I will admit that I am not particularly well read on 19th-century German philosophers, but my take on creativity leans more into Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel than it does rainbow fountains of light and the blessings of Athena. When it comes to any creative pursuit, I’m in the nothing-is-totally- new camp – that it’s all about adding your own layer to what’s gone before. And the really good stuff – the art, literature, music and design that endures – comes from those folk who are not only supremely talented, but who also have a deep understanding of and appreciation for their celebrated predecessors’ work. This is especially the case in the more formal and structured disciplines like architecture and interior design, which are necessarily governed by the shapes, forms and functionalities we humans require to comfortably live in or sit upon.
Of course, new materials and technology have driven fresh ways of designing structures, furniture, lighting and fabrics – but there’s nothing fundamentally revolutionary going on when it comes to the aesthetics. And this issue of VISI is all about that.
This “Design Icon” issue focuses on the work of five maverick Modernist South African architects that span the last seven decades, from the home Gawie Fagan designed for his parents in 1951 and APS Conradie’s 1958 Boston house, to the 1971 Adèle Naudé Santos/ Antonio de Souza Santos house in Newlands, and the brand-new The Cole/Dolce Vita hotel and apartments by Robert Silke and his team. This last feature marks the narrative’s bright future with the latest in the series of Art Deco/Bauhaus/Modernist-infused hotels and apartment buildings Robert Silke & Partners have conceived. (It’s not the final feature though: we have a little Antipodean bonus – a beautifully restored Art Deco apartment in Sydney.)
What’s fascinating about the older homes is how amazingly contemporary the bagged brickwork, the curves, the tiling and the natural wood finishes still appear. They are proof of the “great design is timeless” adage, which their owners have understood well. With respect for their architectural importance, each has resisted any temptation to revamp and modernise their home over the many decades they’ve been living in them.
There are a bunch more stories in this issue that continue the Design Icon theme: we look at celebrated Modernist furniture still in production that, now more than ever, complements contemporary interiors; there’s a piece on the history of flat-pack furniture; our trends expert Chris Reid talks about Retrofuturism; and for fans of automotive design, we look at an iconic silhouette that has endured since 1964 – the Porsche 911.
– Steve Smith, Editor | info@visi.co.za
Art Special Section
Buying art is tricky, especially if you’re looking for an investment piece. In our 23-page special section, we get renowned art critic, writer and curator Sean O’Toole to provide invaluable advice on buying, collecting and investing in. South African art – and we profile several key galleries and their work. See pages 161 to 183.
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