DESIGN SNIPPETS

Sinking into beauty

"We do not subscribe to claims of anti-aging, promises of youth and distorted ideas of beauty but offer plant-derived ingredients that contribute to the positive treatment and maintenance of skin and hair," says Dennis Paphitis, the founder of Aesop body products. Tasked with designing the Aesop shop, Design Indaba alumnus Ilse Crawford translated these values by pairing modern interventions with an endearing revival of pitch pine floors, brass finishes and tweed upholstery. This central ceramic sink was installed to emphasise the ritual of cleansing.

Green house for green skin

Biodegradable body product range Jozi O have expanded into a brand new environmentally friendly building. Named the Energy Works, the building was designed by Daffonchio and Associates Architects, who have been practicing sustainable design since the late 1990s.

Through passive solar design and other inexpensive design choices, the building was designed to make minimal use of electricity. In the winter the building is heated by a solar water underfloor heating system, and in the summer the building does not need air conditioning due to a number of design considerations. Part of the company's electricity needs is also generated through photovoltaic cells.

Further, the building saves water by harvesting rain in summer and using a borehole in winter. The building materials used are also all easily recyclable, have low embodied energy content and are non-toxic. By restored and integrating the original Parkwood house in the final scheme, Daffonchio and Associates Architects also reduced the amount of new material required.

"Consideration for sustainable lifestyles and work environments is essential at the present time," said Jozi O founder, Sarah McKerron who is thrilled with their new green headquarters.

Archive feveR The world's first museum dedicated to graphic design opened in Breda, Holland, in June. Appropriately named "The Graphic Design Museum", the institute features a museum, knowledge centre, teaching environment, image culture shop, designer café and production house. Both international talent and emerging talent will be showcased. Currently showing is a retrospective of the past 100 years of graphic design, including work by Piet Zwart, Wim Crouwel, Anthon Beeke and Erik Kessels.

Fashion unions take to the street

How do a trade union and manufacturers respond to the massive import penetration of local markets? They turn to fashion promotion, showcasing the country's best design to make the case for the industry. Grabbing the general public's attention in May, the SA Clothing and Textile Workers' Union (SACTWU) took the Cape Town Fashion Festival to the streets.

"Fashion can be used as a vehicle to combat poverty and social disintegration as it has the potential to create decent work. But that is a policy choice we must make, from what consumers buy to where retailers source. Behind the fun, glamour and images, there is a serious business and a major employment opportunity and reality. By raising awareness of the industry's strengths and competitive advantages, the festival hopes to serve as a stimulant for its growth," said Ebrahim Patel, SACTWU general secretary and convenor of the festival.

"Every R1 million of sales in the clothing sector creates 11 jobs compared with five jobs in gold mining for the same amount of sales. The sector also has significant benefits for gender equity as the industry is a major employer of women," continued festival coordinator Etienne Vlok.

Aiming to profile, position and create buzz around the South African clothing, textile, footwear and leather industry, the festival included a catwalk with members of the factory unions as models in the Company Gardens, fashion shows in Cavendish Square and the Promenade Shopping Centre in Mitchell's Plain, a heavy-weight business imbizo targeted at investors, the country's largest ever SETA graduation, and the prestigious Cape Town Fashion Awards.

Participating designers included I Love Leroy, Story, Superella, Mantsho, Coppelia, Colleen Eitzen, John Sithole, Tiaan Nagel, Marion and Lindie, Jenni Button, Adam and Eve, Bongiwe Walaza, Lunar, Amanda Laird Cherry, Flava, Soulchild, and Blackbeard and Dare.

Fashion week frenzy

It's fashion week season and fashionistas will barely be able to catch their breath on the runway before chasing the next catwalk.

Durban Fashion Week from June 25 to 28 emphasised its traditionally Eastern edge by hosting three of India's leading fashion designers - Tarun Tahiliani, Rohit Bal and Neeta Lulla. Big South African names including Gavin Rajah and Karen Monk Klijnstra, as well as Durban locals and a strong contingent of emerging designers also took to the catwalk.

From July 23 to 26, Jo'burg Fashion Week was held for the first time at the Montecasino Piazza in Fourways, Johannesburg. Distinct from previous years was the stipulation that designers could only show in either the Jo'burg or Cape Town Fashion Week, but not both. Debuts by Pink Ant, MosewaMosa and Heni Este-Hijzen were well received; and the hotly anticipated shows by Abigail Keats and Frans Kies, selected to show in New York as part of the Nolcha Fashion Week, did not disappoint.

Cape Town Fashion Week runs at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from August 13 to 16. Also coming up, the Sanlam South African Fashion Week runs at the Sandton Convention Centre from August 27 to 30. The line up includes Abigail Betz, Story, Mantsho, Amanda Laird Cherry, House of Olè, Terence Bray, Athi-Patra Ruga and Nhlahla Nciza.

Garden furniture for good

In the era of shopping for social responsibility, one can buy T-shirts for cancer and jeans for HIV/Aids, support the training of guide dogs by using cellphones and contribute to environmental causes by withdrawing money. Now environmental design studio Orange 22 in Los Angeles have launched the Botanist Blank Canvas Project, which raises money for charity through the retail of high-end outdoor furniture.

Debuting in 2007, the original Botanist collection was conceived of by Dario Antonioni. The versatile collection of sleek, minimalist furniture is made from a single sheet of curved metal and includes a cocktail table, end table and bench. Thus keeping the basic design simple and standardised, Antonioni has kept production costs to a minimum. Simple ornamentation, surface patterns and finishing treatments then enhance the products in a number of ways.

Yves Béhar, Margo Chase, Milton Glaser, Kahi Lee, Karim Rashid, Joe Ricchio, Massimo and Lella Vignelli, and Claude Zellweger were each invited to add their own unique spin to the Blank Canvas pieces. The designers' royalties, which were lower than normal, were then matched with a donation to a charity of the designer's choice.

Cape Town librarians vote Kaplicky

Some call it a blob, some an octopus and some a fantasy castle: This is Jan Kaplicky's controversial design for Prague's new national library. Although Kaplicky won the state competition in October last year, a political maelstrom has arisen over the past few months.

Since Prague's mayor, Pavel Bém, aligned himself against the building in October, President Vaclav Klaus has sworn to do everything in his power to prevent the design from being built. In turn, prime minister Mirek Topolanek has come out in support of the building, as well as opposition leader Jirí Paroubek, who even announced that Kaplicky would become his cultural advisor should his party win the next election.

Public support for the building allegedly sits at 70% and a pop concert, cake designs, bumper stickers and a 12 000-signature international petition have been sparked. However, while big names such as Vaclav Havel, Dominque Perrault, Zaha Hadid and Richard Rogers lead the petition, Kaplicky was particularly enthralled by the support of 160 Cape Town librarians. "They say they are jealous that Prague will have the world's most modern library," exclaimed Kaplicky.

This is no overstatement by Kaplicky. Besides the trademark bubble aesthetic of Future Systems (the practise led by Kaplicky and Amanda Levete), the structure will house more than 10 million Czech books dating back to 1801. The books will be kept underground in a massive vault serviced by robots. Guided by microchips, the robots will reportedly be able to locate and deliver any book within five minutes.

Princesses have backsides too

Inspired by the princess and pea story, Doshi Levien's Principessa daybed consists of many thin mattress layers, the top most displaying a graphic composition of objects belonging to a contemporary princess. These objects, strewn across the bed as if the princess is preparing for a night out, range from the plain utilitarian to the glamorous, including a hairdryer, sunglasses, necklace and cocktail glass.

No doubt awaking black and blue, the My Beautiful Backside seats offer the contemporary princess an opportunity to rest her wary bones. Referencing seating arrangements in India where the chair is replaced by multiples of cushions, the backs of the seats are a composition of floating cushions. The use of oversized badges for buttons allow one to "jewel up" the seating in the same way that one might embellish an item of clothing. Upholstered using felt and wool, and embellished with silver and gold foiling, the seats introduce an opulent, ostentatious Indian character to the conservative aesthetic of couture English gentlemen's suits.

Edelkoort leaves Eindhoven

Li Edelkoort has resigned as chairwoman of Design Academy Eindhoven in Holland after 10 years of fulfilling this role. On paper she is credited with enhancing the international reputation of the academy and forging partnerships with multinationals. However, students and staff have been more inclined to emphasise the experimental leaning she brought to the institution, encouraging sustainability, customisation and other developments befitting of the 21st century. Edelkoort will remain affiliated to the academy, working on developing an international network of "sister" design schools. She will be succeeded by Anne Mieke Eggenkamp in September.

The green design race

In support of environmental activism against global warming, Cape Town creative agency the Design Works is going green by partnering with appropriate suppliers and encouraging their clients to become more aware of environmentally friendly design, paper and printing choices. Adopting the ethos of "greener design for a greener tomorrow", the agency is calling on the industry to rally to this cause. Meanwhile, Zoom Advertising - Ogilvy's retail advertising agency - is the first agency to become carbon neutral in South Africa. After analysing its total carbon footprint in terms of electricity, paper usage, motor vehicle travel by staff and executive air travel, the agency offset their footprint by planting trees with Trees for Africa.

Business for fashion students

Seeking to empower young fashion designers with business mentoring, the Old Mutual Vukani Fashion Awards have announced the 2008 winners. Karin Hoffman from Cape Town walked away with top honours for her gardening-themed collection. Natasha de Morais from Pretoria was recognised as most innovative designer for her purple, turquoise and mustard yellow creations. Nandipha Dyantyi received the prize for best high-fashion design for her synthesis between traditional Xhosa styling and 1950s silhouettes.

Hands-on, minds-on, hearts-on student design

The winners of the South African Bureau of Standards Design Achievers student awards were announced on Youth Day, June 16. Sidhika Sooklal, from the University of Pretoria, walked away with top honours for her cervical cancer awareness campaign. She will represent South Africa at a workshop in Nagoya, Japan, in December. This year's runner-up is Tinyiko Baloyi, from the University of Johannesburg, for her proposal to incorporate socially conscious imagery into the linings of fashion products and use recycled materials in a range of playful accessories. Tinyiko's award is to represent South Africa at a workshop in Hungary during September.

Yves is for the children

Why water? Because now it is organic, low calorie, great tasting and nutritiously enhanced with vitamins and minerals. A Los Angeles based company, Y Water is the first in a new category of super drinks engineered to ensure children's healthy growth. Designed by Yves Béhar, not only are the Y Water bottles 100% recyclable, they are also 100% reusable as a creative developmental aid due to their innovative and playful design. Béhar also recently launched the design for the second generation One Laptop Per Child, XOXO. Still in its trademark green and white, the XOXO is now one seamless touchscreen tablet that opens like a book.

Line drawings and delicate porcelains

Cape Town design gallery Curious, Whetstone and Frankley show Rikus Ferreira's surreal and fantastical illustrations and multimedia works, Varkore in die Skemer, from August 14 to 28. Feast, a collaborative show of porcelain by Lisa Firer, Marlise Keith and Karen Cronje, shows from September 18 to October 2. From October 10 to 24 see jewellery by Firepetals and Frieda Lühl, and on October 31, catch the next Flogging Art event. Website: www.curiouswhetstoneandfrankley.com

Egg and green beans

Durban's Bean Bag Bohemia has spawned a sibling - the Bean Bag Bahia Beach Club and Deli, which features an up-market restaurant café as well as a deli and breakfast nook. For the interiors, Egg Design's Greg and Roche Dry created a fresh contemporary sophistication using bold white leather seating, Botanical wallpaper, polished raw cement and stone floors, and hanging planters.

Puff and pass

The Pan African Space Station is a four-day music intervention in Cape Town from October 1 to 4, curated by Ntone Edjabe and Neo Muyanga, and presented by the Africa Centre. The headline event of the festival is a unique radio station that will broadcast 30 days of cutting-edge music and information from global Africa to the world from September 12 to October 12. The station is calling on radio makers, sound artists, DJs, musicians, producers and music lovers from around the country and world to contribute. Website: www.liquidfridge.co.za.

Pecha Kucha in SA

The design open-mic event Pecha Kucha has already spread to more than 100 cities across the world, and now it's hit Cape Town. Using the "20 images shown for 20 seconds each" format devised by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham, eight local creatives presented at South Africa's first, hosted by Instant Grass at the Whatiftheworld Gallery on June 19. The presenters were photographer and writer Dylan Culhane, manga artist Jesca Marisa, Streetwires managing director Patrick Schofield, coffee mogul David Donde, product designer Heath Nash, eco-architect Andy Horn, photographer Brett Rubin and interactive designer Rahle Dusheiko. The next event is due for the end of August. More information: www.pecha-kucha.org/cities/cape-town.

From Surface to Parsons

Previously editorial director-in-chief for Surface magazine and founder of creative agency Futureflair, Laetitia Wolff has announced that she has taken up the position of Director of Strategic Alliances at Parsons and The New School. In this new role, Wolff will focus her work on extending the academic profile of the school in the external world and develop the kind of "intellectual branding" that can foster a stronger environment for graduate programmes.

But sausages grow on trees?

"Kids think that cereals are a side product of the toy you find in the box and that luncheon meat grows on trees in slices, with a clown face on it," said Marije Vogelzang at the opening of her first solo exhibition, Fuel, at Mama in Rotterdam from May 21 to July 6. The gallery transformed half the space into a refrigerator to accommodate for the delicate nature of Vogelzang's medium. Besides cuddly knitted sausages, a marshmallow mosaic, freshly baked leaves and the Dutch National Tap Water Tasting installation, the exhibition also showed sketches, videos and animations of Vogelzang's past, present and future work.

Sunflower power

It's time to trade in those garden gnomes and windmills for photovoltaic foliage. Combining utility and art object, Toshiyuki Kita's Sunplant features eight solar panel leaves that not only recharge 48 AA Sanyo batteries, but use LEDs to create a decorative garden piece. Billed as a Sanyo-sponsored concept piece, Kita is reportedly intent on taking the investigation into portable, life-enhancing and environmentally friendly design further.

Durban design headed for Berlin

Durban's artSPACE gallery hosted the second annual Bigwood exhibition during July. Featuring more than 40 designer's from Cape Town and Durban, each with strongly individualistic styles, Bigwood still maintained its playful creative spirit. Fuzzy animals, soft pop AK47s and anthropomorphised nature abounded. [R]evolution also supplied blank skateboards that participants customised. The exhibition will be travelling to artSPACE Berlin in March 2009.

Come on, let's twist again!

Dubai, the city of any and every architectural possibility, will be home to the world's first rotating skyscraper. Designed by Italian architect Dr David Fisher, the so-called Dynamic Tower will have 80 floors and be 420 metres tall. Each floor of the so-called Dynamic Tower rotates independently, constantly changing the shape of the building. The building is also self-powered, through wind turbines fitted on each floor, and completely prefabricated. A second Dynamic Tower is destined for Moscow City in 2010.

From Talking Heads to singing building

Rigging up an abandoned New York building with microphones, David Byrne turned architecture into a musical instrument and invited the public to "play the building", until the end of August.

"I'd like to say that in a small way it turns consumers into creative producers, but that might be a bit too much to claim. However, even if one doesn't play the thing, it points toward a less mediated kind of cultural experience. It might be an experience in which one begins to reexamine one's surroundings and to realise that culture - of which sound and music are parts - doesn't always have to be produced by professionals and packaged in a consumable form," explained Byrne, best known for leading Talking Heads in the 1980s.

Set in the landmark Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan, the project consists of a retrofitted antique organ that controls a series of devices throughout the building. These devices vibrate, strike and blow across the building's structural features - metal beams, plumbing, electrical conduits and heating and water pipes - to trigger unique harmonics and finely tuned sounds.

"I'm not suggesting people abandon musical instruments and start playing their cars and apartments, but I do think the reign of music as a commodity made only by professionals might be winding down. The imminent demise of the large record companies as gatekeepers of the world's popular music is a good thing, for the most part," Byrne went on.

Playing the Building was originally presented in Stockholm in 2005.

Design votes out Mugabe

Exiled Zimbabwean artist Kudzanai Chiurai showed a series of agitprop prints in his show One Vote at design boutique Dokter and Misses, Johannesburg. Showing from June 27 to July 4, the first day corresponded with the second election in Zimbabwe and patrons were invited to participate in a mock election and cast votes of no confidence in the Zimbabwe elections. No prizes for guessing who won!

Brick-and-mortar design shop

Continuing to expand and diversify, Whatiftheworld have now added a design showroom to their books. Returning to the original Whatiftheworld Hope Street venue in Cape Town, the showroom gives customers easy access to engaging with the designs beyond the organisation's website.

The furniture, fashion, accessories and other design products on sale are courtesy of some of South Africa's most exciting young designers including Blasoen, Christopher Strong, Missibaba and the Whatiftheworld design collective - Adriaan Hugo, Liam Mooney, Lyall Sprong and Xandre Kriel. The latter also recently participated in Rooms On View by creating bespoke bench designs for the South African House room by Laureen Rossouw.

Coming up in August, the Whatiftheworld Design Showroom will be hosting Tuis Nywerheid: A Bake Sale, featuring chocolates, cakes and other sweet designer treats. In October look out for Number Three, the third of Whatiftheworld's annual events dedicated to subterranean designers. Website: www.whatiftheworld.com.

The origin of light

"The egg is the origin of life. It is perfect form; it is ideality," declared Ingo Maurer at the unveiling of his egg-shaped light for Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio della Spezia. The piece was inspired by the ostrich egg that dominates the scene in Renaissance master of light Piero della Francesca's Montefeltro Altarpiece. However, the large shell has broken: "Something that is beautiful can also be destroyed and remain perfect. And I thought of an egg that had cracked," explained Maurer. 100 kg of aluminium and 5 kg of eggshells provide the main ingredients of this fascinating design that conceals a light source without so much as a glimpse of an electrical cable.

Gadget: Purpose wanted

While consumers mob iPhone shops like the Star Trek fans of yesteryear, the real gadget geeks are salivating over what appears to be a hacky sack with a touchscreen - The Chumby. Internet-connected and running on Linux software, The Chumby is a thoroughly open-source device that primarily runs widgets - small programs, each with one purpose e.g. the weather forecast that together create an ongoing stream of data. This is not exactly a huge set of features, however, The Chumby is targeted at the uber geek who wants to tinker, play and program their own uses for the toy. Chumby Industries are hoping that in the process, one of the geeks will stumble upon something useful for the rest of the consumer market.

Individuals in the crowd

Stiaan Louw Menswear will launch its Summer 2009 Collection at the Cape Town Fashion Week from August 13 to 16. Inspired by how individuals define themselves amidst contemporary social, sexual and cultural subcultures or tribes, the collection promises to be bold and distinct with haphazard cultural referencing underlying the design process. Louw launched his menswear range at the Design Indaba Expo earlier this year to much acclaim, selling out in just a couple of days.

Crime unleashes a reptile