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The structure has been limited to two storeys, in keeping with most of the older buildings on the campus, says architect Luke Scott. -
The brief was simple: to create a contemporary, masculine space to take the Bishops OD Union into the 21st century -
Chris Weylandt on the central staircase. “The plan with the new building was to make it live,” he says. -
The Weylandts design team breathed new life into existing ball-and-claw pieces by updating them with black lacquer. -
The function room on the first floor boasts raised roof volumes and clerestory windows with views over the sports fields below and alongside the new building. -
The school museum, a celebration of the history that has moulded the school, is housed on the ground floor. -
Each product in the linear ground floor foyer was chosen with care to create a unique space that remains welcoming. -
Wallpaper has been used to great effect throughout the building. From the collage of portraits from the school’s archive depicting many of the school’s founders and members on the central staircase, to a black and white rugby team photo in the main boardroom. The school motto is etched onto the bespoke dresser beneath the image. -
A well-loved bureau, topped by a variety of small trophies and set against the backdrop of an architect’s rendering of the main school building, adds interest to a small alcove. -
Contemporary pieces, such as this Dragnet chair and Ball stool, live comfortably alongside existing items.
PHOTOS Micky Hoyle PRODUCTION Sumien Brink WORDS Tracy Greenwood
A far cry from expected notions of an old boys’ union, this modern and masculine space at Bishops Diocesan College in Cape Town is proudly future facing.
One might be forgiven for assuming the Old Boys’ Club at a school as illustrious as Bishops would be cold and sombre, a masculine stereotype of dark wood panelling, sombre portraits and walls yellowed less by intent than by a patina of cigar smoke.
Instead, it’s a surprise to find that the home of the new Bishops OD Union in Rondebosch is light, bright and up to the minute in terms of architecture and interior execution. The interior design concept of the new building, which is wedged between the green perfection of an AstroTurf and a sprawling sports field, was done by Weylandts, headed up by Chris Weylandt, himself a Bishops old boy, and the architecture was handled by fellow old boy, Luke Scott.
The new structure stands in contrast to the heavy-walled structure, punched-out windows and deep porte-cochères that characterise the older buildings on this leafy campus. But there are architectural parallels that make perfect sense within the design context.
“The architecture and structure builds on the school’s tradition of colonnades, towers, quadrangles and courtyards with white wall architecture. The tall, vertical fin in the ground-floor museum and the old boys’ club room on the first floor align perfectly with the clock and bell towers of the old boarding houses,” says Luke. “I see the building as a backdrop to the various uses it will serve. The OD Union is one user but there is also the school museum and archive, a sports pavilion for cricket, rugby and hockey, as well as a range of ancillary functions.”
The interior design brief, says Chris, was left wide open. “We were tasked with creating a contemporary space that embraces the school’s values and traditions while taking it into the 21st century, to create a sense of modern masculinity. The OD Union has a massive influence on the school and is an important part of keeping the Bishops traditions and values alive well beyond the schoolgoing years.”
The union’s faith in Chris’s understanding of what was needed allowed him and his team carte blanche to fill the new building with objects that mix old with new, without sacrificing Bishops’ traditional values. It’s a platform that showcases the school’s proud history to new pupils and visitors alike.
“Good design never dates,” says Weylandts’ Kim Smith, who was instrumental in deciding on the look for the new space. “We used natural materials – wood, leather, steel and a neutral palette – to create a bold masculine statement.”
The language of history has been used throughout the building, from the incorporation of archival photographs and significant quotes, to the school motto etched onto the raw steel custom-made sideboard in the boardroom. “We pushed the boundaries by introducing high-design elements and focusing on handmade skills. Locally made sofas in natural hides from Namibia are integrated with customised solid oak and raw steel boardroom tables; designer chairs from the Philippines, handmade lamps from Thailand and vintage carpets from Turkey. Each product has a provenance that was carefully considered to create a unique inspiring space that remains unpretentious and welcoming,” she explains.
