Bright lights, big city

PHOTOS: Dook | PRODUCTION: Annemarie Meintjes & Klara van Wyngaarden | WORDS: Jacqueline Myburgh Chemaly

With its 360-degree views of Johannesburg, it’s hard to imagine that the design of the Randlords bar and lounge could beat its magnificent setting – but it does.

What do you get when you take one of Africa’s leading architecture and lifestyle design teams, plus the duo who have decorated and run some of the most luxurious lodges on the continent, and give them the task of creating a bar on the 22nd floor of a Braamfontein office block?

A serious dose of sky-high African magic, that’s what.

Known for site-specific custom-designed hotels and homes, Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens architects (SRLC) were in new territory tackling the buildings of downtown Jozi.

But their brief, to design a macro vision for the community and future of Braamfontein for South Point developers, headed by Rob Lowdon and Edelweiss Gray, gave the pair a chance to bring their unique style of African luxury to a city in desperate need of pampering.

Having established a “super-plan” for South Point’s Braamfontein vision, Silvio and Lesley started their first project: the creation of the Randlords sky bar on top of the old Sable Towers Building. They used the same approach that has earned them much praise for their design of game lodges all over Africa, creating every last inch of the venue.

The result is breathtaking.

When it came to the guest experience, who better to call on but their former colleagues Debra Fox and Chris Browne of Fox Browne Creative?

It was at unforgettable places such as &Beyond’s Ngorongoro Crater Lodge that these two teams collaborated to perfect the concept of Persian carpets, red roses and crystal chandeliers in the wild.

Quirky luxury

At Randlords, they have found that magic once again and the result is an urban escape to quirky luxury combined with six-star hospitality. The concept is perfectly in sync with a contemporary Johannesburg lifestyle: a little bit of Africa, a touch of burlesque and a lot of sophistication.

The space comprises a gleaming bar and a collection of lounge areas complete with leather-strapped couches, poufs, wooden stools and beaded swings, all with a drop-dead view of the city and its outer limits.

Outside, it is possible to take in Soccer City and Sandton City in one visual sweep. At night, fire pits and a glass balcony make this the coolest rooftop spot in Johannesburg.

The menu includes a range of tapas, from pesto-dipped beef skewers to sky’s-the-limit blinis. The not-to-be-missed party trick is a bespoke drinks trolley – complete with your own butler – that is yours for the evening. Also, look out for risqué videos on loop in the men’s loo, and gorgeous waitresses wearing blonde wigs and gold boots. It’s all very James Bond.

There has been talk for years that Joburg’s CBD is being revived. Randlords and its big-city style may just be the tipping point.

• Randlords: 011 242 8637, www.randlords.co.za
• Fox Browne Creative: 083 280 7304 (Debra Fox), 083 456 8994 (Chris Browne)
• Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens Architects: 011 486 1525, adventarch@mweb.co.za