We chat with Cathri van den Berg, owner of Silver Rabbit Interior Design, about creating a light functional office space that gives visitors peace of mind and room for creative expression.

Tell us about Silver Rabbit Interior Design?

The spaces we inhabit have the potential to be sources of great fulfilment and joy. I design with my clients’ well-being in mind: What do they need from their space? How will it function? What aesthetic excites them? What will be their experience of the space after I have completed the project? I am a qualified Engineer and Interior Designer and this gives me a unique point of view. I believe design is a whole brain exercise: one needs the left brain for measuring, planning and organisation and the right brain to bring emotion, creativity, colour and texture.

My work is comprised of a variety of styles, from very traditional to utterly contemporary. I believe every client and project is unique and deserves to have their needs met using exceptional interior design.

Elaborate on the function of the space?

The space needed to be able to receive and host clients as well as provide desks for employees to work. I decided to place the former on the ground floor and the latter on the mezzanine level. Comfortable chairs welcome guests at the entrance and the island provides ample seating and space to display samples. The landscape art on the wall behind the island is a Samsung Frame television used for presentations. 

What was the brief for the revamp of the space?

To create a space where a wide variety of people would feel comfortable. This inspired the neutral colour palette and eclectic selections. Everyone that enters finds something they love. 
Another requirement was to combine old and new. As this was a new office building, design elements needed to be brought in to give character and depth.

What pieces did you use to create the aesthetic?

I took inspiration from the building’s industrial-inspired architecture and combined this with warm minimalism. 

The vintage etching-inspired mural speaks to the arched windows and red brick facade. The custom panelling I designed is a marriage of old and new: the frame reminds one of a Jacobean-style grid, but the natural white colour and round wooden shapes that fill it, bring a contemporary touch. The mural and panelling also fill an awkward space in a way that feels harmonious with the rest of the design.

The panelling is constructed of wooden half-rounds and this detail is repeated on the island. I pulled this detail through by adding round shapes throughout the space in furniture and styling. 

I installed floating shelves to display various objects: Locally made artisanal ceramics, vintage finds and contemporary pieces. I used different textures and finishes: brass, matt taupe cabinetry, white oak elements and boucle fabric upholstery.

What are some stand-out features?

• The vintage etching-inspired mural with panelling around it.
• I continued the industrial theme by using old patents as wall art in various settings throughout the space.
• The table lamp on the side table between the upholstered chairs resembles a piece of laboratory titration equipment.
• The white ceramics, on floating shelves in the double volume, add texture to the space whilst still keeping the focus on other parts of the design.

How did you decide on the monochrome theme?

To appeal to a wide variety of people was my first consideration. A monochrome colour palette has the added benefit of being calming and serene as well as allowing for a play of textures. 

What was the process for recreating the office?

Looking at the needs of the future occupants is my first consideration. What do they need from the space functionally as well as aesthetically? The rest flows from there.

Future plans?

Making the world a more functional and beautiful place, one space at a time. It is important to us to continue building relationships with our clients and suppliers. We are very excited about our upcoming commercial and residential projects. 

Looking for more design inspiration? Sign up to our weekly newsletter, here.

The post Silver Rabbit Office Revamp appeared first on Visi.

For its new headquarters, local advertising agency Grey’s brief was to combine a contemporary South African feel with a fresh, modern, vibrant aesthetic. And the architectural design firm nailed it.

Designed to inspire, Grey Advertising Africa’s new headquarters is a space to breathe, dream, and invite creativity and collaboration.

The agency moved from the bustling Sandton CBD to a new location in Bryanston – an area that has always been regarded as one of Johannesburg’s most attractive and verdant suburban spaces, and one that the team felt had the best prospect of developing as a new corporate headquarters hub.

The project was a revamp of a four-storey office building that was redesigned and given a facelift by architectural designer Julian van der Linde and his team. The re-imagined building consists of three floors of spacious offices, and a mezzanine café with views of Midrand and the Magaliesberg mountains. It’s a space that aligns with CEO of Grey Africa Paul Jackson’s vision of building a creative business culture that inspires others to be the best they can be. It’s something he describes as their “Open” work culture.

“With this Open philosophy in mind,” says Paul, “we wanted to evolve the agency from a collective of old, closeted individual offices into a state-of-the-art, open and collaborative workspace. We wanted to bring the beauty of nature inside. And we wanted to reflect the creative energy and spirit of our beautiful country and its people.”

READ MORE: M&C Saatchi Able Contemporary Art Collection

One of the key design features, therefore, was blurring the boundaries between the building’s interior and its surroundings. The natural light that streams into the double-volume atrium provides dramatic light movement and shadow effect, along with serving a very obvious energy-saving function.

Items such as the reception desk, the red screens, the conversation pods, the custom boardroom tables and the centre- column features are all bespoke design elements courtesy of Julian and his team, and incorporate the design brief of reflecting the creative energy of Africa and inviting open collaboration. Julian’s use of a bright, Afro-modern colour palette throughout the space, combined with the locally designed contemporary furniture, has made for a free-flowing space that oozes positivity and creativity.

One of the biggest challenges of the construction was that most of it took place during Covid lockdowns. So while offices were closed and the staff were working remotely, Julian and his team were working frenetically to re-invent the space. “When the Grey staff returned to the offices post-lockdown, they were delighted with their newly re-energised space, which worked to lift spirits after a particularly difficult period,” he says.

And that’s hardly a surprise. Julian’s design team has created a wonderfully optimistic working environment that promotes hope and confidence – sentiments that the designer describes feeling every time he interacts with the inspiring and creative people of Grey.

Looking for more architecture and travel inspiration? Sign up to our weekly newsletter, here.

The post Bryanston Advertising Agency appeared first on Visi.

Welcome to the office of the future, now. We take a look at innovative WFH solutions that will inspire you to screen off your working space.

Peace in a Pod

Framery One is an advanced office “phone booth” pod that’s just 100cm x 100cm x 221cm, and 320kg – a private, echo-free and comfortable working environment for one.

Framery One has been engineered to let you focus on your work, and connect online with people anywhere. The pod comes equipped with video-optimised lighting which uses a balance of natural and artificial light to illuminates the user inside the space.

The pod also make use of Framery Connect – a revolutionary digital service that integrate the pod with your workplace calendar. Upon entry, the pod automatically creates a calendar reservation, which can be extended with the touch of a button from the pod’s control panel. You can also check availability and book the pod through Google and Microsoft calendar systems, making this a seamless part of any workplace ecosystem.

For more info, visit alloffice.co.za | frameryacoustics.com

Connected to Nature

Cape Town architect duo are the brains behind Garden Studios – prefabricated garden office pods which offer a short commute on foot across your lawn and within minutes you’re ensconced in insulated tranquillity.

The work studios range in size from 4 – 8sqm. Garden Studios offers four different architect-designed prefabricated models, available in various finishes. The elegant studios are externally clad in timber or Magna Board (a compressed weather-proof magnesium board) whilst internally being finished in furniture grade birch or pine plywood. There are also optional extras available such as matching desks, filing/storage pedestals and wall-mounted or floor-standing shelf options. A fully functional garden studio can be delivered in just three weeks.

For more info, visit gardenstudios.co.za

Visualise it

Edge, designed by Gustavo Martini is a sort of visual room where it is possible to pass through the walls. The name highlights its existence on the edge – between design and installation, idea and reality.

For more info, visit gustavomartini.com

Screen Dream

The Paravent Plus is a flexible room divider designed by Atelier Oï for Röthlisberger. Transparent and unobtrusive, it’s still opaque enough to create a sense of privacy.

For more info, visit roethlisberger.ch | atelier-oi.ch

Back it Up

Alcove Highback Sofa, designed by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for Vitra, sheilds users both visually and acoustically from the surrounds. Even better: positioning two of them face to face will create a flexible, private workspace for tasks that require privacy and concentration.

For more info, visit cremadesign.co.za | vitra.com | bouroullec.com

Private Space

The Capsule Office Pod creates a sort of cocoon in which to work – a spot where you are protected from most distractions. Designed by Ukrainian industrial designer Kateryna Sokolova, it won the German Design Award for 2020 for office furniture.

For more info, visit sokolova-design.com | casala.com

Looking for more design inspiration? Sign up to our weekly newsletter, here.

The post Creative Workspace: Innovative Future Forward Office Pods appeared first on Visi.

Form and function are both important parts of a productive office space at home. Nicola Orpen of Bone Interior Design Studio offers advice on how to create an ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing work area in your space.

Tips for Setting Up Your Home Office Aesthetically

• Keep your desk minimalist. Invest in a beautiful, functional desk lamp and a stylish print. A cluttered desk is a cluttered mind.
• When doubling up a guest room as an office, avoid expensive commercial desks and office chairs. The desk and chair, if chosen wisely, can double up as a dresser station. Add textured throws and style with a strong decorative vase or sculpture to add an element of layering.
• The view behind you is as important as the view in front. Keep your backdrop clean – a wall with a simple shelf and a few focal pieces or a single artwork off centre to your chair position will make for an unfussy, yet considered presentation.
• In many homes these days, the office takes a transitory space in the home – a hidden nook off the dining room or a floating desk within a passage. As working life becomes a kinetic movement within your daily life, it’s convenient for the space to live within a passage or in the lounge as our lives move from the typical stagnant 9-5 to a faster pace.

READ MORE: Hack Your Home Office with Tracy Lee Lynch

Tips for Setting Up Your Home Ergonomically

• Position your screen an arm’s length away from where you are sitting.
• Try to have the top of your screen level with your eyebrows to make sure that you sit up straight.
• Keep your knees at 90 degrees to avoid restricting blood flow at the edge of your seat. If your seat height is not negotiable, find a makeshift footstool to raise your feet.
• Although an ergonomic office chair is great, there are pros and cons to a standard chair too. Office chairs move around easily, meaning your body is constantly having to adjust. A good dining room chair with a thin pillow at the back will work just as well.
• If you don’t have a screen stand, books or a stack of magazines make a great stand for your laptop or monitor to lift it to the correct height.
• If you can avoid it, do not have your back to a window that does not have a blind or curtain as the glare can cause eye strain.

Looking for more on kitchen design or architecture? Sign up to our weekly newsletter, here.

The post Home Office Tips From Bone Interior Design Studio appeared first on Visi.

Following a brief that asked for “light and bright!”, Bone Interior Design Studio transformed Prodigy Finance’s office from dark and dull into an airy and contemporary space.

As a constantly evolving and growing fin-tech company, Prodigy Finance needed a lot of space. Mindful of staying true to Prodigy’s core theme and flexible, functional and fun culture, the team from Bone stripped the company’s office down to the core before rebuilding the interiors. “We flipped the existing, outdated, dark building inside out by stripping it down to its naked self, white boxing and layering it with pops of tonal blue and contrasting peachy hues,” explains founder Nicola Orpen. “By creating an elevated podium boardroom, we maximised the views of Table Mountain, literally bringing ‘light and bright’ into the soul of the space.”

“The existing office was extremely dark with black and red colour tones and exposed, outdated red brick,” says Nicola. “We threw white paint at every surface, opening up the space to bring more light and reflection in and focused on key areas of colour. Their brand colour is a punchy blue so to complement we brought through peachy/pink hues as colour pops on walls and complementing fabrics.”

See more projects by Bone Interior Design Studio here.

The post Cool Spaces: Prodigy Finance Office appeared first on Visi.

The striking new RCL Foods head office in Westville, Durban, reflects the company’s people-centric approach in memorable fashion.

Elphick Proome Architects’ building for RCL Foods in Durban is all about people and connectivity in the workplace.

That’s not to say all buildings should necessarily be about people, it’s just that sometimes architects and their clients forget that this is a potential need. This happens mostly when a specific aesthetic image is decided on before the project begins. This desire then drives the design to the extent that people and the way in which they interact with the built environment becomes little more than a passing concern.

Such buildings might be aesthetically memorable, but they remain forever devoid of life. The RCL Foods head office represents the complete opposite of this outcome. The choice to fundamentally care for the physical and social wellbeing of people, before any other consideration was taken care of, becomes clear when the architects and designers explain the design history of the building.

Construction had started and the basement parking was nearly finished when tenant RCL Foods decided the building’s design should reflect its people-centred approach. This change of heart necessitated fast, focused and well-coordinated action from the entire professional team. It also created an opportunity to come up with a unique and memorable building.

The contemporary workplace today is fundamentally different from our conventional understanding of it of just a few years ago. Work is now more collaborative, performed by fluid groupings of various sizes that are not necessarily tied to one physical location. In this different configuration, visual interaction coupled with a measure of acoustic privacy is crucial.

Moreover, people want to feel at home in the workplace, seeing that they spend so much time there. The professional team achieved all of the above in spades. A full-height atrium unifies the spatial logic of the building, and two glazed facades on either end place the atrium and its users in constant contact with the direct external environment.

All vertical and horizontal movement of people is associated with this space, which is filled with daylight from above and from the two sides. The most arresting element in the atrium is a staircase linked to the two sides with walkways – the open stairs and glass balustrades create a sense of wonder at how precisely the architects managed to defy gravity with the design.

Glass-encased workspaces and meeting rooms of various sizes form the vertical surfaces of the atrium. Visitors to the building enter this space directly, which enables easy orientation for all concerned. There are test kitchens and dining facilities on the ground floor, so it is full of activity. Well-designed corporate messages on the walls illustrate what RCL Foods is all about.

One of the most exciting aspects is the rooftop entertainment area, which affords views of the Indian Ocean and seems to float in space, suspended and removed from the realities surrounding it.

Local interior design firm novospace has won three prestigious design awards for the RCL Foods headquarters. Find out more here.

The post RCL Foods Head Office appeared first on Visi.

Scandinavian design aesthetics meet contemporary Capetonian flair and Afro-inspired vibrancy in Scatec Solar‘s new office space, designed by Paperhouse Architects.

The Scandinavian solar power company approached Paperhouse Architects to design its African headquarters at the V&A Waterfront. The base of the design consists of strong, clean lines and austere forms indicative of the company’s Nordic origins. The decor softens the lines and injects warmth, life and colour into different areas, making for a harmonious combination.

The space is divided into zones, affording users a layered spacial experience. Ceilings fold away, welcoming volume and a functional mix of an A-grade office space and industrial romanticism. Each zone offers a unique identity with varied arrangements and features a material palette including light oak, white steel, natural stone, cool grey fabrics and marble-like finishes of engineered stone.

Open offices are the blank canvasses of the space and offer custom-made screens that employees are free to personalise with their own flair and colour. The heart of the office boasts stellar Signal Hill and Lion’s Head views from the playful urban spaces that make up the café and kitchen, while the lounge is divided using screens that have rotatable fins, allowing users to control privacy and light.

This project was completed in collaboration with Team Architects.

Love this project? See more by Paperhouse Architects, here.

The post Scatec Solar’s Cape Town Office Space appeared first on Visi.

The brand-centric Coca-Cola Office Commons in Madrid, Spain, has been conceptualised by Stone Designs.

The office is 800 m² of beverage-inspired green, yellow and red interior design and decor. The trick was to create a space that was indicative of the iconic brand while modernising and freshening up the workplace and cafeteria areas.

The interiors are a combination of natural oak, metallic elements, colourful upholstery and signature red details. The headquarters’ informal atmosphere is designed to make its occupants feel like guests: A large dining table fills the reception instead of a desk. They also have books that visitors are welcome to take home.

“Happiness is, [without a] doubt, the strongest value of the brand, and the one that inspired Stone Designs’ team [approach],” shared Stone Designs.

(h/t) officesnapshots.com.

The post Cool Spaces: Coca-Cola appeared first on Visi.

Subtle sophistication meets authentic South Africa in the new Century City premises of Pure Design Interiors – a full-service design company that puts its money where its heart is.

Pure Design has traded its edgy Woodstock abode for a brand-new home in Century City. And it’s here that this full-service design company, led by brothers Quinton and Ricardo Abrahams and Maria Cowie, created an inspirational showcase of all their business has to offer – and it’s much more than just turnkey office space design.

In fact, Quinton, the CEO, doesn’t like the term “office”; it’s too loaded with preconception. He believes in breaking the mould. “The work day is often between eight and ten hours long, and we want to design business environments that inspire productivity and impact people’s lives. That’s our core business.”

Add brilliant high-tech functionality to the mix and you get the picture – these guys take turnkey service to the max.

“We design, manage the project and do all the construction,” says Quinton. “Every last bit. From the ceilings to the floors and everything in between. Lighting; curtains; custom-made furniture; telephone, IT and audiovisual systems; air conditioning; access control; even fire detection. We also have everything council approved.”

And that’s what they did with their new space – design it from scratch, top to bottom. What fun! Or was it? Quinton says, “Maria heads up the design team, but because this was our next home, all three directors were actively involved in the creative concept development process, and the results are clearly visible.

We all agreed that the space had to express who we are. Not be underwhelming, but also not showy or flashy. We wanted people to experience our culture as soon as they step through the door.”

And for the first time in the company’s 10-year history, it was possible. Kitted out in Pure Design’s corporate colours – matt black and white – their new home is an ode to understated elegance and high functionality.

But a few tongue-in-cheek South Africanisms in the form of posters are also subtly thrown into the mix, lest we forget our colourful roots. Quinton believes good design doesn’t have to cost the earth – you don’t find it in the latest chair or light fitting. The essence is composition.

Like putting their classic ’50s chairs inside their very contemporary boardroom… It’s nothing less than striking.

“It can be difficult to articulate our design ideas to clients, and our new space shows it, makes them feel it, whether they are local or have flown in from Germany, England or the States.” For Quinton, understanding the needs of their clients, getting into their hearts and heads before putting pen to paper, is where it all starts. He explains: “About 50% of our business is educating our clients. Showing them that spending on quality sustainable design positively impacts not only their carbon footprint but also their financial return. And, most importantly, that choosing design that really supports and inspires their staff is the most excellent business investment.”

Here, Pure Design walks the talk. Their open-plan space has small private pockets, trendy wooden hot desks complete with earphones to tune out if needed, and a long chill table, all basking in light streaming through large windows with views of Table Mountain. Can you smell the coffee?

The post Century City Office Space appeared first on Visi.

Facebook recently opened the doors to its new office in Johannesburg, a colourful, playful space, complete with ping-pong tables and poop emoji scatter cushions.

The brief to local interior firms was to design a work space that reflects the vision and culture of Facebook in South Africa. “With its simple, functional, open design and many meeting spaces, the new office is designed to facilitate openness and collaboration,” says Nunu Ntshingila, Regional Director of Facebook Africa.

As part of Facebook’s global Artists in Residence programme, the Johannesburg office collaborated with three local artists, namely Cameron Platter, Hlengiwe Dube and Lyndi Sales, to create the artworks showcased throughout the space.

The decor, which features a selection of locally sourced furniture that aims to celebrate the continent’s culture, was also informed by ideas that came directly from Facebook employees, from locally-inspired boardroom names and a safari-themed relaxation area to a wooden Baobab tree engraved with greetings in all 11 official South African languages.

The post Facebook’s New Johannesburg Office Space appeared first on Visi.