At the crest of the Helshoogte Pass, Cape Dutch has been given a contemporary reinvention at Clouds Estate, which packs a formidable design punch with distinctive interiors by Moooi. 

Cloud Estate. If you’ve never visited, you’d be forgiven for thinking such a lofty-sounding name was setting itself up for a fall. Instead of the kind of disappoint-ment that brings you back down to earth with a bump, however, Clouds – as it’s affectionately known – affords a spectacular view that elevates, uplifts and does all sorts of other dizzyingly pleasurable things to the jaded soul.

Perched atop the Helshoogte Pass, overlooking the beautiful Banhoek Valley and edged by the majestic Drakenstein, with Simonsberg towering in the foreground, its name really is appropriate… Think incredible, dramatic mountains and that kind of splendour. Now consider an interior that carries enough weight not to be out of place.

At barely 4.5 hectares, Clouds is an offshoot of what once must have been a larger expanse. It could be dubbed a mere “token” estate, yet it is indeed a working farm, with plans to produce a new red in addition to its four-star sauvignon blanc, and to build a cellar, tasting room and winery in 2015. The cabernet sauvignon vines are already in the ground, and there are rumours of something “bubbly” afoot.

For now, however, it is a small boutique guesthouse with seven rooms and five separate villas. If you’d known Clouds back in 2005 when it first opened, you’d remember a pretty, Mediterranean-styled B&B, replete with curlicue colonnades and floral accents – much loved by brides. That is a thing of the past.

Today it is an über-contemporary, five-star destination that was extensively overhauled by its new Dutch proprietors, Paul Burema and Jolanda van Haperen, and reopened in December 2012. The owners are “swallows”, who spend the warm South African summer at their own private villa at Clouds, heading back to Holland when the weather turns. 

Thanks to architect Christof Albertyn, Clouds’ tagline of “modern architecture, ancient views” has come alive, fitting snugly into the genre of new wine estates that have embraced modernity in the absence of heritage buildings. “Exciting,” says Clouds’ interior designer Suzy Vissers, of Dutch design company Moooi, “if it is done with care and respect for the surroundings”.

Without a pre-existing “Cape Dutchie” to set an undeniable tone for the interiors (and the subsequent heritage-preservation restrictions that come with such provenance), the owners had absolute freedom to reinvent Clouds. They “were open to lots of ideas but also had a very clear idea as to what they wanted for Clouds,” says Suzy.

Its character has been embedded in the open-to-the-view architecture of front-facing glass inhabited by daring and playful interiors. Once you’re there, surrounded by the unexpectedly welcoming, iconic pieces of high design, it’s all about the panorama. Floor-to-ceiling sliding doors allow it to come inside. 

“When I saw the architect’s drawings, I knew straight away that the dining area and tables should be situated by the glass terrace with full views,” says Suzy. “The lounge areas with open fireplace are set back, making this area cosy (and the views are still stunning due to the architecture and glass). The bar area also has a lounge verging on the terrace. And all the bedrooms are situated on the front of the building with view-facing beds.”

Moooi’s co-founder, Casper Vissers (Suzy’s husband), started the company in 2001 with Marcel Wanders, naming their venture after their native Dutch word for beautiful, with the third O “standing for extra value in terms of beauty and uniqueness”. 

The implied irony is that Paul and Jolanda are modern-day Dutch “settlers”, who’ve brought an innovative design language to the Cape winelands. The Dutch connection is prevalent everywhere, not just through Moooi, but also in the orange of the estate’s branding, its soon-to-be-relaunched wine label and in the outlandish orange “deck chairs” by Mal Furniture that look like Eames on acid. Shlumpy sofas and armchairs by Linteloo, another Dutch label (Jan te Lintelo is a friend of the owners), rub shoulders with signature pieces by Wanders and other Moooi regulars.

It’s not all Dutch, though – a noteworthy South African art collection, featuring works by Strijdom van der Merwe, Kurt Pio and Helen Vaughan, completes the picture. Suzy says, “Shopping in Cape Town with Jolanda for the art and accessories was a positive challenge (and amazing fun). Although I didn’t have a network there, everyone was extremely helpful and pointed us in the right direction.” 

Speaking of the right direction, for Clouds, the only way is up. 

021 885 1819, cloudsestate.com
Moooi products are available from cremadesign.co.za, fibredesigns.co.za, edgeinteriors.co.za, 03cubed.com
Selected Linteloo furniture is available at weylandts.co.za

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Following some 670 entries from 600 countries, the 27 winners really had to fight for their titles – unfortunately one of the casualities was Cape Town’s Truth HQ, which only made it as far as the shortlisting round. Overall winner of the Best Restaurant went to Höst in Denmark by Norm Architects, while the Atrium Champagne Bar in London by Foster and Partners walked away with the Best Bar title.

The adjudication panel consisted of automobile and industrial designer Chris Bangle, Moooi founder and CEO Casper Vissers, architectural textile designer Anne Kyyrö Quinn and Hilton design director Chris Webb, alongside 17 other prominent designers, architects and hospitality personalities.

See VISI’s coverage of last year’s winners here.

www.restaurantandbardesignawards.com

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The idiosyncratic Dutch brand Moooi recently appointed Edge Interiors as its South African representative. VISI went right to the top of the food chain and chatted to Marcel Wanders about what’s happening with Moooi, Delft and his own design.

VISI: Earlier this year, you and Casper Vissers rebought the controlling stake in Moooi after founding the company together in 2001.

Marcel: Yes, we bought back a percentage of the shares so that Casper and I are now 75% owners of Moooi, which we are very happy about. We have a great partner in B&B Italia and are grateful that they are willing to stay with us and build the future of Moooi. There was a fourth partner, who did a lot of great things, but the synergy was finished. It was the right moment for us to make a little step. Casper and I really believe in the future of Moooi, and want to dedicate our lives to it for the future.

What is your future vision for Moooi?

To be a company that is very well organised compared to other companies in the creative world. So we have been working hard on all the service levels and quality. Working at the systems level of the business is very important in a market that is so under pressure and has to deliver top quality and service.

Now is also the time to relook at our design identity and find ways to keep pushing the market with brilliant ideas. We will continue to push upholstered and furniture products, as well as lighting. With all the new technology, there is potential for a lot of improvement and innovation to be done in terms of lighting. We have been spending a lot of our time, energy and creativity on new types of LED lighting, and want to be a leader on this front, from an ecological perspective too.

This will make us a company that is a serious player in the design world, not only from a business perspective but also in terms of creativity – by still working with young designers as we always have, and leading when it comes to innovative design.

So why the shift to Edge Interiors in South Africa?

I am friends with the people at Edge Interiors and am very happy with the shift. It is a pity that we have to leave another company that did everything to their best knowledge. Sometimes you have to make new friends and say goodbye to old friends. We can look back on a beautiful period we had together, but hope that we do even better with our new partners.

Being Dutch, South Africa is a very special market for us and we have a lot of friends there too. There is the historical connection between the Dutch and South Africa, with its ups and downs. However there is also the connection now in terms of being in the same time zone and also having opposite but complementary climates. So it has become a positive connection.

I visit the country often myself, I love it. Design Indaba has made a fantastic contribution to the mentality and idea of design in the country. The country is important to us and we’re glad to have a good position.

What has your experience of South Africa been?

I love South Africa. It is a magnificent country and Cape Town is a wonderful city.

The connection between Dutch and South African design also comes through in the recent upsurge in Delft motifs. You have personally also done a lot of Delft work.

When it comes to design, I like to give my audience something of myself. I have a lot to give of myself, but one of these things is my cultural background and heritage. So I love to play with Dutch elements and then to work with them in a contemporary way. It is design made today by a new generation but based on an existing heritage. Delft blue is an important component for me and we have made a few fantastic collections for Moooi.

Yes, you launched the Delft Jumpers at London Design Week. Tell us about those.

It’s a sofa with a pillow using Delft patterns, which I think is fun because Delft is always hard and breakable, but a pillow is soft.

In terms of your Marcel Wanders work, you seem to be doing more and more mass-produced work with large brands such as KLM and Marks&Spencers.

As a designer I think we have the responsibility to not only work for the rich, but also not only work for the poor. We have to work for people and take our responsibilities there. To make an expensive or an economical piece doesn’t make a difference to the values I have as a designer, which will always be in the object. My designs will always be lighthearted, good quality, interesting conceptually, and have a beautiful way of respecting the past and the future.

What’s fun is the photos we do in the studio where we put all the pieces together regardless of their cost and then you can really see how the designs are all from one world. The price is the last thing that defines the piece; the soul of the piece is from the same family. I always advise people to have all these pieces and mix them.

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