Table of contents for VISI 121 in Visi

AFTER A FEW FALSE STARTS, it really does feel as though the world is returning to normality, doesn't it? Global travel is once again an option – and it cannot come soon enough. As firmly focused as VISI is on celebrating local talent, getting out into the world is both a necessity for new inspiration and the only antidote to creativity-inhibiting insularity. Which is why the one-hundred-and-twenty-first issue of VISI is a celebration of renewal and replenishment – and nothing signals this more than a burst of colour. It's a strong theme throughout our features this month. There's floral magician Dané Erwee's Pniel conjuring in a mix of verdant and powdery hues; Grey Advertising Africa's new Bryanston HQ, with its bright Afro-modern palette; and Lolebezi luxury lodge on the banks…

Powerful and bold are two words that come to mind as we crush over this blooming beautiful colab range. We knew Adene would be a perfect fit for our Women's Day range she's an incredibly inspiring business woman who started her own flower farm six years ago in her backyard which has since flourished into 6 hectares of flowers and a thriving local business! The inspiration behind the range is a combination of Adene's two passions - flowers and photography. Dahlias - Adene's favourite flower features heavily on the designs giving the range a feminine and romantic feeling. Product available from 9 August 2022, in selected stores only and online at mrpricehome.com TELL US ABOUT THE WOMEN WHO INSPIRE Stand a chance to WIN! VISIT OUR INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK TO…

We got lost in a mystical, magical world with Keneilwe for our Women's Day colab. Keneilwe's unique perspective on creativity was inspiring, and resulted in a range that sparks the imagination. Keneilwe is a lover of lifelong learning and evolving, which is reflective of her journey as an artist. Her art takes the form of varying self-portraits that represents the strength and beauty of women. Keneilwe draws inspiration from the world around her, the people in it, and her self-growth. Whimsy meets fantasy to create an ‘out of this world’ range with a grungy edge. Follow her on @ke_neil_we “My creative process is radically intuitive.” Product available from 9 August 2022, in selected stores only and online at mrpricehome.com TELL US ABOUT THE WOMEN WHO INSPIRE YOU Stand a chance…

FROM THE AGE OF 12,1 WANTED TO BE an archaeologist. That formative interest has probably been the most enduring influence on me as a designer. There was the general Indiana Jones-inspired romance and adventure of it, sure, but what really fascinated me was the ordinary stuff. Artefacts are what make archaeologists tick, and the thought that a simple broken pot or stone tool could connect us with people who lived aeons ago was enchanting. The evolution of technology and design also intrigued me. That humans have always made useful items, certainly, but that we exhibit an aesthetic urge, more so. Think of our desire to decorate, to craft something with artistic flair — to mark an object with an idiosyncratic design that at once makes it unique and part of…

THE RANGE ROVER SPORT has defined sporting luxury for 17 years, setting the standard for the luxury SUV class when it first arrived in 2005. The latest model continues to accentuate dynamism and refinement, fully embracing the brand's modernist approach to vehicle design, and the car's unquestionably sporty, confident character. OUTSIDE The new Range Rover Sport assumes the brand's reductive design philosophy with clean lines and taut surfaces. Its muscular stance and unmistakable silhouette are free from superfluous detailing. In profile, the floating raked roofline, rising waistline and 23-inch alloy wheels are emphasised by clean surfaces, flush glazing and flush door handles. Deep body sides – as seen on the Dynamic model, with its body-coloured lower cladding – draw the eye down towards the road. The headlights feature the latest…

PUBLISHED BY GESTALTEN, this new PHOTOBOOK explores the best and brightest in playful interior design. As you'll see from these images, designers have turned the bright-white modern interiors that we're all too accustomed to on their head, adding welcome relief with pops of colour. Pigments jump from furniture to kaleidoscopic walls, with a palette that's warm, full and unafraid of extravagance. Lines become sinuous and bold, connecting post-war colour schemes to the exuberant work of Ettore Sottsass and the Memphis Group. Whether it's a micro-flat in Moscow, an apartment in Atlanta or a loft in London, a new wave of interiors projects is creating cheerful environments that don't take themselves too seriously. Get ready to be inspired by people who've had enough of the drab and the sombre. The perfect antidote for those…

It's not every day that a oncein-a-lifetime brief hits your desk. But for Strukt Architects’ Niel and Ashleigh Basson, that day struck almost three years ago, when their clients asked them to create the Kunshuis. Originally from Port Elizabeth, but currently living and working in Monaco, the owners’ love for South African art drew them to the small and vibrant town of Riebeek-Kasteel in the Western Cape because of its active artist community, which they have since become entrenched in. “The brief was for the structure to, first and foremost, be an open-door art gallery to celebrate and showcase the owners’ impressive collection of South African art,” explains Niel, who is Strukt's principal architect. “A secondary goal was to incorporate functional living spaces that they could reside in for part…

FOR AS LONG AS GARDENER AND FLORAL DESIGNER DANÉ ERWEE can remember, his life has revolved around plants. In fact, his relationship with them predates his own memories: there's a family story of Dané's mother taking him out on the farm dam in a small boat when he was a baby, and packing the waterblommetjies (Aponogeton distachyos flowers) she was harvesting from the water around him as he slept. His first conscious recollection of planting something dates back to when he was “about five or six years old’’, Dané says, when his grandmother gave him some clivia seeds. He planted them, “and they grew’’. Growing up on a vegetable farm means that plant knowledge has always been an integral part of Dané's life, and his path from being a child…

SARAH BUITENDACH, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR What do you love most about spring? My relationship with spring is complicated. I despise that it blows in with Joburg's horrific, dry August winds. They're the mean-spirited final slug from winter that could make even the most devout City of Gold dweller flee. Then, just as they have you distraught, they vanish, and things warm up a bit. It's the first hint that, in a couple of weeks, the rains will come. That's when I turn into a maniacal weather watcher – postulating about every cloud, every temperature change – knowing that one afternoon, suddenly, the heavens will open, the sky will blaze with lightning, and this will be the best place on earth. Sarah compiles VISI's Stories section. She also wrote the piece on…

Product available from 9 August 2022, in selected stores only and online at mrpricehome.com “You always get “that piece” you have been looking for, in Mr Price Home.” Over the years Adene has grown her business locally in a very male-dominated farming industry, but time and again has proven that her thriving business is a story of success. Adene plans to continue to build her flower empire beyond local shores, sharing her beautiful flowers with the rest of the world. Follow her on @adeneflowers mr price home…

I RECKON IT COMES AS NO SURPRISE that taking the biggest risk of my life in pursuit of my passion has influenced me the most. It led to me completely changing my career just over four years ago. I say “completely” because, for some years prior to that, I had one foot in my design career, while the other foot was secure in churning out spreadsheets at my financial-services job. I finally found the courage to resign from the corporate realm and follow the light into my passion for design — and, oh my, have I seen the accompanying glow in my life. It sounds simple and easy to do, but what you need to understand about me is that I've always been riskaverse. I follow the rules and colour…

IT STARTS TO MAKE SENSE that some of architect Anthony Orelowitz's most profound experiences of “form in space”, a phrase he uses often, were sculptures, when you consider the corporate buildings his firm Paragon Architects is known for. From early breakthroughs (for the firm, and the Sandton skyline) like 15 Alice Lane, to landmarks such as Sasol Place, Alexander Forbes and 140 West Street, he's added strong, sculptural forms to Joburg's richest square mile. They're often large and powerful, and they command the space around them. To take half a step back, though, he knew he wanted to be an architect when his parents built a house when he was just six or seven years old. He remembers that the architect was Michael Challis, a significant figure in local architecture…

It TAKES A GOOD EYE TO SPOT POTENTIAL IN A FIXER-UPPER, particularly in a city like Johannesburg. There are some real gems — almost always undervalued — but their qualities are often lost beneath the add-ons that barnacle their way onto houses over time. Christo Vermeulen and Nico Venter are serial renovators. Inevitably after a few years of living in a house, they find their eyes wandering. They most certainly do have a knack for recognising the signs that something special might be lurking beneath the surface a nondescript exterior. Christo is a former textile designer turned builder/renovator — with a sideline in manufacturing bespoke features, especially metalwork and ironmongery — and Nico is an urban designer with an interest in the city's architectural history. Together, they make a formidable…

VISI | Bryanston Advertising Agency DESIGNED TO INSPIRE, GREY ADVERTISING Africa's new headquarters is a space to breathe, dream, and invite creativity and collaboration. The agency moved from the bustling Sandton CBD to a new location in Bryanston — an area that has always been regarded as one of johannesburg's most attractive and verdant suburban spaces, and one that the team felt had the best prospect of developing as a new corporate headquarters hub. The project was a revamp of a four-storey office building that was redesigned and given a facelift by architectural designer Julian van der Linde and his team. The re-imagined building consists of three floors of spacious offices, and a mezzanine café with views of Midrand and the Magaliesberg mountains. It's a space that aligns with CEO…

BABYLONIAN ASTRONOMERS CREATED CATALOGUES of stars in the late second millennium BC. Last year and millennia later - Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos took his Blue Origin rocket for a little trip where few had gone before, boldly or otherwise. Clearly, the fascination with life beyond our planet continues to live long and prosper. Jeff (who also goes by “the richest man in the world”), Tesla boss Elon Musk and Virgin Group founder Richard Branson are all members of the mushrooming club of obscenely wealthy types hooked on space exploration. But not being on the Forbes billionaires list doesn't mean you can't get your cosmic fix. Everyone loves a blockbuster featuring an epic intergalactic battle; we follow NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover as it “tweets” data from a planet 225-million kilometres away;…

ORDINARILY, THE ITEMS ON THIS PAGE would be relegated to a pitiful space at the back of a kitchen cupboard or lost behind a box of useless stuff in the garage. That needn't be the case. Globally, there is a trend towards improving the aesthetics of practical products. Take the international (and pricey) Dyson brand, which has been turning the likes of vacuum cleaners and humidifiers into futuristic artworks for decades. On the other side of the spectrum, small British outfit Labour and Wait champions timeless, beautiful functional products such as toolboxes and dustpans. In this spirit, we've rounded up some useful and good-looking objects to make your life easier. This is serious kitchen, workshop and greenhouse cool.…

FOR MANY, BREEZE BLOCKS RECALL 1960s BEACH BUNGALOWS or a screen wall meant to hide a washing line. For a whole new generation, however, these bricks, with built-in airflow and endless shadow-casting shapes, are so much more. They're a perennial favourite, perfect to use as an attention-grabbing design feature and here at VISI, we're big fans. A BIT OF CONTEXT “I have an obsession with breeze blocks,” says Sam Marshall in the introduction to The Breeze Block Book. The Sydney-based architect, whose firm recently completed the Museum of Contemporary Art in Australia, is also known for his popular Instagram account @breezeblockhead. Sam's account is a celebration of the variety of blocks available, the intricate patterns they make, and the popularity of the breeze block internationally. Amazingly, breeze blocks didn't get…

“A design team's fresh take on creating a new lifestyle inspires us to revisit the basic tension rod, to think out of the box, to be more adventurous, to bring excitement to the way we live - and to ‘draw a line’ to create a bedside table or a wardrobe solution, rather than shopping for one.” - ANNEMARIE MEINTJES heianshindo.com…

DOUGLAS ADAMS, who wrote The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, endured the sort of tortured start to his career that I imagine many people who end up as slaves to the written word often do. In a book of essays entitled The Salmon Of Doubt, Adams tells of how, early on, he'd dreamt of becoming a writer-performer in the same vein as Monty Python. “I wanted to be John Cleese, and it took me some time to realise that the job was, in fact, taken,” he wrote. Before his breakthrough, Adams's career took a series of baffling twists, including a stint as a bodyguard to Qatar's ruling family. When The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy first aired as a BBC Radio 4 serial in 1978, it was, he said, “the…

PORTUGAL MAY BE A COUNTRY ACCLAIMED for its ceramics and textiles, but Portugal Home Week, held in the beautiful northwestern coastal city of Porto, showcased equally impressive wares by local furniture makers. Housed at the Alfândega do Porto - the historic customs house on the Douro river - Home Week was a bit like Decorex or Design Joburg here in South Africa, and was held as part of a drive to promote the “Made in Portugal Naturally” brand. It was also a wonderful illustration of exactly why this nation's furniture makers are enjoying such growing global acclaim, with styles that vary from dark polished-wood sophistication to Scandi-style minimalism and the more avant-garde. Here are some of our favourites… portugalhomeweek.com PORTUGAL HOME WEEK was a wonderful illustration of exactly why this…

With every new lodge, we have a process,” says Debra Fox, sitting in the lounge of Lolebezi, the latest luxury safari destination to bear the signature of design studio Fox Browne Creative. As coffee is served in bespoke Vorster & Braye crockery on a tray of shimmering copper, the morning sun tinges the Zambezi River with gold. “Our process is called circles in a forest,” she says. “It's where we walk and feel the landscape. Because wherever we go, it's always about a sense of place. It's all about site.” And the location of Lolebezi is nothing short of remarkable, occupying a riverfront private concession site within Zambia's remote Lower Zambezi National Park. “It's one of those game-changing sites in southern Africa,” notes Jack Alexander, the architect on the project.…

It was the perfect backdrop to a '70s-era James Bond movie with a landscape of exotic locations, a beautiful Russian spy, a steel-toothed villain, and a supercar that turned into a submarine. And it was an entirely authentic role, too — Cala di Volpe's star turn in 1977's The Spy Who Loved Me reflected this Sardinian hotel's reputation as a legendary hotspot, adored by the likes of Prince Karim Aga Khan and fellow members of the international jet set. The work of celebrated French architect Jacques Couëlle, whose free-form architecture is known for its organic forms and textures that blur the lines between nature, architecture and sculptural art, the hotel was first opened in 1963, and stood as a stark contrast to the angular modernism of the time. Entrusted with…

“The design was ENGAGING, DETAILED and REBELLIOUS, which perfectly sums up the attitude I had towards all my other work.”…

DANIELLA KILPATRICK founded steel furniture, decor and fittings brand Controst last year. This leap to go it alone came after several years of working at design group Savile Row, and at her dad's company, designing and manufacturing packaging machines. It's immediately evident that the Joburg interior architect, who also happens to be a 2022 Design Indaba Emerging Creative, is all about thoughtful, precise work. Her steel pieces are elegant, lightweight and built to last, and her interior design knowledge, coupled with her dad's engineering experience, means that buyers have the option of creating all kinds of custom steel products. I spend 80% of most days on the essential tasks of building a business, and the other 20% in the factory. This means I'm hands-on throughout the manufacturing process. On a…