Table of contents for VISI 103 in Visi

NKULI NHLEKO, INTERIOR DESIGNER What does spring mean to you? Excitement, bubbles, life and awakening. It’s about frolicking in the NIROX Sculpture Park and picnicking at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Your favourite decor colour? Pastel green, which feels tranquil in comparison with the rich jewel tones we’re experiencing at the moment. The South African building you most admire? Legaro Property Development’s headquarters at 78 Corlett Drive, the first office development in Africa to be awarded a Green Star V1.1 six-star rating. Nkuli interviewed architect Nadine Engelbrecht for the feature on page 62. BIDDI RORKE, FREELANCE WRITER AND EDITOR What does spring mean to you? Whales in the bay and spectacular moonrises. Plus evening strolls on the beach with my French poodles Lollipop and Liberace. Your favourite decor colour? White. The South…

The metro rumbles below and the sound carries up to the top floor of this 18th-century building with its facade clinging on to the remaining azulejos (ceramic tiles) Portugal is famous for. I gaze out the window in the living room of our apartment with its skinny balcony that barely fits a body sideways at the scenes of life below around Praça da Figueira. A tangle of class and ethnicities, tourists and locals, battery-operated tuk-tuks and trams intersect in riotous splendour. THE ACT OF BALANCING ON ONE FOOT AND HANGING OVER PRECARIOUSLY MUST BE PRACTISED DAILY. I look down – too familiar to be a visitor, too foreign to navigate the intimacies of conversations whispered in Portuguese. There are fewer visible washing lines with multi-hued laundry dancing in the sunshine…

The talents of South African style-setter Karen Roos are already legendary. Nine years ago, this visionary and her husband resurrected the previously neglected Babylonstoren farm near Paarl, which today draws visitors from all over the world. In 2013, the couple bought Hadspen House and its surrounding 120 hectares of land in Somerset, Emily Estate – a property that once belonged to generations of Emily Hobhouse’s family. With the help of French architect Patrice Taravella and a theatre full of skilled artisans, Karen, the creative director, reshaped the estate into gardens, potagers, lawns, ponds, wooden walkways, hornbeam hedges, and a maze of 460 apple trees inspired by gardens of the baroque period. They make cider on the estate, and there are restaurants, a garden shop, and a hotel and spa –…

When architect Gillian Holl set about designing a house for the generous piece of paradise she shares with her husband Ivan, an engineer, and son Noah, one of her first considerations was to create a space that did not simply blend in with the surrounding grasslands and Magaliesberg foothills, but was actually knitted into the landscape. To this end, the Holls excavated to allow the steel-framed building with floating concrete slabs and swathes of glass to settle unobtrusively on the riverside terrain. But estate regulations required all excavated earth remain on site – and even after creating the grassy berms that hug the garden, there was still plenty left over. The solution? A central rammed-earth wall that forms an axis from the entrance all the way through the airy house.…

Five levels. Authentic materials. A clear design narrative. This sleek yet organic residence in Kloof Road, Clifton, makes a dramatic statement. From the gabion-walled ground-level exterior that mimics the mountainside strata from which it emerges to the fold-away glass doors, skylights and pale timber used in the uppermost level, each floor tells a convincing story of natural progression. Most notably, a vertically slatted box hovers over the middle terrace, with space for the forest bushwillows from the second tier to grow. These lightweight aluminium screens, which can open and close, filter the amount of natural light entering the interiors. “The idea was to architecturally express the varying relationships to the site and the greater context of mountain, sea and sky,” says lead architect Phillippe Fouche of SAOTA. Cécile & Boyd…

“One of my favourite things about MAPSA is that, if you’re visiting Richmond for the first time, it’s so completely unexpected,” says Harrie Siertsema, art patron and owner of an astounding collection of contemporary works housed in a renovated old supermarket in the small Northern Cape town. Opened in 2007 by Harrie and artist-curator Abrie Fourie, the gallery acts as the beating heart of Modern Art Projects South Africa – MAPSA for short – a registered non-profit organisation that aims to provide a platform for the country’s emerging artistic talent. The gallery’s permanent collection includes a host of the South African art world’s heavy hitters, including Willem Boshoff, Diane Victor, Claudette Schreuders and Jeremy Wafer, but it’s the young up-and-comers that most excite Harrie. “Most of the works I acquire…

Award-winning film producer and stills photographer Filipa Domingues has a 7 000-strong Instagram following for her CheckMyPlants account. Using only natural light, she captures the bizarre and beautiful aspects of South Africa’s flora. As she explains, when she first started collecting succulents, she had “zero clue” about plants. But the more she accumulated, the more she realised how different they all were. “A lot of plants have a prehistoric look and vibe to them, and it really just blows my mind. A plant you see today has adapted and evolved over millions of years in order to survive extreme conditions. Often, the weirdest, ‘ugliest’ plants have the most extraordinarily beautiful flowers.” Filipa has now partnered with Smeg, known for its iconic retro design, and is using its black fridge as…

RÉMY MARTIN VSOP FINE CHAMPAGNE COGNAC This Cognac is distilled from wine that comes from vineyards in the top wine-growing areas around the town of Cognac, France. Distillers in the region make the bulk of the Cognac in their own pot stills, and Rémy Martin then manages the ageing and blending processes. This Cognac has a dominant note of vanilla, thanks to ageing in French oak. Enjoy it neat, on the rocks or in cocktails. R699 remymartin.com/za TOKARA 10 YEAR OLD POTSTILL BRANDY The base wine for this brandy is made from Chenin Blanc grapes from Stellenbosch vineyards. After five months in stainless-steel tanks at 0°C, the wine is distilled in a copper pot still. In the Cognac tradition, it’s double-distilled and only the heart of the distillate is put in…

BELT, DESIGNED BY RONAN AND ERWAN BOUROULLEC FOR FLOS This flexible lighting system by the Bouroullec brothers consists of a series of LED modules wrapped in long leather belts and secured by buckles. Some parts carry weight, others cable and others beams of LED light, and the design possibilities are endless. bouroullec.com flos.com IN VITRO, DESIGNED BY PHILIPPE STARCK FOR FLOS This collection of outdoor lamps offers a new take on the classic lantern above the front door. It is available in four designs: Source, a ceiling lamp; The Sing, a wall lamp; Bollard, a floor lamp in three sizes; and Unplugged, a lantern with rechargeable batteries that will provide light for up to 24 hours. starck.com flos.com HECO, DESIGNED BY NENDO FOR FLOS This outdoor lighting collection comprises floor lamps with thin metal…

A number of years ago, I let out my house more or less on a whim, packed 30 kg of bags, with 10 kg of extra baggage hung around my neck under a new designer jersey, and off I went to Korea. Here, I was going to generate a formidable pension by teaching English, finish a novel, get my son through his architecture studies and work towards other noble things yet unclear. I stayed for two years, finished the novel, built no pension to speak of and came back to face an extended stint of rental living. IT IS A VISCERAL SPACE, THIS HOUSE; IT CUTS INTO MY DNA. HERE, NOTHING JARS. THE GOLDEN RATIO MUST BE AT WORK. One place was sold, another burnt down, one had the owner…

For Clara Dalkmann, memories of childhood holidays, playing with buckets and spades on Langebaan Beach, will now be recreated with her husband Benedikt and their own children in their new holiday home. The Dalkmanns, who live in Germany, tasked Cape Town architect Bettina Woodward of Open City Architects, who is also Clara’s sister, with the job of creating their elegant, fuss-free family getaway on the West Coast. A key requirement of the project brief was the provision of sunny outdoor entertainment spaces that would afford uninterrupted views of the lagoon and offer shelter from the notorious prevailing wind. The estate’s architectural guidelines dictated that the house had at least one pitched roof and only square windows, which Bettina masterfully incorporated into the design. opencity.co.za OREGON-PINE FLOORS THROUGHOUT THE LIVING AREAS…

It’s pure alchemy: a fusion of dark, cavernous spaces, immersive sounds, herbal smoke, sparks and layered aromas. Artist-blacksmith Conrad Hicks and food artist Caro Jesse recently curated an evening of history and high drama at the triple-volume forge at the Bijou in Observatory. The pair share a common fascination with the feedback loop of evolution and tools. “Prehistoric tools were the first evidence that early humans had begun to think of themselves as separate from the world around them,” Conrad says. “The earliest humans had to imagine an object in order to create it, so tool-making developed their ability to think symbolically. That was the real game-changer in humankind’s evolution.” Caro is equally transfixed by wild foods that were gathered over millennia and feels our connection to them is written…

The latest addition to minima’s growing furniture range is all about simplicity, clean lines and attention to detail. Curved components of the Radius seating range are digitally cut from sustainable birch plywood and radially arranged to create this trademark undulating form. The man behind these functional art pieces is designer and architectural technologist Jacques Cronje, who has always had a deep respect for timber and geometry. “Wood is one of the original materials used by man to create objects,” he says. “It is now being made relevant again thanks to evolving technology… An ancient material has become new.” This accessible range, launched at the NEXT19 Trade Exhibition in Cape Town earlier this year, comprises three chairs, a barstool, a kitchen stool and an occasional stool. minima.co.za…

International furniture brand KARE is known for its elegant mix of retro and vintage, organic elements merged with traditional ethnic elements, and superb craftmanship. As well as a healthy disregard for the rules. In fact, what distinguishes KARE’s design aesthetic from the norm is its almost irreverent mix of styles. The distinct look KARE offers might include an art deco sofa teamed with a mid-century chest of drawers. Or a set of classic lounge chairs offset by pop art accessories and a retro tulip-foot table. Visit the KARE showroom in Kramerville, Johannesburg, to explore design themes such as Modern Pop, Soft Glam, Retro Elegance and Urban Nature. www.kare-johannesburg.co.za…

Drawing on his childhood fascination with The Adventures of Tintin by cartoonist Hergé, wildlife illustrator and author Duncan Butchart has conceived these delightful stylised depictions of iconic places on the African continent. His adoption of Hergé’s signature ligne claire style of illustration makes for a whimsical interpretation of destinations such as Etosha, Victoria Falls and Zanzibar, reminiscent of 1950s posters used by airlines, travel companies and tourism agencies to promote exotic locations. The collection comprises 18 posters that will remind you of places already visited and will inspire your next adventure. dbnatureworks.com The designs, printed on premium 220 g satin art paper, are available in three sizes: A3 (R300), A2 (R600) and A1 (R900).…

Probably best known for its Chardonnays, the Robertson valley has been producing some seriously good wines of various varietals in recent years, many of them made by young winemakers. It’s well worth planning an outing to the area to taste the wines and meet the people during the 12th annual Slow Food & Wine Festival from 9 to 11 August. The festival is spread out at various wineries and tourism spots. Note that tickets are limited and you need to book with the hosts for special tastings, cellar tours, food-and-wine pairings, winemaker’s dinners and cooking classes. There will be an opportunity to meet local winemakers and chefs at the family market on Sunday, 11 August. robertsonslowfestival.co.za MONT BLOIS WINE ESTATE The owners of this estate in the Hoopsrivier valley, Ernst…

I was young, maybe 8 or 9. My mother was going through a time: The couple she cleaned for and whom we lived with had broken up and left us lingering in their abandoned home. She had cancer, my mother, so her head was where it was, but sometimes she would return from herself to give me strange advice: “Diversify your friend group, Julie. Learn who you really are.” I did. See, we had dogs. (In that statement is a story featuring my mother’s insistence on keeping her employers’ dogs even after she was left with neither a job nor a place to stay.) Whiskey was a Maltese poodle and Bianca an Alsatian. Whiskey was always up to some shit. Every now and then he would disappear and come back…

We would sit in the blue two-door Mazda and gaze at the house my mother had bought. She was young then, around 33. I would’ve been 13, my brother 10, and my sister 3. For all our excitement, there wasn’t that much to see. The house on Chester Road was set square and slightly below street level, an overgrown garden reaching up and over the chicken-wire fence. We had to strain to see the front door. There was a tiredness to the single-storey, a fadedness that was more than an overdue paint job. It was not a house you’d think could enthral three children. But then you didn’t know my mother. “Look at that bay window. See the frangipani tree? We’ll have space for a cat. “We can sand down…

Sometimes, a house chooses you. It’s what happened to Jacques Erasmus of Hemelhuijs fame and Hein Liebenberg, who used to work in the corporate world, while they were knee-deep in restoring their Jonkmanshof guest house in Montagu. They naturally assumed that a quick viewing of a Cape Dutch house for sale down the street would be merely for interest’s sake… A heady fragrance of citrus blossoms and a wild dove flying down from an olive tree to perch on Jacques’s shoulder were auspices that the couple were destined to renovate a second property in Montagu. Their vision for the house? Additional rooms to accommodate guests when Jonkmanshof is fully booked, and a garden-produce shop to share the bounty of their land. And the result? A sensitive reimagining of a slice…

This year’s 100% Design South Africa, taking place alongside Decorex Joburg at the Gallagher Convention Centre between 7 and 11 August, will delight attending aesthetes with 12 brand-new curated features involving industry heavies alongside about 200 other exhibits. Some of the well-known names who’ll be involved in the curated features are John Vogel, Haldane Martin, Tracy Lee Lynch and 2019 Feature Designer of the Year Laduma Ngxokolo of MaXhosa by Laduma – brought to attendees in partnership with VISI. Laduma’s brand has evolved from iconic fashion label to include a dynamic homeware range. “His designs draw on personal heritage and a sense of culture, which we feel is an important narrative to champion,” says Laurence Brick, creative director of Platform Creative, the curators of 100% Design South Africa. At the…

Linel Louw and Coenraad Sutton of UNKNOWN Design Agency have helped to refine brand identities for leading names in the world of design, including Joe Paine, Dokter and Misses, and Tonic Design. “We place strong focus on a discovery process with our clients to ensure the brand nature and its messaging is authentic and consolidated,” says Coenraad. “This is what drives audiences to a brand’s story, and if the story is good, they will keep engaging with it.” The agency recently designed the brand identify of Julia Day, founder of the Hyde Park designer furniture and lighting store Generation. The logo is inspired by Julia’s sophistication and attention to detail, and the palette reflects the hues she likes to use in her interior design projects. Photographic images of works-in-progress juxtaposed…

VITAMIN T: THREADS & TEXTILES IN CONTEMPORARY ART Phaidon, R1 350 Fibre art has traditionally been regarded as craft, and fibre artists tend to have fewer opportunities to exhibit in galleries, so it’s great to see this art form getting well-deserved recognition. The latest in Phaidon’s popular Vitamin series, this book is a survey of more than 100 living artists who work in embroidery, stitching, knitting, tapestry and textiles. Among the artists, who were nominated for inclusion in the book by leading curators and art critics, are Johannesburg-based Turiya Magadlela and Billie Zangewa; and Cape Town-based Igshaan Adams, the 2018 Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner. Other creatives featured are Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui and British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare. A short introduction to each artist accompanies illustrations of their latest…

Zandvliet, on the outskirts of Ashton, was among the first wine farms in South Africa to bottle Shiraz. A range of low limestone hills on the the farm provides a chalky terroir called kalkveld, captured in the name of Zandvliet’s flagship wine, the Kalkveld Shiraz. It has also inspired the development of a new tasting room, the Kalkveld Lounge, the first stage of a comprehensive redesign of the Cape Dutch homestead. Leslie is the manager at Kalkveld Lounge. He and his team introduce visitors to Zandvliet’s wines, show them the underground cellar and the art on display, and present wine pairings and a blend-your-own-wine experience. (You get to cork and label your wine, too, and to take it home.) “I was born and raised on the farm,” says Leslie. “I…

We are committed to using naturally replenish-able, and thus sustainable materials. Coconut fiber, natural rubber, wool, cotton, goose down, oak, seaweed, lavender, eucalyptus, horsehair, and cactus fiber all hide unique inherent properties and are used in our recipe for making innovative sleep products. Extra pride is taken when using raw materials sourced locally in Greece. Guided and inspired by mother nature’s wisdom If what you got is a empty flat, then all you need’s a coco-mat As a sleep company, our vision is simple and clear: to offer everyone who uses our beds and mattresses a healthy, blissful sleep. However, simply making the world’s best sleep products is not enough for a good night’s sleep. It’s important to have a clear conscience too. That is why our every action aims…