Visi awards top SA designs

By: Shavan Rahim

The awards recognises and reward South Africa's top designs and this year, for the first time, Visi introduced four different categories, instead of an umbrella award covering all design disciplines:

• Design
  
• Interiors
  
• Architecture and
  
• Emerging designer

The categories were judged by internationally renowned trend forecaster Li Edelkoort, as well as industry peers along with members of the Visi editorial team. The winner in each category received a R10 000 voucher from Paul Smith in South Africa.

Winners

Pierre Cronje took first prize in the Design category with his Simply Pierre range. The range has made Pierre's signature craftsmanship more accessible without compromising on quality. "It is honest and giving," said Edelkoort.

Jacquie Myburgh awarding Karen Roos her award for Best Interior Design. By: Shavan Rahim

click to enlarge

Former magazine editor turned farmer and hotelier, Karen Roos, won the Interiors category with Babylonstoren farm hotel.

Judge Shelley Street, stylist and creative consultant to Weylandts, remarked that Roos' work is timeless, considered, simple and sensual - always with an unexpected edge. "Unique references to nature and history permeate her interiors and I find the conservatory particularly special as it recaptures in a fresh way an era of elegance, beauty and nostalgia so lacking in many designs today."

The Architecture category winner was Nina Cohen, Fiona Garson and William Martinson for the Wits Art Museum, recently opened in the burgeoning Braamfontein district in Johannesburg.

"The success of its resolution resides, not simply in the compelling spatial resolution of its architecture that is aesthetically pleasing, but more so in the creative design translation of a problem of considerable complexity," said Prof Iain Low of UCT, one of the judges in this category.

Sophie and Sergio Lattes, Li Edelkoort and Charlotte Bjorklund. By: Shavan Rahim

click to enlarge

Pure fantasy aspect

Michaella Janse van Vuuren of Nomili won the Emerging Designer category with her three dimensional printing designs.

Judge Cecile Froehling, head of buying at Woolworths Home Department, said that she was swayed by Janse van Vuuren's originality in process, concept and the pure fantasy aspect of her work. "It made me look, and look again, and marvel at the objects as well as how she creates these fabulous creatures of her imagination."

Pic: Simone Puterman.

Lighting designer Paul Pamboukian was also honoured as the recipient of a 2012 Special Award for his sustained contribution to South African design, not only through his own work but also with the Haute Lumiere Lighting Design competition that encourages an exploration of light as design medium.

Says Visi magazine editor, Jacquie Myburgh Chemaly, "The awards are one of the highlights on our calendar. It is an opportunity for us, along with our partner Absolut Vodka, to celebrate the remarkable design work that has been produced over the past year and to honour the people behind it."

The latest issue of Visi features a special design section dedicated to the Absolut Visi Designer of the Year awards.

For more, go to www.visi.co.za, the Visi Facebook page or follow @VISI_Mag on Twitter .