The Joburg-based spiritual home of Nando’s recently underwent a spectacular, proudly South African update.

We’ve become accustomed to Nando’s restaurants displaying contemporary South African design (and art). In just over a decade, this homegrown chicken brand has become synonymous with promoting local designers, and is proof that big business can – and should – do just that.

“The brand has always celebrated South African creativity in all forms, including advertising, art, music and design,” explains Nando’s South Africa’s director of property, development and sustainability Michael Spinks. “In a growing economy like ours, we need to create demand to stimulate these sectors and generate opportunities for young creatives. A global business such as Nando’s creates demand through its operations that can be steered towards impact for others.”

The spiritual heart of the business, Nando’s Central Kitchen (or CK), in Joburg’s Lorentzville is the ultimate example. Recently updated, it showcases the best pieces and projects that the team – under the leadership of Nando’s design curator and Clout/SA creative director Tracy Lynch – has championed over the years. The refresh, like ours, we need to create demand to stimulate these sectors and generate opportunities for young creatives. A global business such as Nando’s creates demand through its operations that can be steered towards impact for others.”

The spiritual heart of the business, Nando’s Central Kitchen (or CK), in Joburg’s Lorentzville is the ultimate example. Recently updated, it showcases the best pieces and projects that the team – under the leadership of Nando’s design curator and Clout/SA creative director Tracy Lynch – has championed over the years. The refresh, implemented by Acre Studio, aimed to draw people back after Covid, and reimagine slightly tired elements. It was also a massive opportunity.

“One of the best things about doing the refurb was being able to include young designers’ pieces,” says Tracy. “When CK was originally created, our Hot Young Designers (HYD) competition didn’t exist. In fact, we evolved the project to seek out emerging black designers in particular. We want to create opportunities for the next generation.”

The competition has introduced the likes of Thabisa Mjo of Mash.T Design Studio, and Nindya Bucktowar and Nikhil Tricam of Kalki Ceramics. Now they and other HYD alumni call CK home. Hand-painted patterns by Bonolo Chepape form a backdrop to servers created by Sifiso Shange and tiled food stations by the Kalki Ceramics team. There’s Mash.T’s Tutu pendant, and Nok’khanya lights produced by Siviwe Jali and Ashanti Design. Every corner benefits from this local beauty, carefully curated by Tracy and brought to life in collaboration with Lindy Swart – co-founder and co-director of Acre Studios – and CK’s project manager Leigh van der Watt.

Clout/SA has evolved to manage and drive this design project across all Nando’s restaurants. The team works with select market-ready designers to prototype pieces and get them ready for inclusion on the Portal, Nando’s online marketplace. The group’s interior designers either order pieces from the Portal or collaborate with designers to create specific pieces to form a part of the restaurants they design.

Nando’s doesn’t lay claim to any of the designs – the designers can sell to anyone. But, as Tracy notes, “We’ve sold 50 000 local pieces to our global design network, which equates to about R100-million going back into the industry.” Business case and quarter-chickens aside, you cannot leave the spruced-up CK without feeling inspired – and envious. If only all our offices looked like this…

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The winners of the 2019 100% Design South Africa Awards have been announced, including this year’s South African Designer of the Year.

The event, held from 7 – 11 August 2019 alongside Decorex Joburg, showcases a selection of top local designers across a variety of disciplines, from textiles and furniture to homeware and lighting.

The winners were chosen by an independent judging panel, including VISI Deputy Editor Annemarie Meintjes, Creative Director Tracy Lynch, architect Nisha van der Hoven, interior designer Tristan du Plessis, Ntombenhle Shezi of Kaya FM and Malibongwe Tyilo of Maverick Life.

The award for South African Designer of the Year was jointly awarded to Thabisa Mjo of Mash. T Design Studio and Mpho Vackier of The Urbanative.

South African Designers of the Year: Thabisa Mjo of Mash. T Design Studio and Mpho Vackier of The Urbanative, with 100% Design South Africa’s Creative Director Cathy O’ Clery.

Here, in no particular order, are the seven category winners:

Best Furniture Design: Preservation Bench by Houtlander for AHEC

Preservation Bench by Houtlander for AHEC

Best Textile Design: Ronel Jordaan

Best Lighting Design: Memphis Lighting Collection by Wiid Design and Ceramic Matters

Best Surface Design: MAXHOSA wallpaper by Laduma Ngxokolo

MAXHOSA Wallpaper by Laduma Ngxokolo

Best Product Design: Raw Studios for Inhouse

Best of 100% New Talent: Sifiso Shange of Afri-Modern, in collaboration with John Vogel

Best Stand: Wolkberg Casting Studios and Jacobs Collection

For more information, visit 100percentdesign.co.za.

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Furniture designer Sifiso Shange aims to achieve the perfect blend of African cultural elements and contemporary design in his pieces. 

It comes as no surprise that Joburg-based furniture designer Sifiso Shange was chosen as one of Design Indaba’s Emerging Creatives this year. The self-described Afri-Modern designer draws inspiration from African art and cultural heritage to tell stories of pride, honour, excellence, celebration, everyday life experiences and love.

“Afri-Modern is an expressive design and art movement that aims to preserve African culture and produce items that have symbolic meaning,” he says.

Sifiso’s Muhle Muhle collection, comprised of a server, cabinet and coffee table in a range of finishes, is inspired by traditional motifs found in Zulu beadwork. “The motifs express the essence of women through the three elements of mind, body and soul, which relate to the three points of a triangle that represent a woman,” he says.

His latest piece is a server he named in tribute to Dr Esther Mahlangu, who received an honorary doctorate from the University of Johannesburg in April 2018. “The server is a prime example of Afri-Modern design and art,” says Sifiso, “as it honours and celebrates her excellence with strong Ndebele elements, together with a modern look and feel.”

Follow him on Instagram to keep up to date with his work.

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