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The art room at Red River Primary School in Manenberg -
Colour chameleon -
The interior of the community container library in Blikkiesdorp, Delft -
The music and arts container at Siyazingisa Primary School in Gugulethu -
The Power of Colour and Texture : Installation at Prestwich Memorial -
The Power of Colour and Texture : Installation at Prestwich Memorial -
The Power of Colour and Texture : Installation at Prestwich Memorial -
The Power of Colour and Texture : Installation at Prestwich Memorial -
The Power of Colour and Texture : Installation at Prestwich Memorial
WORDS Lauren Shantall PHOTOS Henk Hattingh, Mavric de Beyer, Mia van Wyk
The Cécile & Boyd Foundation has unveiled a pop-up shipping container installation showing the power of colour and texture in creating inspiring classrooms for disadvantaged children. An official World Design Capital project, the installation can be viewed at the Prestwich Memorial until mid March.
It’s one thing to have a first-rate interior-design firm whose landmark projects are globally renowned. It’s quite another when this firm’s singular talents are also directed at helping disadvantaged communities. Cécile & Boyd – whom many South Africans will recognise as the award-winning team that designs the Singita lodges – established its charitable foundation back in 2011. Since then, it has been engaged in ongoing nonprofit work, mainly for disadvantaged schools and crèches.
The Cécile & Boyd Foundation is led by designer Mia van Wyk, who has brought the team’s knowledge and product-design experience to bear on a number of humanitarian projects. Working in collaboration with organisations like Rock Girl and the Amy Biehl Foundation, the foundation has thus far uplifted the likes of Siyazingisa Primary School in Gugulethu and Little Feet Crèche in Hout Bay, and installed library containers at Nomlinganiselo Primary School in Langa and at Blikkiesdorp in Delft, and both a library and an art room at Red River Primary School in Manenberg.
What links the foundation’s various activities is the use of colour. Choosing to focus on the psychological and therapeutic qualities of colour, Cécile & Boyd’s plan is to “uplift children through the creation of ‘safe’ spaces with the hope of re-engaging these youngsters in their schools and society”.
We love that Cécile & Boyd’s charitable projects are as remarkable as their high-end spaces, illustrating the power of design and its ability to uplift whomever engages with the space. Sharing the love as an official WDC2014 project, the company is creating a container exhibition that showcases the elements of texture and colour, as used by the foundation. The container will pop up at related events during 2014.
cecileandboyd.co.za, cecileandboydfoundation.blogspot.com
The Cécile & Boyd Foundation is featured in VISI’s WILD DESIGN issue, now on shelves.
