Renowned architect and designer Thomas Heatherwick is behind the designs of some of the world’s most iconic buildings, including South Africa’s very own Zeitz MOCAA.

Ahead of his talk at the Design Indaba Conference, on from 21 to 23 February 2018, we round up 8 of the most striking designs to come out of Heatherwick Studio over the past decade, from the stand-out UK pavilion in Shanghai to the Learning Hub in Singapore.

Name: UK Pavilion

Location: Shanghai, China

Name: Learning Hub

Location: Singapore, Singapore

Name: Google King’s Cross

Location: London, United Kingdom

Name: Bund Finance Centre (in partnership with Foster + Partners)

Location: Shanghai, China

Name: Zeitz MOCAA

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Name: Bombay Sapphire Distillery

Location: Hampshire, United Kingdom

Name: 1 000 Trees

Location: Shanghai, China

Name: Coal Drops Yard

Location: London, United Kingdom

Catch Thomas Heatherwick speak at the Design Indaba Conference, running from 21 to 23 February 2018 at the Artscape in Cape Town. For more information, visit designindaba.com.

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WORDS Lindi Brownell Meiring PRODUCTION Sumien Brink PHOTOS Micky Hoyle

“Today is the most important launch moment that my studio has ever had – and we’ve been going for 23 years.”

This, a statement from lead architect Thomas Heatherwick of renowned London-based architecture firm Heatherwick Studio as he introduces us to the monumental space that is the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa.

In fact, it is the first time that Thomas has seen the completed project since he got involved with it more than 12 years ago, and it is more powerful in reality than even he could have imagined.

To retain the texture, heritage and soul of the 96-year-old building, it was important for Thomas to make use of as much of the original concrete as possible. It is the iconic tubular exterior that initially draws you in, but it is the colossal inner atrium that takes your breath away. Crafted by sculptors alongside contractors and engineers, it is a work of art in itself. It is a literal reminder of the building’s agricultural history: A grain of corn found in one of the silos was digitally scanned and enlarged to 10-storey scale, and then cut out of the centre of the structure (explore 11 of the world’s most architecturally striking museums to see how innovative design continues to shape cultural spaces globally).

Making the heart of the building as iconic as the facade was something that Heatherwick Studio, along with the local architects who worked on the project, considered imperative.

“I tried to imagine a person experiencing a place,” says Thomas. “We wanted something that, when you come in, would be unlike anywhere else in the world and you have a moment when you think, ‘How did they make that?’ You can’t just contract that and you can’t just assemble that. That is sculpted.”

Shooting off from the atrium are nine floors featuring 80 individual gallery spaces, a combination of the old and the new, of white cubes and silo concrete, of traditional gallery space and disrupted space, of narrow corridors and display walls reaching 9 m high.

The museum is divided into centres for photography, costume, the moving image, art education, curatorial studies and performative practice. It will open with 14 exhibitions, including solos by award-winning South African artist Nandipha Mntambo and well known Zimbabwean activist artist Kudzanai Chiurai, alongside the museum’s permanent collections, which include work by artists such as Mohau Modisakeng, Zanele Muholi, Thania Petersen and Athi-Patra Ruga.

The museum will be run by a diverse team of more than 35 curators from across the continent.

Jochen Zeitz, who co-chairs the MOCAA Foundation Board of Trustees with David Green, never wanted to be a collector without a purpose, and always intended to find a home in Africa for his art collection. Whereas the museum’s team of curators will be wholly responsible for the ongoing acquisition of new works, the Zeitz collection now forms part of the museum’s offering.

“The reason for the museum,” says Jochen, “is so that Africa and the artists here define its own narrative. I think it is important that the purpose of this museum is to really be a platform where artists from Africa tell their story, and where curators on this continent and the diaspora curate the shows the way they see it. Art should no longer be the viewpoint of outside in, but rather inside out.”

Integral to the museum’s mission is making sure the people of Africa have access to art created by African artists. Thus, entrance to the museum will be free on Wednesdays and public holidays to African citizens, and every day to those under the age of 18. The single day entrance fee will otherwise be R180 and half-price on Fridays. | heatherwick.com | zeitzmocaa.museum

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Cape Town-based artist Lucie de Moyencourt’s latest work features a collection of 13 ink drawings of the newly opened Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa.

The artist and architecture lover’s new collection of drawings are of the largest contemporary art museum in Africa, the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA).

While most of the originals, drawn in Indian ink on Fabriano Tiepolo paper (297x420mm) are sold out, prints and postcards of the collection will be available from The Yard located in the V&A Waterfront’s Silo District.

“This breathtaking building by Thomas Heatherwick is a marvel of construction and originality – a post-industrial cathedral if you will. It is heaven to draw from any angle,” says Lucie.

Each original A3 piece comes in a Kiaat wooden frame, at R6 400 each. A pack of ten A3 postcards of the drawings will also be available to purchase at R350.

Visit luciedemoyencourt.com to view the full collection or to purchase work.

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The hugely anticipated first major museum dedicated to contemporary art in Africa, the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA), is now officially open. Here’s what you need to know.

It’s been more than four years in the making and now the V&A Waterfront’s R500-million project to reimagine the historic grain silo into the world’s largest museum dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora has reached completion.

Aside from the breathtaking architecture, conceived by Heatherwick Studio, it spans seven floors and 6 500 m² with more than 100 gallery spaces – there’s a lot to take in! (Read architect Thomas Heatherwick’s Q&A here.)

Opening weekend, 22 – 25 September, has been divided into two-hour time slots. The organisers had some advice for opening weekend:

1. Have your ticket or membership card on hand

There are still some two-hour timeslots available on Webtickets (all the free slots are sold out) or you can get a ticket at the door. Each ticket has a specific time and date on it, so ensure you get there at the correct time. Members need to have their cards to gain entry one hour before opening on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

2. Be prepared

There’ll be hundreds of people wanting to get a first look so wear comfortable shoes and take along a bottle of water and snacks as you’ll have to wait in line. There is a coffee station in the gantry, but no food or drink will be allowed inside the museum. Only handbags are permitted so leave your rucksacks and day bags behind.

3. Get up to speed

Make sure to grab a map and programme that outlines all the floors and exhibitions (see opening exhibitions below) and choose the ones you’d like to visit first as you may not have time to wander through the entire building. If you’re unsure of which exhibit to visit first, ask one of the museum team members to direct you to a specific centre that peaks your interest, such as the Centre for Performative Practice, the Centre for the Moving Image or the Centre for Photography.

4. Ask questions

Once inside, you’ll be overwhelmed by all the art. Not to fear as Zeitz MOCAA team will be around if you have any questions. While you’ll be able to get the gist of an exhibition on your own, having someone provide context is invaluable. Plus, those questions you’re preparing to type into Google later? One of the friendly museum staff will probably know the answer. The curators and museum team love answering questions on their favourite subject matter so don’t be afraid to ask.

5. Buy a memento

Before you head home, pop in at the Zeitz MOCAA gift shop to buy something that will help you remember your visit on this historic occasion. Whether it’s a coffee table book or a T-shirt, your purchase will not only be a memento, but will also support the museum to help it stay open and bring new and exciting exhibits for visitors.

6. Consider a membership

If you loved your visit and plan to return, consider purchasing an annual membership to the museum. You’ll enjoy loads of cool benefits, including unlimited free access to the museum, a preferential queue at the entrance, discounts on selected items and special offers at the Zeitz MOCAA gift store and coffee shop, priority ticketing for special exhibitions and more.

OPENING EXHIBITIONS

Luanda, Encyclopedic City by artist Edson Chagas (Angola), from 22 September 2017 – 13 January 2018

iimpundulu zonke ziyandilenda by artist Nicholas Hlobo (South Africa), from 15 September 2017 – 30 July 2018

Wounded Negatives by artist Samson Kambalu (Malawi), from 22 September – 29 November 2017

LGBTQI+ by artist Zanele Muholi (South Africa) and then a new artist announced each month, from 22 September 2017 – 25 June 2018

All things being equal… by artists Athi-Patra Ruga (SA), Chéri Samba (DRC), Chris Ofili (UK), Cyrus Kabiru (Kenya), Daniella Mooney (SA), El Anatsui (Ghana), Frances Goodman (SA), Frohawk Two Feathers (USA), Gareth Nyandoro (Zimbabwe), Ghada Amer (Egypt), Glenn Ligon (USA), Godfried Donkor (Ghana), Hank Willis Thomas (USA), Hasan and Husain Essop (SA), Isaac Julien (UK), Jeremiah Quarshie (Ghana), Jody Paulsen (SA), Joël Andrianomearisoa (Madagascar), Julien Sinzogan (Benin), Kehinde Wiley (USA), Kendell Geers (SA), Leonce Raphael Agbodjélou (Benin), Liza Lou (USA), Lungiswa Gqunta (SA), Mack Magagane (SA), Marlene Steyn (SA), Mary Sibande (SA), Misheck Masamvu (Zimbabwe), Mohau Modisakeng (SA), Nicholas Hlobo (SA), Njideka Akunyili Crosby (Nigeria), Owanto (Gabon), Penny Siopis (SA), Rashid Johnson (USA), Roger Ballen (USA), Sethembile Msezane (SA), Taiye Idahor (Nigeria), Thania Petersen (SA), Wangechi Mutu (Kenya), William Kentridge (SA), Zanele Muholi (SA), from 15 September 2017 – 19 February 2018

Off-the-Air by artist Mouna Karray (Tunisia), from 15 September 2017 – 15 January 2018

Addio del Passato, Dusthouse by artist Yinka Shonibare MBE [RA] (England), from 22 September 2017 – 28 May 2018

Regarding the Ease of Others by artist Kudzanai Chiurai (Zimbabwe), from 15 September 2017 – 31 March 2018

Harvest by artist Michele Mathison (South Africa/Zimbabwe), from 22 September 2017 – 15 January 2018

Material Value by artist Nandipha Mntambo (Swaziland) 22 September 2017 – 27 January 2018

Now and Then: El Loko/Kyle Morland by artists El Loko (Togo) and Kyle Morland (South Africa), from 15 September 2017 – 27 August 2018

Going forward, daily admission is R180/adult and under 18s have free access. On Wednesdays, it’s free entry for South African and African citizens between 10am and 1pm, and on the first Friday of every month admission will be half price between 4pm and 9pm. Find Zeitz MOCAA on Instagram and Facebook.

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Come February 2017, the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town will be home to the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. A first for the continent, it will house the world’s largest collection of African contemporary art. The project will see the 90-year-old grain silos at the V&A Waterfront transformed by acclaimed English designer Thomas Heatherwick. We talked to him during his latest visit to the building site.

What attracted you to this project?

In my studio, we try and find projects where it feels possible to make a difference. It was fascinating to find that Cape Town had no institute where contemporary African artists could show their work, and then to find the whole of South Africa had no museum of contemporary African art. It was motivating.

I am also interested in finding authenticity for each place. New buildings can look great on a postcard, but when you stand there and feel all those materials and ingredients, they might not give off any spirit or character. So, here was a building full of spirit and character. That’s where it was deeply moving.

What are some of the challenges of turning the 42 silos into a fully functional building?

The biggest artistic and technically most challenging aspect was cutting the silos – a central detail you will notice the minute you walk in because the cut needs to feel immaculate, like a hot wire going through butter. Of course, that isn’t actually how we achieve it, so the craftsmanship is important.

Plans have also been revealed for a hotel in the building?

It’s an orthogonal, simple square building, but we didn’t want to just put clear sheets of glass as walls so we got pillow glass, which makes the building feel like it’s breathing. The glass catches the light and acts like a lantern to draw people to the museum.

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Star architects Bjarke Ingels (of BIG) and Thomas Heatherwick have been retained to design Google’s fancifully futuristic new headquarters.

With styling that’s more innovative college campus than business premises, if it comes to fruition the new precinct will sport bike paths, lakes and carefully planned green spaces, to make visitors and employees alike feel closer to nature.

As for the futuristic component, lightweight prefabricated buildings that can be moved around at will as company needs change, and a mesh-like solar dome to harness energy are all high up on the wish list.

The location of this space-age development is still to be finalised after Google – literally – lost ground to LinkedIn in May 2015, when it was awarded 75% of the land on which Google had set its sights.

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A super-cute goat barn, a cool local festival poster and a crazy art installation made from sweets are just some of the top VISI picks of the week series – week 6.

1. Bavarian Goat Barn by KÜHNLEIN Architektur

Managing editor Lise Avis thinks it adorable that these goats are living it up in style.

Image credit: Eric Spahn via archdaily.com

2. Candy Land by Tanya Schultz

Freelance content producer Michaela Stehr loves the pastels of this unique artwork. “And it is all made from sweets!” she exclaims.

Image credit: boredpanda.com

3. Oppikoppi 2015 Poster

“The talented Renee Rossouw (+ logo design by the equally talented Jana + Koos) is behind the design of this year’s Oppikoppi festival poster. I just love it!” says online editor Lindi Brownell Meiring.

Image credit: reneerossouwstudio.com

4. Ringly

“Ringly is (surprisingly pretty) wearable tech that syncs with your smartphone and vibrates or lights up when you get a call or notification. As a person who misses calls all the time when my phone’s in my handbag, this is something I need in my life stat!” says special projects manager Cecilia du Plessis.

Image credit: ringly.com

5. Thomas Heatherwick’s Learning Hub

“I wouldn’t mind studying inside a giant parsnip,” says features editor Tracy Greenwood.

Image credit: dezeen.com

Find more like VISI Picks of the Week Series – Week 6 on picks of the week.

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GUILD international design fair returns to Cape Town from 25 February to 1 March 2015.

We were excited to find out that there will be a number of cool collaborations happening as part of GUILD this year.

The Haas Brothers (Los Angeles) will be collaborating with local crafters Monkeybiz, while Porky Hefer will partner up with Botswana-based furniture designer Peter Mabeo on a series of “human nests”. Designer Frederik Molenschot of Studio Molen in Amsterdam is working with Gone Rural Swaziland on a handmade woven installation and Lebanese sibilings Carlo and Mary-Lynn Massoud (of the Carwan Gallery) will team up with Bronze Age Foundry and Imiso Ceramics founder Andile Dyalvane to deal with the idea of fertility.

Work from Kendall Geers (of Carpenters Workshop Gallery in Paris and London), Thomas Heatherwick, David Adjaye and Studio Swine (presented by UK journalist Helen Chislett’s new gallery London Connoisseur) and SA’s very own Conrad Botes will also be on show.

For more information about GUILD 2015, visit guilddesignfair.com.

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The plans for the controversial Garden Bridge, designed by acclaimed British designer Thomas Heatherwick, in association with civil engineers Arup and landscape designer Dan Pearson, have just been approved.

The 367-metre long bridge will span the River Thames in London and is reported to be the most expensive footbridge in the world, with estimates reaching £175 million. 

The pedestrian bridge, which will be covered in indigenous plants and trees (inspired by actress Joanna Lumley’s idea for a new London park), will be completed by 2017. 

Watch the video to find out more about the idea behind the bridge.

(via Heatherwick.com)

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Here are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 70 inspiration, features a beautiful gin distillery, an absurd work onesie and colourful artwork by Vladimir Tretchikoff.

1. Zulu Maiden by Vladimir Tretchikoff

Business Manager Diane Lubbe absolutely loves the colours featured in this famous South African artwork.

Image credit: vladimirtretchikoff.com

2. Bombay Sapphire Gin Distillery by Thomas Heatherwick

“Thomas Heatherwick’s latest architectural feat is Bombay Sapphire’s exquisite new gin distillery in England. It’s just spectacular,” says online editor Lindi Brownell Meiring.

Image credit: Iwan Baan via dezeen.com

3. The Suitsy by Jesse Herzog

Features editor Tracy Greenwood was amused by this hilarious onesie. “Is this what most men have been waiting for?” she asks.

Image credit: betabrand.com

4. Anglepoise® Type75 Table Lamp By Anglepoise® + Paul Smith

Deputy editor Annemarie Meintjes could do with one of these designer beauties in her office right now.

Image credit: anglepoise.com

5. Lean Coffee Table by Sharon Sides for AA13

“Sometimes simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” says online and editorial assistant Chantél Hans.

Image source: haa13.fr   

Browse more like VISI picks of the week series – week 70 on picks of the week 296.

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