) are a locus of many of his design philosophies.
Far from slowing down, Peter’s projects are getting bigger and more refined, yet between it all he continues his almost ritualistic daily practice of drawing in his distinctive style. Peter’s drawings, which he considers acts of intuition, were recently shown at the Venice Biennale, and are part of the Norval Foundation’s current exhibit on the work of sculptor Jackson Hlungwani. This year, Peter celebrates his 75th birthday, and is still as full of life as he has ever been. The book is peppered with quotes from more than 20 hours of interviews with the architect at his home in Parktown, which reveal the more human side of this South African design hero.
“It was incredibly cathartic to have someone with Jonathan’s experience get into the psyche of my career and my life, and then bring it together,” Peter says of the process. “The closing sentence – ‘An architecture motivated by observation and drawing, tuned to the circumstantial, the ordinary and the spiritual qualities of life’ – pretty much sums it up. The book also reinforces the idea of qualitative learning for me, and the fact that, as an architect – or anyone really – you can’t just sit behind a computer. You need to go out there and learn about the world yourself.” lundhumphries.com
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GETTING SCHOOLED
Architecture firm Local Studio’s pioneering approach to redeveloping downtown Joburg has come to the historic suburb of Mayfair, with a striking school designed for a close-knit community.
he historic suburb of Mayfair, west of the Johannesburg CBD, has recently become home to a beautifully designed educational sanctuary for the children of Slovo Park, the suburb’s embattled informal settlement. The area is known for high levels of crime and poor basic services, so the Salvazione School – designed by pioneering inner-city architects Local Studio – is a ray of light for the community, and a visual burst of much-needed colour and fun. The project is not terribly concerned with a strategy of connecting new architecture to the rest of the suburb’s heritage-grade buildings. Rather, Salvazione School’s double-storey structure, double-vaulted zinc roofs and colourful, Mondrian-esque façade demand Mayfair’s attention. This way of working is part of Local Studio’s approach to creating architectural solutions in neglected
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areas: the strategy is to make a bold statement that “announces” to a place that change is on the horizon. “The school had to be noticed to be taken seriously,” says Local Studio founder Thomas Chapman. “We set out to create something striking to support the programme, and to make it known that there is something going on here, among these typically unkind environments. We believe the projects should stand out in these sorts of areas. Essentially, the building is four main classrooms and ablutions, so it really could’ve been something quite boring. But we wanted the area to know that something good was coming.” The building’s striking features are quickly outdone by its most attention-grabbing element: a sunshine-yellow slide that emerges from its upper level, on which you can slide straight down into the schoolyard. And the focus on play continues on the rear façade, which has been turned
PHOTOS DAVE SOUTHWOOD WORDS GARRETH VAN NIEKERK
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into a climbing wall for break-time fun. “We wanted to create a magical place for kids, for whom this could become an escape,” says Thomas. The project came about through the philanthropic outreach of the Italtile and Ceramic Foundation, which, Thomas says, has been working across the country to uplift communities. “We do a lot of work for CTM and Italtile – big building-supplies companies that have an amazing foundation that donates millions a year to recreational and educational projects in rural areas.” Rural projects are quickly becoming part of Local Studio’s language too. Despite being celebrated around the globe for their remarkable interventions in the fabric of downtown Joburg – such as the game-changing Hillbrow Counselling Centre – the firm is extending the philosophies applied in their urban developments to the rest of the
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country. Today, more than a third of Local Studio’s work is rolling out in rural environments – and it’s also become the focus of Thomas’s academic work. “We had been hired to look at these projects because of our urban experience,” Thomas says. “Now we are focusing on the craft of architecture again, with clients who are giving us free rein, so we are beginning to apply principles that we would use in low-cost housing, to more high-budget projects. The work has been informing my PhD, in which I’m exploring new ways of defining public spaces by looking at models from rural areas.” As can be seen in Mayfair’s Salvazione School, this is the start of a new era for the Local Studio group, as well as for the communities they work with, as they aim to forge humane local architecture that puts people first. localstudio.co.za
THIS PAGE Designed by inner-city architects Local Studio, the Salvazione School in Joburg’s Mayfair is a colourful, Mondrian-esque educational sanctuary for the children of Slovo Park. OPPOSITE The yellow slide is the building’s most attention-grabbing feature.
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HOT SHOTS
Looking to add some unusual suspects to your drinks cabinet? These three spirits will spice up any cocktail – and stand on their own simply served over ice.
HENDRICK’S ORBIUM Hendrick’s has added a new experimental gin to its repertoire. Orbium includes extracts of wormwood, blue lotus blossom and quinine, and was created by master distiller Lesley Gracie. The concept for Orbium is to enhance the traditional flavours associated with gin and gin cocktails – quinine in the tonic, and wormwood in vermouth. The addition of blue lotus blossom adds a unique brightness and floral touch to the overall flavour profile. Good for • Classic gin and tonic • Martinis • On the rocks R500 | hendricksgin.com/orbium
THE SEXTON SINGLE MALT A rarity in South Africa, this Irish single malt whiskey is made from 100% Irish malted barley that is triple copper-pot distilled and then matured in carefully selected second- and third-fill Oloroso sherry casks. The barrels add toasty, fruity flavours, and complete the rounded, smooth honey finish. Good for • Classic whiskey and soda • Old Fashioned cocktail • On the rocks
JACK DANIEL’S TENNESSEE RYE The Jack Daniel Distillery has released a rye made in Lynchburg, Tennessee by master distiller Jeff Arnett and his team. It’s charcoal-mellowed and matured in new American oak barrels, providing a well-rounded whiskey-drinking experience with hints of caramel on the palate and a peppery finish of spice and oak. Good for • Jack Rye & Ginger • With Campari and sweet vermouth over ice • On the rocks R329 | jackdaniels.com
Hendrick’s is giving away a bottle of Orbium Gin to one lucky VISI reader. Turn to page 46 for entry details.
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PHOTOS SUPPLIED WORDS MICHAELA STEHR
R499 | thesexton.com
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COOLER THAN COOL
Handcrafted and locally designed, these new Fieldbar cooler boxes will keep all your favourite tipples icy-cold this summer. Have you ever clapped eyes on a more stylish drinks cooler? We’ll wait…
very now and then the VISI team spots an item that instantly leaps onto all of our must-have lists – and these stylish new Fieldbar drinks coolers have done just that. The Fieldbar Drinks Box is a hardcase cooler that carries up to three bottles of wine (or two bottles of champagne), and is light, durable, clean-lined and available in six up-to-the-minute colours: Parisian Green, Seaboat Blue, Orchard Orange, Bazaruto Blue, Oyster Grey and Safari White. Fieldbar was started by Capetonians Lee Hartman and Corban Warrington, who say they “noticed that people don’t love their coolers. There are so many beautifully made products for our homes, but outdoor products are a bit bland when it comes to style and design.” After two years of product development – including asking more than 800 people just what they were looking for in a modern cooler – the result is the Drinks Box (R1 499), which is the company’s first product. Hard-shelled “for better thermal performance”, the Fieldbar cooler is easy to pack and comfortable to carry. And the Fieldbar range doesn’t stop there: a larger cooler, the Picnic Box, is set to launch early next year – at which point the brand will also expand its colour range. To be among the first to hear about exciting launch specials, sign up for Fieldbar newsletters on their website.
Fieldbar is giving away three covetable Drinks Box coolers – each containing two bottles of champagne – to lucky VISI readers. Turn to page 46 for entry details.
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PHOTOS SUPPLIED WORDS ROBYN ALEXANDER
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SERIAL DEFENDER
The much-anticipated new Land Rover Defender makes its debut – and has some venerated hiking boots to fill.
amned if you do, damned if you don’t. That was pretty much the scenario facing Land Rover’s design team when coming up with a replacement for a car that had, over the past seven decades, become a cult classic. Change too much of the revered Land Rover Defender’s DNA and its die-hard fanbase would be up in arms – but change too little and you risk an instant anachronism, out of sync with the versatility required of a modern offroader. A change was desperately needed. The outgoing Defender remained basically unaltered since its launch in 1948 and, while its suspension, drivetrain and interior were slowly upgraded over the ensuing 68 years, by the time production ended in 2016, it was a rudimentary car by modern standards. Sporting the interior amenities of an outside privy and similar aerodynamics, it was uncomfortable, noisily unpleasant at speeds over 100km/h, and severely compromised in terms of automotive safety.
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The easiest option was to go the Mercedes-Benz G-Class/Jeep Wrangler retro-design route, and create a modern vehicle that was inwardly sophisticated but outwardly a clear homage to its forebear. Land Rover’s chief designer Gerry McGovern had either ideas, though. “The challenge for our designers and engineers was to create a vehicle that’s relevant for the demands of today’s world while capturing the essence of the original,” said Gerry at the public unveiling last year. “The new Defender is respectful of its past – but it isn’t harnessed by it.”
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PHOTOS SUPPLIED WORDS STEVE SMITH
Yes, there are heritage styling cues aplenty – the flat edges of the rear bumpers, tail-mounted spare tyre, skylight windows on the roof, and faux-steel protective plates on the bonnet – but they are charming touches on what is an immediately fresh and appealing piece of automotive design. And it’s made the new Defender blip the radar of an entirely new – and likely bigger – segment. During my test week with the vehicle, I bumped into a mate who has a Range Rover. It was the first time he had seen the new-gen Defender in the flesh; after sitting behind the wheel for a few moments, he was on the phone to the dealership wanting to trade his Rangie in. No Range Rover owner would have dreamt of doing that for the previous Defender. Make no mistake, this still has the chops to crawl up and down the fiercest offroad trails thanks to its permanent all-wheel drive and a twin-speed automatic gearbox, centre differential and optional Active Locking Rear Differential. But while it will go anywhere its predecessor did, it’s unlikely to be asked to. Gerry’s crew have designed a modern offroad vehicle that’s as tough as nails but that also adds a welcome layer of comfort and sophistication to its indestructible persona. And the new market segment it has attracted will be less inclined to traverse Africa than they will be to take a cosseted trip through the Kruger.
DEFENDER 110 SPECS Engines P400: 6-cyl mild hybrid tech; 294kW/550Nm • P300: 4-cyl turbopetrol; 221kW/400Nm • D240: 4-cyl turbodiesel; 177kW/430Nm Derivatives Base, S, SE, HSE Pricing R1 050 100 to R1 574 500
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THE ART OF LIVING
Much more than mere screens, Samsung’s 2020 Lifestyle televisions – the Frame and the Serif – are stylish pieces of design that will elevate every space.
s part of Samsung’s ongoing quest to combine innovative design with cutting-edge technology, the brand’s new Lifestyle televisions are the most eye-catching interventions in the category that we’ve seen for some time. Both the Frame and the Serif boast top-notch QLED picture quality and Smart TV features. “As the world’s leading TV brand, we ensured that both TVs benefit from Samsung’s pioneering QLED technology,” says Nivash Ramsern, head of visual display at Samsung South Africa. “This includes stunning picture quality, amazing sound and innovative features that give you a personalised cinematic experience.” Both TVs are also aesthetically remarkable, he says: each has a unique design architecture, and one of these special designs is bound to suit the look and feel of your home perfectly. With its modern frame, the Frame looks great on any wall – perhaps even more so when it’s turned off, because that’s when it transforms into one of more than 1 000 pieces of art. The Frame’s no-gap wall mount (and One Invisible Connection, which hides cables so you can connect all your devices without messy wires) makes it a perfect part of a gallery wall; it can be customised with differently coloured frames to complement the style of your other artworks. You can also think beyond the walls – various TV stand options are available to match the style of your interiors. The Serif’s I-shape profile and slim frame make it a statement piece. Combine this TV with an elegant, detachable metal floor stand, and you will have the freedom to place and view it almost anywhere in your home. You can play music – or whatever you happen to be watching on your compatible smartphone – through the Serif with just a quick tap of a button. And with MultiView, you can split the Serif’s screen in two, putting the content you’re watching on one side while mirroring your mobile phone screen on the other, so you don’t have to look away from the TV to glance at your phone any more. Whichever of these two Lifestyle TVs you choose, their game-changing tech will make you rethink what a TV can and should look like. Both the Frame and the Serif are now available in South Africa: the Frame at a recommended retail price starting from R26 999 (55-inch) and the Serif starting from R14 999 (43-inch). samsung.com
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PHOTOS SUPPLIED WORDS ROBYN ALEXANDER
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VERTICAL VILLAGE
Aiming to build a community rather than just create apartments, Sandton’s new BlackBrick Club development is – hopefully – also coming soon to a space near you.
lackBrick Club’s meditation garden was planted as a jungle oasis. The library is filled with carefully selected books to support a regular programme of talks. The cinema will screen documentaries and old classics. The bar faces west to provide great views of Joburg’s urban forest. There’s a spot for rooftop yoga, a bike station, electric car rental facility, gym, restaurants, work spaces, 75 hotel rooms and 208 apartments to rent or buy. But unlike an apartment building with similar facilities that sometimes never get used, BlackBrick Club wants to build a community, using events to bring people together. Founder Moritz Wellensiek calls this integrated live-playwork experience a vertical village. It’s an interesting project
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– even more so now, as Covid-19 speeds up the shifts in the way we live and work. A New Yorker cartoon by David Sipress signals some anxiety around it when a character asks, “I can’t remember – do I work at home or do I live at work?” Published years ago, it has recently been doing the rounds again. BlackBrick Club, housed in the old South African Breweries building at 25 Fredman Drive in central Sandton, might offer a solution to this conundrum. Here, you can choose which setup works best for you with four tiers of membership: investor (buy an apartment), tenant (rent), club (work and socialise) and guest (hotel guests are temporary members). The club membership costs about R10 000, and gives you access to the BlackBrick accelerator programme, including mentorship workshops and cross-country conferencing, access to all communal facilities, and discounts on hotel stays at their network of clubs still to come in Rosebank, Umhlanga, Cape Town, and abroad in the US. The developers are also offering leisure experiences in partnership with Curiocity – so guests can spend a night at BlackBrick, then stay at Curiocity in the Cradle of Humankind, and end the weekend with a walk through Nirox Sculpture Park. There are plenty of other collaborations too. One of the restaurants is Soul Souvlaki, famous for Greek street food. Weylandts and Modernist provided the furniture and decor. Performance artist Manthe Ribane is one of the guides offering inspiring talks about their career journey – and she’s had input into the staff uniforms too. Architect and urbanist Andrew Makin worked with the developers to create a space that uses landscaping and muted accents to contrast and soften the urban context and stark architectural aesthetic. Sensitive to concerns around communal living while Covid-19 is still an issue, BlackBrick has designed a booking system on their app that allows members to book spaces for private use. With many of us left feeling isolated during the lockdown in less-mixed living situations, a suitably safe vertical village might just tick all the boxes. blackbrick.club
PHOTOS SUPPLIED WORDS ZANELE KUMALO
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Concept & Design | Bespoke Creations | Installations | Plantscaping | Rentals & Maintenance
Beautifully Designed Planters www.plantr.co.za
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PERFECT BLEND
Multidisciplinary street and studio artist FaithXLVII speaks to VISI about her work processes and her conceptual collaboration with Hennessy Very Special.
Your evocative works are seen around the globe, with your street-art pieces holding a strong social commentary and meaning. Is this theme extending to your studio work and your transition into fine art? The works always flow over into one another and inform each other. Often there will be one theme that flows over from public work to a new media work to a painting, and references and links between them. Next year at my solo show in Cape Town, the works will be in different mediums. I’ve done a whole series on the streets of Johannesburg connected to that show. I like the feeling of being able to be quite expansive and explorative.
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What is it like to be the first female voice in the Hennessy collaboration – especially after being a woman artist in a scene dominated by men? It’s important for a woman to step into that space, and I’m honoured to be that woman. The lineage of artists who have collaborated with Hennessy before me includes people I deeply admire and respect. I’m happy to come into that fold. Hennessy chooses its artists as part of a mutual understanding and respect for the artistic process. There is a lot of creative freedom and trust. I’ve incorporated a lot of respect for the natural world into my design, the understanding of Hennessy’s processes
PHOTOS SUPPLIED INTERVIEW MICHAELA STEHR
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The Hennessy Very Special Limited Edition series During the decade of artistic collaborations within the Hennessy Very Special Limited Edition series, Hennessy has partnered with some of the art world’s leading visionaries. In 2020, original artwork by Faith XLVII marks the 10th annual collaboration, welcoming her into an interconnected global community that includes Felipe Pantone, Vhils, Shepard Fairey and Futura. hennessy.com
and how it’s affected by the seasonal changes – how time is vital for the creation of the product. Hennessy has been using the same processes for 250 years; it’s quite a handson, crafted procedure. Often big production can lead to a loss of the creative essence. But we want to keep the craftsmanship, connecting to my works by revering nature, and connecting to the cycles of time and planetary phases. The work is also inspired by the metaphor of the alchemical processes, and old Eastern and Western sundials. It felt like a very natural progression. Collaboration is important in art. What have you learnt from joining forces with Hennessy on this project?
My 2019 Design Indaba talk was about collaboration, and how, when I collaborate, it’s a very specific and personal interaction. We’re learning from each other. Often, collaboration happens with someone from a different field of work, so we create something neither of us could do alone. Some of my favourite collaborations have been with South Africans: Inka Kendzia, Lyall Sprong, Dane Dodds, Imraan Christian and Simon Rademeyer. Finding meaningful connections to create new things while learning is important to me. My artistic journey isn’t just about creating work – it’s about being alive, and the living process of community. faith47.com
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BRIGHT SIDES
Award-winning UK designer Morag Myerscough and local art collective Ilukuluku recently collaborated on a project to bring instant joy to a Cape Flats school.
ood things can come from bad situations: when Covid-19 arrived and local art collective Ilukuluku’s long-planned project for 2020’s AfrikaBurn event could no longer go ahead, the collective (together with inspirational UK designer Morag Myerscough) found a way to create something with a wonderful legacy anyway. In partnership with Bright Sparks – which provides space for extramural creative play for children aged 1 to 6 years, and is focused on improving educational outcomes for children in under-resourced communities – they spent part of the lockdown upgrading a Cape Flats school. Ilukuluku mobilised a team of volunteers, including a consulting architect, designers, and renowned mural painter Tim Bopper and his team. Soon the school – Disneyland Educare in Tuscany Glen – was being given a makeover that included extensive structural repairs and a dazzling new paint job.
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Award-winning designer Myerscough created the murals that now cover the façade, entrance and interiors of the school – they incorporate the bold geometric patterns and bright colours for which she is known. The resulting space inspires and stimulates learning; it also feels safe, nurturing and playful. The upgrade was completed in less than two weeks while the school was vacant due to the lockdown, and on a minimal budget too – all the paint was donated by Dulux. “This project has been dear to my heart since its inception in February 2018, when I first met with Morag to talk about the Temple of Curiosity for AfrikaBurn,” says Ilukuluku creative director Shaun Sebastian. “Countless hours have gone into preparing the artwork, and the crew have made massive personal sacrifices.” School principal Priscilla Collison adds, “This is a new beginning for us.” moragmyerscough.com | @moragmyerscough | @ilukuluku | dulux.co.za | @brightsparkscreativeplay
PHOTOS SHAUN SEBASTIAN WORDS ROBYN ALEXANDER
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SELF - REFLECTION
Mixed-media artist Puleng Mongale uses her work to define and question identity in a way that embodies who she is in the present as well as reflecting on the spiritual bonds she has with the past.
ISI’s first encounter with Puleng Mongale’s work was via her socio-political series “When The Madams Are Away, The Help Will Slay” (2016), a meditation on blackness and the remnants of a past that most prefer to gloss over. In her latest works – a series of compelling self-portraits – Puleng’s focus is on the idea of “home”: she presents herself adorned in traditional Basotho attire, against backdrops that evoke feelings of nostalgia. We spoke to her to find out more about her process. How did your journey with art begin? Growing up, I used to express myself through my appearance. In high school, I fell in love with writing, and went on to study English and communication science at varsity in the hope of becoming a writer. After graduating I enrolled at Umuzi and worked towards being a copywriter, but it wasn’t quite the right fit for me (although I didn’t realise it at the time). I could never really express myself the way I wanted to using only words, so I started to experiment with photography. When I got retrenched last year, I started to create art full time.
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What informed your decision to do self-portraiture? Self-portraiture felt more “natural” to me. I was a beginner, and my technical skills were not where they needed to be, so I practised photography on myself, by myself. It was the easiest way to learn photography – all I needed was myself. Self-portraiture wasn’t my plan from the start; the process happened organically, and I fell in love with it. In what ways has being self-taught shaped what you do? It has taught me to lean on my intuition because that’s all I had/have. I didn’t have other voices competing with my own, so I was able to create from my imagination, and really just do what I want and like. Your art is contemporary yet retrospective. Is that something you set out to achieve using this medium? Not in the beginning. At first, I was focused on creating art that is reflective of my life in the city. I wanted my work to be youthful and trendy, but as time went on, the work began to form its own identity. That’s when I realised that my work was bigger than me. It started to make an audience out of me and it carried its own message, meant for me. It began to feel like healing work, like a journey into the past.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF PULENG MONGALE PORTRAIT KHOTSO BANTU MAHLANGU INTERVIEW PALESA KGASANE
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Puleng Mongale’s favoured medium of expression – digital collages fused with self-portraiture – is expressed in works such as (clockwise from below left) Lord Lift Us Up, Manyeloi (a phelang), Holokile, Home Is A Feeling, and (opposite from left) Encounters With The Departed #1 and #2. You can view and purchase her work at the Latitudes online art exhibition. latitudesartfair.com
What inspires you to create? I have a desire to know who I am beyond my current setting. Even though I grew up in a township and in spaces where I was always around black people – people like me – I always felt that something was lacking outside of the collective… There were parts of me I didn’t get a chance to explore based on the fact that I stay in the city. Most of us are immigrants in Joburg. Although I was born here, I always knew it wasn’t my home. This is what inspires me to create: the constant hope that my art will lead me to myself. I create based on a feeling.
Most of the photographic aspect of my work happens on the spot. I then try to create a collage with what I have, but I don’t plan my collages. To be honest, they just happen. Where do you envision Puleng, the artist, in five years? In five years, I hope that my art will sustain me, and that it will take me to different parts of the world. There are gems waiting for me – I can feel it. Besides that, I don’t like to over-plan. I prefer to surrender to my journey. That’s how I avoid getting in my own way. pulengmongale.co.za | @pulengmongale
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MODERN CLASSICS
To create an interior that will never go out of style, choose pieces that combine perfect practicality with long-lasting aesthetic appeal.
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s we put this issue of VISI together, two design legends passed away: the UK’s Sir Terence Conran, and our own Gawie Fagan. Conran, one of the founders of the Design Museum, created Habitat, the store that in the late 1960s introduced Brits to the joys of drinking wine from plain glass tumblers, the simple beauty of the round white paper lampshade, and duvets (yes, really). South African architect Fagan championed simplicity and honesty in design all his life, and his famous Camps Bay home, Die Es, has long been considered a classic of local Modernism. At a time in which we have all been reassessing the things we surround ourselves with at home – especially given that we now spend more hours there than we have done for
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many years – the legacy left behind by these two design icons seems especially relevant. One of its chief lessons is that combining clean-lined practicality with real aesthetic appeal makes for design happiness. From a sleek dining table to a simple wooden bench, bedding made from 100% linen and classic steel-and-wire outdoor furniture, here’s to the essentials that bring joy every day. 1. The PH5 light, designed by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen in 1958, is so ubiquitous a piece of classic design in Denmark that we lost count of how many times we noticed one in the TV series Borgen. It’s designed to produce flattering, glare-free illumination that is as close to natural light as possible. From R12 300 (excl. delivery and duties) | nest.co.uk
PHOTOS SUPPLIED COMPILED BY ROBYN ALEXANDER
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2. A great dining chair is a rare and special thing, and the compact, comfortable and good-looking Kariba by local bentwood specialists Woodbender ticks all the boxes. From R3 496 (excl. upholstery and delivery) |
5. Haldane Martin’s Hula range is a contemporary update on the steel-and-wire outdoor furniture of the 1960s and 1970s, and combines huge nostalgic appeal with a serene and casual elegance. From R2 645 for a stacking
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stool | haldane.co.za
3. Is it the subtle detailing on Pedersen + Lennard’s Escarpment dining table that is its most attractive feature, or its clean and classic lines? You’ll have a lifetime to decide. 4. There’s something primal in the attraction of the threelegged stool: it must be one of humankind’s oldest designs. This charming and versatile piece is a future heirloom.
6. Made in South Africa from 100% linen, Kamma duvet covers and sheets by Mungo keep improving with age and use. Linen is also ecofriendly, hypoallergenic and a natural insect repellent. From R900 for a pillowcase | mungo.co.za 7. Curvaceously appealing yet elegantly minimalist, the spindle-backed Carver bench by Houtlander adds both beauty and functionality to any room. From R4 800 |
From R1 500 | houtlander.co.za
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From R6 500 | pedersenlennard.co.za
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BUILD ON IT
A veteran of seven house projects, Kirstin Lund has started a website, SAbauhaus, offering practical info for anyone wanting to build a home. We asked her why she loves building, and for her top advice.
How did you became interested in building? I have always been obsessed with spaces, both internal and external. Even as a child, I was daydreaming of renovations and perfect rooms. There’s a lot of building history in my family too: my late father was a master builder. I guess it runs in the blood. Why did you start your website, SAbauhaus? There is a lack of practical information about building a house in South Africa. The website covers what I’ve learnt over seven residential projects, especially what works and does not work – from the perspective of someone who ends up living in the house. I also want to tell people that building, although not stress-free, is still achievable. If I could do it, so can you! What is the most important advice you can give anyone who wants to build their own home? If you have a crisp design, a clear budget with timelines and qualified contractors, and you stick to the regulations, you can halve your stress. Avoid building underground – basements almost always present nasty, damp surprises. Also, find a good contractor or project manager, and insist that a very experienced foreman is on site all day. They are the unsung heroes of a well-functioning site. If you are self-building, being on site yourself every day is essential. So many questions and issues can arise, and being able to make the necessary calls or order supplies before they run out will save you time and money. You advise people to always use an architect – why? If you’re going to all the trouble of building a house, build the best house possible. Every time I’ve built, I’ve handed the architect my exact floor plan and design requirements – much to their horror. But there is no question that they took the design to another level, especially with roof detailing and proportions. Also, the more detailed and accurate the drawings, the easier the build. If you can afford it, get the architect to oversee the build – even if your budget is small, you can find a good architect who is willing to consult for a smaller fee. Which is more complex: builds or renovations? Most renovations involve fixing the most expensive parts of a house (kitchen, windows, plumbing), so the costs add up quickly. You have to be careful not to over-invest. One little change inevitably leads to major changes everywhere. And, for everyone’s sake, move out while renovating! What has been your biggest challenge? Being a woman on a building site. I’m often not taken seriously and have to stand my ground, or insist to the point of rudeness – which is not the way I like to operate. And your best moments? These often come a few months after moving in. At first, you’re still too wired and snag-obsessed – but once that’s done and you can sit down with family and friends for lunch in your new space, it’s priceless. sabauhaus.co.za
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PHOTOS ANNALIZE NEL PROJECT ARCHITECT BRYAN DUNSTAN INTERVIEW ROBYN ALEXANDER
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The perfect spot to while away a summer afternoon. Come together for long, lazy lunches as the seasons start to shift. The Jefferson dining table, R19 999 for an 8-seater, available in Natural & Grey. Malibu chairs, R2 999 each, available in Natural & Grey.
Visit us at 44 stores in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.
www.coricraft.co.za
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EVOLUTION TIME
A visit to Lemon design studio’s new showroom in Cape Town is an immersive and inspirational experience.
he growth of a local brand is always worth celebrating – it’s proof that homegrown designers are expanding and succeeding. Design studio Lemon’s journey over the past decade has been gradual, but looking back to its origins as a custom print outfit, the evolution is significant. From print products such as artwork and wallpaper (still a core range for the company, and proudly designed in-house) to statement furniture pieces, the diversification speaks to co-founder Kevin Frankental’s vision to create collections
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of pieces that complement one another and can work in any environment – commercial, retail or residential. The latest step in this process is a new showroom in Cape Town – a conscious move to create a space that showcases the products in a working environment, and allows clients to see the craftsmanship up close. It’s located in an elegant heritage building in Bo-Kaap just off Buitengracht Street, chosen for its accessibility to the city, and for its charm. The showroom was designed by longtime Lemon collaborator Yaniv Chen of Master Studio to be a space to purposefully
PHOTOS INGE PRINS PORTRAIT DOOK STYLING SANRI PIENAAR WORDS JULIA FREEMANTLE
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visit, rather than pass by. Frankental’s goal is to spread the message of quality with which so many local brands are synonymous, by encouraging interaction with the designs. “There’s a wealth of talent in South Africa,” he says. “A central part of our ethos is to work with artists, designers and manufacturers to create special pieces and patterns.” He’s passionate about exposing local design to the world – and even, as strange as it may sound, to South Africans.
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He believes that too often, local buyers favour imported product over options made on home soil, and he’s determined to play a role in changing this. “Our designs can compete on a global stage,” he says. “We have the manufacturing and design skills – something I don’t think enough people realise.” With Lemon having just opened a studio in Amsterdam in August, Frankental and his brand will have plenty of opportunities to spread this message. lemon.za.com
BELOW, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT The Kent chair, created for Lemon by Master Studio; Lemon design ranges complement one another so clients can create holistic spaces; each piece is crafted with utmost attention to detail; a revolving display of pieces by local designers Jade Paton, Louis Olivier, Richard Penn, Johann Moolman and Michele Matheson; while shapes are often kept simple, Lemon’s selection of textures and approach to finishes are paramount. OPPOSITE Lemon co-founder Kevin Frankental favours local design with strong lines and beautiful materials – such as the Ashby table, displaying a Michele Matheson sculpture.
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GALLERY WALLS
Cara Saven Wall Design’s latest wallpaper offering is a CS&Co collaboration with three renowned local artists: Lucie de Moyencourt, Joh Del and Michael Chandler.
LUCIE DE MOYENCOURT Paris-born artist Lucie de Moyencourt captures scenes around Cape Town to express her passion for the city. Her black-and-white ink works feature favourite spots, from the Sea Point promenade to the Grand Parade.
JOH DEL Illustrator and graphic designer Johan de Lange, aka Joh Del, creates brilliantly detailed botanical illustrations of indigenous flora, as well as whimsical, imaginative scenes.
luciedemoyencourt.com | @lucie.in.wonderlands
johdel.com | @joh_del
nown for its beautiful wallpapers, the Cara Saven brand was launched in 2006, and specialises in designer wallcoverings, canvases, vinyls and framed prints. With a focus on perfect printing, Cara’s aim from the beginning was to put striking, large-scale imagery onto walls without compromising on the quality of the prints. Featuring some of South Africa’s favourite artists on walls outside of frames
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means that each piece can be “redesigned”, and sized to fit your space and work with your walls. “CS&Co is a collaboration with some of our favourite local artists, who we believe everyone should have access to when it comes to wallpaper,” explains Cara. “With our expertise in printing and their unique styles, it’s a collab made in wallcovering heaven.” carasaven.com/csandco | @carasavenwalldesign
PHOTOS SUPPLIED WORDS MICHAELA STEHR
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MICHAEL CHANDLER Cape Town creative Michael Chandler is known for intricate illustrations and hand-painted ceramics that depict the surrounding nature, local architecture and dreamy South African settings. chandlerhouse.co.za | @mrchandlerhouse
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dea ZERO WASTE
During lockdown, when online shopping ruled, the packaging was often more exciting than the product. We’ve turned boxes into lights, woven a rug from cardboard strips and used bubble wrap to block out unwanted views – but this repurposing of styrofoam packaging as a screen for a “new normal” office lunch is the winner of 2020’s “Dustbin Design” award.
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PHOTO STUDIO MIRU WORDS AND PRODUCTION ANNEMARIE MEINTJES
The lockdown has driven our awareness of the “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra – especially when it comes to the styrofoam packaging of our online purchases.