The Intrepid Designer

Paper + Cake = Mosaic

Papercake Trading started as most art ventures, unexpectedly. Since its conception it has evolved into a thriving business that now resides in a small shop in Greenside, Johannesburg.

m a d e  i n  a f r i c a . m a d e  w i t h  l o v e . 1 0 0 %  h a n d c r a f t e d  j o y .

Andrea Fox and Anneke Pettenburger form a dynamic artist duo that love exploring new media and ideas within the platform of mosaic and ceramics. There is always something fresh on shelf in terms of products and design. With their team of ladies they produce all artworks and base materials used in various executions ranging from hotel murals to private commissions, retail ranges, corporate and private workshops. Their inspiration stems from the rich tapestry of African life and diversity of the communities we live within. Making what they love pouring 100% into the process. Currently their ranges are an eclectic mix of Afro Baroque, Journey range, Location range, and tiles and metals ranges.

Papercake are continuously spreading their wings in regards to product offering and have added new innovations to their ranges. Custom produced ceramic wall tiles as well as mixed media and relief plaster finishes will lend a fresh edge to any interior. Any design is possible.

Papercake’s uniquely South African products retail to the local and international market through a number of leading African & Decor stores. They supply several ranges and are constantly exploring new ideas to create fresh new products. They enjoy collaboration and often work with clients to create ranges exclusively for their stores or hotels / lodges. Often they simply let their imagination go, to create exclusive art ranges and one off pieces for galleries and individuals.

Paper Cake Trading

 

It's Football Friday - Hats off to SA football's makarapa!

Watch any major South African football match, and two pieces of paraphernalia immediately stand out: one the now widely known vuvuzela trumpet, and the other the makarapa - the modified, decorated miners' helmet unique to South African soccer fans.

After lengthy discussions with the 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC), Fifa finally relented, opting to allow the vuvuzela and the makarapa to be wielded and worn inside the stadiums during the 2009 Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup.

Now, the LOC, along with the International Marketing Council of South Africa (IMC) and South African Tourism, are actively encouraging South Africans to take up the vuvuzela and makarapa in order to give the events a distinctive local flavour.

The sound of the vuvuzela might take getting used to, the makarapa might get in some people's line of sight, but there is no better way of creating that unique, energetic South African atmosphere during a soccer match.

A South African soccer supporter will spend hours adorning his makarapa with the logo and colours of his team, images of a favourite player, words describing the imminent downfall of the opposition, and embellishments such as giant sunglasses.

From protection to decoration

According to a 2010 Countdown programme broadcast by pay-television channel M-Net in January, Alfred "Magistrate" Baloyi - from an informal settlement near Edenvale, east of Johannesburg - made the first makarapa in 1970 to protect spectators from being hit by bottles.

"Gradually, while still keeping its original protective purpose, the helmet has evolved until today's wearer carries the emblems and insignia of the various football teams, a favourite player, or the team's mascot," says Open Writing's Barbara Durlarcher, a South African now living in Canada. "Evolving into a unique and distinctive piece of folk art, it has proved very popular with tourists and football aficionados."

Baloyi hand-crafted his makarapas, but could only complete two a day, and therefore partnered with businessman Grant Nicholls to increase production ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

"Initially we spoke to Fifa," Nicholls told 2010 Countdown's John Webb. "We spent a lot of time registering the company and protecting the rights; we've managed to get an investor; we'll shortly be opening a factory."

The two have had numerous requests for their makarapa's in the run-up to the Confederations Cup, and Baloyi told the programme he hoped it would be a similar scenario ahead of the World Cup.

Training crafters

Cape Town-based graphic designer Michael Souter started Makaraba Makoya as a community project, both to increase the helmet's popularity and to train unemployed South Africans in making them.

"We are still a small company and are in the process of training people from the township communities on the Cape Peninsula in the art of designing and painting these hard hats," Makaraba Makoya says on its website.

According to the company, manually cutting and trimming the hard hats is a difficult skill that its craftspeople work hard at perfecting.

Each final product "is a unique piece of sculptured artwork made from a builder's hard hat - a true reflection of our hands-on, passionate South African soccer culture".

SAinfo reporter - http://www.southafrica.info/footballfridays/makarapa.htm

Get your own - http://www.makarapa.co.za

Celebrate Africa in Johannesburg

Romaana Naidoo

Starting from Africa Day, 25 May and stretching through the 2010 Fifa World Cup, Johannesburg celebrates the art, culture, music and literature of the continent through a variety of activities at venues across the city.

Without Masks

Africa will be celebrated through four major exhibitions at the Johannesburg Art Gallery. The main event will be an Afro-Cuban display entitled Without Masks, says Antoinette Murdoch, the chief curator at the gallery.

Opening on 25 May, the exhibition features work from 25 contemporary Cuban artists, curated by Orlando Hernandes. It will comprise 80 pieces, covering work from 1980 to 2009.

"We have chosen this brief period of Cuban art because in many ways it is in this interval when the treatment of Afro-Cuban themes acquires new characteristics that remarkably contrast with relatively stereotyped, idealised or picturesque nature predominant in former periods, particularly during the entire 19th century and a good part of the 20th century," Hernandes says.

He describes the collection as being a "work in progress", which will include pieces by artists from various generations.

A range of mediums will be on show, such as paintings on canvas and wood; watercolours; drawings; engraving such as xylograving, silkscreen and collography; collages; patchwork; installation; soft sculptures; photography; video installation; and video art.

2010 art show

 

Meanwhile, African artists are exhibiting their works in a huge show at Museum Africa in Newtown. The show is also a parallel event of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, which runs from 11 June to 11 July.

Called SPace: Currencies in Contemporary Art, the exhibition it opened on 11 May and will run until 11 July.

"This is an important pan-African contemporary art exhibition recognised as an official 2010 Fifa World Cup host city event," Sibongile Mazibuko, head of the city's 2010 office, said at the announcement of the exhibition last year.

The city's portfolio head of community development, Bafana Sithole, said: "When the World Cup has come and gone, there should be something of value left behind ... This exhibition is meant to portray the continent's diverse cultures and for African artists to showcase their work. It is also meant to draw global attention to Africa."

Book fair

In celebration of Africa Week, Joburg's library and information services unit has arranged a book fair to highlight the importance of indigenous literature, languages and writers.

On 26 May, there will be Africa Day celebrations at four high schools in Soweto, each school representing a different an African country.

The Bassline in Newtown will host musical greats from across the continent on Reggae Night. Pops Mohammed and Zimbabwe's Oliver Mtukudzi will also perform.

African Union

Africa Day commemorates the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia. On that day, 30 leaders from African countries signed a founding charter with the hope that all African states should unite so that the welfare of their peoples could be assured.

The OAU is the predecessor of the African Union (AU), which aims to secure democracy and human rights on the continent, and sustain Africa's economies by ending intra-African conflict and creating a common market.

The AU, formed in 2002, is made up of 53 African nations and is designed along the lines of the European Union. At present, it has the power to promote African economic, social and political integration.

Source: City of Johannesburg

Furniture Designs with African Roots, Soul and Spirit

M’Afrique by Moroso.

There is an image, an idea of Africa that lives deep in human imagination. Its form often transcends the power of the word and its profile lies under layers of conscious retrieval. It is alive within each one of us on a primordial level, inexplicable yet undeniable. Maya Angelou

the making of Madame Dakar by Bibi Seck and Ayse Birse

The reasons behind a project centred around Africa are explained to us by Patrizia Moroso, who devised the event and asked Stephen Burks to design the installation in Moroso’s Milan showroom in Via Pontaccio:

“multifaceted, modern Africa deserves to be known and sustained for the originality of the creative languages with which it enriches global culture. The African continent is extraordinarily rich in creativity, materials and ideas that are sources of inspiration and nourishment for us. When applied to design, they engender products which exude tradition and modernity, innovation and history, form and beauty. I think there is so much of Africa and in this event my intent was to showcase the creativity of a few of the great artists and personalities of contemporary African culture. Going beyond the stereotypes that present Africa as a tragic or, at best, exotic experience, we want to highlight some aspects of contemporary African culture, which is in effect comparable to global culture. Looking at Africa through the eyes of contemporary art, photography, architecture and design is perhaps the most appropriate way of approaching this vast, powerful continent, so creatively rich and diverse that today it is still one of western modernity’s greatest sources of inspiration”. Patrizia Moroso

Shadowy collection by Tord Boontje

The event presented a few examples of Africa’s power and beauty in the work of some of its leading artists.
Fathi Hassan, who expresses symbolism in various forms through the written word: a tray is like an eternal container that holds and keeps the word. Nubian calligraphy is unusual in that it is composed of symbols, like the leaves of the desert or a nomad’s baggage. Another unmissable installation features the scarab beetles of ancient Egypt which eat precious dust to become immortal.
Soly Cissé, on the other hand, expresses the contrasts of African culture in his work: modernity contrasts with conservatism, the amazing cultural diversities which made the continent artistically rich yet, at the same time, burdened it with a controversial and in some ways mysterious history. His sticky tape-covered chair is a mystic object which belongs to both the past and the present.

Shadowy collection by Tord Boontje

The exhibition rounded off with the beautiful photos of Mandémory, a self-taught photographer who rejects the concept of an ethnographic-realist characterisation of Africa and prefers suggestions, details and portraits in which colour and light intertwine and generate energy.
Then there is David Adjaye, one of the best-known, widely acclaimed architects on the world scene and also a keen photographer. For M’Afrique he presented his photographic documentation of five African cities (Dakar, Addis Abeba, Harare, Pretoria, Bamako), part of a bigger, highly successful exhibition held at Harvard in 2007. His photos are part of a study of new urban planning models and were taken in order to show the key characteristics of the urban – and, if possible, suburban – layout, without the ambition of providing an exhaustive photo study of each city.
David Adjaye was recently appointed by Moroso to design its new main office building in its time-honoured Udine headquarters.

bench by Patricia Urquiola

Madame Dakar by Bibi Seck and Ayse Birse

 

Products made in Africa by local craftspeople:
Last year Moroso started using a hand-weaving technique employing the plastic threads traditionally used for making fish nets. This created the success of Tord Boontje’s Shadowy collection, which we present today in its entirety: chairs, armchairs, loungers and a stool/table in light, light-hearted shapes.
The same technique is now used by Bibi Seck and Ayse Birsel who created a wide range of attractive, softly rounded products, such as Madame Dakar, a enormous armchair as enveloping as a hammock.
Then there’s Patricia Urquiola’s “bench” that sits on the sand like a tree trunk, accompanied by a smaller, single-seat twin and by a low table. Stephen Burks’s creations are equally beautiful: a chair, an armchair and a range of pouffes in various sizes.

Binta by Philippe Bestenaider

Binta by Philippe Bestenaider

 

New products inspired by Africa:
By Philippe Bestenaider, an armchair, Binta; a sculptural form with the solid, heavy look of the baobab rooted to the ground. Binta is upholstered in multicolour patchwork wax prints. Plus the Bogolan Pouffe, made of a very distinctive material – a tyre recycling by-product – printed with decorative motifs.
Patricia Urquiola designed Rift, a range of contract seating inspired by a rift valley. The seating is composed of various, superjacent layers which give the impression of division.

Bogola pouffes by Philippe Bestenaider

Classic products reinterpreted in an African version:
On this occasion, some of Moroso’s iconic designs are upholstered in African fabrics: Ron Arad’s Victoria & Albert and Do-lo-rez, Patricia Urquiola’s Antibodi, Fjord, Bohemien and Lowland; Princess by Nipa Doshi & Jonathan Levien, and Tokujin’s splendid Bouquet chairs.

Do-lo-rez by Ron Arad

Do-lo-rez by Ron Arad

Fabrics:
Another special aspect of African society is its fabrics, which are not simply textiles to buy and sell or to use for clothes. Their decorative motifs convey a kind of text which embodies the people’s social and religious identity. There was no written word in ancient African society and communication was solely oral, therefore each sign conveyed a meaning.
The greatest number of this kind of textiles is designed and made in Senegal. Its strategic geographic position, between the desert, the savannah and the ocean, made the country one of Africa’s main trading bases, transforming it into a rich commercial and cultural workshop. A cross-fertilised universe of styles in which Western-style clothing, most appreciated in urban areas, mixes with traditional ethnic fabrics and costumes.
The fabric African women choose for their typical costume, the boubou, is very important because its richness indicates the family’s social status. Nowadays, the classic fabrics, called pagne, are usually made and printed on an industrial basis. The Dutch firm, VLISCO, leads this particular market; in fact its vast collection of African prints was used for many of the Moroso collection designs.
Other visually stunning fabrics are those designed and made by the Senegalese textile artist Aissa Dione, a symbol of African women’s successful creativity and managerial skills. She applies her pictorial talent to the creation of cotton and raffia textiles.

textiles by Aissa Dione

Lastly, the collection also uses a range of new batik fabrics made by local craftspeople and purchased directly in Africa.

Shadowy collection by Tord Boontje

Shadowy collection by Tord Boontje

Shadowy collection by Tord Boontje

Stephen Burks’s armchair

Stephen Burks’s pouffes

toogou by Bibi Seck and Ayse Birse

bayekou by Bibi Seck and Ayse Birse

bayekou by Bibi Seck and Ayse Birse

Nopolou by Bibi Seck and Ayse Birse

sources: Moroso

Soccer City in Soweto voted best 2010 stadium at prestigious SAPOA Excellence Awards

Professional property owners in South Africa voted Soccer City in Soweto, Johannesburg, as the best designed and developed 2010 Soccer Stadium at the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) Innovative Excellence in Property Development Awards 2010

    

The Department of Foreign Affairs’ new offices and conference centre development in Tshwane was announced as the overall winner in the prestigious Awards.

The R1.2 billion OR Tambo Building in Tshwane, is a Public Private Partnership between government and Imbumba Aganang consortium. Designed by TC Design Architects in JV with ACG Architects, the structure embodies a functional and efficient use of space for staff and the public which is further enhanced by high standards of green design principles.

Accommodating some 2,500 employees, with 1,500 parking bays, the 138,570sqm building includes a state of the art Conference Facility designed to house the African Union and South African Development Community (SADC) conferences.

The OR Tambo Building was also joint winner in the ‘Office’ development category together with The Boulevard Park, owned and developed by Faircape Property Developers, designed by dhk Architects, Peerutin Architects and Rennie Schurr Adendorff.

Scooping top honours in the ‘Retail’ development category is the stylish Morningside Shopping Centre in Sandton, owned and developed by Flanagan & Gerard Property Investment & Development and Grapnel Property Group, and designed by MDS Architecture.
 
Waterstone, a R400 million residential development in Century City, Cape Town, owned and developed by Rabie Property Group and designed by Maas & Coetzee, was the winner in the ‘Residential’ development group.

In the ‘Industrial’ development category, Consolidated Facility for ABB South Africa in Longmeadow, owned and developed by Improvon Properties, received the winning vote. This development also received a special Green Building Award.
 
With its fresh new look, 9 Fredman Drive, owned and developed by Eris Property Group, designed by Boogertman & Partners took the award in the ‘Refurbishment’ category.

Other category winners include: 15 on Orange owned by A Million Up Investments 105, developed by New City Group and designed by dhk Architects (‘Other’ development category), and Healthcare Facility - Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, owned by the Provincial Government of the Western Cape, developed by Red Cross Children’s Hospital Trust and designed by KMH Architects (‘Social’ development category).

Old Town Commercial Island and Residences, Dubai, owned by Emaar Properties and developed by Mirage Mile was the winner in the ‘International’ development category and also received the overall ‘Special Mention’.

In a new, once-off category for 2010 World Cup Soccer Stadiums - Soccer City Stadium in Soweto, owned and developed by the City of Johannesburg, designed by Boogertman Urban Edge & Partners in association with Populous, was named as winner of this topical group. Special mentions included the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, Cape Town Stadium and Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

No winner was chosen in the ‘Mixed-use’ development category, however merits were awarded to Melrose Arch Piazza, owned by Melrose Arch Investment Holdings, developed by Amdec Property Development and MontClare Place, owned by Growthpoint Properties.
 
Neil Gopal, SAPOA CEO, says “the awards highlight quality, excellence in design and innovation – all paramount to the property development industry. The awards also demonstrate the determination of developers to keep abreast of the latest trends and to cater for clients’ building requirements.”

The awards held at Sunc City attracted a record number of entries this year, up from last year’s 46 submissions to 59. “Given the quality and scope of the entries, we’re delighted to see this response to the Awards and the recognition that they provide, both locally and internationally,” says Gopal.

Frank Berkeley, managing executive of Nedbank Corporate Property Finance, the award sponsors, believes that Nedbank’s sponsorship of the Awards helps to encourage and raise the bar for property developers.

“Innovation and a commitment to quality will no doubt improve the industries standing and prospects, and we’re pleased that through our sponsorship we are playing a positive role in helping to achieve this,” says Berkeley.
 
Chairman of the SAPOA Awards Committee, John Truter says that the SAPOA 2010 Awards have successfully met their objectives, by highlighting excellence in property development across the different sectors. “The winners of the various categories and developers who earned a special mention provide a succinct overview of an industry that is capable of outstanding excellence, and this offers a powerful inspiration for the rest of the industry,” says Truter.

Source: http://www.eprop.co.za

Garden Route: Wilderness sets out to sell lifestyle and land

By Bob Hopkin

The Wilderness Ratepayers and Residents’ Association (WRRA) has produced a brochure to encourage potential buyers to consider settling in the village and help new arrivals find their feet.

The brochure, compiled and produced by Pieter Naude of WRRA, took 6 months to create.

“Since Wilderness Tourism was merged with the George office, there has been a lack of emphasis on the village’s attractions and we wanted to redress this situation.

"All of us working on the WRRA love our lifestyle here and want to make others aware of the delights of living in Wilderness.

“It is also a fact that many tourists passing through the Garden Route are tempted to buy property here, so we wanted the brochure to appeal to them also,” Naude said at the weekend.

The leaflet contains information on activities, sport and recreation, emergency and medical contacts, clubs, craft markets, places of worship, transport and municipal services, security, and building regulations, among others.

The costs of the artwork and printing the brochure were shared by SANParks, a local estate agent, two local restaurants and the WRRA.

Naude said 5 000 copies had been printed, of which 3 000 had already been distributed.

Source: The Herald

Building in the Wilderness

Are you thinking of building in The Wilderness? Then please take into account that Wilderness is primarily a nature conservation area and eco-tourism destination that has recently been incorporated into the Garden Route National Park. We also have a sensitive dune structure with frequent dune erosion occurring during high tides, no matter what reinforcements are used.

It is the natural beauty of The Wilderness that draws people here in the first place, so please try to avoid erecting monuments to architectural egos, and rather look towards innovative designs that can blend your lifestyle requirements into our natural environment. Because of the growing dismay at thoughtless development, WRRA offers the following tips and guidelines for anyone thinking of building their retirement or holiday home in Wilderness.

Tips and Suggestions when Building in Wilderness

Design and Architecture

• Our first suggestion is that you appoint a qualified architect who is capable of blending your lifestyle requirements with the environment, in order to satisfy the first without destroying the second. It is extraordinary how many people fall in love with the Wilderness because of the natural backdrop of indigenous vegetation, only to eradicate this when clearing their properties for construction. In Wilderness, prior to clearing the property and starting construction, it is a requirement to have the property inspected by an environmentalist. This person will specify the extent of site clearing that may be undertaken, and prohibit the excessive removal of indigenous vegetation. It may also be necessary to obtain permits from the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) and/or the Department of the Environment if construction involves a "listed activity". We suggest that you ensure compliance with these requirements so as to preserve as much of the natural attraction of the area as possible.
• When considering the type of structure you wish to build, we would encourage you to think smaller rather than bigger, do you really need that extra bedroom? To paraphrase Thomas Fuller "Better one's house is too small for one day than too big all the year after". Wilderness is a tourist village, so there is a lot of accommodation available for those odd occasions when you may be overcrowded, and the savings in construction costs will most likely outweigh accommodation costs. Smaller is also more compatible with maintaining the environment and "sense of place" that is the charm of Wilderness.
• Talk to your neighbours about your plans, and discuss how much impact your home may have on their present lifestyle. For example, if you are going to build a deck that will coincidentally overlook your neighbour's pool, then talk to them about it so that they have the option to plan some additional privacy measures. If you meet a general objection to specific aspects of your home design, then look to discuss these with your neighbours and reach an understanding before construction commences. It is not only good neighbourliness, but also good sense to eliminate as many potential problems as possible at the outset. You will also stand a better chance of turning your neighbours into friends.
• If you are building on the beachfront, then consider the effects that changing weather patterns have on the ocean. Continued global warming will cause sea levels to rise and we will suffer an increased intensity and frequency of coastal storms. Best international practice in the face of sea-level rise and changing coastal dynamics is a managed retreat away from the shoreline. The severity of sand loss on beaches will be decided by coinciding phenomena such as storm events, equinoxes and spring high tides. Any construction too close to the beach interferes with natural sand movement and may impede beach recovery after a serious storm event. Removing sand from beaches increases the severity of erosion, and removing vegetation from dunes destabilises these protective sand barriers and reduces their function as natural sea defences.

Builders and Building Rules

• When your plans have been drawn and approved by the Municipality, call for tenders from as many builders as possible. Ensure that they all quote for the same specifications, and that prices include VAT.
• Ask for references from at least the last three completed jobs. Do not accept references suggested by the builder as these may be the only people who are not suing him.
• Ensure that the builder is registered with the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC), is registered in terms of the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, is a member of the local Master Builders and Allied Trades Association, and has sufficient insurance to cover the building and its contents while under construction.
• Make sure you have a recognised builder's contract, available from the Master Builders and Allied Trades Association, and not one drawn up by the builder himself. The contract must set out the obligations of both parties, and preferably include penalty clauses for late completion, a provision for extending the contract, and a dispute resolution procedure
• Because of the sensitive ecology throughout most of the Wilderness, we suggest that the contract includes the following building rules

The builder must:

1. Obtain an OSCA permit before any removal of trees (indigenous and otherwise) or fynbos from the demarcated footprint area is done. Indigenous vegetation is to be respected and protected with shade cloth where necessary. The OSCA permit must always be available for inspection during clearing operations;
2. In the case of afro-montane forest areas (i.e. where the tree canopy touches), an additional permit must be obtained from DWAF in Knysna before any trees may be removed. This permit must also be kept available for inspection.
3. Ensure that vegetation so removed is not dumped on adjacent properties but is taken to the George municipal dump as soon as clearing has been done.
4. Provide a skip for rubble. Timely arrangements must be made to have it collected when full, emptied and returned to the site. The skip must be on site until the building project has been completed in every respect.
5. Ensure that no rubble is buried on site, except where it is used as landfill under the building being erected.
6. Provide a suitable container for cement and tiling slush and redundant paint. In no circumstances may such slush be emptied on the soil or in the fynbos.
7. Maintain a neat building site throughout the building process. Builders must ensure compliance of their workers.
8. Ensure that all loose material that can be blown about is suitably stowed to prevent littering.
9. Provide a site hut on the property concerned.
10. Provide a chemical toilet for workers and arrange for it to be emptied regularly. The toilet must be positioned as unobtrusively as possible, taking into account and respecting the proximity of neighbours.
11. Provide mixing pans for cement + 1000 mm x 1000 mm (one or more as needed). Under no circumstances may cement be mixed directly on the ground.
12. Not place equipment and building materials on adjacent properties without prior written consent of the owners concerned. Written consent must be available for inspection.
13. Keep the building site neat and orderly throughout the building process.
14. Prevent workers from trespassing on adjacent undeveloped properties to urinate, defecate or for any other purpose.
15. Complete the building project within the time stipulated by the municipal planning department.
16. Upon completion of the building, remove all building materials, equipment and rubble from the building site.
17. Erect a display board on the building site showing the following information until the project has been completed:
1. the name and contact details of the
• owner
• architect
• building contractor and/
• project manager
• structural engineer;
2. the erf number of the building site;
3. the relevant street name.
18. Ensure thatany adjacent property possibly used for storing building materials and equipment is likewise left clean with all materials removed.
19. Ensure that any spillage of building materials onto road surfaces (sand, crushed stone or concrete) by him or his sub-contractors remains his responsibility and must be cleaned up immediately. Failure to do this will result in cleaning to be done by another agent for the account of the building contractor.

Source:  http://wrra.co.za

MDS Architecture: Design Driven

Pat Henry’s a self-confessed perfectionist. A senior partner at MDS Architecture, he created the company’s interior design division in 2000 as an add-on service for clients. Through this division, called Design Base, he is able to provide clients with good architecture, viable projects with good return on investment within their lifespan, and at the same time he can put his interior design skills to good use.

He is currently busy with Phase One of the refurbishment and repositioning of the iconic Sandton City shopping complex, which will see the gross lettable area of the centre increase by over 30 000m2. Phase One is scheduled for completion by the end of 2011. Designed by MDS Architecture in association with London-based RTKL Architects and MMA Architects locally, the repositioning aims to improve the flow of shoppers by connecting the entire mall on both levels. This entails completing the loop between Woolworths at one end and Edgars at the other via a new retail area that’s currently under construction. Connections between upper and lower levels will be more streamlined, access and vehicle flow will be improved, and the complex will offer easier access to the Sandton Convention Centre, Nelson Mandela Square and the broader Sandton area.

‘A new, voluminous entrance court will have an entrance point from Rivonia Road,’ says Pat, adding that the new entrance will provide a ‘street address’ for the centre and create a connection point for the increasing number of pedestrians – especially in light of the new Gautrain station on the adjacent city block. A new external piazza will be positioned at the entrance and will feature a mix of alfresco restaurants and coffee shop seating. From the new entrance, shoppers will find themselves on a cantilevered feature that will be suspended above the 24m-high entrance court. The feature will be perched above the lower shopping level and will offer upward views into the huge volume. ‘An innovative, African-first application of a new roof covering offers complete protection from the elements while allowing light in from both the sun and moon. New ceilings throughout the mall are expected to reflect the aesthetic of the extension, with dark panels replaced by crisp white ceilings and suspended light fittings providing ample light,’ explains Pat. New floor and wall tiling will also be introduced. Contemporary re-cladding of balustrades and demising columns will complement the overall theme and character of the new visual design.

The R1,77-billion refurbishment of Sandton City will help the complex retain its reputation as the leading retail complex in Johannesburg. Much of the refurbishment will be ready in time for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup. ‘When complete, the centre will have a unique feel reflecting much of South Africa’s diverse landscapes,’ Pat says.

Southern Sun’s Sandton Sun hotel lobby will also be refurbished and will have more dining areas and a rooftop restaurant with views of the city, he adds.

‘Sandton City has mastered the art of longevity, and with this new refurbishment will stay contemporary and relevant,’ says Pat, who holds a special affection for the centre, as MDS Architecture was the original architectural firm. Pat has been intimately involved with the Sandton City since its last refurbishment, which was completed 15 years ago.

Another senior partner at MDS Architecture who’s involved in the repositioning of the centre is Tia Kanakakis; Pat’s responsible for the refurbishment of all the existing areas, and Tia heads up the new build.

Pat has been involved in many top commercial projects in South Africa and overseas, including Vaal Mall in Vanderbijlpark; Paarl Mall and Somerset Mall in the Cape; Riverside Mall in Nelspruit; City Mall in Klerksdorp; Planet Fitness Health Clubs countrywide; hotels in Angola, Nigeria and Mozambique, and a number of prestigious projects in Dubai, including the Madinat Jumeirah Arabian Resort.

The design of Vaal Mall, a 50 000m2 regional shopping centre, is another of Pat’s favourite projects. It was guided by a brief to use natural elements from the area. Design Base came up with a plan to evoke the sense of the flowing Vaal River in an industrial heartland, and have given the mall sinuous passages, vaulted ceilings, striking lighting effects, and finishes that draw inspiration from the swirls of the nearby Vaal River.

The same MDS Architects team was used for both the interior and the building design, so a similar ‘swirling river’ theme was consistently applied throughout the mall and the detailing, says Pat.

Pots, planters and timber benches were harmonised through the use of various colours and mosaic detailing, again reinforcing Vaal Mall’s branding and the river theme.

‘High-quality porcelain floor tiles in hues of blue, organic green and natural stone were laid in patterns to simulate running water. A polished, composite marble was inserted into the tiles for jewel-like reflections. The tiles were difficult to lay in curves, but the superb job done by the subcontractor creates the impression that the running water flows into whirlpools and swirls under the promotional courts,’ enthuses Pat. Vaal Mall aptly showcases the practice’s reputation for leadership in retail design, he adds.

Pat joined MDS Architecture in 1987. As a practice it nurtures the highly prized talents of their staff and treats the staff exceedingly well; most of its 65 staff members have been working for MDS Architecture for many years. The partners all share the same principles and values, which they try to instil into their staff and associates. With an excellent reputation built up over 50 years, the practice is renowned for its skill in the sectors of hospitality and leisure, retail development, offices, residential buildings and interiors.

Fiercely loyal to the firm, Pat is proud that MDS Architecture is an award-winning practice that has designed buildings that attract the business, the people and the activity that lead to a sustained performance.

A very stable, settled person who knows what he wants out of life, Pat enjoys relaxing and spending quality time at home and entertaining friends, and loves serving Northern Italian food. He admits to being too much of a perfectionist, but realises that he has to accommodate his clients tastes, wants and needs in their projects.

He believes in his intuitive approach to his work and trades on his gut feelings. For the last 10 to 15 years he has come to prefer classic, contemporary architecture and design. Prior to that he was still developing his style, he says.

Pat’s design work often takes him to Europe for business as well as pleasure, where he gleans the latest interior and architectural trends. When he’s back in South Africa he loves to chill out in the Cape or the Kruger National Park or to fly over to Mauritius to relax on one of their many isolated beaches.

His main passion both at work and at home is design. He’s recently revamped his home in Parktown North, which he shares with his partner of 28 years, magnificent Koi and three dogs – a German shepherd called Pirhan, an inherited Pekinese called Sabu – ‘short for sabotage’ – and his favourite, a miniature dachshund called Amber, who just happens to rule the roost…
+27 (0)11 884 7999,
www.mdsarch.co.za  

Source: http://www.thepropertymag.co.za

Bird Cage custom vintage wallpaper

 The bird design and print has seen it's fair share of popularity and notable red carpet appearances.

Vintage styles have also started raising eyebrows.

Not surprisingly, I happened across this wallpaper blend of the two.

Design your own wallpaper....now that's what I'm talking about! Designyourwall.com

Pure Decadence.

Wilja’s vision of creating functional fine art in the form of couture lighting and chandeliers has been realized via Decadence. Her unique pieces are the product of 8 years professional experience, and a Fine Arts degree majoring in sculpture at Stellenbosch University.

 

The unique beauty of Wilja’s work has firmly established her commercial venture, Decadence, as a trendsetter in the industry.

Wilja’s work has featured in Conde Naste, Visi, House and Garden, Elle, House and Leisure and Fair Lady. She has appeared on Top Billing and Pasella, and is a regular exhibitor at Decorex and Rooms on View.

Her work graces the homes of international celebrities, and is a feature of the décor of top hotels, guest houses and clubs across South Africa.

Decadence is situated at the Old Biscuit Mill on Albert Road in Salt River. The complex houses a broad spectrum of creative ventures, including designers, photographers and art galleries.

Decadence specialise in the design and manufacture of couture lighting and chandeliers.

Styles vary from Roccoco Baroque to African contemporary to Post Modern. In addition, Decadence accepts commissions for custom creations varying from crystal installations, hand-painted furniture, fine upholstery of period pieces, and restoration of antique lights. They also stock a range of exotic tableware, silverware and various home accessories.     

Decadence caters for the discerning buyer as each piece is a unique hand-crafted artwork tailored to the specific needs of their clients.

D is for Decadence

Fabulous Fabrics From The Talented Jesse Breytenbach.

Jesse Breytenbach’s fabrics are block printed by hand, using carved linoleum blocks and water-based textile ink, on locally sourced cotton, linen, and vintage cloth.

Printing with small blocks, arranged to form the pattern repeats, keeps the designs flexible. This means that all designs can be kept in production indefinitely, and new motifs can be incorporated into or easily matched with existing patterns. It allows for endless variations on existing designs and a huge repertoire of possible colour combinations.

Small runs are printed as needed: when making fabric up into sewn items like bags or cushions, the pattern pieces are first cut and then printed, minimizing waste.

Inspiration for designs comes from vintage textiles, botanical prints, comic books, packaging and clip-art illustrations, and needlework, particularly pre-WW2 knitting and embroidery patterns.

Jesse Breytenbach is a member of "The Threadcount Collective".

The Threadcount Collective is a loosely-knit group of independent contemporary textile designers and producers, all living and working in Cape Town, South Africa.

Jesse's a freelance illustrator and printmaker working in Cape Town.

Illustration clients Jesse has worked for include; Maskew Miller Longman, Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, Jutas, Nasou Via Afrika, Marie Claire South Africa, The Jupiter Drawing Room, Struik New Holland, Oshun.

Oshun published her graphic novel I Don’t Like Chocolate.

Jesse's relief prints are printed by hand, either by burnishing or on an old book press.

Her textiles are printed using water-based ink, and cured to be permanent. Fabrics are sourced locally, and are cotten, linen, or a blend of the two. Jesse prints small runs of each pattern, and the base cloths change frequently, so it’s best to contact her directly to find out what she has in stock.

 

Relief prints, textiles and sewn products are available from her Etsy online shop. Wholesale prices are available on request.

Other stockists include The Book Lounge (Cape Town) and Coco Li (Cape Town).

Visit Jesse's blog to find out more about her work.

Jesse's webpage