Woodstock goes industrial chic

WORDS Nadine Botha PHOTOS Sydelle Willow Smith

Lees in Afrikaans.

VISI also visited the super-sized new Superette at Woodstock Exchange, see more here.

The hottest new design destination in Cape Town, the Woodstock Exchange now houses almost every hip young design brand under one roof. Sydelle Willow Smith tells the story in this photo essay.

Just last month, after a year’s worth of construction the Woodstock Exchange hush hush, unofficially threw open its doors, almost daring Cape Town not to notice. However when the paper came down from the new street-level windows to show a relocated and super-sized Superette diner, just a week before Christmas, the cat was out the bag so to speak.

Popular Cape Town design brands such as Pedersen + Lennard, Honest Chocolate, Dark Horse, Thingking, Lady Bonin’s Tea Parlour and Word of Art have taken up most of the ground floor. The first floor features more designers and galleries, while further up are offices including that of Google and the Bandwidth Barn.

As a retail experience, it takes its cue from Europe, where designers work, produce and retail in the same space giving customers the opportunity to meet the designers, see how it’s made and take home something exclusive. Further, as a destination, the second phase will be the installation of large-scale artworks, says developer Nick Ferguson.

Beautifully designed and refurbished in an industrial chic aesthetic, the building previously known as the Woodstock Industrial Centre is upbeat and announces an optimistic creative community that will put their best foot forward during the 2014 World Design Capital.

However, be warned, parking is very scarce and we highly recommend cycling. Not only is the entire project extremely bicycle friendly with lots of cycle racks and the on-site Starling and Hero Bicycle Café, but they’ve even built public showers to encourage tenants to cycle to work.

Woodstock Exchange, 66 Albert Road, Woodstock, woodstockexchange.co.za

VISI also visited the super-sized new Superette at Woodstock Exchange.