The biggest thrill for all of us here at VISI HQ is when we can be the first to share a newly completed project with our readers, which is why I walked up the 14 floors to the top of The Silo at the end of October last year wearing a hard hat and safety boots.
At that stage it was a building site with no functioning lifts and hundreds of workers frantically trying to finish the building before the official opening of the luxury hotel on 1 March 2017. Since then, glamorous owner Liz Biden and her team have worked non-stop to complete the 28 individually decorated rooms.
This incredible building, which will also house the new Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, opening in September, is going to change the face of Cape Town and will cement the Mother City as the most important art destination in Africa. Architect Thomas Heatherwick has managed to perfectly mix historical infrastructure and modern design in this magnificent building.
Likewise, it is my honest belief that the remarkable contemporary chapel built by the Stofberg family on their farm near Worcester is going to change the wedding venue offering in this country. London-based architect Coetzee Steyn, who took his inspiration from a Psalm and the surrounding mountains, designed a place of extraordinary calm. The realisation of the Stofbergs’ long-held dream has led to the creation of an environment that will draw visitors to the area and benefit the local community. VISI gives you your first look inside the chapel as well as Bosjes Kombuis restaurant and Die Skuur guest house.
When Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia visited Cape Town to speak at the Design Indaba Conference early in March, he gave only one magazine interview – and he chose VISI. Joe sat down with our online editor Lindi Brownell Meiring and shared with her the inner workings of this remarkable phenomenon. See our exclusive interview on page 136, and do take note of Joe’s tips for making the best of your next Airbnb stay.
Alas, the leaves will fall, and I do hope this issue gets you in the mood for colder days.
– Sumien
