Table of contents for VISI 120 in Visi

STYLE & SUBSTANCE We turn our attention to Paris and Milan in this issue, with the recent Maison & Objet design and decor fair in Paris, and Milan’s Salone del Mobile that’s happening this month. Diabla, an outdoor lifestyle brand known for its inspiring concepts and smart ideas when it comes to creating stylish alfresco settings, will be launching the Patoso Pouf in Milan. Designed by Spanish interdisciplinary artist Alejandra Gandía-Blasco, the fluffy pouf is filled with recyclable polystyrene pearls, and fitted with legs that lift it off the ground, turning it into a sophisticated contemporary lounge chair. diablaoutdoor.com “THE DUPLICATION OF THE CYLINDER-SHAPED LEGS POPPED UP THROUGHOUT THE FAIR – AND VASES MADE A STRONG COMEBACK.” YASUKE LAMP Somewhere between a piece of futurist architecture, a form of 21st-century…

From humble beginnings in 1952, BoConcept has become a household name, with more than 300 stores worldwide. This year, the brand celebrates its 70th anniversary. Danish national Charlotte Obidairo has made it her mission to introduce BoConcept to Africa, starting with two stores in South Africa. WHAT DOES BOCONCEPT REPRESENT? Steeped in Scandinavian culture, our design combines clean lines and a minimalist aesthetic with traditional craftsmanship. Our stylish, quality items represent the view that furniture should be functional, beautiful and affordable. HOW IS BOCONCEPT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER BRANDS? Most of our furniture is customisable – you can, for example, change the fabric on a sofa or chairs to match your existing furniture. Endless possibilities are available, and all products in our range complement one another. The customer is at the…

REMOTE, EXCLUSIVE AND ECO-CONSCIOUS – and complete with tawny desert sunsets – Tswalu Kalahari embodies all the elements of a memorable safari experience. The Oppenheimer family, committed conservationists and custodians of this tract of stark beauty for more than two decades, are driven by their intent “to leave our world better than we found it”. And they are succeeding. Two camps – Motse and the private villa Tarkuni – shimmer graciously in the sun. We featured Motse in VISI #106; now we focus on Tarkuni, and the camps’ acclaimed Klein JAN restaurant. As with Motse, an artful revamp by multidisciplinary design practice Savile Row has given the spaces a fresh, contemporary feel that doesn’t compete with the dramatic landscape that unfurls around them. “IT MUST LOOK LIKE OUMA HAS JUST…

2004-2005 The “Skildpad” exhibition was my first show. I upcycled army surplus as a way of reinterpreting the banal. We then presented “Van die Stel” and introduced the Cape Table (below), which was sold abroad through the Conran Shop. That table has since been discontinued – but we have a new iteration that recently went into production. Set a Light (bottom) also got people talking – it is a stack of enamelware assembled without any specialist tooling, and references Africana pieces, cash bowls and ornamental Cape standing lamps. Antique dealer Deon Viljoen pushed my interests in a novel direction when we collaborated on “Kaapentry”, the contemporary furniture exhibition at Goodman Gallery in 2005. In those early days, Michael Chauke was an invaluable resource to me, in the same way that…

1. Haute Cabrière Pinot Noir Réserve 2018 At Haute Cabrière, the Von Arnim family specialises in creating wines in the Burgundy and Champagne styles. The Pinot Noir Réserve is their flagship Burgundy red. R260 | cabriere.co.za 2. Nederburg Heritage Heroes The Brew Master Bordeaux Blend 2018 This classic Bordeaux-style red blend combines Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec grapes from Paarl with Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes from Stellenbosch. R225 | store.nederburg.com 3. Steenberg Five Lives Red Blend 2019 The Steenberg Five Lives Red Blend embraces the elegance of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It also showcases the farm’s focus on traditional Bordeaux varietals, in recognition of the resilience of their 17th-century founder, Catharina Ras. R175 | steenbergfarm.com 4. Carl Everson Cape Blend 2019 Made from the very best grapes, carefully…

JOBURG’S BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS love markets, so the reinvention of a Braamfontein stalwart has them pumped. Named “The Playground”, the weekly affair is situated in the former home of the now-defunct Neighbourgoods Market. Shaken and spruced up, it aims to spark joy and human connection, despite the doom and gloom of the past couple of years. This weekend shopping fix was opened in early 2022 by original Braamies Neighbourgoods co-founder and urban developer, Adam Levy. Adam has been the force behind much of Braamfontein’s regeneration over the last two decades, and this, his latest project, adds a multi-floor mix of new food, art, design, fashion and music to the CBD. “The Playground amplifies new stories and encourages the growth of new storytellers in this city,” says Adam. “It will excite…

What’s your personal design philosophy or approach? Our products are complex systems and, in my view, good design is the process of organising that complexity into a clear visual story that describes the purpose of the product. Design should make a product accessible, understandable and ultimately desirable without demanding attention. What’s the starting point for you: “It needs to sound like X”, or “It needs to look like X?” Our design process begins with an understanding of the experience we’d like our customers to have when using the final product. This experience definition will cover a wide range of properties, including sound attributes (bass performance, soundstage, dialogue clarity) and key elements of the use case (portability, wall mounting, price point). All these criteria combine to inform the industrial design choices.…

BIG ROLL... The Big Roll collection (above) was inspired by the inflatable floats made for swimming pools, making the simple and iconic lines of the collection as comfortable as they look. Designed by Döppel Studio for Sifas, Big Roll includes a lounge chair, two- and three-seater sofas, as well as dining chairs and a collection of tables. sifas.com ...AND BIG FOOT Inspired by the Brutalist architecture movement of the mid-20th century, the Big Foot collection (opposite) by Danish design brand 101 Copenhagen is characterised by sculptural, cylinder-shaped legs, which result in a massive and heavy look. Their design is firmly rooted in the Scandinavian soil – but it’s also nourished by a more minimalist Japanese aesthetic. In this image, the vessels on top of the Big Foot bench are from…

BULGARI HOTEL When a luxury house as well known for its Italian craftsmanship as Bulgari opens a hotel in the heart of Paris’s Golden Triangle, just moments away from the Champs-Élysées, you expect it to be the perfect mesh of two fashionable cultures. And it is. A photograph of Sophia Loren looking out at Avenue George V takes pride of place in the lobby, perfectly encapsulating this mix. The architecture is an homage to the palaces designed by Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, and the facade has been constructed in the same pale stone as the Louvre and the Trocadéro. Inside, it’s all marble and granite, softened by silk wall coverings, tapestries and marquetry. bulgarihotels | bulgarihotels.com HÔTEL MADAME RÊVE Hôtel Madame Rêve (above) has taken up residence in the former…

WHO HASN’T HAD AT LEAST ONE RUN-IN with a bad event venue? Faux-Tuscan trauma, sad finishes, and bathrooms that went out of fashion with VHS tapes are etched into the collective wedding and celebration psyche of many South Africans. But praise be, De Harte is breaking that mould: this complete package of eventing offers 10 rooms, a chapel, a reception area, even a restaurant. And here’s the kicker – they’re all a delight to behold. They’re the newly completed creation of design duo Llewellyn Steenkamp and Henk Henderson, co-owners of local furniture and homeware brand Dekas & Co. Theirs is a thoughtfully designed environment, where the lines between interior and exterior blur. They’ve paid homage to nature by introducing natural materials, textiles and botanical motifs, but it’s a series of…

THE DRIVER BEHIND THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT is a critical one: providing accessible and affordable primary healthcare to all South Africans. Yet this is no stock-standard rollout of austere, unfriendly community clinics: the Epione Health Villages (EHV) team is rethinking the concept, and striving to bring dignity and warmth to healthcare through the design of space and furniture. From waiting rooms to consulting rooms, every area of the Epione Health Village Rosebank (EHVR) has been carefully considered to create a calming and serene environment, eliminating extra stress. After all, who needs any more of that when they’re not feeling well? “Why not create private nooks with great light, plants and ventilation, or a coffee shop and bagel stand on a public plaza?” says Ant Vervoort of Frankie Pappas. “These are the…

“Taking inspiration from a city skyline at sunset to create a vibrant artistic screen can inspire us all to think out of the box, to be more adventurous, and to bring excitement to the way we live and design our personal spaces.” – Annemarie Meintjes cassina.com | gaetanopesce.com Be inspired – and share your results with us on Instagram by tagging @visi_mag and @am_visi.…

Have you browsed VISI’s online shop? Visit shop.visi.co.za to make sure you don’t miss out on our new limited-edition collab with local sustainable candle brand Rekindle. Inspired by the Tsitsikamma, the VISI x Rekindle Scented Candle features notes of rosewood, patchouli and eucalyptus. WE ASKED YOU ONLINE: WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE BATHROOM AESTHETIC? 556 of you took our poll to let us know. Here are the results: 46% Modern and simple 26% Indoor/outdoor 19% Light, bright and homey 9% Victorian style with a claw-foot tub #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. Lazy Saturday afternoons at home @shop_spases #satrends study @visi_mag always a…

AIN BUCHANAN, CONSERVATIONIST AND FOUNDER OF MOUNT CAMDEBOO Private Game Reserve near Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape, took his family for an extended stay at the reserve during the pandemic. They did quite a lot of camping out in the veld, he says, seeking out some of the more remote (but spectacularly beautiful) spots to pitch their tent. While the reserve has a lodge and other accommodation, the experience left him wondering how he could offer guests the immediacy of the camping experience – the sense of awe you feel being alone in the vast wide-open – but with a dimension of luxury and comfort. The idea posed several challenges. The Karoo is known for its temperature extremes, so “the traditional old Livingston-type canvas tent just wouldn’t cut it,” says…

SIFISO SHANGE TELLS STORIES THROUGH furniture design. As the founder and creative director of Afri Modern, he draws on his Zulu identity to create contemporary pieces inspired by culture. Joburg-based Afri Modern was established in 2018 and has since become an award-winning multidisciplinary design studio. Sifiso and his team’s work is characterised by carefully considered geometric shapes and motifs and striking colours, evident in the renderings of the products on these pages. The Virgil Store Unit, inspired by the late Virgil Abloh, is the studio’s most recent release – a representation of all that the virtuoso designer and creative director embodied. We spoke to Sifiso about his design approach, his influences (including Virgil) and more. My design philosophy is about telling African Nguni stories through modern design, which is visually…

AFTER A TWO-YEAR HIATUS, the Venice Biennale has returned with a bang. The Biennale, which runs until late November, is nicknamed the “Olympics of art” because the work on show is displayed under national banners, and 80 countries have pavilions in three main areas. There are about 30 historic permanent pavilions spread across the large Giardini park, with more in the Arsenale, a historical complex of former military shipyards and arsenals (where the South African pavilion is located), and still others in the city centre. An international exhibition, woven throughout the venues, is curated by a guest curator. In 2022, Italian Cecilia Alemani is in charge, and has included 213 artists from 58 countries. The Venice Biennale isn’t commercial, so participants are free to explore issues without the need to…

IT WOULD BE ACCURATE TO SAY that “goes very fast” and “Hyundai” are not words often used in the same sentence – especially not here in South Africa. In the three decades that Hyundais have been on sale in the country, the brand has developed a reputation for offering a range of reliable vehicles that offer excellent value for money. But sexy-looking performance cars? Not so much. That perception, however, is due for a slight recalibration with the introduction of these two new N cars. KONA N While the regular Hyundai Kona is a futuristically styled but relatively tame SUV crossover, this one, wearing an N badge front and back, is an altogether different proposition. This model has considerably more kilowattage bristling under that pointy nose, and a chassis that’s…

PERHAPS YOU HAVE AN, ER, SOFT SPOT for tapestries, and love the idea of ’70s versions cascading into conversation pits. Maybe they make you think of Tuscan scenes woven into antique pieces of furniture, or fiddly failed school projects. Whatever the associations, you need to know that tapestries and their textile-art brethren are huge globally. Embroidery, weaving, beading, appliqué, rug-hooking, knitting and mixing pieces of fabric with other media are just a tiny sample of textile-related craft that artists are embracing. Take, for example, the much-lauded Polish pavilion at this year’s Venice Biennale. It consists completely, inside, and out, of hand-stitched artworks and tapestries by artist Malgorzata Mirga-Tas. On our shores, many contemporary artists favour fibre and textiles, and in particular, tapestry. This makes sense when you consider our past.…