Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2014 i OBJEKT South Africa

YOU CAN FIND the beautiful La Lucia residence amidst the sandy shores of the northern side of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal; but you must know, it wasn’t an easy task getting it to where it is now. Finding the property itself was out of sheer luck, because it was the last vacant spot along the La Lucia coastline. This is absolutely no surprise though, as La Lucia is one of the most prominent and sought after areas in the city of Durban, laced with beautiful million-dollar homes you’d write about in magazines such as this one. The La Lucia project’s environmental building approval alone took almost a year, followed by the building of earth mounds on the beach to shield the building site from temperamental waves brought upon by Mother Nature…

THE INITIAL discussion with the client focused on validating key elements of the existing vessel. There were also many conversations about the reinterpretation of the experience of entertainment and luxury at sea. In an industry that thrives on either a pure modernist approach or a well-established traditional design, this concept was refreshing. In conceptualizing this design, the project team decided that the M/Y 360° would celebrate the elegance, excitement, and joyfulness of Art Deco design with a modern interpretation, while accommodating the demanding criteria required by today’s luxury yachter. The first task at hand was to re-establish the M/Y 360°’s beautiful exterior lines, as the original white exterior masked the graceful lines of this ISA yacht. Colacion Studio worked with the client and ISA to select the perfect grey paint…

THE CLIENTS commissioning the comprehensive renovation were a couple that enjoyed parties and contemporary art. They are the parents of three young adults. Turning 50 was like a turning point for the man of the house. For him, as his wife admits, this was his project. The change was triggered by a work of art by Ken Lum, Stop Living in the Past. Although he had previously been rather conservative, once he decided to go “contemporary,” he began visiting modern art galleries and taking an avid interest in design. This included calling in René Desjardins, whose work he had learned about through friends. It was a choice that worked out well. The designer, who considers himself someone who “distils rather than purifies,” takes umbrage at the dogmas of minimalism. His…

IN 1993 , the hospitality industry was abuzz with news of the most expensive hotel ever built at the cost of R10 million per room. People said it would never happen again, while others said it would never be surpassed. But, they were all wrong. In 1993, William Pederson of Kohn Pederson Fox conceived the Shanghai World Financial Center, and today, it marks the pinnacle of the Pudong skyline and is home to the new titleholder, Park Hyatt Shanghai. Set atop the SWFC, the world’s tallest building by roof, it breaks records by simple virtue of occupancy. It has been dubbed Shanghai’s first boutique hotel and the highest hotel in the world. However, it doesn’t want superlatives and hollow hospitality clichés to undermine the qualities that set it apart from…

LIKE ART, well-crafted furniture appreciates in value over time depending on many factors such as materials, style and obviously, era. For generations, the Italians produced the most exquisite hand carved furniture from chairs through to armoires, every tiny detail was carefully thought through and executed with the precision that only a master artisan could achieve. Within a matter of years, this industry was practically wiped out, due to the repetitive and fast-paced mass production that started taking place in the East. Most industries around the world were hard hit and consumers reveled in cheap, fashionable and almost disposable products, without realizing the huge impact. Hard hit by the global recession, consumers had time to re-evaluate their past spending habits as well as re-establish new values. Along with this phenomenon, we…

THE S63 AMG not only occupies the space as the flagship model in the Mercedes lineup, but that exclusive spot reserved as the halo model within the highest tier. The very best Mercedes Benz has to offer across all measurable and immeasurable facets. So popular is the new S63 AMG among owners that when the other S-Class derivatives were launched, there was an immediate demand for it, an insatiable desire that ranks South Africa in the top five AMG markets around the world. What the S63 AMG proves is that your highest expectations can be wildly fulfilled and exceeded. Whereas your earlier reference point for benchmark qualities would lie with the S500, the S63 awakens other senses and combines the best of every Benz under one roof to create a…

THE HOUSE is located in Winter Haven, centrally situated in the American state of Florida. The city of Winter Haven derives its name from its pleasant climate. It only started its substantial growth after the second World War and many of the fifty houses listed in the National Register of Historic Places date from that time. Winter Haven featured many buildings designed by Gene Leedy, one of the founders of the Sarasota School of Architecture. The first theme park in the United States was also built here, in Cypress Gardens. That proved to be a decisive development, making Winter Haven in the mid-20th century renowned on a national scale. Much of the park has meanwhile been absorbed into Legoland Florida, which opened in 2011. Winter Haven has 50 lakes within…

Today, many homeowners are re-looking at the way they heat their home. Electricity and gas have dramatically increased in price, making these traditional sources of energy an expensive way to heat your home. The open wood burning fireplace was historically used to heat one room of the home, supplementing electrical heating. They are low efficiency systems that look good, but burn a lot of wood and heat only a small area. Flued gas fires sold in their thousands when gas was cheap look good, but produce a lot of carbon monoxide /dioxide that needs venting up a chimney, taking with it some 65% of the heat. Both these systems have become virtual dinosaurs in SA due to their low heating abilities and high running costs. The savvy customer today is…

THE HOUSE is massive in all respects with external dimensions, interior spaces and building materials; yet, all the proportions harmonise fittingly, so the actual size is less apparent. As soon as you enter the house, you are struck by the precise, mortarless coursing of the stone, a method that typifies Mayan construction. This style did not just happen. The client is particularly fond of the old culture of the people from Guatemala and southern Mexico, and in particular, the Yucatan peninsula. He took the entire team, including culture experts, on various expeditions to the centres of Mayan culture for inspiration. Looking back, every trip led to adaptations and new ideas concerning furnishings and decoration, hardly surprising, as the ancient Mayan culture was one of the most exceptional cultures in the…

YOU APPROACH House Mosi and it’s like something out of a Hollywood movie right in front of you, right here in South Africa. It’s confident, comfortable in its own skin, prancing around while standing still and mounted to the ground, and you can’t help but stare as its beauty commands your attention. Once again, the Nico van der Meulen Architects team has done a stellar, stellar job. Known for building amazing homes from the ground up and renovating existing homes into structures to marvel at, Nico van der Meulen Architects was founded by Nico van der Meulen and his wife Santa in 1984. Nico grew up in a culturally diverse area between the boarders of Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana, spending his childhood crafting a talent larger than his young…

HIS RESIDENCE is set in the hills just outside Vicenza. Roberto Coin told us, “When I first came to this spot, I felt immediately it was amazing. It’s a location where you can dream of the sea and the mountains. You’re surrounded on all sides by light, and even in the winter, when the sun shines, you feel it’s summer. There was already a house here, built around 1950. I had it remodelled, but kept its original shell. I removed the roof and knocked out walls to let a maximum of daylight indoors. It had to be a house filled with light. The idea was to create the feeling when you arrived home that you were coming to a hotel. Now, you feel as if you’re on holiday whenever you…