Read in English.

’n Splinternuwe winkel wat in plaaslike ontwerp spesialiseer, het sy deure in Umhlanga geopen, skryf ons nuwe korrespondent in Durban, Georgie Chennells.

’n Vars nuwe bries trek deur Umhlanga – en dis sowaar nie nog ’n kroeg nie! Dié kruising tussen ’n seedorpie en vakansiemekka spog met iets nuuts wat hierdie vakansieseisoen besoekers se aandag (en beursies) sal trek.

Catalyst is die resultaat van ’n ongewone saamwerkprojek tussen die apteker David Fraser en die interieurontwerper Gareth Henderson van GIH Design. David het Gareth genader om die Medisport-apteek by Umhlanga Village uit te brei en die ontwerp in heroënskou te neem. Daar was uiteindelik ’n stuk winkelruimte oor wat perfek was om uiting te gee aan David se ander voorliefde: beeldskone goed. Die twee het toe die konsep verder ontwikkel en produkte vir die winkel uitgesoek.

Catalyst het twee ingange: een op die buiteplaza (by die restaurant Calisto’s) en die interessanter ingang deur ’n reuse skuifdeur aan die agterkant van die apteek. Wat jou dadelik opval, is dat dié ruimte nie net nog ’n skitterblink paleis is waar jy kussings en kamersproei kan koop nie. Die winkel lyk verfrissend nonchalant en ingeleef met die skuifdeure, toonbanke en muurbedekkings wat byna uitsluitlik van herwinde hout gemaak is. ’n Enorme embuia-styl bal-en-klou-tafel vorm die fokuspunt, met blinknuwe swart en akwa wat bygevoeg is, terwyl ’n netjiese geometriese stelsel van modulêre rakke die mure versier met die koperbedekte sparre wat opwaarts sigsag.

David en Gareth is ewe passievol oor Suid-Afrikaanse ontwerp en sê alles in Catalyst word plaaslik gemaak. Uit Durban is daar Shaw Sisters se geverfde mandjies en reuse- gehekelde pouffes, sambrele met botaniese motiewe deur Clinton Friedman, armbande en bykomstighede van Blossom, Alice May se luukse skryfbehoeftes, sakke van Wylder Jane, juweliersware deur Chey Michau en Nicky Savage, asook Catalyst se eie reeks grasplekmatjies en tuinsitplekke. GIH se ontwerpe soos die Gut-Punch-lig en die Deep Seat word wel as winkelmeubels ingespan, maar kan ook bestel word.

Kaapstad, Johannesburg, Knysna en Plett word ook goed verteenwoordig met leerprodukte van Adriaan Kuiters, Potterseed-keramiekware, Skinny LaMinx-materiale, Ilovani-snyplanke, sakke deur Tamelia, Pedersen and Lennard-sitplek, Joe Paine-voëltjiekoshouers, keramiekware deur Sandra Godwin, Mungo-handdoeke en vele ander.

Ons hoop van harte Catalyst is inderdaad die begin van groot dinge.

Catalyst / Medisport-apteek, Winkel 11, Protea Mall, Umhlanga, 031 561 1227, www.g-i-h.co.za

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Lees in Afrikaans.

Umhlanga is home to a refreshing new all-South African design shop, writes our Durban correspondent Georgie Chennells.

Umhlanga has a new addition, and its not another bar! The traditionally pastiche seaside village-cum-holiday mecca has something more to entice the visitors this festive season, and just in time for the seasonal shop-a-thon.

Catalyst is the result of an usual collaboration between pharmacist David Fraser and interior designer Gareth Henderson (GIH Design). While David commissioned Gareth to expand and redesign the Medisport Pharmacy on the Umhlanga Village strip, a conundrum with a piece of leftover shop space allowed David’s other interest, beautiful things, to find expression. The two then went about developing the concept and sourcing products to fill the space.

There are two entrances to the Catalyst store: One off the outside plaza (by Calisto’s, a restaurant), and the more interesting entrance: through a room-size sliding door at the back of the pharmacy. What is immediately apparent is that this is not another polished palace of pillows and room fragrancers as tends to pop up in this area. It’s refreshingly unedited. The slider itself is made almost entirely of reclaimed timber sourced from pallets, as are the counters and wall claddings. An enormous imbuia-style ball-and-claw table takes centre stage, refurbished in black and aqua, while a neatly geometric system of modular shelves lines the walls, its copper plated struts zigzagging upwards.

Both David and Gareth are passionate about South African design and are adamant that Catalyst stocks only locally-crafted products. From Durban  there are painted baskets and giant crocheted poofs from the Shaw Sisters, printed botanical umbrellas from Clinton Friedman, Blossom bangles and accessories, luxury stationery from Alice May, bags from Wylder Jane, jewellery by Chey Michau and Nicky Savage, as well as Catalyst’s own range of grass place mats and garden seating. Of course pieces by GIH, such as the Gut-Punch light and the Deep Seat are meant as furnishing for the shop but can also be ordered.

Cape Town, Joburg, Knysna and Plett are also well represented with Adriaan Kuiters leatherwork, Potterseed ceramics, Skinny LaMinx textiles, Ilovani chopping boards, Tamelia bags, Pederson and Lennard seats, Joe Paine bird feeders, Sandra Godwin ceramics, Mungo towels and many more all playing together nicely.

Now, with no pun intended, let’s hope Catalyst is indeed the start of something good.

Catalyst / Medisport Pharmacy, Shop 11 Protea Mall, Umhlanga, 031 561 1227, www.g-i-h.co.za

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The KwaZulu-Natal leg of the Corobrik Architectural Student of the Year Award celebrated projects that explored Durban’s inner city.

The recent Corobrik Architectural Student of the Year Award has been under the spotlight as top students from architectural learning institutions in South Africa are identified and celebrated.

The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) awards evening was held at the KZN Institute for Architecture’s premises in Durban, where the top five projects from the University of KZN were exhibited. Local architects, lecturers and supporters of the industry turned up to find out who would represent the province at a national level in the final round of the awards programme, while sipping and socialising before speeches.

The top student awarded was Dennis-Lee Stols, whose project dealt with social and architectural issues surrounding Durban’s inner city cardboard recyclers, a network of insurgents in the city whose “make-do” attitudes and actions inspired him. Working closely with local award-winning NPO Asiye eTafuleni, Deniis spent the past two years investigating the urban challenges highlighted by the group’s endeavours. He was also inspired by Jan Gehl’s book Life Between Buildings and the questions raised about public space, its uses and definitions.

The result was a 5 500 square metre facility to support the recyclers’ activities and promote their integration and identity within the city. This incorporated a framework of industrial steel, zig-zag roofs and various modular structures from a palette of brickwork, concrete blocks and plywood. “It’s not about romanticising poverty; it’s more about celebrating the way people are actually doing things” said Dennis.

Joint second place for the award was shared by David Sharkey and Michael Madden. David’s project explored the stress levels of people negotiating the city and sought an urban solution through the design of public space and transport interchanges several city-blocks wide. Michael’s work explored perceptions of the police, physical security and public openness, which resulted in the design of a new regional headquarters for the SAPS, including a fallen officer’s memorial park.

Other impressive projects on display investigated various architectural solutions to the dearth of creative spaces in the inner city (by Cameron Finnie) and new possibilities for urban transport networks (by Geoffrey Richards).

What’s remarkable about this exhibition is its engagement with issues that are quite directly relevant to the local architectural and design scene. Viewers came away with some food for thought as well as having seen some inspiring visions for Durban’s inner city.

The exhibition will be available online through the KZNIA in 2013. See www.kznia.org.za for more details. 

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