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A place of devotion : Haldane was attracted to the quality of light and generous volume of the space, which allowed for the creation of a loft area. -
A place of devotion : The Weightless Rectangular Table, with Bench and Upholstered Chairs, serves as an informal meeting place which opens up into a triple-volume showroom space. -
A place of devotion : Haldane's elegant New Slant shelving system is complemented by the neutral showroom space. -
A place of devotion : Bathed in natural light, Haldane Martin's organic Songololo Couch, the ephemeral Fiela Feather Arc Light and the hovering Weightless Round Coffee Table stand like altars of good design in the showroom space.
PHOTOS: Inge Prins | PRODUCTION: Sumien Brink | WORDS: Alma Viviers
Hymns may once have filled the lofty space of a nineteenth century church in Woodstock. But now, after being converted into Haldane Martin’s studio, the building is devoted to design.
There is a stillness, a sense of reverence and peace, that has always attracted Haldane Martin to churches. So much so that he has opened his new studio and showroom in one. “I’ve always looked for a church but missed several opportunities, till I found this one that suited my needs and pocket,” he explains.
Resting in the shadow of a new residential development and its semi-industrial surroundings, the church quietly inhabits its corner in bustling Woodstock. Once thought of as a dilapidated, unsavoury neighbourhood, this is fast becoming Cape Town’s new creative precinct and Haldane’s choice to remain in the area was a conscious one.
“There is a certain realness, an edginess here,” he comments. “Creativity always happens at the edge.”
The area is defined as “on the edge” both by virtue of its location on the border of the city and its mixed use, making it a dynamic environment. In response to this, Haldane had the exterior of the modest building painted charcoal grey, making for a robust outer shell with a completely white interior bathed in natural light. “I wanted a blank canvas against which to showcase the designs and unify the space,” he says.
Creating transparency
Since the building required no structural changes, he was able to do the rest himself, utilising his signature economy of means. Haldane is known for applying a body, mind and soul principle to his work, and this concept also finds its application in the organisation and hierarchy of his studio.
A kitchen and office area for the marketing, sales and administrative staff are located at the entrance. The space then opens up into a triple volume that functions as a showroom and production area divided by a steel and glass partitioning wall created from salvaged laminated glass from old shop fronts.
“I wanted to create transparency,” explains Haldane. “The product gains a sense of authenticity if customers can see it being assembled.”
He decided to keep within the established aesthetic created by industrial steel-frame windows and a sliding timber panel door, which were introduced in the church’s previous incarnations as a workshop and production warehouse.
From the showroom, a steel staircase leads to a more intimate loft space housing the desks of the designer and his business manager. This is where Haldane does most of his work and the conference table lies scattered with his latest exploration into a modular system. He confesses to a fascination with geometry and that he often starts his process with the abstraction of naturally occurring phenomena.
However, design is not only a mental but also a spiritual process: “My creative process is a way of making sense of my own inner being. It doesn’t happen intentionally but design is almost like a form of meditation for me.”
For such a soulful designer with an almost religious devotion to good design, a church as an office couldn’t be more appropriate.
• Haldane Martin Studio: 021 448 0999, info@haldanemartin.co.za, www.haldanemartin.co.za
