The South African interior designer’s latest project is a spectacular rooftop Supper Club called Giselle. It opened in March and is located  in downtown Miami’s bustling District 11.

Known locally for his work designing interiors for restaurants like Fyn, and Alice & Fifth, and the Gorgeous George hotel, Tristan’s Joburg-based interior architecture firm Tristan du Plessis Studio has also completed over 15 international projects to date, from Rome and Normandy to Dubai and Bahrain.

The latest of these is in Miami and it’s a space that has Tristan’s unmistakable stamp – part re-imagined classism-with-a-twist-of-Deco, part retro-futurist, and a little bit of a rock ‘n roll edge in there somewhere too. We chatted to Tristan about Giselle – a new restaurant located above E11even – one of the biggest nightclubs in the USA.

Given how original and imaginative your work is, I’m always fascinated by what briefs you get from clients. What did they ask for with Giselle?

The brief was to create an over-the-top and unapologetically glamorous dining experience, providing lots of eye-candy and moments of discovery. The client wanted to have a dynamic outdoor space that could close in a few seconds when rain came and open right back up when it cleared. They also wanted an intimate internal fine-dining area that felt like a dreamscape from which you could comfortably view the madness that is downtown Miami’s nightlife.

And how did you interpret that request?

The design was largely driven by the location, E11even is a high-energy, star-studded nightclub with the biggest rappers and DJ’s in the world performing every weekend. It’s highly theatrical and extremely high-energy, so Giselle was intended to be a complimentary  pre-cursor to the late-night Miami experience.

We wanted the space to feel glamorous but with a gritty edge beneath the surface. The bathrooms are a good example of this … we flew New York-based street artist Bisco Smith to “vandalize” every surface in the bathrooms, which feels more akin to walking into an art installation than a restaurant toilet.

The walls were panelled in traditional French Boiserie installed in a very untraditional way, and then further blown way out-of-proportion in the fine-dining room. We wanted to lean into expected luxury features and twist them into something new and unexpected.  The branding was created by our longstanding collaborators Jana+Koos; and we also wove graphic elements into the design, like the hand-painted motifs on individual tiles with Kalki Ceramics in Durban. 

What brands did you work with for the furniture, lighting, and soft furnishings?

We worked with Cape Town-based Guideline MNF to custom-make most of the Furniture, along  with some of Haldane Marti’s chairs on the terrace. We used fabrics from Dedar Milano, wall lights from Paris-based Garnier & Linker, pendant by Lee Broom from London, as well as lamps by Apparatus Studio in New York (on the bar) and LA-based Kelly Wearstler (on the chef’s counter)  to add touches of sophistication in this over-the-top space.

It’s been amazing to see your career take off like it has, shining such a bright light on the design talent we have here in SA … so what’s next, Tristan?

At the moment, pretty much all of my current projects are international … I’m working on two more projects in Miami and full hotel design projects in Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, Tuscany, Salzburg and many restaurants around the world. Locally I’m doing two homes in Joburg and a spa in Franschhoek.

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The architecture and decor of this new crop of hotels only serves to reinforce Miami’s reinvention as a global design capital.

The Goodtime Hotel

With a name like this, it’s no surprise that fun was had in the design of this artistic collaboration between its high-profile owners – producer and singer Pharrell Williams, and Miami nightlife entrepreneur David Grutman. And the good times come not just in the form of legendary weekend pool parties but in the aesthetic too; it boasts everything from pink crocodile-print wallpaper to a pink-striped rooftop pool offset with pastel umbrellas. Yes, there’s a lot of pink at The Goodtime, but that’s what elevates it to Wes Anderson levels of cool and breezy. Go for the vibe, stay for the good looks. | @thegoodtimehotel

Esmé Miami Beach

This revival property on Española Way (opposite top) was known as the Spanish Village when it opened in 1927, and was originally built as a boho artists’ colony. Now, after a long renovation, Esmé has opened its doors. Staying true to its village-like origins, the hotel is made up of eight linked buildings, with the mood and decor transforming from one side of the property to the other. There’s a nod to the joyous decadence of old Art Deco Miami, but homage is also paid to the area’s more mysterious Spanish side, rich in culture and history. Either way, Esmé is not short on atmosphere – nor on unmissable foodie spots, like its intimate Omakase concept, Sushi | Bar. | @esmehotel

Arlo Wynwood

Fun fact: the neighbourhood of Wynwood is home to the largest concentration of street art in the world – and this property (below) draws on the vibrancy of the area’s artistic heritage, making it a feature of the hotel not just via its urban views, but in its approach to design as well. The exterior walls feature works by Miami-based artist Hoxxoh, while on the yoga deck (yes, there’s a rotating roster of wellness gurus here too), collage artist Ari Robinson is creating a Plexiglass mural. Inside, Arlo’s interiors read like a who’s who of contemporary American art, with more than 250 works by artists such as Coruna Luna, Ryan Coleman and Alain Castoriano. | @arlohotels

Pelican Hotel

If you expect a hotel that has been refurbed by Diesel’s founder and creative director Renzo Rosso to be nothing short of the coolest place on Earth, then you’d be right. All rooms here are inspired by classic movie themes, and packed with colour, character, original Art Deco objets and retro furniture. Design enthusiasts will enjoy the mix of vintage pieces from the 1930s through to the 1990s, sourced at flea markets around the world. And the cinematic theme, at once completely kitschy and utterly dreamy, follows guests into the restaurant, the Pelican Café – its dining area features the Hungry and Shortwave chairs recently designed by the Diesel Living team. | @pelicanhotel

Palomar South Beach

If you want the scene of SoBe without all the noise, then Palomar, cocooned on a tiny barrier island against the Collins Canal, will do the trick. Its super-luxe, modern lines echo the hull of a yacht, and despite its insistence on being a retreat from the buzz of South Beach, there’s no shortage of views and drama here. In a nod to the city’s annual Art Basel event, the lobby is littered with art displays, abstract shapes and large swathes of fabric meant to resemble the ripples of the nearby Atlantic Ocean. The rooms follow this laid-back beachy ideal with a soft blue colour palette and sandy wood accents. | @palomarsobe

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Cape Town-based gallery Southern Guild is heading to Design Miami 2019 with a bold new offering, including the Molecules collection by acclaimed South African designer Porky Hefer.

The new collection of hanging leather pods will form the gallery booth’s centrepiece. The series comprises three large suspended orbs with titles that allude to the chemical compounds they represent; Dihydrogen Monoxide, Fluoroheliate Monoxide and Hydrogen Difluoride. The orbs, which are dressed in brightly-coloured leather, a nod towards the international colour codes all atoms are known by (white for hydrogen, red for oxygen, green for chlorine), were manufactured by Cape Town-based leather artisans Wolf & Maiden. Inside, a soft and inviting interior beckons viewers to climb inside.

Molecules reveals Porky’s fascination with the reactions and energy a piece can generate in empty space. Inspired by the fact that molecules are made up of atoms held together by chemical bonds that form as a result of the sharing or exchange of electrons, the artist encourages viewers to explore the complex bond of human connection, one that goes beyond the one between people and deeper into the natural world.

Southern Guild will showcase 13 never-before-seen works that encompass energetic colourways, forms of the future and attention-commanding shapes. Along with Porky’s Molecules, you can expect to see collectible furniture, kinetic lighting, sculpture and large-scale ceramics by Dokter and Misses, Rich Mnisi, Andile Dyalvane, Justine Mahoney, MAK with NØDE, NØDE, Madoda Fani and Zizipho Poswa.

Design Miami 2019 runs from 3 – 8 December 2019. For more information, visit southernguild.co.za.

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This luxurious oceanside home, designed by local architecture firm SAOTA, is located on the southern tip of Miami’s Dilido Island.

Boasting awe-inspiring views and a flawless merging of internal and external living spaces, the design of the house draws on the jet-set lifestyle of Biscayne Bay. The house, which features a pre-oxidised copper roof, spills out onto the elevated waterfront, giving one the illusion that you’re on the deck of super-yacht.

A grand entrance hall comprises a series of wall planes held together by a curved screen of etched glass. Inside, an expansive void becomes accentuated by playful sculptural elements, including a spiral staircase, bold artworks and a series of bronze screens that hang from the ceiling. Subtle yet opulently rich materials make for graceful interiors by interior designer Lynda Murray. Crisp white stucco, grey limestone and copper and bronze detailing are offset by splashes of cobalt blue and Jurassic-like green landscapes designed by the Miami celebrity landscaper Raymond Jungles.

Bodies of water meandering through the home – a pond in a jungle-esque setting at the entrance and a soothing reflection pool around the study – serve as a thread that connects the outdoor areas.

See more SAOTA projects here, including the firm’s first completed project in Bali.

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South African architecture firm SAOTA has built its first residence in Miami Beach, Florida and it’s a mega mansion that boasts views, terraces and a pool-party ready outdoor area.

The multi-layered property perfectly blends the indoors and the outdoors. Instead of containing the home to one singular structure, SAOTA stuck to its signature style of creating “porous” living spaces and spread the home over the elongated property, creating a seamless connection to the outside.

The expansive waterfront home is located in a picturesque setting overlooking the palm-lined India Creek Canal towards the Atlantic Ocean. The front of the home features a basketball court that acts not only as a buffer from the noise made by the adjacent busy road but also makes for an interestingly “suspensive arrival experience” for guests.

The overall design of the home sees the interior not so much as an indoor space but more a living space that embraces the landscape, sky and Miami’s tropical climate. Wherever one may be in the house, the connection to the outside is always evident. This is delivered through a variety of courtyards, floor-to-ceiling glazing, retractable walls and luscious landscaping by Raymond Jungles. The massive pool is accompanied by a barbecue area, bar, Jacuzzi and even a waterslide that descends from the terrace on the second floor.

To see more work by SAOTA, visit saota.com.

(h/t) dezeen.com

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Miami-based artist Jason Seife paints the patterns of traditional Persian carpets onto canvas.

Using a mixture of ink and acrylic, he transforms these original works into something modern, reinventing and interpreting historical movements.

These incredibly detailed paintings portray the symbolism of geometric shapes, flora and graphic imagery used in the original carpets, with a few contemporary adaptations thrown in to convey Seife’s emotional state while painting.

Seife was diagnosed as colourblind as a child and adds unconventional colours to his Persian carpet paintings, not usually associated with the tapestries.

See more of his work on Instagram.

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Miami-based street artist Douglas Hoekzema (a.k.a. Hoxxoh) chats to us about his mesmerising murals.

How did you start painting murals?

I started painting murals in high school with my graffiti crew MSG “Miami Style Graffiti”. My first painting was a 12ft x 12ft mural in the courtyard of my high school art class and since then large-scale works have been a focus in my work.

Where do you get your inspiration from for your “portals”?

My inspiration for what I paint is either process driven or motivated by technique. It began with pushing the capabilities of aerosol spray paint and discovering an arc-shaped mark. The can of spray paint shoots paint out in the shape of a cone and my technique utilises half the cone of paint. I have developed several patterns and compositions with this technique – currently it’s a portal, vortex, worm hole, gateway, star gate…

How long does a piece usually take and what is the planning that goes into making one?

I work quickly because of the medium but about 2 – 5 days, depending on the size of the mural. I’m about to start a mural that will take about a month to complete since it is over 200ft x 100ft.

Do you have a particular favourite piece?

I really like the mural that I did in Washington DC for Powwow. 

Have you ever done any collabs?

Yes. I have collaborated with Fintan McGee, Never2501, Michael Vasquez, Johnny Robles and Brandon Opalka. I really enjoy collaborations and their potential for new possibilities.  

Describe your work in three words.

Innovative. Fractal. Vibrations.

Do you have any exciting future plans?

This year I will be working on my largest mural ever – and there are plans for many more.   

Follow Hoxxoh on Instagram or check out his website here.

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Los Angeles-based artist Jen Stark, whose mural we featured as a Pick of the Week, creates psychedelic, kaleidoscopic colourful art.

While she is known for her technicolour paper sculptures, she also works as an illustrator and animator. Jen finds inspiration in nature and science, using wormholes, microscopic patterns and anatomy as a basis for her creations.

Her contemporary 3D artworks take time, dedication and great attention to detail, as each layer is individually placed and coloured.

Jen received the South Florida Cultural Consortium’s Visual and Media Artists Fellowship in 2008 and was the winner of the MOCA North Miami Optic Nerve 10th Annual Film Festival.

Visit jenstark.com for more examples of the work she does. The interview below, created for Amadeus Magazine, will give you insight into the work this talented artist creates.

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“The first day Sharon and I brainstormed, ‘He arrives Mr Big Shot, he leaves Mr Nobody’ was one of the first African proverbs that came up. We laughed so hard,” smiles Heidi Chisholm, cofounder of Mr Somebody and Mr Nobody, with Sharon Lombard, who are based in New York and Miami respectively. 

“It was the same with me. I come to the US, I think I’m something,” Heidi says as she reminisces about how she left South Africa as an award-winning graphic artist who wasn’t as well known in the US. Sharon’s family emigrated 35 years ago and Heidi is relatively new to the country. 

After cofounding and running Daddy Buy Me A Pony with Peet Pienaar for eight years, Heidi bonded with Sharon over their love for “the African aesthetic”. The result is Mr Somebody and Mr Nobody, a homeware brand that has exhibited and sold everything from khangas to doilies and carved chickens since 2011.

Mr Somebody and Mr Nobody has taken other quirky quotes – like “If you wait long enough an egg will start walking” – on colourful craft from Art Basel/Miami to Design Indaba. “We work more as artists than designers,” Sharon says. They print short runs of khangas and enlist carvers in Ghana to bring their sculptures to life.

“They put a certain naivety to it that makes it absolutely gorgeous,” says Heidi. “If you ask someone in the US to do the same then it’ll come out exactly like the design. It loses that African-ness.” 

And so, Mr Somebody and Mr Nobody has made Heidi and Sharon feel like somebodys in the States. In fact, they  have been included in the book Cultural Threads: Transnational Textiles Today, due for publication in November 2014.  

mrsomebodyandmrnobody.com

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