Introducing Weylandtstudio

WORDS Celeste Jacobs

African design goes global at a ‘Poshtel’ in Leipzig, Germany, with the brand new Weylandtstudio presented as a local representative of South African aesthetics.

It’s a well-known fact that the world is turning to Africa more frequently as a source of inspiration, but also for world class products. In the last decade, several of our continent’s finest creatives have had collaborations with international brands – and these global partnerships just keep growing.

Based on that, it’s no surprise that local design firms are backing local talent even more than before. In South Africa we’re fortunate enough to boast a wide range of long-standing craft and artisan excellence. Added to that, we’ve got vast amounts of natural resources and gifted creatives, whose work makes our country stand out even more on the global stage.

The flagship extension of the luxury furniture and homeware brand, Weylandts, has just completed a successful project abroad. Weylandstudio recently restored a hostel in Leipzig, Germany by combining the skills of a winning team and the brand’s capacity to manufacture and manage projects of this scale. To Weylandts, it’s an important part in pioneering the shift from design that’s ‘African-inspired’ to being ‘African-made.’

This project is particularly exciting as it took a backpackers’ lodge and combined it with boutique hotel elements, coining the ‘poshtel’ name. As a result, Groner’s Hostel is a restored 18th-century merchant’s house that doesn’t compromise on its historical architecture – a fusion that ticks several boxes. “We’re proud to have been the guiding force between the redesign of the space from concept to completion,” says Weylandtstudio lead designer, Anna Weylandt.

Interestingly, the consultation process began by only referencing the plan of the building. So, without any interior visuals the Weylandstudio team went about creating a replica at their Cape Town office. A prime example of remote work done well and with great attention to detail. Once that had been successfully finalised, four containers worth of Weylandts furniture and artworks headed to Germany and as they say, the rest is history in the making.

For more information, visit the Weylandts website.

Looking for more on decor and design? Take a look at TheUrbanative’s new Homecoming collection.