Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2018 i House and Leisure

ach month when we sit down as a team to plan our initial outline for an upcoming issue, I already have a few clear notions about what I’d like it to contain. But when the time came to brainstorm this Architecture & Design issue, I had no idea how we should tackle the theme. I knew what I did not want, however – a magazine dedicated to megastructures and ego. And so the conversation quickly turned to domed buildings and ‘softer’ spaces. The team were unanimously interested in structures and spaces that wrap and embrace their users, that reveal themselves slowly and that react to their surrounds in a gentle way. Quite the opposite of strict linear skyscrapers in Sandton clad in reflective glass… This line of thinking reminded me…

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The 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale – which sees 63 countries presenting their expertise across the floating Italian city – will feature a space dedicated exclusively to the genre-defying work of South African architect Peter Rich. Opening to the public officially on 26 May, Rich’s career-spanning exhibit forms part of the International Architecture Exhibition that will see 71 architects from around the world responding to the 2018 Biennale’s ‘Freespace’ theme. Over the six months of the exhibit’s run, nearly a million visitors will encounter the evocative body of work Rich has created during the course of his 40-year career. From the monumental brickwork domes of the Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre to his proposed lodges at Silonque Bush Estate in Mpumalanga and Bwanari in North West Province – where the plastic qualities of…

Speaking to Michele Mathison, it quickly becomes evident that he is a sculptor’s sculptor, an artist immersed in the fundamental weight, substance and texture of the world. ‘My work is deeply influenced by the materials I use,’ he says from his studio in Denver, southeast of Johannesburg, where he is ‘exploring, researching, making maquettes’ toward a new body of sculptures that builds on States of Emergence, his 2017 solo show at Whatiftheworld Gallery. But it is not just the essence locked into wood or stone or metal that he is trying to set free. Mathison is driven as much by the contemporary conceptual freight of his forgings as by the fundamental life of his raw materials. The works on States of Emergence, for example, began their lives as pieces of…

BUILT TO LAST Design duo Dokter and Misses have unveiled their latest foray into design with unconventional materials – and clay is the star of the show. The pair, who also just took Joburg by storm with their new showroom at 99 Juta in Braamfontein, have created an alluring range of crockery made from fired brick. The experimental collection debuted at 100% Clay in Cape Town, and includes dishes, cups, saucers and side plates that can be stacked and displayed to form table architecture in any arrangement you fancy. DOKTERANDMISSES.CO.ZA…

Paul Mrkusic and Stefan Prinsloo stumbled on this beautifully designed residence in Hurlingham while they were considering building a home of their own. As often happens in Joburg, in among all the usual suburban jumble of pastiche and pretence, there will suddenly appear an inspired piece of architecture. When they first saw this house, their urge to build seemed suddenly redundant. Apart from being CEO of the South African Antique, Art & Design Association (SAADA; saada.co.za) and running an online vintage jewellery and antique store – Bancroft Antiques – Paul is a trained architect, so he was immediately attuned to the building’s merits. Designed by Louis Louw Johan Bergenthuin Architects in the mid-eighties, the house appealed to Paul because ‘it has a sort of a timeless 20th century feel to…

FOR A WARM GLOW IN THE HEART OF YOUR HOME, INVEST IN A P929C TALLINN PENDANT IN BLACK AND WOOD WITH COPPER GLASS (R964; EXCLUDES BULB). EUROLUX.CO.ZA THE FLIP SIDE Turn food prep into a pleasure with the elegantly designed copper-plated lifter (R182), made from stainless steel. woolworths.co.za ALL CLEAR If you’re after a gleaming, minimalist look, try high-gloss, handleless cabinetry with custom-made glass doors. A layered central island of quartz and cast concrete plus stainless-steel Miele appliances lend sleek, functional appeal. blu-line.co.za SEASON TO TASTE Thanks to fine materials and timeless design, the salt mill in Oak and pepper mill in Walnut (R2 459 for set; excludes shipping) can take pride of place on any table. bulthaup.com CUP OF LOVE Chilly winter evenings call for a hot treat in…

I was born in Dundee, Scotland, but raised in Ghana, West Africa. I left Ghana because I was sent to an English boarding school. And there was a coup d’état. I’m Head of School at the University of Johannesburg’s Graduate School of Architecture, and a novelist (of chick-lit ‘bonkbusters’). Yes, it’s true. I started writing erotic fiction because I wanted to make some money. I love being an architect in Africa because we’re the world’s youngest continent in terms of average age and it shows: enormous energy, youthfulness and vigour! People think architects are organised and boring. But the reality of being an architect is a lot of chop and change. They really are jacks- and jills-of-all-trades. Female architects are architects. Plain and simple. My earliest memory of design is…

Growing up in the Eastern Cape between Dimbaza, King William’s Town, Bhisho, Alice and East London, I imagined towns and cities on other continents to be exotic. I thought the soil in these places, collectively known to me as ‘overseas’, would feel different; even the leaves on the trees would be different. As for the buildings, I expected to step off the plane into super-futuristic cities. Admittedly, my logic was a bit dodgy. Like many South Africans, I grew up on a diet of local as well as US and British TV shows, and I don’t recall seeing exotic leaves in any of those shows. Nor did the New York neighbourhoods in my favourite sitcoms look particularly futuristic. Yet the fantastical ‘overseas’ remained in my imagination. When I landed in…

BLING IT ON Italian jewellery and luxury goods brand Bvlgari’s array of B.zero1 jewellery has been enriched with revolutionary new designs created in collaboration with the late, great architect Dame Zaha Hadid. Since 1999, B.zero1 has always pushed the boundaries of shape and form, and, in its current iteration, boasts a bold four-band ring in white and rose gold. Bvlgari Boutique, Diamond Walk, U28A, Sandton City, Sandton, 011-883-1325. bvlgari.com WORLDLY WISE DRAWING ON PHILOSOPHIES SUCH AS JAPAN’S WABI-SABI (FINDING BEAUTY IN IMPERFECTION) AND THE DANISH NOTION OF HYGGE, POETRY’S NEW AUTUMN/WINTER 2018 HOMEWARE COLLECTION INCLUDES THE STANDOUT PETRA CROCKERY RANGE AS WELL AS A HOST OF COVETABLE PLANTERS, VASES AND PHOTO FRAMES. POETRYSTORES.CO.ZA TOP THAT Introducing four additions to Caesarstone’s series of quartz countertops: elegant White Attica, gloriously textured Excava,…

How do you combat the effects of a dry winter on your skin with moisture? Is it possible to contrast the harshness of the elements with something calm? The answer lies in the Holy Grail of moisturisers, La Mer’s The Moisturizing Cool Gel Cream. Armed with Miracle Broth™, this healing elixir, with its water-rich, whipped formula, sinks into your skin and leaves it feeling refreshed. Infuse your skin with sea-sourced renewing energies that combine expertly and beautifully in a luxurious, indulgent experience that offers your skin the best defence. Connect with La Mer on social media. La Mer South Africa lamer…

Unlike the early 2000s when shoppers only bought products they’d seen, touched or tried on, today our favourite designer wares are a mouse-click away. We’re pioneering a new way to experience each issue’s theme: browse this month’s dusty nomadic palette at shop.houseandleisure.co.za SNAP TO SHOP ONLINE HOUSEANDLEISURE.CO.ZA…

NTABA KANDODA The monument was unveiled in 1981 by Lennox Sebe, then ruler of the former Ciskei, on the mountain Ntaba KaNdoda near Dimbaza as part of efforts to create an authentic Ciskei identity and entrench his dictatorial rule. Today it lies in ruins. DUBAI This populous city in the UAE boasts some of the tallest and largest structures in the world: the biggest shopping mall, the tallest hotel, the second-largest man-made marina and the largest aquarium. RONDAVELS Modern interpretations of the African hut can be found in countries across Southern Africa, including Lesotho, Swaziland and Botswana.…

Each year, Jo Malone London puts together a limited-edition fragrance line curated around a theme that is quintessentially British. The newest addition is English Fields, which combines tones of wild flowers and various grains in five captivating scents that bestow an unusual touch of earthiness. ‘As a perfumer, I love to be surprised – and English Fields is unexpected territory. To have cereals and grains as the main focus is a first for me. It’s something in perfumery I have never seen before,’ says master perfumer Mathilde Bijaoui, who created the collection. The distinctive pastel, ceramic-look bottles are grounded in soft, neutral hues with contrasting smooth and ‘grainy’ textures. JO MALONE ENGLISH FIELDS LIMITED-EDITION COLOGNES R910 (RSP FOR 30ML), JOMALONE.CO.ZA DRAMATIC APPEAL In innovative Swedish wallcoverings company Rebel…

A richly detailed yet minimalist design philosophy characterises Kenya’s Arijiju House; it’s a point of view that purposefully leaves spaces incomplete to ‘write a story that is still being created,’ says the project’s designer, Maira Koutsoudakis of Life Interiors/Architecture/Strategic Design. ‘It’s almost like an ellipsis at the end of a sentence in what will become a book you are writing; a continuum of sorts’, she says. Koutsoudakis is speaking via phone from Lagos, where she is completing a penthouse project before jetting off to the Salone del Mobile in Milan and the Spanish island of Mallorca for a site visit. Arijiju, she adds, has been called ‘the most beautiful house in Africa’ by a major international luxury travel and lifestyle magazine. And no wonder: it took over five years to…

Tucked discreetly into part of a larger property that features a classic old Bloemfontein mansion, this modest two-bedroom home in Waverley was designed by late architect Barend ‘Bannie’ Britz for himself and his wife Almud in 1998. In 2000, Britz won a well-deserved South African Institute of Architects (SAIA) Merit Award for its design. And in 2015, current owners Johan Olwage and Janus Pretorius purchased the house from Almud Britz, having fallen head over heels for the small but perfectly formed structure. ‘An attentive property agent who understood that we were not looking for a conventional townhouse established contact with [Almud], who had decided to move to a retirement home,’ says Janus. ‘She was aware of how much I respected her husband’s work and insisted that we should be the…

BULGUR WHEAT SALAD WITH BABY BEETROOT AND CHARRED FENNEL 1t NoMu chicken Fond stock (or vegetable, if preferred) 300ml boiling water 375ml bulgur wheat Salt, to taste 1 lemon 8 baby fennel bulbs 4T olive oil 4T butter 1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed 8 baby beetroots, washed and thinly sliced 3 radishes, washed and thinly sliced 20g mixed baby salad leaves 50g mixed sprouts Fennel flowers, to garnish Mix the teaspoon of liquid stock with 300ml boiling water and pour into a bowl with the bulgur wheat. Cover with clingfilm and allow to stand for 20 minutes. Remove the clingfilm and fluff up the bulgur wheat with a fork, seasoning with a little salt to taste and the zest of half the lemon. Set aside to cool. Cut…

ROSY PINKS AND LEATHER Living-room hues take on a rosier outlook with soft pinks, offset by sturdier materials such as leather, wood and metallics. BUTTER YELLOW AND WOOD Tactile materials and sunny fabrics in shades of honey and gold are an easy way to warm up a space. SKY BLUE AND SANDSTONE Understated neutrals complement a palette of pale blues in an interior that packs a laid-back yet uplifting punch. TERRACOTTA AND STRIPES Get back down to earth with modern colour – think chocolate brown, rich stone and cheerful coral – combined with clean-lined yet classic furnishings.…

THE EPITOME OF CONTEMPORARY TAPWARE, THE PURIST DECK-MOUNT BASIN MIXER IN ROSE GOLD (R9 775) BOASTS AN ERGONOMIC DESIGN, CAREFUL DETAILING AND DURABLE COMPONENTS. KOHLER.COM HEAVEN SENT For a glorious fragrance that envelops your bathroom in minutes, light a pair of vanilla-scented Cloudy candles in etched-glass containers by David Jones (R302 each). woolworths.co.za DRAMATIC APPEAL n easy way to make a statement is to opt for an unconventional shape – such as this metal-framed Quatrefoil Mirror in Gold (R2›950; 64×96cm). shf.co.za DOUBLE LOAD If you’re after a rustic touch, a handmade two-tone jute laundry basket with lid in Natural and Black (R1 095; 40×58cm) is just the ticket. weylandts.co.za GOLDEN GLOW The versatile Melt surface light in Copper by Tom Dixon (pictured above; R12 061; diameter 50cm). can be mounted…

CAMP OUT EVERY NIGHT With the Teepee Room bed (POR; 2.45m high; includes mattress; excludes linen), every day is sure to start and end with a sense of adventure. Made of solid oak veneer and supported by a five-pole structure covered in synthetic leather, it includes a remote-controlled light-and-sound system. circu.net DESIGN AT PLAY Safety and comfort are top of mind when it comes to seating for your little ones. Ideal for ages two to seven, the Birch Kids chair in White by Bootoo (R585; includes delivery countrywide) adds style to the mix, too. designstore.co.za NEW BESTIE Heartworks’ Minxy Monkey in Mixed Yellows by (R395; 30cm tall) has BFF t t k yl HELLO BABY rate your new arrival with charming stoneware from e Baby Collection in Pastel Blue, Dune…