Tristan Du Plessis & Black Coffee Win Best Suite At AHEAD MEA

WORDS Cheri Morris

South Africa’s most awarded interior architect, Tristan Du Plessis, and Grammy-award-winning DJ Black Coffee have bagged Best Suite at this year’s AHEAD MEA Awards for their collaboration on the penthouse suite at Hallmark House, Johannesburg.

Tristan’s core commitment to multidisciplinary collaboration and Black Coffee’s desire to apply his creativity to unexplored mediums saw Hallmark House’s crown jewel a fertile site for the birth of the creative duo.

“Stretching myself creatively in a different sphere was an amazing challenge, and co-creating with Tristan was an incredible first foray into the world of design. With the suite as a tangible manifestation of the South African dream realised, I couldn’t be prouder that we have won this award. It reiterates my belief that all dreams are possible for the African child,” says Black Coffee.

READ MORE: Working The Room: Tristan Du Plessis

The result? A music-inspired, two-bedroom penthouse complete with marble-ensconced CDJs, art in unexpected applications and a myriad of textures, including hand-picked viola marble, charred solid wood panels and slick gold. Bespoke hand-crafted furniture by the best local and international designers is emboldened by artwork from Nelson Makomo, flooring by MOOOI x African ginger and custom soft furnishings by designer MaXhosa. It is truly a liveable exhibition of South African talent and creativity. It’s also got a gym, cinema room and two open-plan living spaces.

Considering their competition – LUX* Grand Baie Resort & Residences, Mango House Seychelles and The Dubai Edition, UAE, to name a few – the award is especially confirming of the champion design hub existing and growing at home:

“Collaborating with Nathi on this suite was an amazing experience and we went into it with the intention of celebrating South African creativity. So this award is an amazing validation of the immense talent of the creatives we worked with to bring the suite to life and, it goes far beyond what we expected from this collaboration. We are immensely grateful to be recognised on a global stage and to be in good company,” says Tristan.

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