Cape Town-based furniture designer Ben Kennedy is driven to create high-end contemporary furniture pieces that not only transcend function but pay homage to the Mother City’s Art Deco architecture.

Ben Kennedy Design’s contrasting use of organic textures and geometric forms is strongly influenced by Ben’s heritage and his place of residence in Cape Town. We had a chat with him to find out more about his latest collection.

Firstly a bit more about you… what’s your creative journey been and how did you get into furniture design?

My interest in design sparked at a young age and I was drawn to art and architecture. I have always had a love for drawing and was intrigued by geometry. Growing up in Namibia, I was surrounded by Frystark and other mid-century modern furniture pieces my Grandmother owned. I grew to love those timeless pieces, many of which are still in my house today. After High school, I worked in various fields in the design industry and also gained some valuable experience in manufacturing. Using this knowledge, I started by building furniture for the house my friends and I lived in. Without formal training in furniture making, I had no pre-conceptions of what exactly furniture design should be. I yearned for something unique and started to design my own.

What inspired this new range?

I like to reference my surroundings in my work and Cape Town is a constant source of inspiration. I have always loved the city, and after finally moving here in 2018, I was drawn to the historic buildings in and around the city. I loved running in Vredehoek or strolling through the CBD on Friday afternoons. I felt the need to pay homage to all of the intricate detailing and curves on the Art Deco buildings, which allowed me to create distinctive pieces that are not only functional but would tell a story. I tend to look at these pieces as tiny structures for your home.

Tell us more about the materials you used.

For this collection, I selected materials and colours that would not only complement the form but also reference the buildings they were inspired by. In the Art Deco style, you will often find a combination of marble and metal and ebonised timber. The use of these materials in the new collection was inevitable. A playful coat of “Holyrood pink” on a Bellair side table or the combination of dramatically contrasted marble and steel is my ode to the Art Deco buildings in Cape Town.

And why did you choose Mutual Heights to showcase the range?

When selecting a location for the photoshoot, I knew it had to be in the city centre. We wanted to showcase the furniture pieces in locations seeped in history. 

I have always admired the Mutual Heights building, it is considered to be one of the finest examples of Art Deco in Africa. From the brass ceiling, black and gold-veined onyx, pink marble columns, parquet flooring and stainless steel fittings, the building is unapologetically true to its style. The photographer Francis Marais convinced me that it was the perfect location. The space not only elevated the pieces but heightened the sense of glamour we wanted to convey.

Where can one buy the range?

Most of our furniture is made to order through our website and social media pages, and our pieces can often be seen as part of local exhibitions. Currently, we are part of an online exhibition called Blurring The Lines with The Fourth, on Artsy. We are also very fortunate to have pieces at Kombi, a design gallery based in New York presenting contemporary furniture and art objects from Southern Africa. | benkennedy.design

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Here are South Africa’s 50 Emerging Creatives set to make an impact in 2018 and beyond.

Design Indaba’s Emerging Creatives Programme was founded in 2005 to nurture new creative talent and break down barriers to entry for those just getting started. The platform, which has helped launch the careers of Laduma Ngxokolo, Katherine-Mary Pichulik, Daniel Ting Chong and Andile Dyalvane, supports young creatives who have relatively little industry exposure.

The Class of 2018, made up of young architects, fashion designers, illustrators, furniture designers, jewellers, graphic designers and multi-disciplinary mavericks, were selected based on the quality and originality of their work and its ability to stand alongside world-class designs. Of the 50 young designers, 40 will showcase their work in Cape Town at the Artscape Theatre Centre at Design Indaba from 21 to 23 February, with a further 10 showing at LISOF, as part of the Design Indaba Johannesburg Simulcast 2018.

Design Indaba points to some of the highlights to watch out for: prototype appliances, such as a manual washing machine, from promising young industrial designer George Gibbons; colourful camera straps from Lunar Straps founder Tyla Stallbom; an intriguing “wonderverse” by image-maker Sizwe Mbiza; and a new wave of fashion designs for hijabs by Ra’eesah Hoosen, plus many more.

Curated by Hannerie Visser of Studio.H, below are the names of the the Emerging Creatives Class of 2018, in alphabetical order.

• Balini Naidoo, fashion designer
• Didintle Ntshudisane, stylist
• Duma Mtimkulu, ceramicist
• George Gibbons, industrial designer
• Imile Wepener, illustrator
• Jessica Middleton, illustrator
• Jona Schilling, ceramicist
• Kayla Shaban, accessory designer
• Kgaugelo Rakgwale, photographer
• Kristen van Niekerk, filmmaker
• Leah Bessa, food designer
• Mapitso Thaisi, fashion designer
• Masonwabe Ntloko, artist
• Max Bauer Nelson-Tansley, graphic designer
• Minenhle Siphesihle Ntuli, interior designer
• Neliswa Mpungose, illustrator
• Neo Mahlangu, graphic designer
• Nickita Maesela, DJ
• Ntomegugu Peteni, fashion designer
• Ra’eesah Hoosen, fashion designer
• Sakhile Cebekulu, fashion designer
• Sarah King, ceramicist
• Sfiso Shange, product designer
• Shamara Brenna, product designer
• Shelley Klopper, accessory designer
• Shelley Mokoena, fashion designer
• Sizwe Mbiza, artist
• Sonwabo Valashiya, illustrator
• Ssanyu Sematimba, graphic designer
• Stephanie Mzee, photographer
• Thaakierah Abdul, graphic designer
• Thabang Rampain, art director
• Thandazani Nofingxana, artist
• Tiaan Beukes, furniture designer
• Tshegofatso Sithole, fashion designer
• Tshepo Sealetsa, interior designer
• Tyla Stallbom, product designer
• Tyler Yeo, architect
• Wandile Leeu, fashion designer
• Xolisa Sibeko, communication designer

The extended list of LISOF participants include:

• Ayanda Nkosi, fashion designer
• Ben Myres, motion graphics designer
• Boipelo Khunou, filmmaker
• Cole Ndelu, photographer
• Johannes Sebotshane Sithole, fashion designer
• Lucky Pathle Mashilwane, artist
• Maggie de Vos, illustrator
• Nokulunga Mazibuko, ceramicist
• Refentse Mokale, visual artist and accessory designer
• Samuel Mabizela, artist

The Emerging Creatives exhibition in Cape Town will be open to the public for free from 5:30 pm on Design Indaba Open Night, which takes place on Wednesday 21 February 2018, to mark the official opening of this year’s Design Indaba Festival of Creativity.

For more details and ticketing info, visit designindaba.com/festival.

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The new indoor collection from Mobelli Furniture + Living features a sophisticated yet practical range, created for contemporary living and working spaces.

The South African outdoor furniture specialists recently launched the indoor range in their Menlyn Mall store in Pretoria. “The range is chic and sophisticated and sure to dazzle you,” says Alon Sachs, owner of Mobelli Furniture. The collection is comprised of five different ranges: The Magellan couch, Commodore deep seating with cushions, the Marina four-seater sofa, the Colada lounge set and the Compass chaise, all of which are made with the finest materials in soft cotton and muted tones, to suit any indoor setting.

Mobelli Furniture + Living has showrooms in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Pretoria. For more information, visit mobelli.co.za.

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