Table of contents for VISI 89 in Visi

THE biggest thrill for all of us here at VISI HQ is when we can be the first to share a newly completed project with our readers, which is why I walked up the 14 floors to the top of The Silo at the end of October last year wearing a hard hat and safety boots. At that stage it was a building site with no functioning lifts and hundreds of workers frantically trying to finish the building before the official opening of the luxury hotel on 1 March 2017. Since then, glamorous owner Liz Biden and her team have worked non-stop to complete the 28 individually decorated rooms. This incredible building, which will also house the new Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, opening in September, is going to…

MULTI-LITE PENDANT LAMP, GUBI SIVIWE: “Time traveller’s perfection! The light combines the futuristic ingenuity of a forgotten period. Bending the parameters of what should be trending in today’s environment and what is timeless.” KNOT COLLECTION OFPENDANT LIGHTS, BROKIS SIVIWE: “Whimsical pendants! These exquisitely made lights display a delicate approach to mixing mediums.” TRISTAN: “Rich textures and materials wrapped up in beautiful weightless forms.” IN THE TUBE, DCW EDITIONS TRISTAN: “Made of glass and copper, with silver or gold inner tubes, In the Tube wraps up industrial styling in a luxurious package.” MARBLE LIGHT, &TRADITION TRISTAN: “Marble is always a bright idea.” SIVIWE: “Marble is currently trending! This is a simple yet quirky light fixture.” Lighting is to a space what jewellery is to a wardrobe. Like a sparkling set of…

TO MISSTATE ARISTOTLE’S PRINCIPLE,THE IMAGINATION ABHORS A VACUUM. There are places that lie between people that are like breath in transit between the airports of two sets of lungs. In that air space, they’re fogged neither by my husband’s respiratory mist nor mine. The Rissik Street Post Office forms the no man’s land between our two pillows. J has been working on different plans for the building since before he qualified as an architect. He’s probably one of the few to have photos of the interior after the post office closed in 1996 and before the fires of 2009 gutted it. I can’t remember how many versions he’s designed that have changed or fallen through… four, five? How many measurements has he taken and retaken? His post office is very…

THE FOYER IS ADORNED WITH A MIX OF STRIKING LOCAL ART. THE 28 ROOMS ARE INDIVIDUALLY DECORATED. “IT IS A BEAUTIFULLY CONTRASTED MIX OF HISTORICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND MODERN DESIGN.” FROM a distance, The Silo with its unusual glass-bubble facade is a towering landmark. There is nothing quite like it in the city’s skyline. The six-floor hotel, which opened its doors on 1 March 2017, is set atop the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (due to welcome its first visitors in September). Setting the tone for the hotel’s architecture are bulbous faceted windows resembling compound eyes that overlook Table Mountain, Signal Hill, Robben Island and the sea. It was Thomas Heatherwick, founder and principal of Heather-wick Studio in London, who rose to the challenge of transforming the elevator…

EPIC WALL SPACE ALLOWS FOR BEAUTIFUL WALLCOVERINGS. THE CEILING HEIGHT IS EMPHASISED BY VERTICAL STRIPES. THE DECOR IS OPULENT AND LAYERED; NOTHING IS RANDOM. FOUR storeys, five bedrooms, 3,9 m-high ceilings, bare white walls and panoramic views from the Twelve Apostles to Clifton’s beaches. This was the blank canvas that interior designer and partner at Olàlà! Interiors Schané Anderson had to work with. The brief from the client was simple: Surprise me. The project actually came about as a surprise. With the trucks loaded to decorate another house for her client, Schané and her team were informed of a change of plan: The house they were primed to furnish had been sold, and in its place was an exclusive Clifton property, designed by Jane Visser of Visser…

1. CARRERA HEUER 01 The latest model of this men’s watch has been entirely reproduced in matte-black ceramic, a tough material that boasts unparalleled scratch-resistance. To guarantee water resistance up to 100 m, steel is used for the functional parts. 2. AQUARACER 300 M 43 MM This classic sports watch has undergone various incarnations, evolving into the iconic diving piece it is today. Water-resistant up to 300 m, the Aquaracer features a unidirectional rotating bezel and luminescent markers on the hands and indices for maximum visibility underwater. This model is available in red, blue or black, and has an aluminium bezel and a quartz movement. 3. AQUARACER LADY 300 M 35 MM Sporty yet elegant, the Aquaracer Lady is a brand-new release. Set in a steel case with a unidirectional…

The 27 000-hectare Samara Private Game Reserve in the Great Karoo, 53 km from Graaff-Reinet, is home to more than 60 mammal species, including aardvark, cheetah, gemsbok, eland, Cape mountain zebra, buffalo and giraffe. Five-star accommodation is offered in a beautifully restored farmhouse, the Karoo Lodge, and in an exclusive-use villa, The Manor House. Ready to go? Enter our competition at VISI.co.za/win and you could win three nights’ accommodation for two at the luxury Karoo Lodge, plus all meals and game drives. PLEASE NOTE: The prize does not include transport to and from Samara Private Game Reserve, drinks, additional expenses and daily conservation fees. The prize is valid for six months from the date the winner is notified and excludes public holidays. • samara.co.za…

ZANELE MJI, freelance writer  Are you a summer or a winter person? I am definitely a summer person. An outfit can consist of one item of clothing, and I get to eat millions of mangoes and swim all the time! If you could choose your profession all over again, what would you be? I love my industry, but if I weren’t in media then I’d be a chiropractor or a psychologist. What’s the most valuable thing you have ever given away? My time and my love! What’s the best buy you’ve made for your home? A painting I bought at Village des Arts in Dakar, Senegal. Which space in your home is your favourite? A balcony that overlooks Durban Harbour. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve eaten? Would you do it…

KNOT COLLECTION OF PENDANT LIGHTS Coarse natural fibres are combined with smooth transparent blown-glass globes in different shapes and sizes in this sublime collection from Brokis. The LED light source is housed in the metal top hood. • From R33 217 to R48 607, depending on the size • brokis.cz  • cremadesign.co.za IN THE TUBE Designed for DCW Editions by Dominique Perrault and Gaëlle Lauriot-Prévost, In the Tube is made of borosilicate glass and closed with aluminium stoppers sealed in silicone. The mountings are stainless steel, so it can be used both inside and outside, and it can be suspended from the ceiling or fitted to a wall – in either a horizontal or vertical position. • From R15 111 • dcw.fr • generation design.co.za • streamlight.co.za FADE PENDANT LIGHT This polycarbonate light by Tom Dixon has a chrome…

WHAT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT FOR A WHILE I REFUSED TO LIVE IN MY PORTABLE HOME. A feeling of being separated from my family robbed me of happiness. The attachment of 25 years living with them haunted me till I gave up and decided to connect with the dreams I kept dreaming in this portable house of mine. I got used to the creepy nightmares at night and converted them to sweet dreams. They worked on my mind and soul till one night when a bright light showed me a way into writing magic realist stories. Strange things cried outside; invisible things moved inside, the heavy and light ones. One night I woke with a confused mind, not knowing if I was dreaming or totally making up…

THE LACK OF VISUAL CHAOS BRINGS CALM. “GROUNDED ARCHITECTURE IS WHAT APPEALS TO ME; THE SIMPLER THE BETTER.” SIMPLICITY– especially in design – has become a coveted quality, often accompanied by clean lines and a measure of restraint. The no-frills aesthetic has powerful effects on the psyche, where the lack of visual chaos brings calm. In Pretoria, the home of Lloyd and Annemarie Christie steers clear of residential estate uniformity and stands out, striking in its simplicity. Navigating my way through tree-lined streets to the Christies’house, I immediately spot it from the street corner. Its understated facade is unmissable, speaking louder than any bells-and-whistles abode ever could. The entire gable end, from the ground to the roofline, is clad in horizontal timber slats, so neither the garage nor…

Kettal, known for its iconic outdoor furniture, has collaborated with designers such as Jasper Morrison, Patricia Urquiola, Rodolfo Dordoni, Emiliana Design Studio, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, and Hella Jongerius. The latest addition to its extensive collection is the Cala chair, designed by Doshi Levien. This high-backed armchair is inspired by the iconic peacock wicker chair. The Cala comes in a variety of metal coatings, rope and cushion colours to blend with any outdoor decor scheme. The seat frame is made of coated aluminium and the back of a rope weave. Legs come in the option of either an aluminium pedestal base or teak legs. Kettal contemporary furniture is functional and individual, bringing an air of style and sophistication to any outdoor area. The company uses 100% ecological and recyclable paint…

An artful combination of originality, handwork and technology in the creation of contemporary furniture has made Vogel a South African success story. But the Vogels are certainly not resting on their laurels. We wanted to know more about the changes they’re introducing. What made you decide to change your logo? After exploring the idea of branding our furniture pieces for marking and authentication, we found that the tree logo, which we love, did not translate when scaled down. We made the difficult decision to find a new logo that would work with our brand identity and that would be practical for marking small pieces. Are there new pieces in the pipeline? We are working on new products for our contract range, our export range, and the collectibles range sold through…

About 18 years ago, Dianne Christian abandoned a career in the medical field and followed her passion for design and creativity by starting a business that specialises in hand-painted fabrics. Her team of talented creatives has worked with some of the top local and international interior designers, including Weixelbaumer Design, Stephen Falcke, John Jacob, Kit Kemp, Greg Mellor, Michele Throssell, Fox Browne Creative and Tessa Proudfoot. “We believe that our painters and tassel makers are the foundation of our business, and their talents are evident in each piece of work they complete,” says Dianne. “We want to give our domestic and international clients a little insight into their lives.” The design process is simple. It always starts with the question: What is the inspiration? The concept is then discussed, planned…

In 2011, together with his business partner James Bisset, Jesse Ede launched JesseJames Design. Since then the duo has grown their business and worked on numerous projects, among them for high-profile brands like Apple, Discovery and Red Bull. Jesse has also been hard at work building his own portfolio of collectibles under his name. Two of his creations, the Lunar table and the Lunar bench, are making waves. The former was a hit at Design Miami late last year, where it was shown by Southern Guild.“The response was fantastic,” says Jesse. “It’s such an honour. And the opportunity to exhibit alongside artists like Porky Hefer and Dokter & Misses is just the cherry on top. “I have always been fascinated by the raw nature of rough organic surfaces such as…

It is estimated that about two-thirds of water consumed by the average household is used in the bathroom. And although a bucket in the shower and a brick in the toilet cistern certainly help, there’s a more stylish solution to help you save water: GROHE’s EcoJoy technology – fitted in many GROHE products – can help to reduce water consumption by up to 50%. Sleek GROHE basin mixers feature hidden flow-limiting aerators, which reduce water usage without compromising on flow. The result: a satisfying flow that never exceeds 5,8 litres per minute. It is also possible to adjust the lever distance on GROHE taps to further reduce the flow. Installing a GROHE dual-flush system in your toilet can reduce water usage for flushing by 50%, and selected GROHE showers save…

It’s a VISI Saturday – @keziahhellen Early morning coffee and a magazine. Holiday planning #summerplans #visimagazine #sunday #weekendvibes #noplacelikehome #coffeetime – @contact_model_ management African adventure with my @VISI_Mag this past weekend. You encouraged me to have a blissful breakaway in Barrydale! – @meamia_meagan I always take a #visimagazine with me on holiday #magazineaddict #favouritemagazines #Love #nofilterneeded – @colsie123 Early mornings with 2 of my besties #coffee #visimagazine #honeywoodforest #summermornings – @katerobynsmith Poolside happiness… Coffee and the latest VISI magazine @visi_mag #visi #visimagazine #inspire #magsthatinspire #decor #design #interiors #style #holidays #happiness – @supershazzer Good advice goes down like a cold G&T on a hot summer day @josiehemingway #visimagazine #blissfulgetaways – @slow_lifeblog holiday… yes please… #yellow #visimagazine @visi_mag #roadtrip #blissful #plettbound #summer – @eloisecthompson Summer colours #visi #visimagazine #visimag #weekend #summercolours #flowers…

THE FRIEND WHO SHOWED ME THE CHELSEA HOTEL KILLED HIMSELF THREE MONTHS LATER. A month after that the Chelsea was taken over by developers, and its 70-plus years of bohemian excess and wonder were over. Inadvertently, I’d managed to see an iconic building, one that had always figured large on my list of artistic landmarks, just before its essence was forever destroyed. The friend who took me around the hotel in 2011 was Mark Kramer. He’d been my friend for 15 years, yet this was only the second time I’d ever met him. As with the Chelsea Hotel itself, blind luck had prompted me to visit him just before his life also ended. He was the embodiment of American openness, and especially of New York. We’d become friends when, randomly,…

As they drifted off, Lilah took a moment to be in the moment. The purple jacarandas were just bursting into bloom, the leaves intensely green after the first rains. It was all so beautiful. Hashtag blessed. – An excerpt from Delilah Now Trending, Pamela’s latest novel WE LIVE IN THE PARKS AREA OF JOHANNESBURG, home to many creative people. There’s clearly something in the water – perhaps too much fluoride? I’m not sure, but in our road alone there are three novelists, four screenwriters, an animator and a TV presenter. Well-known writers Kate and Boykey Sidley live four houses down from us. We have known them since our sons started nursery school together at a little school down the road. That’s something I love about where we live. The children’s…

EVERYTHING FEELS JUST RIGHT. EVERY ELEMENT IS EXPERIENCED AS SETTLED TO THE EXTENT THAT IT CANNOT BE IMAGINED DIFFERENTLY. THE BUILDING IS BOTH DELICATE AND ROBUST. SPATIAL AND FUNCTIONAL EFFICIENCY WAS MAXIMISED. Key to any successful building project is a positive working relationship between the homeowner, the architect, the contractor and the rest of the project team – and Jane Burnett Prinsloo’s house is a testament to such a rapport. It is obvious that architect Robert de Jager and his client were on the same page from the start. The design went through its evolutionary process and resulted in a building where everything feels just right. Every element is experienced as settled to the extent that it cannot be imagined differently. Situated on the banks of the Liesbeek…

“I WANT TO SURROUND MYSELF WITH THE THINGS I LOVE.” “I DON’T WANT TO BE FUSSING ABOUT MY LIVING SPACE.” "WE GET CAUGHT UP IN ALL THE EXTRANEOUS THINGS ... I didn’t want to have a garage full of stuff I’d use one day, maybe. I want to surround myself with the things I love, because life is so short,” Lesley Fox tells me as she whizzes around her kitchen, cupboards flying open to reveal a fridge, an oven, a coffee station, a washing machine… all hidden behind a wall of doors. She has a meeting in 45 minutes and is doing her best to fit me into a hectic schedule as project manager and operational trainer for Fox Browne Creative. The fact that she spent a total…

The Nigerian parables that he grew up with left a lasting impression on Yinka Ilori. Using traditional African fabrics and eye-catching colours, he transforms vintage furniture into functional pieces of art. Making use of discarded objects is integral to his work. “Sustainable design is important in the current climate, as it can enable us to all live better lives. We need to be more conscious of how we use our natural resources.” His use of fabric is a key component in all of his designs. One fabric in particular, a hand-loomed cloth woven by the Yoruba people of Western Nigeria, has particularly influenced Yinka’s aesthetic. “I remember both my parents wearing this beautiful pink aso-oke cloth with shimmering embellishments to a family wedding,” he says. “I remember it being very…

1. OVERSIZED ELEMENTS Sorry, guys, but size matters in 2017. Some designers exaggerated pockets (Craig Green), others made billowing pants (Rich Mnisi) and Versace maximised jewel-coloured coats to below-the-knee lengths with large lapels. Thom Browne wowed by deconstructing his beloved suit and blowing individual elements up to architectural proportions. “Nao Serati exaggerated his jackets into boxy, loose shapes and paired them with short shorts,” says Nicola. “That kind of layering reminds me of early ’90s Japanese streetwear, and it’s perfect for the South African climate.” 2. DRESSING-DOWN JACKETS The men’s jacket, a staple of any serious wardrobe, is taking a chill pill in the form of bombers, puffers and denim jackets, as seen internationally at D&G, Louis Vuitton and Liam Hodges. Locally, bomber jackets are handled best by the streetwear…

Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye is the designer behind some of the world’s most iconic buildings, including the much-talked-about $540 million Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington, DC, the biggest project undertaken by Adjaye Associates thus far. What has us really excited, however, is his current project in Johannesburg. Situated in Maboneng and set to open in May 2017, Hallmark House is being redeveloped into a luxurious residential building and retail space. We caught up with the acclaimed architect to talk about the building’s design, architecture in South Africa, and the importance of sustainability. “ARCHITECTURE IS THE ULTIMATE ARBITER OF OUR PSYCHE.” How do you feel the design of this building works in a South African context? Johannesburg is a city born of incredible division,…

Those who followed Season 3 of the SABC 3 interior design reality show Win a Home will recognise Minenhle, one of the three finalists on the show who had to transform an apartment at Val de Vie Estate. The centrepiece in Minenhle’s apartment was a dining table that he had designed and that was made by Guideline. He calls it the 426 because it can be extended from a four-seater to a six-seater. The table has a black powder-coated steel frame and brass hinges and trims. Minenhle says his design is a response to the growing need for multifunctional furniture, something that goes hand-in-hand with the evolving use of space as living areas are becoming more open and versatile. The table echoes his design philosophy: It has to be functional,…

The Queen Mary›2 can accommodate up to 1 355 passengers. The QM2 is the only ship of its kind to have dedicated kennels on board, and regularly ferries up to 24 cats and dogs across the Atlantic. The QM2 features the only planetarium at sea. There are five swimming pools, including a large indoor pool in the spa and four outdoor pools, one of which has a retractable roof. One of the ship’s whistles – taken from the original Queen Mary – is audible from 16 km away. The ship towers 60 m above the waterline and is the height of a 23-storey building. The refurbishment, 13 years after the ship was first launched, cost £90 million, or R1,5 billion. London-based SMC Design, a company that specialises in the maritime…

CONSTRUCTED NARRATIVES by David Adjaye, Lars Müller Publishers Story, or narrative, is important to renowned architect Sir David Adjaye. It is fascinating to learn more about the thought processes that have gone into the design of buildings such as the recently completed National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC, a project that has given him occasion to look back on his work over the past 20 years. The book is a collection of essays, photos, floor plans and drawings documenting his approach to projects. For every design, he contemplates things like the climate, terrain and history of a place and how they influence the way people live, and explores materials and architectural types. His investigation of traditional and colonial architecture, also in African cities, has led…

• VISI competitions are open to all South African residents excluding employees of New Media Publishing, employees of the companies supplying the prizes, associated companies and advertising and promotion agencies, and their immediate family members. • The winner will be chosen at the sole discretion of the judges, whose decision will be final. No correspondence will be entered into. • Winners will not be eligible for other prizes for three months after winning a competition. • The prize is not transferable or redeemable for cash. • Neither New Media Publishing nor any of its partners can be held responsible for disputes in connection with prizes or for any loss, damage or injury that may be suffered or incurred by prize winners. • Entrants will be deemed to have accepted these…