WORDS Palesa Mohola PHOTOS JVR Architects, Jim and Tonic / Courtesy of the Roger Ballen Centre for Photography

Returning for their 20th edition, the Sony World Photography Awards come to the Roger Ballen Centre for Photography. Produced by Creo in collaboration with the World Photography Organisation, Decisive Moment: Sony World Photography Awards brings together selected winning images from the 2024, 2025 and 2026 Awards, on view in Forest Town, Johannesburg.

“To bring these images to Johannesburg is a real privilege. The exhibition gathers perspectives, stories, environments, cultures and artistic approaches from across the globe, and presents them in a city that is itself defined by complexity and diversity. We believe this exhibition will offer something meaningful to every visitor, while celebrating the extraordinary work of the Sony World Photography Awards,” says Roger Ballen, Founder of the Roger Ballen Centre for Photography.

Alongside Decisive Moment is New Eyes: The Roger Ballen Centre Photography Award, an exhibition dedicated to emerging South African photographers. It aims to give selected photographers an opportunity to show their work within a leading institutional setting alongside recognised photographers to emerge from the Sony World Photography Awards.

This inaugural event brings together the work of Karabo Mooki, D.M. Terblanche and Zwelibanzi Zwane, who were nominated by an esteemed panel, each member of which brings a considered perspective shaped by their work across photography, education and curatorship. Both exhibitions create a dialogue between international photographic excellence and the emerging voices shaping the future of photography in South Africa.

At the centre of Decisive Moment and New Eyes is a substantial public and educational programme designed to deepen visual literacy and encourage closer engagement with contemporary photography. The programme will extend the exhibitions beyond the museum walls through activations, talks, walkabouts, workshops, masterclasses and educational engagements.

Reflecting the international reach of the awards, submissions totalled over 430 000 images from more than 200 countries and territories – spanning documentary and portraiture to wildlife, sport, landscape and creative photography.

The exhibition will run at the Roger Ballen Centre for Photography from 15 August 2026 to 22 January 2027. rogerballen.com | insideoutfoundation.co.za

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WORDS Lynette Botha PHOTOS Paris Brummer

“First of all, there is no hotel.”

This is usually the number-one thing Gabriel Hope feels obliged to explain when introducing Ex Hotel, the fictional establishment that has become the framework for his increasingly distinctive design practice. Yet, while the rooms exist only in the imagination, the objects within them are very real. “The story I used to tell is that I needed a place for my ideas to live, and so I gave them a hotel to live in,” he says. “What has changed, I realise, is that the hotel has become the idea.”

For Gabriel, a cabinet, a chair or even a retail interior are all occupants of the same ongoing narrative. “Nobody would stay in an empty hotel room with nothing but a great view,” he says. Trained in fine art rather than furniture or interior design, Gabriel arrived at making through what he describes as the back door. There is little sense of reverence for categories or convention – in his mind, a piece of furniture and an event occupy the same territory. “I’m as happy making a piece of furniture as I am organising an event for the Ex Hotel Bar. To me they are the same, part of the same thing I’m creating.”

Ex Hotel produces bespoke furniture and cabinetry with an affection for nostalgic detail, though Gabriel likes to remind people that visitors can also purchase room keys. “A room for life,” he jokes. “Now that’s a bargain.”

Humour runs quietly beneath much of the work. By his own admission, Gabriel is hesitant to reveal the full extent of his dry wit in person, but Ex Hotel has become a useful disguise. “It’s been a powerful mask – even if it’s all a game of pretend that we all know is happening, a willing suspension of belief.”

Ideas tend to arrive emotionally before practicality enters the room. “I design emotionally at first – read impractically – and then spend a long time trying to work out how to hold on to that feeling while dealing with the unfortunate realities of gravity and structural integrity.” The references come from unexpected places. His computer desktop is filled with screen grabs from films, often saved because of some almost imperceptible detail in the background. Typography has become another preoccupation: “If I get a second shot at life, I’ll be a typographer,” he says. In his mind, the profile of a lowercase “h” might become the back of a chair, while an “l” suggests the leg of a table.

He has little interest in presenting himself as an authority, and speaks freely about mistakes and false starts, preferring the honesty of process to the illusion of perfection. “So much of the time, I’m lost,” he says. “It feels only fair to communicate this and not pretend by hiding behind some slick, finished item.”

That openness informed “Five Attempts at Getting it Right”, his 2026 Cape Town Furniture Week series that explored the humble bedside table through five sculptural studies – an everyday object that captivated him precisely because of its quiet role in our routine. “A bedside table is the bookend to our day. It’s the first thing we see on waking, and the last as we shut a book or set an alarm on our phone. It’s the quiet witness to our routine.”

Built quickly, and intentionally rough around the edges, the pieces became what he describes as three- dimensional scribbles. In a discipline where craftsmanship can move at a glacial pace, they off ered something immediate. “Furniture has a presence, and this is something near-impossible to experience through drawings, screens, models or renders. Only the real thing, at 1:1, will do.”

That sense of scale has gradually expanded. Recent projects, including The Corner Store on Bree Street and Clay Corner in Woodstock, have allowed him to shape entire environments rather than individual pieces, revealing more of Ex Hotel’s character in the process. “The crack in the door is widening,” he says. “Slowly, more is coming into view.”

Public spaces hold particular appeal because they are constantly activated by strangers who eventually become regulars. They provide opportunities for moments of theatre, such as the train compartment concealed within The Corner Store. “Being able to play like this is a huge drawcard,” he says.

Lately, another unlikely obsession has emerged: galvanised steel. “It’s a strange material, kind of ugly, especially at first,” he says, almost affectionately. What fascinates him is not its refinement; precisely the opposite. The marks left by its manufacture remain visible on the surface, unapologetic. “I love that the process of its production is what gives it its character, as opposed to how we usually treat materials by sanding, polishing, painting or oiling them. Galvanised steel is what it is. Take it or leave it.”

As South African design continues to negotiate questions of identity and authorship, Gabriel is increasingly interested in embracing the freedoms and constraints that come with making things locally. More than anything, he speaks longingly about older skills and slower ways of working. “I long for a period of consolidation, of relearning old skills and reviving time-honoured skill sets before embarking on new modes of making. I’m not sure the world has the patience for this, so I’ll continue to make and design in an urgent and engaged way, hoping no-one looks too closely at my credentials.”

And if Ex Hotel ever materialises? According to its proprietor, guests would encounter a beautifully weathered floor, a drunken janitor pushing a mop, an irate visitor complaining about room service, a family of seven wrestling with too much luggage, and an awkward newlywed couple oblivious to the commotion around them.

The plans already include a heated pool and three additional floors. exhotel.co.za | @ex.hotel

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WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Eller Studio, Alessandra Mustilli, ATLANTE Design, Gina Dionisio

Naples is a city like no other. Beyond its celebrated food, archaeological riches and proximity to the Amalfi Coast, it has a frenetic creative energy of its own: spontaneous, contradictory, constantly inventive and inseparable from the city’s layered history.

This energy directly inspired Emilia Petruccelli and Domitilla Dardi to create EDIT Napoli. They didn’t want a fair focused on trends; instead, they envisaged a platform centred on authorial design, community and connection – one that encourages design to leave its conventional spaces and create new relationships between contemporary ideas and a deeply rooted cultural landscape.

The eighth edition of EDIT Napoli, which took place from 9 – 11 October, found a fitting home in La Santissima, a former 17th-century convent whose frescoed archways provided the perfect backdrop for this year’s theme – “Where Design Shapes” – highlighting the making processes that shape design and the relationships that nurture it.

Here, across three sections – Main, Seminario and Camera con Vista – 80 international designers exhibited pieces ranging from furniture and lighting to textiles, tiles and objets d’art.

Below, we spotlight a selection of Italian designers exhibiting at the fair and the pieces that stood out.

Monoferments X Legance

The Tempesta collection by Monoferments, an independent research laboratory of the Milan-based design practice Monostudio, is crafted from trees felled by extreme weather events – transforming loss into a resource and restoring value to timber that would otherwise go to waste.

Its newest addition, Tempesta in Galera – a series of lightning-bolt-shaped stools – was made in collaboration with Legance, an independent Italian law firm, and Monza Prison. Together with carpenters Alberto and Giuseppe Discacciati (DB Arredamenti), Monoferments developed a three-month educational workshop involving inmates in every stage of design and production.

A space for dialogue, learning and human connection, the workshop ensured that each stool is unique – preserving the marks of both the reclaimed material and the people who crafted it. @monoferments | @monostudioassociatimilano

ÚTOL

ÚTOL, a contemporary Italian design studio and artistic workshop by Flavio Rossi and David Romelli, presented Stammtisch and Bufon – two pieces inspired by the folklore of the Dolomites.

Stammtisch, a collection of tables designed in collaboration with Italian architecture studio Scatola Cortese, is based on the Ladin stüa: a communal table that brings people together. The blue references Fassaner Blau – the distinctive cobalt blue of Val di Fassa – while the feet, shaped like an eight-pointed star, nod to the Alpine edelweiss.

The red ceramic drop-shaped charms connect directly to ÚTOL’s Bufon vase collection, inspired by the Ladin carnival character Bufòn – a brazen jester whose elongated nose, tipped with a red charm, is his most recognisable feature. @utol_ceramica | @scatolacortese

Fornace Brioni

Fornace Brioni has been making cotto – traditional handcrafted terracotta made from Po Valley clays – since 1920. The company, now in its fourth generation under Alessio and Alberto Brioni, continually innovates this age-old tradition through collaborations with leading architects, artists and designers.

One of its newest collaborative collections is MICROBIA by Finemateria, which translates the natural shape of microorganisms into a tactile design language. The single biomorphic tile – conceived as a small living organism – multiplies across surfaces like a mosaic, irregular and seemingly in motion. In this process, clay becomes part of the narrative: imperfections, colour variations and textural nuances make every composition unique. @fornacebrioni | @finemateria

CantoMadre

CantoMadre’s sculptural ceramic light, mirror and side table imagine the sea as an acoustic memory.

Inspired by the legend of Parthenope, a mythological siren whose drowned body is said to have formed Naples, designers Denis Bianchini, Roberto De Mattia and Arianna Santoro captured her ‘voice’ through audio recordings made along the shores of the Gulf of Naples. Each recording was then analysed through parametric tools capable of translating the sound waves into three-dimensional geometries.

With the help of the ceramicists at Ceramica Giovanni De Maio, a traditional ceramic studio based in Salerno, the data was transformed into surfaces, volumes and structures, giving rise to a collection in which each object represents a different manifestation of the same invisible presence: the echo of Parthenope’s song. | @canto.madre

Giorgio Bena

Giorgio Bena, an independent furniture maker from Turin whose work bridges product design, interior consultancy and artisanal craftsmanship, presented Decode – a coffee table collection that brings the past and present together in an essential balance.

Decode takes its name from the collection’s central design process: drawing on historical influences – particularly Italian modernism and Space Age lines – and reinterpreting them through a contemporary sensibility in the finishes and details.

While Giorgio is known for working with metal, Decode expands on his signature material palette by introducing wood, bringing with it a sense of warmth and texture. | @giorgio.bena

Officine Salvetti

Officine Salvetti is an atelier built around the legacy and creative vision of sculptor and designer Andrea Salvetti. Based in Tuscany, the atelier crafts high-end metal furniture and sculptures.

Tronchi–Consolle is the latest addition to the Tronchi Collection. The piece underscores the artist’s commitment to experimentation, with a focus on material and technical innovation, while exploring the relationship between tradition and modernity, and between culture and nature – elements that have always distinguished Salvetti’s work.

Made entirely of cast aluminium, it is 100% recyclable and can be endlessly remade without losing its original form or integrity. | @officinesalvetti

Artieri 1895

Fade, by Venice-based studio Zaven for Artieri 1895, took home the award for Best New Design in the Main section at EDIT Napoli 2026.

Forming part of Artieri 1895’s In Between showcase at the fair, the collection of alabaster vases and side tables interpreted the material through an approach that looks beyond the surface: placing the objects’ construction process at the centre of the design.

Rather than being concealed, the joins are made visible through a subtle chromatic veil that traces the edges of the assembled pieces, spreading into the alabaster like a liquid shadow. The naturally translucent material absorbs and diffuses the colour, altering its perception in relation to the light and depth of the stone. @artieri_1895 | @_zaven_

LEFORME Atelier

An interest in modular structures, the play of shadows and chromotherapy led designer Amauta Ciriachi, founder of the Rome-based design studio LEFORME Atelier, to create MODULA: a range of fluid lighting structures that can take on different forms through simple interlocking elements.

Each light can be customised through a choice of base material, fabric cable colour and, of course, the Perspex elements. | @leformeatelier

DLA Design Lab

DLA Design Lab, a Genoese multidisciplinary studio founded by architect and designer Max Dalle Sasse, is known for its innovative custom interiors and furniture collections rooted in Ligurian identity. For EDIT Napoli, the studio unveiled a preview of its new indoor rug collection – a collaboration with graphic designer and street artist Vittorio Rossi – creating a dialogue between two Mediterranean port cities: Genoa and Naples.

Each rug translates Rossi’s graphic language into physical form. The design draws on the historic arcades of Sottoripa in Genoa, reinterpreting their architectural identity through a contemporary visual language: a geometric rhythm of arches and decorative motifs that evokes the interplay of light and shadow typical of arcaded spaces. @dla_design_lab | @_vittorio.rossi

LRA.form

LRA.form, led by designer Laura Cabbia, launched the Wabi Sabi coffee table collection.

Made from Versilys marble, the collection is inspired by a contemporary interpretation of the Japanese aesthetic philosophy of the same name, which celebrates the beauty of imperfection.

The tables – available in Grande and Piccolo – are shaped using water-jet technology: the subtle variations and irregularities generated by the movement and vibrations of the water jet become an integral part of the table’s aesthetic, making each one unique. The collection celebrates the material in its authenticity, transforming what would normally be considered a flaw into a distinctive feature. | @lra.form

Parallelismi

Parallelismi, a new editorial and design platform focused on architecture, interiors and collectable design, founded by Rome-based architect Fabrizia Frezza and her daughter Alessandra Coccia, presented a curated collection of pieces that, at its heart, champions Italian craftsmanship. Among the designs showcased was the Althea seat, a new piece designed by Alessandra.

The design of the Althea seat is based on the idea that a seat can transform to suit the needs of the person using it – not a static object, but an element that adapts to different ways of experiencing a space.

The reclining backrest allows the seat’s configuration to be changed with a simple gesture. When positioned at the centre, it creates two facing seats, encouraging interaction and sharing. When tilted, the seat opens up, changing the way it embraces the body and inviting a more intimate and relaxed experience.

Made through an entirely Italian artisanal supply chain rooted in Campania, the Althea is as much a product of place as it is of process – each piece a quiet reflection of the region’s craft traditions and enduring material intelligence. | @parallelismi.it

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Conceptualised by StudioLandt, Weylandts at Sibaya was conceived as a counterpoint to its lush, vibrant surroundings, offering space to breathe, journey and arrive.

For Weylandts, Sibaya marks a shift in how the brand thinks about retail. “We want our spaces to feel like a world,” says Chris Weylandt. “Whether you’re coming for the architecture, the furniture, or simply to be here, everything should feel like stepping into that world for the first time.” Where past stores served a region, Sibaya has been built as something closer to a landmark: a showroom that stands as proof of what Weylandts believes, before a single word is spoken.

Inspired by the rich diversity of the landscape, the architecture works in contrast to the textures, tones and rhythms of the region. Locally-plentiful materials such as granite and basalt, concrete, sand, sea and sugarcane, were reimagined to showcase the elemental beauty of the land in conversation with the very structure of the showroom.

Sibaya also expands what a Weylandts space can hold. A locally rooted restaurant partner, Shoots & Leaves, brings an integrated cafe and gathering space into the showroom, alongside a boardroom built for local businesses. “Good living was never only about furniture,” says Chris. “It’s about how people gather and connect. We want people to linger, not simply pass through.” The intention is a place people return to, not a one-off stop – measured in relationships rather than transactions.

Sixty years ago, Weylandts began as a workshop built on a belief in honest materials and considered design. Sibaya is the next chapter of that journey, and its biggest step yet. | weylandts.co.za

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At Granger Bay, the Atlantic is an ever-present influence, shaping the atmosphere of the Radisson Collection Hotel, Waterfront, Cape Town – from the way its spaces are experienced to the details that bring the natural world indoors.

Some mornings, the water is calm and silver-grey; on others, mist settles over the bay, softening the horizon. As the seasons shift, so does the light, transforming the colours and character of the coastline. It is this constant evolution that gives the hotel its distinct sense of place, connecting its interiors and experiences to the landscape beyond.

Rather than treating the ocean as a view to admire from a distance, the hotel invites guests to engage with it more closely through thoughtful design details, ocean-inspired artworks, seasonal botanical displays and a dining experience shaped by fire and the sea.

A terrace shaped by the coast

The hotel’s newly refreshed oceanfront terrace brings guests closer to the rhythms of the Atlantic, creating a natural transition between the interior spaces and the coastline beyond.

Designed for lingering, the terrace offers an invitation to settle in and experience the changing atmosphere of Granger Bay. Considered materials and design details complement the coastal setting, while the open-air environment allows the breeze, shifting light and movement of the water to become part of the experience.

The appeal lies in its versatility. An early-morning coffee can become a moment of quiet reflection, while an afternoon might unfold over views of the bay and dolphins moving through the water. As evening approaches, the terrace takes on a different character, offering a place to enjoy a cocktail as the light softens over the Atlantic.

Bringing the natural world indoors

The relationship between the hotel and its surroundings extends into its art collection, where sculpture offers a playful interpretation of the natural world.

Among the works is Minki, a young character created by South African artist Johan Steyn. Guided by curiosity, Minki explores South African landscapes, noticing the animals, birds and smaller details that might otherwise go unseen. The character encourages a closer look at the environment, inviting guests to rediscover the natural world through a sense of wonder.

Seasonal botanical displays further strengthen this connection. Inspired by the landscapes of the Cape, the arrangements introduce natural textures, colours and changing blooms into the hotel’s interiors, creating a subtle dialogue between the outdoors and the spaces within.

An ocean-inspired expression at the table

At Fire & Tide, the connection to the Atlantic finds expression through food. Here, the ocean and the tradition of gathering around a shared table come together in a celebration of fresh seafood, seasonal ingredients and open-fire cooking.

The Saturday lunch experience centres on generous flavours and a relaxed approach to dining. The combination of seafood and live-fire cooking reflects the Cape’s coastal character, with an emphasis on ingredients and the pleasure of sharing a meal.

It is an experience designed to unfold at its own pace, encouraging guests to sit back, savour the food and let the afternoon take shape around the table.

The connection begins earlier in the day, too. Breakfast is served daily from 06:30 to 10:30, with freshly prepared dishes, coffee and views across the bay offering an unhurried start.

Finding Cape Town’s natural rhythm

Beyond the hotel, the Atlantic continues to shape the experience of the city.

A short walk away, the Sea Point Promenade offers a distinctly local perspective on Cape Town’s coastline. Runners, dog walkers, families and friends share the path, while others pause along the way to watch the water, take in the mountain views or simply enjoy the fresh sea air.

For hotel guests, the promenade offers a chance to experience the city without an itinerary. A morning run, an afternoon stroll or a few moments watching the waves become a simple way to reconnect with the landscape.

Back at the hotel, the daily Atlantic Sundowner Ritual, from 17:30 to 18:30, provides another opportunity to pause and take in the coast. The experience is shaped by the ocean in whatever mood it happens to be in.

A stay shaped by a sense of place

In a city as rich in experiences as Cape Town, it is tempting to fill every moment. Yet the Atlantic offers a different perspective – one in which the landscape becomes an invitation to slow down, look more closely and experience a destination through its changing details.

At the Radisson Collection Hotel, Waterfront, Cape Town, this connection is expressed through more than the ocean views. It lives in the design of the spaces, the art and botanicals that bring nature indoors, the flavours served at the table and the simple pleasure of spending time beside the water.

Come for the view, stay for the experience and leave with a deeper connection to Cape Town’s coastal character. | radissonhotels.com

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COMPILED BY Palesa Mohola PHOTOS Supplied

Solo Studios X, a festival hosted by Solo Studios, brings a twist with something completely new – a commemorative limited-edition box of 10 original prints created by renowned local artists, stalwarts of the original Solo Studios event 10 years ago.

With more than 60 artists, five galleries and numerous exhibitions, here are 10 ways to experience Solo Studios X:

10 Years, 10 Artists, 10 Boxes

Ten artists from the original group of creatives who helped shape the festival in its earliest years have each been invited to create 10 original prints which are destined to become collectors’ pieces. Chosen artists include Emma Willemse, André van Vuuren, Solly Smook, Sharon Bischoff, Wiehan de Jager, Riaan van Zyl, Gordon Williams, Lizette Visser, Tamlin Blake and Kevan Moses.

Art and Art Makers

The core experience remains the intimate connection with artists in their own studios, beginning with a close-knit group of 16 largely mid-career and emerging Kommetjie female artists. Their works were conceived on canvas, in sculpture and ceramics, and other media, with two chosen themes: Solo in Colour and Where is Home?

Second is an intergenerational exhibition of the Creative Kin Collective, a family collaborative art practice based in Riebeek Kasteel. The Collective’s works are full of colour, humour and the joyful unpredictability of making together, and a selection of these original works is now available as high-quality fine art prints.

Lastly are two hands-on workshops for people wanting to try their hand at art making: a Blue and White Ceramic Plate Painting Workshop with ceramic artist Antoinette du Plessis, and a Printmaking Workshop exploring drypoint etching – a direct technique that uses an etching needle or craft knife to create images on a Perspex plate – led by acclaimed artist Judy Woodborne.

Made in Brazil

Julia Franco, the Brazilian force behind art and design gallery NOSSO in Sea Point, has curated a collection of handcrafted Brazilian pieces which celebrate the colour, tradition and rich dialogue between contemporary South African and Brazilian creativity.

The collection ranges from intricate woodwork and tapestries to bright ceramics and contemporary functional design objects, all made in Brazil. The exhibition throws the spotlight on artistic energy and talent from Latin America – a first at Solo Studios.

Garden of Edible Delights

New to Solo Studios, The Valley Potager extends an invitation to take a moment and explore the fruits of one man’s gardening vision and labour. The idyllic one-hectare vegetable and fruit garden in the middle of the Riebeek Valley was lovingly designed and created by Jan Seidel in the style of a European kitchen garden.

EcoPlace

Louis Jansen van Vuuren, a multi-talented and visionary artist, will conduct an intimate guided walk of his remarkable, sustainably built luxury home and studio in Riebeek Kasteel, known as EcoPlace – built entirely out of recycled plastic and fabric, and filled with his work and that of other artists he admires.

Gardens become Galleries

Sculpture meets nature in two Riebeek Kasteel garden installations, curated by gallerist and curator Ilse Schermer. Sculptural works by artists such as Wilma Cruise, Strijdom van der Merwe and Jackie Lloyd, among many others, will become part of two garden settings: Huis van RAAF and The Valley Potager.

Walk and Talk

Guided walkabouts take place on Saturday, either with a stroll through the village while meeting artists in their own creative spaces, or by spending time in a single studio for a deeper dive. Leading the walkabouts will be artists Wiehan de Jager and Clayton Sutherland, who will guide visitors through the creative process behind their exhibition of ceramic wall-mounted artworks, vessels and sculptural pieces at Riebeek Valley Wine Co.

An Architectural Walking Tour of Riebeek West will be led by renowned architectural historian Dr André van Graan, and an art specialist from Strauss & Co. will lead an engaging talk about the art of art collecting.

The Art of Food

A selection of carefully chosen gourmet evenings, each a reflection of a different chef: a modern Japanese long table by Cheyne Morris of SAISEI, Big Fat Italian Table by Giuseppe, or a delicious spread at The Royal Hotel.

Swartland Sipping

Riebeek Valley Wine Co will guide participants through a curated selection of wines from Swartland, a big country which boasts some of the most internationally acclaimed and experimental winemakers in South Africa.

Sunday Send-off

When the studio and gallery doors close on Sunday afternoon, the weekend gets a musical send-off with The Art of Music in the magical setting of The Valley Potager Garden.

“When Solo Studios began 10 years ago, we never imagined the extraordinary community that would grow around it,” says Ashley Stone, co-organiser of the event. “Artists, collectors, visitors, volunteers and our partners have shaped what Solo Studios has become. Solo Studios X is both a celebration of that journey and an invitation to imagine what the next ten years might hold.”

Solo Studios 2026 takes place in Riebeek Kasteel from 23-25 October. | solostudios.co.za 

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WORDS Graham Wood PHOTOS Paris Brummer

Two gigantic Agoodjie warriors stand guard outside a Plettenberg Bay home. The bronze sculptures by artist Nandipha Mntambo are from a series inspired by the Amazonian palace guards in Dahomey (modern-day Benin), an elite regiment of women warriors. Their spirit presides over the house in more ways than one. The house is actually “Twin Residences”, as architect Marielise van der Merwe of MVDM Architects dubbed them – separate but connected, meant for two generations of the same family. (The owner’s son is an architect, and gave valuable input on key decisions.) And these sculptures and others (including a large Edoardo Villa on the front lawn) are part of an art collection – carefully curated by the owner, an avid collector – that’s central to the spirit of the place. It relates to Marielise’s approach, and her thinking about “the relationship between architecture and art, and the way they communicate with each other”.

To start with, she says, the site demanded a certain architectural presence. Situated on a prominent spot at the end of Beachy Head Road, the buildings overlook the Beacon Island Hotel, Robberg and the beach, and had to hold their own among those landmarks when being looked at. The MVDM design team’s philosophy, however, strives for something more than simple attention-grabbing tactics. Whatever boldness the design has, she believes, needs to be equalled by a sense of harmony. Being visible also means that, as much as it was designed to capture views, the home needed to protect the privacy of its owners.

Marielise’s solution drew on something close to her heart: the organic architecture of the legendary 20th-century architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Her father – also an architect – spent time at Wright’s winter home/studio/architecture laboratory Taliesin West in Arizona as a young man, getting first-hand inspiration from the master. Marielise describes Wright’s organicism as a philosophy in which architecture “stems” or “flows from” its natural setting, emerging from the landscape rather than imposing on it. Architecture and landscape need to complement and enhance each other.

That was no small order. Not only does the approach demand a certain poetry, but the site, she explains, was “steep as hell” – and sandy. The foundation required more than 200 piles, so it is quite literally “embedded”. “The entire house is carved into the hillside,” she says. “This project would not have been possible without SGB Construction, who handled the site’s complexities with grace and capability.” Its rounded edges and curves were inspired as much by the dunes as “the sea, and the mountains in the background”, reinterpreted to create powerful sculptural forms. Its bulk, however, is fragmented, so that the structure doesn’t appear monolithic. The separation or pulling apart of the two residences also helps to open the architecture to its surroundings, allowing the setting to flow through and around the house. Ribbons, swoops and wavelike forms add grace and movement. As much as the home draws you in, its interiors also spill out into courtyards and nooks. There’s a kind of motion in the experience of the architecture, and in its form.

Inside, a sculptural staircase opens up a triple-volume central well, with light pouring in from above. “The staircase is probably the centrepiece around which the whole building is organised,” says Marielise. “It weighs more than a tonne…” Which is to say, its presence at the heart of the home adds another layer of bespoke craft.

Marielise and the MVDM design team were responsible for the interior design, too. Again echoing Wright, the house embodies a “unified” approach, in which architecture, interiors and furniture come together in concert, guided by a single hand and a singular vision. She refers often to the idea of a “golden thread” that runs through every aspect of the design, from the grand scale to the tiniest detail, drawing on local handicraft to soften and humanise the sculptural concrete, glass and steel. Handmade tiles from Wolkberg Casting Studios, used in abundance, in many ways echo the organic forms of the building itself, reprising its themes on an intimate scale. The beautiful finishes feature on interior and exterior walls, creating a seamless continuity between inside and out. At times, too, the joinery blends with the architecture, serving as walls and room dividers.

The theme of context through craft continues in details such as the specially commissioned mohair rugs and textiles by Frances van Hasselt and The Ninevites, which again reflect the signature forms of the architecture. Pendant lights by Ashanti Design, suspended in the stairwell, bring in colour. Marielise added her own touches to the furniture, for example by tracing the forms of the headboards for the manufacturers. She did bring in some outside influences in furnishings sourced from the likes of Ligne Roset – pieces that easily harmonised with the existing architectural shapes and forms. These help to create a context of luxury and sophistication that brings out those characteristics in the locally manufactured items.

Perhaps for this reason, the house receives the owner’s art collection – a deeply personal layer – with ease and generosity. And those giant Agoodjie warriors extend the artistic spirit outwards, protecting a space for life within, rather than against enemies from without. mvdmarchitects.com | @mvdm.architects

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WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied

Conceived by StudioLandt for Design Week 2026 and built around a single idea – that a bar exists with people – The With is an intimate pop-up bar experience at 107 Castle Street, Cape Town.

107 Castle Street has become something of a blank canvas for the burgeoning array of cultural conversations led by Weylandts, from Q&As with Anna Weylandt – Chief Brand Officer of Weylandts and Director of StudioLandt – and her team, to workshops and pop-up parties. Originally a church built in 1902, the building features an exposed granite wall, which sets the tone for minimal renovations and plays host to an array of vintage Weylandts furniture, monastic Japanese details and nods to the family’s Namibian heritage. The With – the latest iteration of the space – asks what that looks like when the brand is in the room, rather than behind it.

“We really wanted to do more than open a bar,” says Anna Weylandt. “That’s where the name came from – we wouldn’t exist without the people in our community. It was about expressing our world in new ways, and bringing new people into our fold.”

The bar offers the brand an uncommon vantage point on its own work. “Our furniture has always lived in other people’s homes, which means we have rarely seen what happens around it,” says Anna. “The With lets us be in the room for once. I hope people sit down next to someone they know, or someone they are about to meet, and leave feeling that good living is mostly about the company you keep.”

Cocktails are named after beloved pieces from the Weylandts oeuvre, with bar snacks to go alongside them, and drinks are poured in partnership with Moët Hennessy.

Alongside the nightly seatings, a short programme runs through October:

• 22 October 2026: 16h00 – 18h00 – In Conversation: Anna Weylandt and Alexa Schempers, on design, making and what it means to live well.
• 22 – 31 October 2026: 16h00 – 18h00, 18h00 – 20h00 and 20h00 – 22h00 – The With: a two-hour seat at the Design Week bar, with drinks and small plates.
• 23 October 2026: 20h00 – late – The With: Live with Muneyi. Drinks and small plates following a live performance by Muneyi, with a first drink on the house, and The Kunda, a brown-buttered, Hennessy spin on an Old Fashioned.
• 24 October 2026: 22h00 – late – Design Week Afterparty, celebrating a week of design, craft and connection.

The With is open until 31 October, with public seatings from 22 October onwards. Bookings are essential. | thewith.bar.

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What would Tyger Valley look like through the eyes of the next generation of South African designers?

Pareto Limited – one of South Africa’s leading real estate investor and developers – and Momentum Metropolitan Life Limited, through Tyger Valley Shopping Centre, have partnered with BHC School of Design to give emerging designers the opportunity to respond to a real-world challenge: reimagine Tyger Valley’s facade through the lens of future design.

Eleven BHC students have developed original concepts exploring sustainability, community and heritage, while considering how design can shape identity, experience and the relationship between a place and the people who use it.

The result is Tyger Valley Reimagined – 11 distinct interpretations of how the centre’s facade could evolve for the future.

“At Pareto, we believe creating meaningful places also means creating space for new thinking. This project gives young designers a real asset, a real challenge and a platform for their ideas to be seen. In return, we get the opportunity to see one of our properties through a completely different lens,” says Malose Kekana, Group CEO of Pareto Limited.

From the classroom to a real-world canvas

Rather than responding to a hypothetical design brief, the students were challenged to engage with an existing commercial property and consider the realities of designing for a space experienced by thousands of people.

The concepts include Rooted Convergence, Thresholds of Connection, Iron Roots, Living Layers, The Valley in Bloom and Interwoven, among others, each offering a distinct response to the possibilities of Tyger Valley’s future identity.

“Tyger Valley is more than a shopping centre. For over 40 years it has been part of the story of Cape Town’s Northern Suburbs, growing alongside the communities it serves and helping to shape the area around it. That history gives this project real significance.

“We are asking our students not simply to redesign a facade, but to consider how an established landmark can evolve without losing its connection to place and people. They have had to think about heritage, identity, community and sustainability, and ultimately ask what Tyger Valley should represent for the next generation.

“For BHC, this is exactly where design education becomes meaningful: when students are trusted with real places, real histories and real communities, and are given the opportunity to imagine what comes next,” says Jeremy Volkmann, owner and managing director of BHC School of Design.

The competition forms part of a broader partnership between Pareto, Tyger Valley and BHC School of Design, focused on connecting education with industry and creating meaningful opportunities for emerging South African design talent.

See the designs and have your say

The public can also explore all 11 concepts online, watch the students explain their thinking and cast their vote:

• Mieke Brink: Rooted Convergence
• Kirsten Driemeyer: STRATA
• Gina Olles: Thresholds of Connection
• Jade Worth: Iron Roots
• Kwacha Chilando: Awakened Edge
• Lourens Brown: Living Layers
• Jessy Muamba: The Rising Lily
• Isabella Swart: Emergence
• Ghita van der Merwe: The Valley in Bloom
• Zahaa Firfirey: KORE
• Ezra Hattingh: Interwoven

Awards ceremony

The judges are reviewing the 11 submissions and have until 26 October 2026 to finalise their assessments. The judges’ decisions and public votes will then be consolidated ahead of an awards ceremony at Tyger Valley Shopping Centre in November 2026, where the winning concepts will be announced and the students behind the work celebrated. | pareto.co.za

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WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Courtesy of SAOTA

Tracing SAOTA’s 40-year journey, the exhibition at Brundyn Arts & Culture in Cape Town, presented in partnership with Poliform, invites visitors to look closely at how architecture is made.

Through architectural models, large-scale imagery and accounts of the practice’s design process that has developed over four decades, Shaped by Place: 40 Years of Architectural Practice reveals how spaces relate to one another.

SAOTA began in a small Sea Point apartment in 1986 and moved to Church Street in 1992, the street on which the exhibition now opens. Its approach developed within a wider Cape tradition of responding to climate, landscape and life between indoors and out.

“Cape Town taught us to look carefully at how a building sits in its landscape and how people move between inside and outside. Those questions have stayed with us as we’ve worked elsewhere. Bringing the work back to Church Street feels particularly meaningful,” says Stefan Antoni, SAOTA principal.

“We want people to see how an architectural idea develops through questions, drawings and conversations. Sharing that process gives younger architects something they can test against their own experience. After forty years, we have knowledge to pass on, and the exhibition is also an opportunity to hear what others are asking of architecture,” says Greg Truen, SAOTA principal.

The exhibition invites students, emerging architects and the wider public into the discussions that shape the practice’s work.

Throughout October, talks with SAOTA principals and invited guests will explore architectural practice, social opportunity, the Cape’s modernist heritage and the implications of automation for design. Upcoming talks include:

The exhibition takes its name from SAOTA’s new monograph, Shaped by Place, which is available for pre-order. Through projects and reflections, the book develops the exhibition’s ideas beyond the gallery. Its four themes are Form and Foundations, Atmosphere and Experience, Context and Culture, and Legacy and Influence.

Shaped by Place: 40 Years of Architectural Practice runs until 31 October at Brundyn Arts & Culture, Mandela Rhodes Place, 21 Church Street, Cape Town. saota.com | @_saota

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