I said yes, obviously … but that what-have-I-said-yes-to moment followed hot on its heels. Luckily it was one soon eased by the combined knowledge and expertise of the VISI team – one that represents an amazing mix of editorial excellence, deep experience, contemporary insights, and a finger on the pulse of local and international design. It also coincided with a fresh hand on the iMac’s mouse and our new creative director has brought a subtle elegance and detail to VISI’s design DNA that both enhances the copy and allows the images to sing. I call it cool design. He calls it “a deconstructed motif that’s a mix of modern-meets-traditional”.

As part of that new look and feel, we’ve also added a weightier opening section called “VISIon” that will be all about the objects, people, spaces and places that inspire us (and, we hope, you). Plus, as part of our featured houses/hotels/lodges, we’ve also included what we’ve taken to calling a “space with soul.” It may belong to an artist – as our first one on page 82 does – or it may be a wonderful example of a particular architectural style, but they will all be quirky, original and, most importantly, have that unique provenance of a space that’s been lived in.

So … In your hands is 104, a new-look VISI. And, yes, it may have some changes, but also much that remains untouched. Our commitment to showcasing the finest South African and African architecture, design and decor continues, as does an unwavering approach to the best photography and writing.

We’ve genuinely had a great time putting together this summer-flavoured issue and I hope that shines through. Let me know what you think.

– Steve Smith, Editor

info@visi.co.za

Want the print magazine?

Subscribe to VISI now and receive a 25% discount off your one-year print subscription. You’ll pay just R270 for six issues delivered directly to your post box. Use any of these methods to subscribe or renew your existing subscription:

• Call 087 405 2005 (local) or +27 21 045 1809 (international) with your credit card or banking details for debit order arrangements.
• E-mail subs@magsathome.co.za
• Visit magsathome.co.za

Want the digital magazine?

If you prefer to read your favourite magazine in digital form, on your iPad, tablet or desktop computer, you can subscribe to the digital edition of VISI via the below websites. It will cost R252 for a one-year subscription – that’s a 30% discount on six issues.

• magsathome.co.za
• zinio.com
• magzter.com

The post VISI 104 IS HERE appeared first on Visi.

Each year we begin production of our Summer Issue in early August, right after returning from 100% Design South Africa at Decorex Joburg. As always, this year’s exhibition did not disappoint. VISI partnered with 100% Design SA on a new feature, Designing in Wood, which put the spotlight on woodcraft and other skills required to produce wooden furniture and accessories. We were delighted to be associated with the magnificent work by established designers and some exciting new talent. Read about it on page 128. As I moved through all of the stands, the one phrase that I heard again and again from new exhibitors was, “We sell online and our designs can be flat-packed”. This gives me so much hope that local design will be more accessible to enthusiasts around the country… and the world.

At the beginning of September I was fortunate to attend Maison&Objet in Paris. This year the organisers rearranged the layout of the show to make it easier to navigate. Still, I found it almost impossible to take in all that was on offer in the eight halls! It was fantastic to see a handful of local producers selling up a storm.

I hope this issue inspires you to experiment with mixing modern monochrome and millennial pink. Dook perfectly captured this graphic colour combo that’s been used to great effect by Toni Tollman – of the stylish South African Tollman hotelier family – on their latest addition to the Uniworld Boutique River Cruises fleet, The B (page 48).

This summer, take time out at Natte Valleij near Stellenbosch (page 100), escape to Halfaampieskraal in the Overberg (page 58), or indulge in some fabulous new books (page 186). Karen Dudley’s latest book, Set a Table (page 68), is so much more than a recipe book, and Halfaampieskraal’s book, The Way We Live, features magnificent photographs by Ulrich Knoblauch (page 66).

Look out for our Holiday Issue, VISI 99, on sale from the beginning of December, which will introduce you to some breathtaking new holiday destinations. And then get ready for the big one… VISI 100 will be on sale from February 2019! It is set to be like no other magazine you’ve seen: big, bold, brave and, of course, beautiful! You cannot afford to not be part of this milestone issue.

– Sumien

Want the print magazine?

Subscribe to VISI now and receive a 25% discount off your one-year print subscription. You’ll pay just R252 for six issues delivered directly to your post box. Use any of these methods to subscribe or renew your existing subscription:

• Call 087 405 2005 (local) or +27 21 045 1809 (international) with your credit card or banking details for debit order arrangements.
• E-mail subs@magsathome.co.za
• Visit magsathome.co.za

Want the digital magazine?

If you prefer to read your favourite magazine in digital form, on your iPad, tablet or desktop computer, you can subscribe to the digital edition of VISI via the below websites. It will cost R234 for a one-year subscription – that’s a 30% discount on six issues.

• magsathome.co.za
• zinio.com
• magzter.com

The post VISI 98 IS HERE: The Summer Issue appeared first on Visi.

As you read this, the magnificent Zeitz MOCAA (Museum of Contemporary Art Africa) has opened its doors to the public and the most important cultural experience on our continent so far this century is in full swing. This historical grain silo complex at the V&A Waterfront has been transformed into a home for 21st century contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. It’s been a long time coming – 12 years, to be exact – and architect Thomas Heatherwick wanted it to be unlike anything else in the world. And boy, did he succeed!

This building with its striking multi-faceted windows is an important landmark at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront, but it is the colossal inner atrium of the museum that takes your breath away. Crafted by sculptors alongside contractors and engineers, it is in itself a work of art.

I am delighted to live in a city with a museum that will ensure the people of Africa have access to art created by African artists. As contemporary artist Nandipha Mntambo says, “Zeitz MOCAA is a first for Africa, and it is going to change how people view art.”

Other African gems that have to be on your bucket list right now are Zambezi House Bar and Canteen, a hip new hangout on the banks of the Zambezi River in Vic Falls, and the recently refashioned Singita Sweni Lodge in a private concession in the Kruger National Park. Both celebrate an African design aesthetic that takes its cues from the sights, smells, tastes and colour palettes of the surrounding bush.

Don’t miss out – allow Africa to inspire you right now!

– Sumien

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Just before going to print with this issue, Team VISI’s contestant in the SABC 3 Win A Home reality show, candidate architect and photographer Juané Venter, won the Viewers’ Choice prize for her apartment at Val de Vie Estate near Paarl. She not only won R50 000 but also now knows that thousands of viewers loved her handiwork in the apartment. All of us at VISI are enormously proud of her achievement.

Thank you so much for your support and a special thanks to the viewers who voted for Juané. Turn to page 112 to see how she transformed an empty shell designed by renowned architect Stefan Antoni into an exciting modern living space.

We are honoured to share Stefan’s own home with you on page 82. What a treat to find out that an architect and his family live in a house that was originally designed by another architect who in turn based it on the iconic home of one of the most famous architects ever. Best of all, you can see the house for yourself, as it is one of the VISI Great Spaces tours we’re offering in this issue.

Here at VISI we have always supported and loved local architecture, and I am so grateful to have been on the judging panel for this year’s Corobrik SAIA Awards for architecture. Corobrik MD Dirk Meyer sums it up perfectly: “The country’s diverse cultures, landscapes and people provide our talented architects with a challenging, unique and always interesting canvas upon which to realise their inspired designs.”

For me this was an inspirational and truly exciting experience, and we hope to show many of the award-winning 2015/2016 projects in future issues.

– Sumien

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