The new year has us updating our old routines around the house, and fresh linens seem like one of the easiest ways to make a clean start. This week, we’ve gathered up five beautifully crafted towels to help spruce up the bath and get us going on cold mornings….
Continue Reading…
Named World Design Capital 2014, and host to the influential annual Design Indaba conference, Cape Town has left Johannesburg out of the spotlight. Most recently Adidas and Michel Gondry have both made their mark in “Jo’burg” with projects that may just change common notions of what some believe to…
Continue Reading…
1. Grass-Mud Horse Style In a remark on Chinese Web censorship artist Ai Weiwei mocked PSY’s ubiquitous Gangnam Style video with his own version, Grass-Mud Horse Style. Still online outside of China, the video shows Weiwei in handcuffs, which he says “should belong to law enforcement but in many…
Continue Reading…
South Africa’s diverse cycling culture celebrated in a beautiful book
While commuting by bike has long been a natural choice in countries like the Netherlands and China, other nations around the world are only just starting to consider it a serious mode of transportation. In South Africa bike culture is lacking—especially outside of major cities—but cyclists Stan Engelbrecht and Nic Grobler aim to change that. Taking to their own bikes, the enterprising duo rode nearly 4,000 miles around South Africa for the past two years photographing people who use bicycles everyday as their main means of transport.
From their extensive endeavor they produced “Bicycle Portraits“—a series of three books featuring a motley of 162 cyclists and their bikes. Originally intended as a study on South African commuter culture, the books go well beyond beautiful imagery. Engelbrecht and Grobler began a conversation with each person they approached about how their bike fits into their lifestyle, pairing their unique stories—along with the person’s name and location—with their portraits to showcase a diverse range of enthusiasts united by their passion.
Adding even more charm to their handsome set of books, Engelbrecht and Grobler tapped South African artist Gabrielle Raaff to hand-paint individual watercolor maps for each cyclist’s location. The overall layout builds a story that is as visually alluring as it is informative, enticing readers to understand the distinct relationships the cyclists have with their bikes.
Engelbrecht and Grobler detailed the project in greater depth in a recent TED Talk they gave in Stellenbosch, but explain on the “Bicycle Portraits” website that their main objective is to “promote cycling as a means of independent transport to empower the underprivileged, and in fact, to encourage everyone capable to ride a bike as an alternative to driving a car, or even using public transport.”
Designed by Gabrielle Guy, the books are now available for purchase online, and will ship internationally. Those who pre-ordered a book in Cape Town will receive their copy by bike delivery, which Grobler tells us has been “an awesome experience” so far. “Bicycle Portraits” sells as a set of three for $100 or for $39 each.
See more of Engelbrecht and Grobler’s portraits in the gallery below.
Four highlights from our guide on what not to miss in South Africa’s Mother City
Cradled by a striking 360-degree panorama of a horseshoe-shaped mountain range and the sparkling sea, Cape Town is one of the most gorgeous places on Earth. South Africa’s Mother City has historically been a harbor destination, beginning with European merchants who would stop off on their way to the Indies through to today, where it remains a Riviera-like draw for a host of international tourists. That’s changing, though, as progressives like Design Indaba founder Ravi Naidoo, Taj Hotel General Manager Michael Pownall and a myriad of thoughtful artists and designers reshape people’s perception of the town center. Home to the nation’s Houses of Parliament, Cape Town’s urban area is much more than its notorious Long Street—the city’s main drag reminiscent of Bourbon Street. Together in post-Apartheid Cape Town, a melting pot of nationalities has generated a meaningful downtown community and exciting place to visit. As the World Design Capital for 2014, many creative developments are sure to come.
To help navigate the bustling town center and beyond, we’ve added 10 jumping off points to our CH Local edition dedicated to Cape Town. Here are four highlights.
The Woodstock Foundry opened in March 2012 as a bright and airy space intended for mixed creative use. Besides the working foundry, the three-story building also houses several design stores and studios, including O.live’s, Dear Ray Jewelry, Selah, The Lobby Hair Shop and West Street Cafe—a great place to stop and relax over a glass of Pinotage or Viognier. On our visit, we had a chance to check out the remarkable Southern Guild exhibition, “Recollect”, which featured a myriad of works by notable South African designers, such as Porky Hefer, Heath Nash, Haldane Martin, Bronze Age and Laduma Ngxokolo.
For a look at South Africa’s emerging contemporary artists, be sure to stop by the WHATIFTHEWORLD gallery a block away, housed in a crisp white Cape Dutch style building. Currently on view is “Truth Lies Here”, a solo show by Cape Town-based artist Dan Halter, who explores the “integration and disintegration of the fabric” of his native Zimbabwe.
From the well-designed kitschy decor to the equally quirky yet super friendly staff, Royale Eatery is already a great place to grab a bite in Cape Town, but the burgers make it a must. Vegetarians will delight in an extensive menu of meat-free options, which includes patties made from lentils, marinated tofu, black beans, falafel or a mushroom. Burger connoisseurs can also choose from a selection of meats including pork, pure beef, ostrich and lamb. If you don’t start with a Classic Royale (or the recently added Burgerac burger), the best bet is to go with one of their house concoctions. We recommend Jenga Jeng’s BopBop burger, a beef or chicken base topped with pickles, tomatoes, red onions, homemade mustard-mayo and “Mama’s Son of Bitch chili sauce”.
Located at the start of Long Street, dinner at Royale (be sure to book a table in advance) is a great way to start a night. Then head upstairs to The Waiting Room—a lounge that doubles as Royale’s waiting room in the evening and a place to catch live bands or dance to DJs later on—or stroll over to Rafiki’s about a half-mile away on Kloof Nek Road for some drinks on its expansive veranda.
Centrally located in the heart of downtown Cape Town, the Taj Hotel opened up in 2010 as an opulent antidote to the glossy hotels sprinkling the tourist laden harbor. Its convenient proximity to the more intriguing urban offerings is just the tipping point. The Taj Cape Town boasts amazing views of Table and Lion’s Head mountains and the sprawling city below—including the historic Town Hall and Houses of Parliament. Nothing is left for want at Taj, and while geared toward the business-minded side of design, the rooms provide a tranquil atmosphere dotted with Indian-inspired furnishings. Various rooms on the Wale Street side include a bathtub with a glass wall, allowing you to take in the majestic views going while soaking in Molton Brown bubbles.
Whether staying in the hotel or not, we recommend having a meal at Mint, the ground floor restaurant serving up consistently delicious fare. Try the traditional Indian breakfast, or, if you’re staying at the hotel be sure to order the utterly fantastic jalapeño chili poppers—still deep fried but a more delectable take on the classic American bar snack.
Anthony Gird and Michael de Klerk make Honest Chocolate right in the back of their Cape Town shop, dutifully stirring, molding and wrapping it all by hand. The duo’s raw, organic cacao confections have become quite legendary both in town and abroad, and they continue to finesse their range, which currently includes mouthwatering bonbon truffles, infused chocolate bars packaged in paper designed by Capetonian artists, and the ultimate chocolate spread for toast or fresh fruit.
Whether you prefer dessert before or after a meal, there are two choice spots for lunch nearby on Bree Street. Birds Boutique Café is great for a super fresh sandwich or savory bowl of pasta, or try Clarke’s for a refined greasy spoon—the croissant-like buns on their burger are worth stopping by for alone.
For more great jumping off points, check out our full CH Local: Cape Town guide.
With contributions from Cape Town designer Craig Pickard
Photos by Karen Day
South Africa’s rural oasis offering a garden of earthly delights
Located about 40 miles outside Cape Town in the renowned wine region of Franschhoek, the lush 500-acre Babylonstoren feels more like a utopia than a farm. Originally cultivated by French Huguenot refugees in the late 1600s, today the former estate’s historic grounds house a staggeringly beautiful maze of gardens and vineyards populated by crisp, traditional Cape Dutch-style buildings.
As the name suggests, the ethereal landscape is inspired by “the mythical garden of Babylon”, as well as its geographic heritage as the halfway point for merchants traveling between Europe and Asia. Diverse vegetation containing more than 300 varieties of organically grown plants, including prickly pears, peach trees, indigenous passion fruit and water lilies, pumpkin and more, supplies Babylonstoren’s restaurant, Babel, which offers up a rustic menu of seasonal fare in its glass-enclosed dining room or outside on the lawn.
On a recent trip to Babylonstoren, we noshed on a feast of sausages, beef and fish, along with fruit, vegetables and wine, a vibrant spread that reflects what you’ll find walking around the functional “werf” (farmyard). Meanwhile, free range pigeons, turkeys and other birds roam around their whitewashed fowl house in a sunny courtyard.
If you walk past the petanque court and into the well-structured garden labrynth, you’ll also come across several of Porky Hefer‘s cocoon-like woven nests. The South African designer based the large-scale nests on those typical of the weaver bird, and climbing inside one gives you a bird’s eye view of the delicately towering flowers surrounding it.
Babylonstoren’s bucolic oasis is also home to 14 cottages among its restaurant and gardens. As a vacation destination, designer Karen Roos’ converted property goes well beyond traditional agritourism and instead offers visitors an unexpected retreat among the South African countryside.
Learn more about what Babylonstoren is growing on their blog and book a table at Babel or one of the Cape Dutch cottages on their website.
Photos by Karen Day
South Africa’s premier conference on bettering the world through creativity
Now in its 17th year, the world-class conference, Design Indaba explores how to better the world through creativity and design innovation. For three days, the annual Cape Town-based summit brings together an international collective of visionary leaders to share ideas and new ways of thinking. The conference showcases South Africa as a hotbed for forward-thinking solutions, demonstrating how a country can uniquely shape the future through creative problem-solving.
Each year the conference surpasses itself with the talent presented on stage and in the audience, and as media partners for the third year in row, we will be sharing some of the wisdom delivered at Design Indaba. Keep an eye out for more to come from the minds of people like scent artist Sissel Tolaas, Noma mastermind René Redzepi, landscape designer Dan Pearson and more. To keep up with the conference as it happens, follow Cool Hunting and Design Indaba on Twitter.
The artist’s book release coincides with Johannesburg’s recent renaissance
Based in Johannesburg, South Africa’s contemporary art emblem William Kentridge has played an important role in the artistic revival that has taken place in the post-industrial city in recent years. With the launch of his edition in the Tate Modern Artists Series, Kentridge brings attention to the vibrant creative community growing in what had become a derelict maze over several decades.
The latest Tate Modern volume on Kentridge marks one of the most comprehensive publications on the artist’s multidimensional work. Written by Zambian artist Kate McCrickard, the new book includes more than 100 images of Kentridge’s six major projects since 1989. Kentridge’s wide range of disciplines—animation, drawing, printmaking, collage, performance and music—may have seemed difficult to combine in a single publication, but McCrickard has chosen to highlight Kentridge’s consistent creativity across mediums as he draws inspiration from the challenges his country has faced, both during and after Apartheid. In a quotation she includes in the book synopsis, Kentridge says, “It’s not a mistake to see a shape in the cloud. That’s what it is to be alive with your eyes open: to be constantly, promiscuously, putting things together.”
On 28 February, 2012 Kentridge will be signing copies of the new book at Arts on Main, established in 2009 in the eastern part of the city called the “Maboneng Precinct“. The area has sprung up so many new development projects, its blocks are are also referred to as the “place of lights” for the proliferation of galleries, studios, shops and restaurants.
Arts on Main is convenient for Kentridge, as it plays home to his studio, his printer David Krut and a multipurpose space from the Goodman Gallery, which represents Kentridge. Recently, the artist opened his studio to the public—a rare event—for a concert with Johannesburg composer Jill Richards, in which she played piano to an electronic soundtrack while 40 people sat amongst Kentridge’s drawings, contraptions and artifacts. In many ways it makes sense for the South African artist, whose work has often portrayed the harsh realities of society, as well as optimism, to work in the heart of Johannesburg.
A look at Design Indaba Magazine’s latest food-centric issue
Billing itself as the “carrier pigeon” of South Africa’s Design Indaba Conference and Expo, the organization’s eponymous magazine explores the same optimistic philosophy that creativity can change the world for the better, but in print. The quarterly magazine covers the latest in design from fashion to architecture to product design, and now, they take on food. Hitting newsstands 16 November, the latest issue is guest-edited by Dutch “eating designer” Marije Vogelzang, inspired by the key to our sustenance and survival.
The issue’s theme starts with the simple question Vogelzang posed to editor Nadine Botha every day for several weeks, “What did you eat yesterday?” From there, Vogelzang showcases her intriguing and absolutely unconventional use of design when it comes to food and eating. Describing her work as a bridge between the aesthetics of food and the chefs that create it, Vogelzang aims to design the entire experience from physical to psychological. Her unique approach to design has gained international notice, resulting in work with a list of notable clients that includes Hermès, Nike and Philips.
The issue also talks to chefs René Redzepi, Ferran Adrià and Homaru Canto for the “Declaración de Lima,” discusses problems with the current world food system and how creatives may approach the issues and celebrates food-industry players from Jamie Oliver to the countless food designers who remain behind the scenes.
To learn more about Vogelzang you’ll have to snag a copy of the issue from 16 November 2011, or head over to Design Indaba Magazine online to read more.
South African design reconceived in a native’s debut furniture line
For a country whose design aesthetic regularly gets lumped in with Kente cloth-swathed visions of Africa, furniture designer Natalie du Toit’s work boldly redefines South African style. Applying her native land’s strong sense of color and pattern to finely-crafted wood and metal furniture, a process of refining humble materials, du Toit’s designs create a striking effect without overpowering a room. While this deft touch was honed during her successful stint as Creative Director of Fundi Light & Living, du Toit founded Indigi Designs as a way to experiment.
“The Indigi Designs collection encompasses a fusion of contemporary design, local references and skilled craftsmanship,” du Toit explains. “All products are designed and handmade in South Africa with a great attention to quality and a respect for natural materials.” Her top-to-bottom sensibility shows in wire baskets that look just as beautifully formed when viewed from above, and floor lamps composed of stacked wooden balls that reflect the rhythm of South African jazz.
Often du Toit is at her best when she’s most subtle. A lampshade lined with traditional South African shweshwe fabric emits a warm pink glow through perfectly-spaced pleating for a slightly mesmerizing effect. (It was this piece that first caught my eye when I came across du Toit’s furniture at the Design Indaba expo.) Like the entirety of the collection, the designer’s deep respect for the nature of her material, in this case the fabric’s ability to transmit color and light, makes for furnishings infused with whimsy and delight.
This process-oriented approach is in fact core to Indigi. “Being in the factory environment is incredibly inspiring for me, and where I get my best ideas,” du Toit says, going to describe how there she, “can design around the material and process rather than providing a completed sketch to a factory to simply manufacture. It is fundamental for me to be involved with the factory during product development phase as the design evolves in the process and issues can be eliminated immediately.”
With a host of collaborative work in progress, du Toit’s website is still under construction. For contact information and more on the debut collection, check out the Indigi Designs Facebook page.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
