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WE'VE BEEN OUT in the great wide world. Literally. Our contributing editor Jo Buitendach (below right) travelled to São Paulo for Expo Revestir, where she not only got to see some of this Brazilian city's famous architecture, but also returned with a feature on the vibrant ceramic tile trends she saw there (p52). Then, I was in Milan for the annual global epicentre of furniture design that is Salone del Mobile. As usual, big-name brands from Kartell to Cassina showcased their new ranges there – but that wasn't the primary focus of my visit this time around. Travelling with VISI partner Circular Squared, I was on the lookout for what Europe's design talent is doing in the sustainable space. And there was plenty to see, from established brands such as…

THE MIXER IS WHIRRING, creaming the softened butter with sugar. In go the spices, the flour, the eggs. The oven hums quietly, heating to the perfect temperature. I'm lost in my world, thinking about lists upon lists, my family, the business, and the recipes I want to share with the world. I always tell myself to write it down, write it down! This is the life of a procrastinator. I think I will remember later, but I soon forget. I'm a mom, an entrepreneur, an Instagrammer, a wife, a foodie; and I am always hustling. The lists are never-ending; there are so many different ones, with different headings and subheadings. And there's the constant ping of WhatsApp groups – the recipe groups, the family group, the friends group. They are…

“GOOD DESIGN IS INNOVATIVE, THOROUGH, AESTHETICALLY PLEASING, LONG-LASTING AND ALWAYS DEVELOPING IN TANDEM WITH TECHNOLOGY AND TRENDS.” – KARIN CAWTHORNE, OWNER OF KARE JOHANNESBURG All items are available at KARE Johannesburg. kare-design.com…

SÃO PAULO IS A MEGACITY – a sprawling metropolis with frenetic energy, endless traffic and a huge population. It's also the home of Latin America's largest coatings and finishings fair, Expo Revestir. What to expect of an invitation to attend a tile/surfaces trade fair in South America? Would it be interesting and VISI-worthy? I wasn't sure. I had little idea of how big Brazil's tile industry was. But after one week in the economic heart of the country, I now know it's one of the world's largest manufacturers and exporters of ceramic tiles. Established more than two decades ago, Expo Revestir is 65 000m2 of floors and surfaces, bathroom fixtures, trends and innovative design. It's fantastic to see this level of trade, production and creativity from a fellow member of…

A CITY CAN BE A DRAB, GREY CONCRETE JUNGLLE - or it can be a giant canvas. By painting the we speak to four local muralists alls around us, streetartists seek to alter dull spaces, reinvent their cities and share community stories. We speak to four local muralists who are doing just that. ✖ JOHNNY ALLISON is a Pretoria-based illustrator and animator, and the creative director and muralist behind Chicken Licken's new exterior rebranding. My interest in murals started when I was a child. I was blown away that one could paint something so big. It felt like a whole new frontier. My creative process involves treating my art like a business. I give each phase – sketching, conceptualising, prepping – enough time, so that the artwork arrives where it needs…

“I THAS ALWAYS BEEN A DREAM OF MINE to do leather work as a full-time passion,” says Belt & Band founder Jacques Lombard. He started working with leather in high school, making gifts for friends and family, and eventually producing leather belts for the groomsmen at his wedding. What started as a hobby grew into an authentic family business that has collaborated with international brands such as FELCO and David Collins Studio (London). ✖ THE BEGINNING In 2016, Jacques supplied watch straps to a local watch shop in Cape Town. “There were more orders for straps than anything else, and I saw that as a niche that I could focus on,” he says. At the time, he was working as a property broker; making straps was an innovative way to…

AUDI SOUTH AFRICA has collaborated with advertising agency Ogilvy SA and local AI experts MonkeyDonkey to launch a campaign dubbed “A Curated Collection inspired by Audi”, which seamlessly merges creativity with cutting-edge generative AI technology. Leading the campaign is an AI-generated video that highlights the brand's curated line of Special Edition models, tailored exclusively for the South African market. The range cleverly takes the best and most popular bits from the list of options that Audi offers across its ranges and curates them into two Special Editions – the Black Edition and the Urban Edition. It's like having your own interior decorator: instead of puzzling over which cosmetic and convenience features you want in your new Audi, the brand has done the hard work for you, creating bespoke models that…

LOCATION, ESTATE AGENTS LIKE TO SAY, IS EVERYTHING. And this newly built home's position in Vermont – a holiday hamlet on the pristine shores of Walker Bay – is exceptional. Tucked into the fynbos just steps from the ocean, the plot of land on which it stands has been in the family of one of the two homeowners, Alida Kannemeyer, for 60 years. Throughout her childhood, Alida spent her holidays in the house next door (the rest of her family still does so); in 2014, she was given this adjacent plot by her parents. In 2017, Alida and Piers Buckle – her partner in both life and work (they run a graphic-design agency together) – decided to build their own holiday home on the property. At the time, the couple…

“WE HAVE LONG DREAMT OF A HOME WITH A VIEW OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, of wild landscapes that remind us of Cape Town,” says journalist and interior stylist Laurence Dougier. She and husband Frédéric Couderc lived in South Africa's southernmost city for four years, and have returned every year for the past 25. The tip of the world you see on these pages is Pointe du Raz in Brittany on France's Atlantic coast. “These untamed and majestic lands are very similar to the Cape of Good Hope,” says Laurence, “so the Bay of Audierne was an obvious choice of place to settle.” Laurence and Frédéric, a writer, landed in this part of Brittany during lockdown, and were lucky enough to come across an old farm with three buildings on the…

✖ FEHMZ JORDAAN, ENTREPRENEUR, SOCIAL MEDIA QUEEN AND FOODIE I once spent three months in Amsterdam in winter, doing a course. The place I interned at did a familystyle lunch every day, and we would all take turns cooking. One day, someone slathered butter onto bread, then loaded it with chocolate sprinkles. Turns out they weren't just any chocolate sprinkles – they're called Hagelslag; they come in dark, milk or white chocolate; and they're very much like chocolate vermicelli, only better. It's the Dutch version of Nutella bread, I guess. I was instantly addicted – I came home with boxes of the stuff! Now I source them online from a company that sells various Dutch goodies. I often sneak into the kitchen once the kids are in bed, pull out…

CREATING WITH YOUR HANDS should be a simple, intuitive process, but I think we've drifted from this essential skill – and my journey into the design profession serves as a testament to this. It all began with a deep-seated desire to weld metal. From my earliest memories, I've been captivated by the seemingly magical force that allows two pieces of metal to join seamlessly, becoming stronger together as if they were always one. Luckily for me, I had a kind mentor who lived “just down the road” – a common scenario in my hometown of Gqeberha. But that's a digression for another time. This kind man eventually became my father-in-law, or simply “dad” (again, a story for another column). When I was 12, he introduced me to the basics of…

✖ THE IDEA A client came to us with a request for an all-timber chair. It was something we've wanted to add to our offering for a long time, so this was a great opportunity. For inspiration, we paged through the Cape country furniture books that have been on the studio shelves for years. A key part of the design process was a trip to the Tulbagh region to get acquainted with a significant piece of South African furniture history. Compared to traditional Cape country furniture, with its ornate European influences, the Tulbagh chair is simpler in style. It fits perfectly into our Pedersen + Lennard aesthetic, and is a reflection of our commitment to considered, functional and timeless design. ✖ THE CREATIVE METHODOLOGY We always begin by trying to…

“I LAUNCHED MY FIRST BABY, Something Good, in 2018,” Zydia Botes explains from her peaceful studio space in Ferndale, Johannesburg. Her label was born from a need to slow down and make something meaningful; today, the collaborative brand works with artists and designers to create eyecatching blankets and textile pieces. Not one to rest on her laurels, Zydia is also co-founder of luxury knitwear label Romaria, which creates timeless, non-seasonal clothing. ✖ HOW THE BR AND S WERE BORN “I studied the business side of fashion with the goal of becoming a buyer. Instead, I ended up working on the supply side of the industry for 10 years. I was overworked and travelling constantly, always pressured by delivery dates. I needed a change. I wanted to look into how design…

A COLLABORATION between Sanlam, global property company JLL, and JLL's subsidiary interior-design firm Tétris Design & Build, the Upcycle exhibition at the V&A Waterfront saw local creatives, together with an international team from Tétris, transform discarded office furniture into bespoke art installations. The creatives were tasked with using materials that minimise impact to design innovative pieces that would foster improved air quality and water preservation, and incorporate natural elements and light to promote wellbeing. Here's what they came up with… ✖ PATRICK BONGOY The 2024 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize finalist is known for embracing an artistic methodology that revolves around the randomness and unique properties of the materials he works with. His process relies on actively “listening” to the materials as they guide and direct him, allowing for a fluid…

RHYS AND MEG RALPH HADN'T INTENDED to live in this house. Rhys, a property developer, originally acquired the derelict stand with the intention of “flipping” it. Hidden away in a quiet nook in Parkhurst, opposite a park with the Braamfontein Spruit running through it, the setting was beautiful, but the stand had been vacant for some time when he took possession and had clearly been used by local builders as a dumping site. At that point, the park was, as Rhys puts it, a “no-go zone”. While clearing the rubble and building a house, Rhys took on the rehabilitation of the park, too. “We ripped out all the Spanish reed,” he recalls – the invasive species that choked the space. “I planted grass. I put in trees and benches. We…

WHILE STEFAN HAVENSTEIN'S Noordhoek residence is far from inconspicuous, you'd be forgiven for driving right past it. Sitting at the end of a narrow, meandering lane of milkwood trees, it's practically obscured from view by the canopy. Once you know where to look, however, it seems impossible to have missed it. There, in a clearing among a grove of milkwoods, looms an imposing configuration of two interlocking cuboids in timber and brick, elevated by a collection of steel stilts – a cabin in a forest, drawn to its contemporary conclusion. “Being hidden wasn't the intention, but it ended up being a real plus,” says German expat Stefan, a software engineer by day and crime novelist by night, who bagged the tree-filled plot of land in 2019. From the outset, he…

“WE HUMANS ARE JUST ENZYMES,” says Marc Pampe, contemplating the scene below us in the softening light. “We can speed things up or slow things down, but nature is ultimately in charge.” We are seated on smooth boulders warmed by the sun, our ice-cold G&Ts fragranced with fresh mint picked from Nooishof ‘s garden. The plains are washed in pink and gold, tufts of grass pixellating into a vast pelt edged with a thin brushstroke of lime – the diminishing remains of some localised rainfall. Nameless mountains rise like rock-encrusted inselbergs, vertically striated with black rocks that look like split seams. It is a scene of ancient grandeur, sculpted by millennia. Southern Namibia is a place of awe, seemingly almost devoid of life. With an annual rainfall as low as…

✖ BOI BLANKET Made by Berlin-based studio Boi, the Collection №2 Blanket (above left) is knitted directly into shape from RWS-certified wool, meaning there's less than 1% material waste. This remaining waste is used as a filling material for Boi's seat cushions. The Collection №2 range explores the delicate process of blending socially, reflecting the anxiety of not belonging, the attempt to fit in, the disappearing when finally blended into a pattern, and then leaving this pattern to form an own, unique shape. boi-knit.com ✖ BIO FOLD HEMP Made by Studio Samira Boon, which is based in Amsterdam and Tokyo, BioFold (above right) is a range of acoustic panels composed of bio-based and recycled textile residues. BioFold Hemp is made of 50% PLA fibres (biodegradable plastic) and 50% hemp sourced…

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR VISI's WEEKLY NEWSLETTER? Receive a curated selection of local architecture, design, decor and art news in your inbox every Monday. Visit visi.co.za WE ASKED YOU ONLINE: WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE BATHROOM AESTHETIC? 351 of you took our poll to let us know. Here are the results: 44% Sleek, modern and minimal 35% Organic shapes and neutral shades 14% Classic revival 7% #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 X with your snap. Introducing “BUILDING AN ICON” – our newest feature in the latest VISI magazine! veldarchitects Cosy up by the fireplace – it's the perfect spot to unwind after a day exploring…

GETTING UP EVERY MORNING at 4am to bake bread gets you thinking about the nature of labour. When I arrive at the bakery before sunrise, I can see the cars of the barmen at the club up the road, who are inside finishing their stocktake before they go home. From time to time, I'm greeted by the private security guards, who stop to watch over us while we open our doors, in exchange for a coffee. Sometimes it can seem like we live in a separate world to the people who sleep at night and work during the day. By 9am, I have already been at work for five hours. The very early mornings, suspended somewhere between night and day, mean that I have the same bedtime as a toddler.…

LOCATED ON ONE OF THE WIDE boulevard spokes attached to Cape Town's Salt River Circle, the new Haldane showroom is the perfect representation of the brand. Like the furniture created by one of the mavericks of South African design, it's a thoroughly contemporary re-interpretation of an old space. Formerly a two-story steel engineering business, the 1920sera building now features a single-volume open-plan layout with three large front-facing windows that allow natural light to stream into the atmospheric space. And given that the Haldane range now focuses on outdoor furniture, the cavernous, conservatory-like space filled with beams of sunlight is as good as an indoor environment can get when displaying outdoor ranges. We spoke to Haldane Martin and his partner Danielle to find out more about how they found this beautiful…

KHOSI LETEBA CAUGHT OUR EYE in 2020 with his distinctive Bodulo bench. A collaboration with Wiid Design and Nando's Clout/SA, Bodulo is a vibrant, contemporary interpretation of Sotho culture, showcasing patterns inspired by Khosi's heritage. Earlier this year, Khosi's Bupa Studios exhibited one of its latest designs, the Fasa chair, at Cape Town Furniture Week. And back in 2022, Khosi worked with Aranda Textiles, South Africa's oldest blanket, throw and shawl manufacturer, to contribute to their Young Basotho Designer Collection. As one of six brilliant young designers, he designed three Basotho heritage blankets for Aranda, demonstrating his ability to draw on his heritage while making a meaningful contribution to South African design. “Good design is not just about the APPEARANCE of an item, but also about the EMOTIONS IT EVOKES…

AGENERIC OFFICE SPACE in a historic Georgian building in Heritage Square in Cape Town has been painstakingly brought back to life by architectural practice Peerutin Karol. The build was completed in May 2022, for Budism Couture – designers and makers of seriously elegant, bespoke women's couture. The brand sees this space as the architectural manifestation of its ethos. Its gowns are like works of art; the Budism Couture team wanted their maison to reflect this, and be akin to a fashion house in Paris. The interior had previously been extensively remodelled, and thus bore little resemblance to its original state, but the architects wanted to respect the building's exterior, proportions and historic streetscape. This led to extensive discussions with heritage authorities. The sculptural, oval-shaped staircase is the CENTREPIECE of the…

✖ AFROSPORT by Peet Pienaar and Nick Dutton (Mami Wata, 2024) Exuberant, evocative and exhilarating, Afrosport is the new publication from the creators of Afrosurf (2021) – who just happen to also be helming Mami Wata, the coolest sportswear brand to have emerged in South Africa in the past decade. The new book crisscrosses the continent in epic style, stitching together deliberately fragmented narratives of African sports and popular youth culture, constructed using an already unmistakable aesthetic blend of images, words and graphics. Both mainstream (soccer, rugby, boxing) and more obscure (drifting, breakdancing, whistling) sporting genres are given a fresh feel via Peet Pienaar's iconoclastic graphic design, and a special mention goes to some seriously good image composites by Francesca Cockcroft. An extra cool touch: the recipes scattered throughout the…

THERE WERE VERY FEW HOMES in the area when Arthur Witthoefft, a partner at well-known Manhattan architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, first bought this parcel of forest in the late 1950s. And as one might expect of an East Coast architect in the golden era of the Mid-century aesthetic, the 7.5m x 29m geometric block he designed in the greenery of the hamlet of Armonk looked nothing like the prevalent colonial architecture that surrounded it. In fact, local residents initially thought the structure emerging among the trees was a motel. The house served as the Witthoefft family home for many years, but after their children moved out, Arthur and his wife Eleanor eventually relocated to Florida. Many new owners followed – some with a passion for the house, some…

“I DON'T THINK WE WOULD HAVE BOUGHT THIS HOUSE if it wasn't for our architect,” says homeowner Janine Vermeulen of the relaxed, contemporary home she moved into in 2022 with her husband, Ruan, and their son, Louw. Even the architect in question, Werner Lotz of Hours Clear, initially had his doubts. “The existing house was in a bad way,” he says. “Multiple additions had been done on the cheap over the years. My first thought was no, do not buy this!” But as Janine, Ruan and Werner walked around the garden, something began to shift. “It had potential: two large oak trees and the lawn promised lazy Sundays with the family,” Werner says. “And the building itself had something in terms of its proportions – it was almost elegant. But…