Braamfontein’s original Saturday Market is back and buzzing.

Joburg’s bright young things love markets, so the reinvention of a Braamfontein stalwart has them pumped. Named “The Playground”, the weekly affair is situated in the former home of the now-defunct Neighbourgoods Market. Shaken and spruced up, it aims to spark joy and human connection, despite the doom and gloom of the past couple of years.

This weekend shopping fix was opened in early 2022 by original Braamies Neighbourgoods co-founder and urban developer, Adam Levy. Adam has been the force behind much of Braamfontein’s regeneration over the last two decades, and this, his latest project, adds a multi-floor mix of new food, art, design, fashion and music to the CBD.

“The Playground amplifies new stories and encourages the growth of new storytellers in this city,” says Adam. “It will excite a whole new generation, and will be a holding place for outstanding talent.”

READ MORE: Test Kitchen Carbon at Joburg’s Oxford Park

What makes the market so exciting is that it utilises the city’s best-kept secret – its citizens. By carefully choosing vendors and performers – be they bunny chow-makers, rising streetwear designers or jazz crooners – it provides a much-needed platform for the hustlers, creatives and passionate artisans of Johannesburg.

And because it takes place in a former office block with an iconic modernist facade created by sculptor Edoardo Villa, The Playground also offers great views of both the city and the area’s world-class street art.

Plus, the Braamfontein precinct has added more surveillance cameras – and the suburb’s previously informal car guards are now on Adam’s payroll, and have been tasked with looking after visitors, so the entire area around the market is buzzing and welcoming too.

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From a local online market and a new Converse sneaker collab with Japanese designer Takahiro Miyashita to reusable coffee cups and a new lighting design from local studio willowlamp, these are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 324.

1. KAMERS Goes Online

KAMERS will be taking its Cape Town market online this year, allowing you to shop for local products and designs from home. The online market will be running from 26 – 29 March 2020.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B94PI1lA7qB/

Images and styling: Charl du Preez and Nicky Myburgh / @kamersvol on Instagram

2. Converse X TAKAHIROMIYASHITATheSoloist. CX Disrupt

Converse has teamed up with Japanese designer Takahiro Miyashita on a new sneaker, which fuses the designer’s love for Americana and rock. The limited-edition sneaker is made with a state-of-the-art foam phylon midsole and a new stretch canvas designed to move with your foot. The CX Disrupt is available online at converse.co.za and via Shelflife.

Images courtesy of Converse

3. Wanderland Reusable Coffee Cups

Wanderland and Ecoffee Cup have collaborated on a range of four reusable cups featuring patterns created by three South African artists, namely Nicole Levenberg (Aureum), Faatimah Mohamed-Luke and Zinhle Zulu (Zhi Zulu).

Faatimah Mohamed-Luke

Nicole Levenberg (Aureum)

Zinhle Zulu (Zhi Zulu)

Nicole Levenberg (Aureum)

Images courtesy of Wanderland

4. Radial from willowlamp

Local lighting design studio willowlamp has launched the Radial chandelier, a design that stems from the brand’s Lineal light, while simultaneously drawing on the natural world. ‘The Radial refers to the eternal, cyclic ring of life,” says founder and creative director Adam Hoets.

Images courtesy of willowlamp

5. Block & Chisel’s Joburg Showroom

Furniture stalwarts Block & Chisel have opened a showroom in Joburg’s Parkwood. The space offers an engaging shopping experience in an airy barn-like setting, with decor experts ready to assist with home furnishing needs.

Images courtesy of Block & Chisel

Find more like VISI Picks of the week series – week 324 here.

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KAMERS/Makers, SA’s original artisan “up”-market, will be celebrating the Year of The Maker in 2020.

Each show features between 100 and 200 Maker-entrepreneurs. The shows boasts a wide selection of beautiful objects, fashion, decor, gifts, foodie delights, treats, drinks, and so much more.

Many of the Makers you’ve seen at KAMERS started their own artisan journeys as visitors to the shows. Inspired or challenged by a product they saw, they found their own creative spark, nurturing it to the point where they were able to become creative entrepreneurs. This year, there will be even more artisans joining the show.

Six shows are scheduled for 2020, beginning in Cape Town at Jan Van Riebeeck High School, running from 26 – 29 March, 9am – 5pm daily. The following show will be held in Sandton at St David’s Marist College Inanda from 23 – 27 April, 9am – 5pm daily.

KAMERS will head to Umhlali in KZN from 30 July – 2 August, a first for the show, before returning to Joburg for a spring show in late August, following the success of the first spring show last year. Then it’s on to beautiful Blaauwklippen in Stellenbosch at the end of October, before closing the year, as always, in Irene, Pretoria in early December.

Tickets cost R70 at plankton.mobi and R100 at the entrance, which includes a limited-edition KAMERS/Makers shopper bag, Consol Glass water bottle and magazine. Multi-entry tickets cost R130. Group discounts: Buy three, get one free. Students and pensioners pay R70 and under 18s enter for free.

The KAMERS/Makers partnership with Consol Glass continues in 2020, launching further initiatives to push the show’s sustainability even further. To date, the show has given away 75 000 Curvy glass water bottles, filling them with almost 60 000 litres of BlueWater purified drinking water. This means a staggering 160 000+ plastic bottles have been saved from ending up in local landfills. For more about Consol Glass, visit consol.co.za, contact 011 874 0000 or email information@consol.co.za.

KAMERS/Makers’ Creative Director Wanda du Toit highlights five trends to look out for at the upcoming shows:

• An increased use of sustainable fabrics like Hemp and Tencel (made from eucalyptus trees), as well as local wool.
• Joyful, mixed prints on fabric.
• A growing variety of non-alchoholic drinks and products containing less sugar.
• Increased sustainability. Apart from saying no to plastic, a big trend is working with plants, not only to from an environmental point of view, but also to soften our spaces.
• Vintage products, upcycled vintage fashion and a resurgence of wooden toys as heirloom objects.

Don’t forget that you can access the KAMERS/Makers magic 24/7 at shop.kamersvol.com, an award-winning online selection of our favourite Makers. For more information, visit kamers.co.za or email info@kamersvol.com. You can also follow KAMERS on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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The first half of 2019 has seen thousands of handpicked, hand-made South African products being showcased at KAMERS/Makers.

This year’s Cape Town and Joburg shows have featured over 70 brand-new Makers. Now, from 27 August 2019, KAMERS/Makers is returning to St John’s College for a much-requested second Joburg show, introducing more than 60 new Makers, plus more than 100 favourites.

Tapestry shoes by Suz Fabric Art. Britannia metal necklaces by Chantal Mayer. Geometric earrings by Swoon. Eco-printed zip bags by Aucamp Studio.

Dancing bronze perspex earrings by Array. Natural beeswax, honey & propolis soaps, body balm and lip balm by Capensis. Natural and organic body scrub by Z’s Pamper Pots.

The St John’s College show will be opening with a Gala Moonlight Market, a four-hour champagne preview event on 27 August, from 4pm – 8pm. Tickets cost R150 per person, with all proceeds going to Realema, which aims to grow tomorrow’s teachers through internship programmes.

In a bid to remove the need for single-use plastic bottles at all KAMERS/Makers shows, the event will continue its partnership with Consol Glass, handing out Curvy glass bottles to attendees entering each event. To date, this initiative has taken 100 000 plastic bottles out of circulation. Consol Glass will also be unveiling its pop-up shop at the St John’s event, which will be an ongoing feature at all future shows.

The first summer show of 2019 returns to Stellenbosch at the scenic Blaauwklippen Vineyards, followed by the Irene event at Cornwall Hill College in Pretoria.

“We have hand-picked at least 170 talented Makers for each of our upcoming shows from over 550 applicants,” says Makers & Product Coordinator Nicky Myburgh. “KAMERS/Makers has become known for our wide selection of fashion, accessories and jewellery. We are seeing a definite increase in sustainable and ethical fashion production, which makes us very excited.”

Rooibos tins by Sunbird Rooibos. Ceramic plate with figs by Sommer net Môigoeters. Traditional French Calissons by Ooh la la Artisan Confectionery. Paper placemats by FearikaDesign. Engraved salt pot by Coco Africa. Food net by Ashanti Shades.

KAMERS/Makers 2019 Joburg kicks off at St John’s College in Houghton on 27 August 2019 with its Gala Moonlight Market from 4pm – 8pm. The event continues from 28 August – 1 September, 9am – 5pm. KAMERS/Makers 2019 Stellenbosch runs at Blaauwklippen Vineyards from 29 October – 3 November 2019, 9am – 5pm. KAMERS/Makers 2019 Irene, Pretoria will run from 3 – 8 December, 9am – 5pm, at Cornwall Hill College.

Tickets cost R70 via plankton.mobi or R100 at the entrance. This includes a limited-edition KAMERS/Makers shopper bag, Consol Glass water bottle and a magazine. Multi-entry tickets cost R130. Students and pensioners pay R70 and under 18’s enter for free. There is also a group discount: Buy 3, get 1 free.

For more information, visit kamers.co.za or follow KAMERS/Makers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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SA’s original artisan ‘up’-market is back with two autumn shows.

KAMERS/Makers was blessed with a record-breaking 2018 – new Makers (more than 30% of the Makers at each show were new to the artisan community), new venues, new cities… and more than 50 000 visitors.

We can be proud that, firstly, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship are thriving in South Africa; and secondly, that so many consumers appreciate the value and magic that a truly unique, locally made artisan product can offer.

This has informed the theme for 2019: Celebrating The Artisan Way.

KAMERS/Makers is giving its largest ever number of new artisan entrepreneurs a boost in 2019, with a much-requested second Johannesburg show. KAMERS/Makers Spring will happen over Spring Week (end August/beginning September).

But first, the show will kick off the year in the heart of Cape Town on Kloof Street, at Jan van Riebeeck High School before returning to Joburg at St David’s Marist Inanda in Sandton.

Your ticket to celebrating the most innovative in homeware, fashion, decor, jewellery, beauty, food, wine and more also includes a limited-edition KAMERS/Makers shopper bag, Consol glass water bottle and a new magazine.

KAMERS/Makers Cape Town runs from 9am – 5pm between 16 and 19 March at Jan van Riebeeck High School, Kloof Street, while KAMERS/Makers Joburg runs from 9am – 5pm between 26 April and 1 May at St David’s Marist Inanda, Sandton.

Tickets cost R60 via plankton.mobi and R90 at the entrance, which includes a limited-edition KAMERS/Makers shopper bag, Consol glass water bottle and magazine. Multi-entry tickets cost R120. Group discounts: Buy three, get one free. Students and pensioners pay R60 and those under the age of 18 enter for free.

For more information, visit kamers.co.za. Shop online at shop.kamersvol.com and follow KAMERS/Makers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date.

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Local industrial designer Corban Warrington, in conjunction with businessman Roger Orpen, has transformed an old apple warehouse in Elgin into a bustling marketplace on Elgin’s train tracks.

The beautiful space draws inspiration from Art Deco and Art Nouveau movements. Raw finishes, a unique staircase balustrade and large statement fans are some of the stand-out design features of this stylish space. “The theme we wanted to create was an industrialised version of Victorian Style mixed with Art Deco/Nouveau,” says Corban. “There was a strong need to keep all the raw finishes exposed while showcasing attention to detail. The idea was that everywhere you look, your eye would see something it has never seen before.”

Corban aims to create spaces that cause interaction and give meaning. In this case, the communal seating encourages interaction between market visitors.

“With the help of local in-house manufacturers, lead by engineer Mike Sutton, we had full freedom [when it came to the] design and were able to push the boundaries of manufacturing practices,” says Corban. “By pulling all nighters and getting comfortable with the angle grinder, we managed to get the doors open in just over a year.”

For more information about the market, visit elginrailwaymarket.co.za.

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The annual KAMERS/Makers market experience, themed the Year Of The Open Hand, will take place from 28 February – 4 March 2018 at St Joseph’s Marist College in Rondebosch, Cape Town.

This year’s event will allow local design enthusiasts to shop items from more than 110 makers, from wine barrel furniture and handmade jewellery to wooden, porcelain and ceramic serving ware and hand-spun scarves.

Gourmet food forms an integral part of the festival, so expect an array of fresh and interesting dishes.

The event’s non-profit initiative Mzansi Makers kicked off last year with five successfully running projects, with another six scheduled and funded for this year.

Tickets are on sale now for R60 via plankton.mobi, otherwise tickets will cost R90 at the entrance. Students and pensioners pay R60, while those under 18 enter for free. Your ticket comes with a limited edition KAMERS/Makers shopper bag and magazine.

For more information, visit kamersvol.com.  

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&Friends will host its much-anticipated second seasonal market on 4 November 2017 in Heidelberg, Gauteng.

From botanical floral arrangements and simple, rustic jewellery to hand-made pottery and wooden bowls, minimalist notebooks and stationery, modern knitting kits, gourmet desserts, Turkish cotton towels and trendy homeware items, this new market features a wide range of artisanal local designers and food stalls.

Stallholders will include names such as Henriette Botha, Pull The Wool, Dandy Pottery, Summah, Carry Ann Bags, Botanicus, The Frozen Foundry, Eat a Bit, Everyday Gourmet Goods, Kolmio Jewellery, Alexa Lily Shop and Swagger Collective.

The market will be held on 4 November 2017 at Poortjie Saal Venue & Guesthouse, Heidelberg, Gauteng. Entrance is free and the market will run from 8am until 3pm. For more information, visit &Friends on Facebook or follow the market on Instagram.

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Garden Day is an opportunity to celebrate the fruits and flowers of your hard work.

Sunday, 15 October, the Garden Day movement wants us to celebrate our gardens and welcome summer back into our lives. This day is all about setting down tools, wiping your brow, and allowing yourself to appreciate the joys of a garden, whether it’s your own or a friend’s.

The organisers of this movement want to raise awareness around how gardens can bring communities and people together. Many of those who own a garden work tirelessly to maintain it, yet, statistically, these same people spend up to 20% more time gardening than they do revelling in its splendours.

“In this century of absolute convenience and consumerism, we have become disconnected from nature – especially those of us who live in cities,” says gardening author Jane Griffiths. “My organic vegetable garden is not only my oasis and sanctuary, but it also provides us with organic vegetables and herbs. I encourage everyone to put down their phones and switch off the TV and go outside, into your garden or a friend’s garden, and enjoy reconnecting with nature this Garden Day.”

You could arrange a flower crown-making party, host a tea party, have a deli-style picnic, swap plants or arrange a neighbourhood garden party. The possibilities sit entirely within the realms of your imagination and desire. In anticipation of this year’s Garden Day, a whimsical photo shoot was done that included fashion maven Jackie Burger and Babylonstoren gardener Constance Stuurman, among others. The images are wonderfully inspiring.

“Rosemary and slangbos are my favourite plants to work with in flower crowns,” says Constance, “as they create a beautiful, sturdy structure.” You needn’t have a sprawling property to have a garden – urban or rooftop gardening is something any city dweller can do. Start your garden now, and join in the celebrations.

Events To Get You Ready For Garden Day

Woodmead Flower Crown Workshop – Johannesburg

Join floral designer Jannie Olivier at Woodmead Shopping Centre, who will give a demonstration on how to make a flower crown. Jannie is the current Interflora tutor and judge and has been since 2015. He was the Interflora National Designer from 2004 – 2007.

When: Saturday 14 October – 11am to 1pm
Where: Woodmead Shopping Centre Main Entrance
Cost: Free, space is limited to ten participants per time slot.

Flower Crown Workshops – Cape Town

Join floral stylist Blomboy at the Oranjezicht City Farm Market for a free flower crown workshop.

When: Saturday 14 October – two sessions: 9am and 11am
Where: Oranjezicht City Farm Market, Granger Bay, V&A Waterfront
Cost: Free

For more information about Garden Day, visit gardenday.co.za. To win one of three Ludwig’s Roses vouchers, worth R600 each, enter here.

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The Mojo Market opened in Sea Point, Cape Town, in April.

“Mojo Market has been carefully curated to offer an interesting mix of lifestyle, food and retail,” said one of the owners, Graeme Robinson. He, Robbie Lessem and Tara Lerner also own the Mojo Hotel (located above the market) and saw this not only as an opportunity to extend the experience for their guests, but to give Sea Point residents a vibrant, engaging new retail and leisure space. This hybrid market’s 80 stalls offer food ranging from local, fresh and healthy to exotic international fare, and retailers selling clothing, gifts, jewellery and homeware.

The open, industrial design of the 2 000m² space (previously a post office, Cash Crusaders and shoe shop, amongst others) is the result of an extensive collaboration, with Megan Grauso of Indigo Fusion, leading the interior architectural layout, and Yvonne Kramer of Jade & Ginja imagining, designing and executing the lighting, finishes, furniture and decor.

“During construction there were numerous changes made to optimise space,” explains architect Anton van Zyl, who has been responsible for turning the plans and ideas into a reality. Electrics, gas, sprinkler systems, council submissions, and the inconsistencies of an old building were just some of the challenges that Anton and the team faced when demolitions began in September 2016. “Creating the market, the food stalls, shops, and seating areas was an ongoing discussion and development until every possible space was utilised to its maximum.”

The retail area faces both inwards (towards a central bar) – “emulating the community hub of a town square,” says Yvonne – and outwards (onto the pavement) on the lower floor with a seating area against the floor-to-ceiling glass wall with views of the sea and palm-lined promenade. A mezzanine adds to the seating on offer.

There were many practical considerations that demanded smart design application: “design following function,” as Yvonne puts it. The awnings, for example, appear decorative, but practically shield the open ground-floor stalls from any debris from the mezzanine seating above. Co-owner Robbie wanted movable and modular furniture, so the booth seats along the window are detachable. Yvonne commissioned joiners Crib Creations to realise this idea as well as other bespoke finishes and furniture pieces, including the bars.

In executing the client’s brief for an industrial, urban feel, while also concealing some of the less attractive structural aspects, Yvonne injected warmth, colour and an element of nature. “Sea Point is becoming a modern concrete and glass high-rise cityscape,” explains Yvonne. “We wanted to literally ‘replant’ trees and timber – even if it had to be an eclectic pastiche.” Touches include wooden-clad posts and abstract wooden trees with LED lights on the mezzanine level, which were simultaneously a clever design fix to a structural problem since lighting could neither be hung due to the ceiling height nor be chased.

The four central columns are painted in muted tones and metallics. A soft peach background once again brings warmth, and playful birdlife illustrations by Gabi Lee, reference nature. In addition to wood, Yvonne used klompie (clay) bricks, mixed metals and dirty Art Deco greens and blues. The interiors are reflective of the varied mix of the market, which in turn mirrors the diversity of Sea Point itself.

The Mojo Market, located on Regent Street, Sea Point, between Church and Clarens Roads, will be open seven days a week, 364 days year (Christmas Day is optional for traders). Summer trading hours are from Mondays to Sundays, 9am – 9pm (food stalls 10am – 10pm), while winter trading hours are from Mondays to Sundays, 9am – 9pm (food stalls 10am – 9pm). Find Mojo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and on the website mojomarket.co.za.

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