Cape Town-based designer and illustrator Daniel Ting Chong has created countless brand identities, designed the looks of hot spots in South Africa and abroad and collaborated with brands like PUMA and OkayAfrica on sneakers and tees.

We caught up with him to find out more about his love for design, stand-out projects and what went into the creation of the new Design Indaba 2019 campaign.

When did you know that you wanted to be a designer?

I have always been interested in the creative industry since I was young. I used to draw a lot and my parents would always encourage me. When I was in high school, my design teacher Andrew Putter posed a question to the class: could we produce a piece of design that was commercially viable? I was 16 at the time and a sound designer, 3D designer and I got together to produce a digital magazine called I Eat Soup. I Eat Soup was a design platform that gave young creatives the opportunity to display their work. We had no idea what we were doing. We taught ourselves the basics of Photoshop and Flash to produce the magazine. Our naiveness was the best part of the entire project, as we were learning through playing and failing. We burned the magazine onto mini CDs in our bedrooms and printed the covers at a cheap local printer. We managed to get the magazine stocked at a South African boutique store called Bread & Butter. We were fortunate to sell a handful of copies for our first release. This was validation for me that I could make a living from being a designer.

What do you love about being creative on a daily basis?

Every day I’m lucky enough to work on various projects that require me to solve problems with creative thinking, using different tools and methods to manipulate typography, photography, colours and shapes – what doesn’t sound fun about that? I love the fact that I have to create something out of nothing and give empty spaces an emotion and personality. I love how rapidly the world is changing and how technology influences and expands the creative possibilities of what I do.

Take us through your new campaign for Design Indaba 2019. You view the campaign as a collaborative effort between yourself and computers. How did you come up with the idea of making use of AI?

How did you go about choosing the colour palette for this campaign?

Fundamentally, the colour palette would need to work well in digital and physical environments due to the different rollout scenarios for Design Indaba. In a digital space, the colours are vibrant and rich but they carry well in tangible executions too. We wouldn’t be able to utilise litho printing for all the executions so there had to be a good balance where the colours would display beautifully through digital printing. There seems to be a big trend about “the future of design” and what that visual language looks and feels like and I always felt disconnected to the approaches I’ve seen lately. I intentionally decided on simplistic shapes and colours that gave an emotion of fun and brightness but that also harmoniously worked well as a brand identity colour system. Because of the nature of next year’s theme I intended the visual identity and colour system to be accessible and simplified.

You’ve designed for brands like adidas, the New York Times, PUMA, Nike and Diesel, as well as created looks and identities for spaces such as Dear Maria and Baba-Boom. Is there a project of yours that particular stands out?

I truly value each project that I do, as each one wouldn’t exist without the other. Being commissioned to do international work always feels great, to be recognised on a global scale, however all the local projects are so rewarding. I love working with new businesses and existing local brands to communicate people’s stories through design. Maybe I’m being biased but I feel connected to the local work more, as those projects can add value to the South African landscape and I could have a small role in that positive change.

PUMA X Daniel Ting Chong

Daniel Ting Chong X OkayAfrica

What’s next for you?

I’m currently working on a few projects. There will be a project launching with PUMA early next year and this will be a South African-based project that’s utilised on a global scale. I’m working on a coffee shop in Saudi Arabia at the moment and I’m looking forward to that, as it is female-owned and carries a beautiful story to be told in their business.

Closer to home, I’m working on a few brand identities for a new jewellery brand with an extremely talented designer, a new menswear label only utilising fabrics and production in Africa, and then lastly a local food agency that has big ambitions to showcase food from an African perspective.

To see more of Daniel’s work, visit danieltingchong.com or follow him on Instagram.

The post Designers We Love: Daniel Ting Chong appeared first on Visi.

Switzerland-based designer Ini Archibong, founder of Design by Ini, finds inspiration in mythology, legend and religion.

His mentor, Jerry Helling, creative director of Bernhardt Design, describes Ini Archibong as “one of America’s design storytellers”. His creations, made of a mix of luxurious materials like marble, leather and glass, speak to his culturally rich upbringing and experiences living in various places around the world.

Nowhere is this more evident than in his largest furniture collection yet, a 22-piece collaboration with UK brand Sé called Below the Heavens. VISI chatted to this award-winning designer when he visited Cape Town as a Design Indaba Global Graduate.

The Circe lounge chair and marble-topped Helios table are two pieces in the Below the Heavens collection for Sé.

What do you love most about creating?

I think my favourite part of the process comes after the designing is done and we get into the actual creation of an object. The beautiful thing about working with craftsmen is that there is always a magic moment where the material properties, skill of the craftsperson, and the energy in the room come together to transform the design from its original idea into the piece which will sit in someone’s home. Especially working with materials like glass which can at times perform unpredictably depending on what we are trying to achieve. Often times the “happy accidents” change the trajectory of a project. Sometimes I will even go back to the drawing board to figure out how to reimagine a design to better take advantage of an anomaly which I’ve witnessed in the shop.

How has your journey – from growing up in California to moving to Switzerland to study art and design – influenced your work?

I think how and where I grew up have a huge influence on my work. The way I see the world around me was shaped during my formative years growing up in Southern California. My philosophical perspective and spiritual grounding is a product of how my Nigerian parents raised me. And having been able to spend time in different cities and absorb the culture and experience their history keeps me continually inspired. Having had these experiences and cultural exposure, I knew I was ready to take on the next stage of my education at ÉCAL in Switzerland.

My background and my experience living in Asia and travelling extensively helped me to be a more well rounded designer, and I think it put me in a position to absorb and learn with a different perspective. Having graduated with a more thorough understanding of how to work with craft and with a more developed conceptual approach has allowed me to apply my experiences to my work in a more profound way.

Ini Archibong. Image credit: Franck Juery.

Your creations are often inspired by escapism and fantastical stories. Which one of your pieces do you feel speaks to these ideas or stories the most?

These notions seem to inevitably touch on everything I work on, and I don’t think I can be the best judge of how well my approach is working. If I had to choose, however, I would highlight the pieces from my Secret Garden collection. Much of my work is predicated on a developing philosophy about personal legend/destiny, the power of mythology and religion, and the primacy of the object and environment as a means for affecting the emotional and spiritual states of those that interact with them. This collection is a response to the world we live in today. Each of the pieces has its own inspiration and story, stories about hope, perseverance, and faith in oneself as a hero and in humanity at large. Just like a fantasy story offers a chance at escape to a magical realm of infinite possibility, the objects in this collection will hopefully provide a similar escape.

Jadis Lighting Sculpture. Image credit: Piotr Niepsuj.

What did you take away from your experience in Cape Town in February?

Participating in Design Indaba was nothing short of life-changing. A lot of what I shared on the stage was very personal, and there were things I had never talked about publicly before. Something about the energy and the sense of community made it feel like a safe place and the right time to let people know who I am and what I stand for as a designer. It was an amazing opportunity to address such a large international audience, especially so soon after graduating. It was like a dream come true to be able to share my thoughts and philosophy with so many people. As I am of African descent, it was also exciting to finally be able to share my work on the continent, as well as to be there in the flesh to absorb South Africa’s creativity.

To see more of Ini’s work, visit designbyini.com.

The post Designers We Love: Ini Archibong appeared first on Visi.

Furniture designer and maker Andrew Dominic aims to deliver beauty and elegance into a client’s home with every piece he creates.

Latest releases include the Ivor Collection, consisting of a bench, dining chair and two dining tables that celebrate corner rail construction, as well as the reimagined upholstered Eve Chair.

With an Ivor Collection bed soon to be released, as well as a new dining table inspired by a ship’s stern, Andrew shared more about what’s new, favourite materials and design inspirations.

What’s new from Andrew Dominic?

We’ve just released our new Ivor chairs and are also working on a couple of variations of these. Our Eve chair is being reimagined in an upholstered version. We’ve had a lot of requests for beds so we’re working on a few designs, including one inspired by our Ivor range that plays with corner rail construction and conjures up a sense of floating. We’re currently also working on a new dining table design taking inspiration from a ship’s stern, so it’s quite sculptural and simple.

Do you consider yourself a designer or a maker?

Both. A designer-maker. What I do is grounded in extensive experience in “making” to navigate new ideas. Often, a particular simple making task inspires a new design idea, then piece, then an entirely new range.

From your experience, where does the one begin and the other end? Or do they?

Sometimes a new idea is led by the constraints of the various machining methods, so the two disciplines have to both work together in unison to reach a final resting point of a new design. I am inherently involved in the whole process but it’s always good to be able to hand over a design to the makers so I can get back to the imagining.

What was the first thing you ever made?

A tiny rowing dinghy boat about 10 cm long!

What types of wood inspire you, and why?

The nature of solid Birch is super plain, calm and clean, so I like to use this for simple bedroom pieces. Walnut’s bold and wild grain is always a winning showstopper, especially for an ordinary tabletop shape. I like to use bolder, more characterful timbers on simple forms.

What informs your designs?

Natural shapes, random thoughts, observations in everyday life, and occasionally, rum… only kidding!

What does doing what you do mean to you?

It’s my path, my passion, my work, source of challenges, headaches and triumphs. It can also be all-consuming, as many forms of work can be, but I enjoy the creative freedom I have.

To view more of Andrew’s work, visit andrewdominicfurniture.com.

The post Designers We Love: Andrew Dominic appeared first on Visi.

We chat to local designer Mlondolozi Hempe of creative platform Umongo about collaborating, how he got into design, and new projects on the horizon.

Who is Mlondolozi? How did you start doing what you do?

I am a creative who uses my background in architecture to explore design by tapping into numerous avenues of the creative space, not only curated product and furniture design, but also spatial planning for exhibitions, design events and interiors. I would like to push the envelope through creative consulting for product and brand development. It all started in 2014 with the 12 Rooms Exhibition and the collaboration that I did with MaXhosa by Laduma. This interior design exhibition gave me the opportunity to explore an avenue of design I wanted to be in for a while, namely furniture and product, as well as interior design.

Tell us about your project with MaXhosa and the Imbadu Collective?

The project with MaXhosa was an interior design exhibition influenced by a Nguni-inspired living space – a space where an urban Nguni person would feel comfortable filled with objects they could identify with. This was key to our aesthetic, as spaces like these are hard to come by. Our objective was to create a synergy between the strong MaXhosa aesthetic and my products. The key pieces that anchored the space were the Inkundla-inspired sofa, the wooden potjie and MaXhosa rug. The Inkundla sofa is inspired by the concept of sitting in a circle and encourages communication, which is key to any household. The design of the potjie, a rural element that is common in many homes, was reinterpreted. The rugs layered the space with warmth, bringing all of these elements together.

The Imbadu Collective saw designers from a range of different disciplines, including Atang Tshikare, Zukisani Mrwetyana, Inga Gubeka, Trevor Stuurman, Andile Dyalvane, Laduma Ngxokolo and Loyiso Mkhize, forming a creative network. This turned into a unique opportunity. We had an exhibition where we paired up different creatives from different disciplines to get them out of their normal creative spaces. My role involved co-organising, curating and designing products for the exhibition. The result was a myriad of unique works coming out of the collaborations, including The Dream Chair by ceramic artist Andile Dyalvane, musician Dizu Plaatjie and myself. The most important part of the collective was the creative workshops that were run in Langa for community development, inspiring local school kids and showing that a career can be made from being creative, something that is rare in our communities.

What are you currently working on?

I’m currently doing some collaborative work with Zukisani Mrwetyana from Mnganam Creations. We are doing a collaboration on lights using upcycled glass bottles to show people that discarded things can be turned into beautiful objects. I also collaborated with Maria Uys from Afrigarde on a chair inspired by one of her neck pieces. The chair is made up of felt, African blackwood and steel.

How would you describe the South African art scene right now?

The South African scene is interesting at the moment. There are a lot of emerging creatives, especially African ones creating new and interesting work. It still has a long way to go in terms of creatives understanding the business element of what we do. On the whole, we are growing and I think many interesting things are still going to happen.

Where can people get in touch to find out more about your work?

People can follow me on Instagram to keep an eye on what I’m doing. For more information, they can email me at mlo@umongoo.co.za.

The post Designers We Love: Mlondolozi Hempe appeared first on Visi.

With Dokter and Misses speaking at the Design Indaba Conference, we thought it was about time that we catch up with the duo behind the ever-popular studio.

Here, husband-and-wife team Katy Taplin and Adriaan Hugo, share their thoughts about design, collaboration and stand-out moments.

It’s a big year for Dokter and Misses, celebrating your 10th year as one of South Africa’s best loved design studios. Will you be launching anything special in 2017?

We’ve been working on a new design-centric development in Braamfontein, which will house our new showroom and it seems fitting that this would be the year that we make this move. Braamfontein has been an important part of our story over the years and we want to create spaces where other local designers can join us in establishing themselves.

You’ve done collaborations in the past with the likes of Gone Rural and Ronel Jordaan. Which local designer/s would you most like to collaborate with next, and why?

The Ninevites and Missibaba – for their flair for all things colour and graphic.

What three things do you think are most important when it comes to collaboration in design?

Shared goals, shared drive and complementary skills.

In 2014, you worked with architect Clara da Cruz Almeida on the prefabricated nano-home, POD-iDLADLA, a VISI favourite that appeared on our Aug/Sep 2015 cover. What did you enjoy most about this project?

It’s always been a dream of ours to build a tiny house and it was interesting to explore the crossover between architecture and product design – this project really blurred those boundaries. We learned a lot from the project and enjoyed how immersive the design process became, as we had to question traditional use of domestic space in order to design multi-functional products that were also going to be easy to to use.

You’ve won awards and exhibited both locally and internationally at top galleries and design fairs, from New York and London to Miami and Basel. Is there a moment in your careers that stands out for you?

It’s always been tough to top the opening of our first, very small, shop at 44 Stanley Avenue 10 years ago, but the Kassena Horseman being included in Beauty – Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial in New York would be a close second.

Browse our gallery above to view a selection of both current products and limited edition Dokter and Misses designs. You can shop online at dokterandmisses.com.

The post Designers We Love: Dokter and Misses appeared first on Visi.

Dutch designer, art director and animator Rosa de Jong has created a range of mini architectural artworks inside test tubes and small jars.

Made painstakingly by hand using branches, moss and paper, these miniature artworks feature a range of buildings and structures in different architectural styles perched atop little mounds of earth.

The project, entitled Micro Matter, is ongoing. We caught up with this talented designer to find out more about her creations.

What inspired you to start the Micro Matter project?

I became aware of the fact that if I look at art, I really like it if you can go into the art. It can still be abstract, but I really love it if there is space inside. This makes looking at it a little bit like meditation – instead of thinking, you get to be inside for a moment. So with this realisation, I started making a miniature city with a metro going through it. Summer was slow on design work and I needed to make something to keep myself happy. Then I got mixed up with the mechanism; I wanted to slow down the train, started mixing gears, got confused and abandoned the project. After the summer I bought the tubes, but because I buy so much stuff just because I like it and I think someday I will do something with it, I forced myself to make something with it right away. Then Micro Matter happened!

Which creation from this project has been most challenging to create?

Definitely anything with power lines! Everything else is steady, but the power lines are pretty fragile, which makes it hard to work on the piece because you have to be really careful. Despite what you may think, I am not very patient. I have also been struggling with skyscrapers, to get them small enough to fit. Because the skyscrapers are so much bigger in real life, it’s hard to get the detail right.  I am working on a series of them right now. At first I didn’t sketch anything, but I have drawn some skyscrapers and it seems to be working!

Is there a building/scene that you are looking forward to tackling in the near future?

Yes, it really feels like there is no end to this project. I’m working on skyscrapers right now, but I want to make something with smoke (cotton wool), a tent on a rock, bigger tubes, smaller tubes… maybe even a rocket. And light, that would be really cool.

Are your Micro Matter works available to purchase?

Yes they are! But I have been getting so much attention that I’m not sure how to keep up. I do make a lot of them though, so they keep on coming. I won’t be opening an online shop though, for the same reason. It would be too much work putting every new one up there, so I will be posting information on Instagram if I have a new one for sale and see how that goes.

Finished the trailer – finally. Front & back! #miniatureart #cardboard #trailer #handmade

A photo posted by rosa de jong (@byrosa) on Nov 20, 2015 at 3:44pm PST

This was fun (I didn’t know I could make windows this small) but there’s not much space in the jar, moving back to bigger miniatures! #miniatureminiature #miniatureart #miniaturehouse #diorama A photo posted by rosa de jong (@byrosa) on Nov 10, 2015 at 3:15am PST

Browse the gallery above to view examples of Rosa’s intricate creations. For more information, visit byrosa.nl. You can also follow Rosa’s progress on Instagram.

(h/t) designboom.com

The post Designers We Love: Rosa de Jong appeared first on Visi.

After we spotted Don Fisher’s pretty creations on Instagram, we decided to chat to the Barcelona-based design duo – namely Julia Castaño and Lorena Fernández – about their fun-loving brand.

How did Don Fisher come about? What is it about sea creatures, especially fish, that inspired you to start this brand?

I studied branding and design and when I finished my master’s degree in 2012, all I could think about was having my own shop where I could sell beautiful things. Back then, my favourite thing to do was spend hours browsing beautiful pictures on Pinterest, so I started a blog called Pesca lo Bonito, a pun that means “fishing beautiful things.” In Spanish, “bonito” means beautiful, but a bonito is also a kind of fish. There, I shared beautiful projects by different designers that I really liked.

One day, my mom suggested, “Why don’t you make fish-shaped pencil cases? They would be beautiful bonitos!” With that, I started designing and sewing – and my collection has grown from there. When I was thinking of what to name my brand, I knew it had to be the name of a Captain (of course!), so Don Fisher was a pretty good option. And here we are.

How do you decide on what to design for a new collection?

Every collection I design is inspired by a different sea or ocean, so I start studying what kind of sea creatures live in that particular body of water and interpret them into unique designs.

Do you have any new ranges coming up?

Yes! We have a new collection coming soon that is inspired by the Spanish and Portuguese coast of the Atlantic Ocean. We can’t wait to launch it!

How do our readers in South Africa get hold of your products?

They can find us online at don-fisher.com. They can also follow our catches on Facebook and Instagram. Hopefully, someday, you’ll be able to find us in a physical South African shop too!

Visit don-fisher.com to view more of this talented team’s designs.

The post Designers We Love: Don Fisher appeared first on Visi.

Milkshed, an East London and Cape Town-based furniture design trio, are doing something a little different with their business.

They donate 100% of their profits into their own social change programme to help better the lives of others. We chatted to co-founder Cindy Taylor about what goes into Milkshed, the importance of sustainability in design and their latest projects.

Once you’ve created an item from reclaimed wood, it’s sold through your online store before all the profits are channelled into your “Something Good” programme. Tell us a bit more about this process.

It all starts with the wood. Traditionally, one would begin with the product itself and match the material to the product but we work the other way around – the wood directs what product it will ultimately become. Working with reclaimed wood is a bit like receiving one of those lucky packets we used to get back in the day. The wood arrives – and while we know the characteristics of a beam of Oregon Pine or piece of Meranti – it’s only after we’ve ‘opened the packet’ by tending to the wood that we can say how it will be used.

From there the baton is passed to our amazing carpenter and co-founder, Douglas Grobbelaar, who transforms the wood into our Milkshed range. Our humble little factory is based in East London in a beautifully refurbished milkshed – hence the name – and it is here that all the magic happens.

I, the second co-founder, then photograph the products and these snaps are popped onto our online shop where our products are sold. It’s been a bit tricky for us to get our products in stores since the profit is what powers our projects, but we’ve had the support of two amazing shops that believe in the work we are doing and as a result draw only an amount to cover their costs. On the space front, we do have something very exciting in the pipeline in Cape Town.

The profits from the sale of our items are channeled into our projects, which fall under the umbrella of the name ‘Something Good’. Our projects are varied. We have specific concerns that are particularly close to our hearts, like ensuring that children have the necessities for their bright young minds to grow or bringing hope and a bit of sunshine to the lives of the elderly, but with that said, many of our projects actually find us through friends and family who have come across an organisation or person who could do with a hand.

From there we get in touch and see if and how we can assist. We’re quite strict about making sure we’re assisting people in a positive way and not contributing to or creating learned helplessness. While the profits are helpful in fueling our projects, they are actually not the focus of what we’re trying to do, which is to show people that making a difference is not about donating a wad of money or having to sacrifice all your time – it’s about doing what you can, where you are, with what you’ve got. It’s about actually doing something good and about showing people that a collection of small efforts can really have a big impact.

Who designs the items and are they one-off pieces?

Our design whizz and third member in our co-founder trio is Blaire Rieger. She is the talented mastermind behind all our products. While we produce a number of each product, you could consider each item a one-off piece considering that no two items are identical as a result of the wood. Some items, like our little Motive wooden tricycle, are limited, with only a handful available.

What do you believe is the most important aspect of sustainable design?

For us, sustainable design boils down to impact. We believe that in order for a design to be truly sustainable it’s impact at every level should be considered: Does the material I am using impact the environment? Is it contributing to job creation? Is it empowering people? Is it contributing to people’s lives for the better? Is it making a difference? How does its functionality impact the life of the person who has decided to bring it into their home? If the impact that it has on the environment outweighs the impact it has on a person’s life, it is not sustainable. There are so many ways that design can impact lives and for us, the greater the positive impact the more sustainable it is.

Are you currently working on any new projects?

A project we are trying to raise more awareness about at the moment is our ‘Tubs of Love’ campaign. This project was born out of the need of a home that cares for abandoned children. One of their biggest challenges was the kids’ daily meals – not only was taking up a lot of time to prep the meals, it was coupled with the stress of raising funds to ensure that these kids are getting three nutritious meals a day.

The concept is very simple – you receive a 2L container and commit to making a healthy meal (e.g. soup), filling the container and freezing it. We’ve put together a little book of healthy recipes that one can make. These meals are then collected and delivered to the home or organisation in need and kept in their freezer and defrosted when need be.

It’s a really simple way of making a difference. It doesn’t take a lot of effort or time, and one can get a group of friends together and manage it in your own community. If you’d like to start up your own Tubs of Love project you can pop us a mail at hello@milkshed.co.za.

Visit milkshed.co.za for more information and to shop their creations.

The post Designers We Love: Milkshed appeared first on Visi.

Coveting her gilded wooden bowls, we visited Michou Osterwald in her studio.

Michou, co-owner of Osterwald & Sons Cabinetmakers, which has been in the business of crafting exceptional wooden furniture since 1984, learnt the art of water gilding from a master. It’s a process that requires patience and precision, as the finished product has to emulate the precious metal exactly. Michou embellishes bowls, frames, lamps and details on furniture with 23,75 karat gold leaf, genuine silver leaf or green golds made up of alloys.

Tell us about the history of gilding.

It is an ancient craft invented by the Egyptians to beautify gifts. Over time they also started to gild valuable objects and sacred spaces.

What drew you to gilding?

I’ve always loved doing paint finishes. I became interested in embellishing a humble object like a wooden bowl with something as grand as gold.

How long did the learning process take?

The gilder’s apprenticeship is three years, but it took me longer. A friend of mine in Hamburg who’s a gilding master taught me long distance.

What materials do you use?

A gilder’s cushion, polishing brushes and specialised tools – I look after them like gold!

And future plans?

I hope to develop my range. You never know what you might come across… maybe an old doorframe. I wouldn’t mind doing that!

The bowls are also available at Ebony in Franschhoek and Equus Boutique on Cavalli Estate near Somerset West. Visit michou.co.za or osterwaldandsons.com for more.

The post Designers We Love: Michou Osterwald appeared first on Visi.

Award-winning furniture designer Peter Mabeo of Mabeo in Botswana has more than 30 years’ experience in the design and manufacture of custom-made pieces. We caught up with him following his exhibition at GUILD in February 2015.

What did you most enjoy about exhibiting at GUILD in Cape Town?

I enjoyed interacting with people immensely, from the organising team and the other exhibitors to the lovely ground staff at the event, the visitors from Cape Town, visitors from other parts of your beautiful country, from all over the African continent and from overseas. It was so great to be showing at a high quality, super creative event so close to home. I was curious about the appreciation of our work and if the context would be clear, especially with the prevalence of copied products in some design stores in South Africa. This previously made me hesitant. I am very happy to say that, by far, the overwhelming majority of visitors to our stand at GUILD were extremely supportive and appreciative. GUILD (and Cape Town) has been a great way to introduce our work to South Africa. We look forward to continuing to do this throughout the country through exhibitions, collaborations with crafters, galleries, museums, academic institutions, designers and architects. Really exciting!

What does collaboration mean to you?

It is always an opportunity for a deeper understanding of design and relationships.

Describe the Mabeo aesthetic in three words.

I find it difficult to describe something I am so close to. Also, there are no strict identity rules that we adhere to. Others have used words like simplicity, purity and honesty. I tend to remember these, as I hope we can live up to them somehow.

There have been other descriptions, including some that revolve around African culture and craft. I think craft and culture are a given, as we do not try to suppress it in the interest of being international, nor do we try to push it for the same reason. The intention is always to work in a way that feels easy and unforced. The resulting aesthetic hopefully reflects this in some way. I work with a group of men and women who play an important part in the whole creative process. Aside from understanding form, materiality and proportions, it is our limitations, our challenges, our individual cultures, as well as our group culture – with all its richness and all its baggage – that has shaped our work so far.

Are there any South African designers you’d like to collaborate with?

Porky Hefer is the first person we have collaborated with in South Africa. There are a number of designers who I have come to know about and whose work I appreciate, including Andile Dyalvane and Sipho Mabona. Aside from being talented, they are really nice guys as well and I believe that this is important. All of the great designers I know value their relationship with the world and with others.

What do you think is the most important aspect of sustainable design?

I think if it’s about environmental considerations alone, a preoccupation with making beautiful products, or a focus on just commercial success, sustainable design can become just another way of trying to become relevant and competitive. Unfortunately, this is the case for the majority. There are a few designers who are truly seeking a better way, beyond just our current definition of success. The funny thing is that they tend to produce better work. It is not always recognised for what it is, but it is undeniable.

Are there any exciting new projects that you’re currently working on?

We have participated in many exciting projects internationally. We have made pieces for a 200-room, 5-star design hotel in Stockholm (Hotel Nobis), as well as a seven-metre-long table for another hotel of the same group, also in Stockholm.

We also made 200 chairs for a design hotel in New York, furniture for fashion icons in Italy and pieces for an Academy Award-winning film director, to name a few. Exciting as this is, it is developing new work that excites me the most, especially when this changes preconceived ideas about people.

We are developing new pieces to be exhibited in Europe soon. Although it is a slow process, we are also developing works (beyond the realm of wood) with other crafters. We look forward to presenting these in South Africa soon!

Visit mabeofurniture.com for more information.

The post Designers We Love: Peter Mabeo appeared first on Visi.