The Intrepid Designer

Four Cheers: Fourth Green Star SA Certification issued in South Africa

The Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) is thrilled to announce that there are now three buildings in South Africa which have been certified under the GBCSA’s Green Star SA rating system, one of these achieving both a Design and an As Built Certification.

These innovative buildings are starting to set the standards in terms of commercial green buildings and are the first to achieve independent certification in SA, with many more in the pipeline. “We are excited that we are covering both office and retail centre buildings with our current ratings tools, and very pleased with the take up of these tools in the South African market.” says Bruce Kerswill, GBCSA Executive Chairperson.

The GBCSA, after launching the first and second tools in the Green Star SA green building rating system toolset – these being Green Star SA Office v1 and Green Star SA Retail Centre v1 – have awarded four certifications to date and received applications from 15 other projects.

“While a number of projects are working towards the Green Star SA standards and benchmarks and even more using the tool as a guideline, four certifications have already been awarded,” explains Manfred Braune, Technical Executive of the GBCSA.

The first projects certified are:

 

1. Nedbank Phase II in Sandton, is the first project in SA to achieve a 4 Star Green Star SA Office Design v1 rating in October of 2009 as well as a 4 Star Green Star SA Office As Built v1 rating in September 2010;

This 45 000m2 extension of Nedbank’s existing head offices in Sandton Johannesburg, scored highest under the Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ), Management and Transport categories of the Green Star SA tool. The building is designed to capture and recycle rainwater, which will save significant volumes of water daily by reusing it in the building. The project has submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment for an onsite blackwater treatment plant (sewage treatment) that is pending approval from the authorities.

Nedbank Phase II has provided increased fresh air rates to the building (as compared to national building code), a CO2 monitoring system and maximised external views – these are all initiatives that improve the indoor environment quality, and impact on the occupants’ health, comfort and productivity. To save energy the project has also included an efficient central air-conditioning plant, variable speed drives for air-conditioning and an individually addressable digital lighting control system. The water savings will largely be achieved through the use of water efficient fixtures and fittings, as well as the rainwater treatment plant. The development is in close proximity to the Gautrain, and to regular taxi and bus routes, as well as to amenities that are in walking distance, which are all aspects that contributed towards the high scores achieved under the transport category.

 

 

2. Nedbank Ridgeside in Durban North received a 4 Star Green Star SA Office Design v1 rating;

Nedbank Ridgeside, the first project in KZN to achieve a Green Star SA rating, is a 9 300m2 new office building in the Ridgeside office park development on the Umhlanga Ridge. Developed by Zenprop, with Nedbank as the tenant, the architecture is “contemporary, but with a strong ecologically sustainable design influence” says David Talbot of dhk architects, the lead designers.

The project scored highest under the Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ), Energy and Water categories of the Green Star SA tool.

In the IEQ category, this was achieved largely through increased fresh air rates to the building, CO2 monitoring and control of the office space, as well as maximising the daylight into the building, maximising external views and using low VOC paints (Volatile Organic Compounds), low formaldehyde composite wood products. To save energy the Nedbank Ridgeside project has included an efficient central air-conditioning plant, highly efficient fluorescent office lighting design and a light switching zoning strategy. The water savings will largely be achieved through the use of water efficient fixtures and fittings, as well as through rainwater capture and recycling, as well as reduced potable water requirements for landscaping.

 

3. The Villa Mall in Pretoria received a 4 Star Green Star SA Retail Centre Design v1 rating in October of this year.

Villa Mall is the first project in South Africa to achieve a Green Star SA – Retail Centre Design v1 rating. This new, 130 000m2 shopping centre in Pretoria, which is being developed by Capicol, plans to have over 300 tenants, and scored highest under the Management, Energy, Transport and Water categories of the Green Star SA tool, says Braune.

In the Management category, this was achieved largely through committing to extensive commissioning of equipment, quarterly monitoring for the year after practical completion, as well as the development of a ‘green lease’ that tenants are signing. The main aims of the green lease are to ensure that quantities of energy, water and waste are monitored, tracked and improvements targeted annually, with related responsibilities between the landlord and tenant recorded in the green lease. To save energy the project design has included energy efficient Variable Refrigerant Volume systems for air-conditioning of tenancies, a highly efficient lighting design as well as a large photovoltaic (PV) array on the roof of the parking deck. According to the design, the PV array will be the largest in the country to be located on a building – approximately 2MW peak power.

The water savings will largely be achieved through the use of water efficient fixtures and fittings, as well as through grey water (shower and basin water) and rainwater capture and recycling, and reduced potable water requirements for landscaping due to selection of plants that will not require irrigation - these are all aspects included in the project design.

Green Star SA is a voluntary green building rating system under which developers may apply to have their projects rated and certified by the GBCSA.

The Green Star SA tools are designed for use by owners, developers and consultants (architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, project managers, building contractors etc.) to independently rate and certify property developments via a common green building ‘language’ . The tool encourages these stakeholders to minimise the environmental impacts of their developments, and to receive recognition for their design initiatives.

Braune advises that the key objectives of the Green Star SA rating tools are as follows:

• to provide an objective independent framework and standard for the measurement of green building
• to establish a common language and act as a guide to building green
• to recognise environmental leadership
• to promote green buildings and environmental sustainability in the built environment
• promote integrated, whole-building design,
• raise awareness of green building benefits,
• reduce the negative environmental impact of developments

Nicola Milne, CEO of the GBCSA says that the GBCSA is currently working on its third tool, Green Star SA for Multi Unit Residential buildings, which it aims to launch in PILOT form in December 2010.

“We are very excited to have awarded our first 4 Green Star SA certifications and with the number of applications coming in. It is a significant task for developers to put together a submission and the fact that we are seeing good uptake of the tools shows that the South African property industry is ready to adopt global best practises in green building,” concluded Milne.

For more information about Green Star SA, certification and professional accreditation and courses offered by the GBCSA, visit www.gbcsa.org.za or email [email protected].

Article from www.gbcsa.org.za

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Green innovation: Lumber Made from recycled Newspaper?

“A reversing of a traditional production process;
not from wood to paper, but the other way around.”

NewspaperWood (KrantHout)

Every day, piles of newspapers are discarded and recycled into new paper. Mieke Meijer has come up with a solution to use this surplus of paper into a renewed material. When a NewspaperWood log is cut, the layers of paper appear like lines of a wood grain or the rings of a tree and therefore resembles the aesthetic of real wood. The material can be cut, milled and sanded and generally treated like any other type of wood.

 

status | Mieke Meijer is currently working together with designlabel Vij5 to develop NewspaperWood and in a later stage products will be included into the product
collection of Vij5. This project is realised with the help of the Dutch newspaper ‘Eindhovens Dagblad’.

Inspiring Recycled Furniture For The Imagination

"I love creating functional art from discarded non functional junk"

Katie Thompson

      
Interior designer Katie Thompson began Recreate last year – a redecorating and renovating design label that transforms discarded junk in to unique and useful interior design pieces. Here are some of her more recent items…

In her latest collection she has made the suitcase chair, milk pail ottomans, tea cup and saucer lamp and coffee table tub. All these are really special statements and yet so functional and practical.

   


Katie blends South African craftsmanship with high end finishes and makes use of her own eclectic and perfectionist flair for design. Her original pieces are created with honesty and integrity and are always full of surprises.

Recreate’s philosophy is to continuously strive for the unconventional in every project. While her pieces may be unusual, they are timeless.

     


Graduating with a distinction from Design Time School of Interior Design in Cape Town, Katie has seven years experience in the design, furniture and fabric industry in London and Cape Town behind her name.

The inspiration behind Recreate was Katie’s passion for transforming the ordinary in to the extraordinary.

Katie never works within established stylistic boundaries. She creates an eclectic combination of styles, materials and finishes; this skill highlights her passion and her ability to find the intrinsic beauty and new, hidden purpose in the old, discarded items she chooses for her pieces.

She admits to being a hoarder of all things useless, impractical, broken, colourful and shiny. Many of us would cast away such things but her creative mind resurrects such items and gives them a new lease on life.

By nature an extremely energetic, bubbly and creative individual, Katie’s energy filters through to her work and into her pieces and the lives of her clients.

Recreate is a beautiful, modern and contemporary design line with plenty of possibilities.

Source: Recreate

Damn sexy!!! Handmade and beautiful - Turning heads in Jozi.

In between projects I keep myself out of trouble with a bit of creative doodling.  Generally this has included making a bird feeder, sewing lamp shades, making scatter cusions, and of late... I've gone moggy over beading. I've made some beautiful pieces, some vintage style, some whimsical, some outrageous and daring. I'm now selling these uniquly individual peices on Jamtin. Just in time for  Christamas gifts!!!

I use the highest quality findings, Fresh water and cultured pearls, Swarovski crystals, Czech glass, semi-precious gems, designed locally by yours truely. Jewellery can be ordered from the Jamtin store and will be delivered via courier, within 1-3 days,

Overseas orders: Please use an online currency converter to convert the ‘South African Rand’ or ‘ZAR’ prices into your currency.

How to order: Send me an email at [email protected] and let me know what you would like to purchase. I will email you an invoice and you can pay via an EFT.

Diamond in the rough, Hotazel bush lodge.

My latest project was a small private lodge purposely built for a mineral mining group. 

       

The lodge is situated just outside the aptly named town of Hotazel, and is as far off the beaten path without crossing any borders, as one can imagine, complete with rolling tumble-weed and mini dust tornadoes.

Set on a bush-covered, featureless plain, Hotazel is home to Samancor’s Mamatwan open-quarry manganese ore mine and sinter plant, and underground manganese ore mine and railway terminus. 

The décor and furnishings of KMR Lodge are Africa-inspired with an elegant contemporary edge, with beautiful jaw-dropping handmade twig chandeliers, stylishly coordinated upholstery and objet to compliment the aesthetic . The rooms are each equipped with air-conditioning and en-suite bathrooms.The lodge also features a disabled unit.

  

7 Thatched chalets are spread out in V-formation on either side of the lodge club house, offering panoramic views of the Northern Cape landscape and vast bird population. Each unit is uniquely decorated and sophisticatedly accessorised.

The lodge club house facilitates a dining area, lounge, and pub. The outside lapa offers a beautiful evening boma, a welcome swimming pool and covered area to take the sting out of its onomatopoeic name. 

 

Special thanks to Phambili Interiors for the opportunity to work on such a rewarding project; Eco Log Homes, Campos Transport, Highthorn and Craft steel, Blok Products, Amatuli, Sleepeezzi, Sorelle, Jungle furniture, Jungleboard, Pyramid Pictures, Mainstream Media, Paras rugs, Patio solutions, Bare essentials and Continental Linen.

Imiso Ceramics - Hands On Talent

The intriguing, beautiful works of Imiso Ceramics (imiso meaning ‘tomorrow’ in Xhosa) are earning their creators accolades around the world.

The burgeoning business was started four years ago by Andile Dyalvane and three contemporaries. Of the founders, Andile and Zizipo Poswa remain, and they’ve since been joined by Lulama Sihluku.

Andile talks to Genevieve Fisher about going glocal, how his cultural identity informs his work, and what the Japanese have to teach local designers.

What do you understand the term ‘glocal’ to mean?
Local going global! In terms of design this means we have something unique to offer the world, something that can fit in anywhere and that is as good as any of its global competitors, if not better.

To what do you accredit your success in the European and American markets?
My work reflects my background and personal experiences of having been brought up in the Eastern Cape according to Xhosa traditions. The pieces I create are not only of a high quality, but are also aesthetically pleasing to many people from different walks of life. People like to surround themselves with beauty and are always looking for something unique and original. European and American markets have recognised this and appreciate our work because of it. They’ve found something original and appealing with a hint of its origin. I like to think that the success of my products is due to the fact that I create culturally relevant, beautiful pieces that slot into a contemporary context.

What, in your opinion, is key to South African designers making a success of their products globally?
In order to create something beautiful and eye-catching, one shouldn’t have to look too far – you’ll find inspiration in your backyard if you need to. Most SA designers I know who have made an impact globally use what they have at their disposal in their immediate surroundings. Heath Nash is a great example: he not only uses material that many consider junk – plastic – to make beautiful products, but he also educates people about recycling and being environment friendly. In my work, I take African artefacts and reinterpret them into contemporary items. The fact that we can be innovative with the little infrastructure that we have,  yet still be able to produce high-quality original products, is the key to our success.

How does your nationality inform your work?
I draw on my experiences as a young black Xhosa man growing up in the Eastern Cape. My personal experiences are reflected in each piece I create. Through my work, I try to educate the world about African culture. I incorporate certain symbols that bear cultural significance. One of these is scarification, which is a prominent cultural practice of Xhosa people as well as other African cultures and symbolises the process of healing or the ritual of circumcision, among others. I like to create a space for enquiry, to talk to people about it if they ask, or for them to find out about it on their own terms. Questioning is encouraged and our shop attendants are well versed in every aspect of the design process, from the symbols employed to the materials used.  The certificates of authenticity that accompany each product explain the source of inspiration for that particular piece.

World Cup aside, why do you believe the world is falling in love with our design aesthetic?
SA design is vibrant. We are also a flexible people, always looking to collaborate. It allows for innovation. There’s also an element of hope in South African design, which we can attribute to what we’ve been through historically as a people. No matter what we’ve been through or where we come from, we can elevate people’s lives through the products we make. Our design products have a lot of substance.

Which SA designers do you admire?
I’ve already mentioned Heath Nash. I’m also inspired by Haldane Martin – his work is African in a contemporary way, which is important as it shows where he comes from. More than this though, his creations could fit into any context around the world. He’s talented, doesn’t shy away from his background and retains originality.

You’ve just returned from the Milan Furniture Fair. How was it?
I’m grateful that I get to travel to different parts of the world – it expands my mind. My attending the Milan Furniture Fair this year was a chance for me to explain the philosophy and inspiration behind my work. What I realised is that the world really is looking at South Africa, particularly with the World Cup imminent.  It was also a wonderful experience to be able to educate people about my work and all that informs it. Seeing people’s reactions to the transformation of a simple piece of clay was very rewarding.

 Who stood out for me, though, were the Japanese designers. They’re inspiring! They work with something simple, but they master their craft and technology and are totally dedicated to what they do. It reflects in their work, and this resonates with me. It is what I aim to achieve in my own work – attention to detail and mastering my craft so that people can see that I’ve taken time and applied a lot of thought to producing a piece.

Imiso Ceramics, +27 (0)21 421 1071,
imisoceramics.co.za  

Source: The Property Magazine
 

Eddie Zoom Keeps the 60’s Alive in Cape Town

How music, fashion and art has influenced this furniture store owners career

   

Eddie Zoom is certainly one of Lower Kloof Streets more prominent stores, with it’s bright red exterior. It invites furniture collectors, but also those who are simply curious to learn what this store is all about. A step inside this unusual furniture store can only be described as travelling back to the 60’s and 70’s - an era when chrome, aluminum and plastic reigned supreme. There’s a story behind all this furniture, not merely regarding the era that it represents, but within the extraordinary life of the shops owner, the original Eddie Zoom. He supplies retro furniture to the international film industry and has even designed for the likes of Billy Connolly. I caught up with Eddie, keen to find out more about the major influences that music, fashion and art have had on one man’s eclectic design career.

What sparked your interest in 60’s and 70’s furniture? Did your parents occupations involve furniture?

Eddie:  “My father is an antiques restorer in Jersey, Channel Islands, although I have never been involved with his business. I started off as an antiques dealer, some 20 years ago, collecting 17th and 18th century French decorative items and chimney pieces. I would regularly frequent antiques dealers in Newark, United Kingdom, where some 5000 dealers would attend.

“It wasn’t until a visit to an eccentric friends house, that I became transfixed with eccentric, retro furniture. His home was fitted with aluminum, chrome, plastic chairs and retro light fittings – an inspiration to start collecting myself. I started to display retro furniture in the shop window of my antiques store on Lilly Road, Fulham, United Kingdom and, at first, people scoffed: ‘Where did you find that, Eddie? In a skip?’, but I knew it was going to happen.”

You spent seven years at design art college. Where were you based and what did you study?

Eddie: “I studied ladies fashion and textiles and fine art, at what is now known as the University of Lancashire, United Kingdom. My studies also touched upon photography and printing and it was during this time that I began to make one-off-design pots. When I left university, I went on to work at popular London fashion house, Harold and Geoffrey Wallace. I have always had an interest in fashion, as I feel that it bears such a large influence on interior design. For example, the tassels and bell bottomed trousers of the 50’s and 60’s.”

You travelled the world for 16 years. Did you draw any inspiration from your experiences?

Eddie: “I was particularly inspired by Italy – this country is home to natural born designers – some American and other European designers. I particularly love; Pier Giacomo & Achille Castiglioni, Italian designers, for their 60’s floss, ‘Tio floor lamp’, with it’s marble base; Verner Panton, a Danish designer, for his independent, mushroom-style light fittings; and Eero Sarinnen, a designer from Finland, for his tulip-style chairs. I enjoyed the arts and crafts period and believe that the likes of Charles Rennie Macintosh and Frank Lloyd Wright were ahead of their time.”

What influences have you drawn from your experience in the music industry?

Eddie: “I spent my younger days managing bands. I played percussion for the Rolling Stones and, in 1969, performed at the Hyde Park Concert. I also ran London’s legendary Marquee Club, which hosted some of the most influential bands of the 60’s and 70’s such as, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zepplin . The 50’s and 60’s was the era of my youth and I am reliving it through my passion for furniture from this period.”

How did you come to help compile Millers Antiques Books?

Eddie: “Having visited my original store in London, Zoom, Millers Antiques saw that I had the most amazing collection. It was something new that captured the changing art, fashion and music of the 60’s and 70’s. I started to provide photographs for collectors all over the world. My photography is mainly of 20th century designs, for example, a Charles Earnes Chair.”

You rent props to the film industry. How did this come about?

Eddie: “I supply props to the international film industry. For example, I was asked to provide props for Daniel Craig, of Bond movie fame such as, Albini lights. Rather notably, comedian, Billy Conolly, once asked me to design a studio with a stone age feel.”

Has your move to South Africa inspired your work?

Eddie: “My son is based here, so this is one of the main reasons I moved to South Africa. However, I am inspired by the basic, natural forms of design synonymous with South Africa.”

What makes Eddie Zoom unique compared with other furniture stores in Cape Town and can you describe some of your more prominent items?

Eddie: “It’s an original store that is inspired by the classics. I am a firm believer in one-of-a-kind collectors items and even design my own. For example, I have designed my own lamp. This lamp is heavily influenced by Verner Panton and Joe Columbo and is a floor standing lamp that gives the impression of four floating Saturn’s. I currently stock a Tecno Adjustable lounge chair, which has an incredible 486 positions, and a genuine, Eero Sarinnen table.”

How would you describe a typical Eddie Zoom customer?

Eddie: “Our customers are people who are new to retro furniture, but are excited about it and want to know more. Conversely, we also get avid collectors coming through our doors who are well read on the subject.”

What does the future hold for Eddie Zoom?

Eddie: “I just want to keep doing what I love most. I would love the opportunity to help decorate more interiors and would like to continue helping the film industry. I am not just a shop keeper; I am a dealer’s dealer and I am passionate and knowledgeable about what I do. I welcome anyone to come and have a browse and an informal chat.”

For more inspirational and unusual stores, be sure to visit our popular Shopping Section

By Lisa Nevitt

Source : Cape Town Magazine

The Barnard Gallery - Where the art is

With its narrow streets, quaint cottages and soaring oak trees, Newlands Village seems to have come straight out of a brochure for a suburb in North West London. You couldn’t ask for a more perfect setting for a fine-art gallery, and it’s here that you’ll find The Barnard Gallery. It’s across the road from the Kildare Centre and its boutique stores (Lulu Tan Tan, Hush Clothing, Tanya Wheeler and Rosenwerth) and diagonally opposite Melissa’s, so the ‘ladies who lunch’ will have a fine time getting their art fix.

‘I believe the exhibitions we will be holding will encourage more people to come to the area,’ says owner Christiaan Barnard.

The Barnard Gallery is not Chris’s first foray into the arts. The son of famous heart surgeon Dr Chris Barnard and mom Barbara, Christiaan was raised in a home filled with magnificent artworks. ‘My mother worked for Sotheby’s and my grandfather was a big collector, so art was a part of our world.’

Chris is quick to admit that his personal collection is still a work in progress: ‘I have some beautiful pieces, but I definitely need to add more. I recently renovated my home, so there are lots of empty walls that need filling!’ He describes the décor in his home as ‘safari lodgy’ and that the works he owns tend to have more of a rough African texture: ‘Peter Beard and Dylan Lewis are my style.’

In his younger years, Chris studied graphic design at the A A A college in Cape Town, and then studied interior design through correspondence. He’s dabbled in various aspects of design for the past 11 years, starting off in residential interior design before turning his hand to the commercial side of the business. ‘I tired of the residential side,’ he explains. ‘You work so hard, yet few people get to appreciate what you’ve done. And clients can be so fickle. It all got a bit tedious.’

So Chris entered the property market, where he could buy land, develop it and carry out the commercial design work himself.
Today he owns several prime properties in Cape Town, including the Newlands building that houses the new art gallery.
His talent for interior design can be seen at the popular Mouille Point restaurant Pepénero, which is run by renowned restaurateur Paul Kovensky. Chris and Paul are also part-owners of Paranga restaurant in Camps Bay.

And it’s not only these businesses to which he’s applied his skills. In 1999 Chris ran an art gallery in Napier Street in trendy De Waterkant, and he currently owns the upmarket décor store, Pa Kua at the V & A Waterfront, which showcases a mix of South African and international wares.

The young entrepreneur describes his decision to open The Barnard Gallery as a strategic one: ‘I realised that many art galleries have closed or been sold recently, and it made me think it was a good time to enter the market – that there was a real need for a new gallery, because the industry is in turmoil.’ Regardless of these troubles, there has still been considerable investment in South African art recently, and Chris believes it’s because people see art as a reliable investment.

Chris’s other reason for opening the gallery is more sentimental: ‘Too many people are looking for financial reward from art. I’m really doing this out of passion! My dream is to sell art that I love,’ he says. ‘I know that this might eventually become a problem; art is so much in the eye of the beholder, so I might have to draw the line somewhere.’

The Barnard Gallery is a large, airy, double-volume space, essential for maximising the artwork’s appeal. It’s modern and sparse, with a spiral staircase in the centre leading upstairs to Chris’s business offices.

Chris is excited about his future line-up of artists. May saw the launch of a joint exhibition by Willie Bester, Rachelle Bomberg, Robert Slingsby, Norman Catherine, Gail Catlin and Uwe Pfaff. This will be followed by solo exhibitions by Rachelle Bomberg, Robert Slingsby and Willie Bester. Previous exhibitions showcased the works of Philip Briel and Paul du Toit. ‘All the artists we have are fantastic, and their reaction to the gallery has been so positive.’

Chris is a true Capetonian. He admits he’s considered leaving South Africa, though he can’t see himself making the move: ‘My brother, an investment banker, now lives in Zurich, which he loves, and although I visit him often, it isn’t for me. I haven’t found anywhere else in the world that suits me as much as Cape Town. Really, where else is there to live?’

In his downtime, Chris loves nothing better than being outdoors, preferably in False Bay on his surfboard if the waves are good. Otherwise he enjoys jogging in the wild or mountain climbing. ‘I also play a bit of guitar!’ he confides laughingly.

This year is proving a busy one for Chris. In addition to lining up artists for  The Barnard Gallery, he’s getting married in October. The Barnard Gallery, +27 (0)21 671 1553

Source: Thepropertymag

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

Karin Miller: I wear my mask for warmth

Karin Miller is back with more gorgeous, eccentric and playfully confronting work. In this exhibition she opens a new discussion about sexuality and gender too. 

From April 22 at Focus Contemporary’s new gallery at 67 Loop Street, Cape Town, tel: +27 21 4225996 

The artist combines traditional artwork skills and photography with modern technology, creating a fusion of past and present, personal and public. She has developed a unique style that exudes a rich eclecticism, playfulness, quirky humour and a post-modern element of neo-baroque. often gathered around a central female figure, each facet of the image is carefully chosen and placed to form unexpected combinations and compositions.

“Sometimes” she explains, “I spend days looking for a haunting face in an old photograph, or a beautiful pattern in an antique print.” Her tactic is to transform the everyday into something captivating. With meticulous attention to detail, she can convey theatrical flamboyance with splashes of parody. Her work often subtly expresses a uniquely South African ambience.

Karin Miller was born in Pretoria in 1957. From an early age, she spent hours drawing, cutting and pasting images to create new impressions and new worlds. She trained as a graphic designer at the Tshwane University of Technology and spent many years working in this field. Karin later studied Fine Arts at Unisa, and eventually moved into the digital art-making field.

Karin Miller’s work speaks of a new South Africa, where the past is not forgotten, but revisited. She creates her very own vision of a new African renaissance.

Karen Miller: I wear my mask for warmth Opens 22 April 2010

Focus Contemporary’s new gallery 67 Loop Street, Cape Town Telephone: +27 21 4225996

Email: [email protected] www.focuscontemporary.co.za

Source: BacktoSA