What to look out for at the 2018 Design Joburg

For the second time, Design Joburg opens doors this Friday morning 25 May at the Sandton Convention Centre. Sorting through the impressive lineup of designers, architects and creatives, we’ve done all the legwork in laying out what’s new this time around and what to beeline for.

THE MARBLE POP UP

Marble, celebrated for its sensational interiors and live fire cooking is joining the show with a pop up restaurant and bar called CoLab cued by nature and industry trends. “Our pop up will reflect a space that awakens one’s senses. Food and design are so cohesive and we hope to demonstrate this union just as we have at Marble,” Irene Kyriacou, interior designer for Marble and CoLab explains. Expect pared back, flavour-packed food and inspired cocktails in an experiential, thought provoking space.

FIRED EARTH’S DESIGNER PAINT COLOURS

Design Joburg’s driving force is its collaborative approach. Each year, designers, architects and makers are paired with the country’s top suppliers in flooring, lighting, furniture, textiles and more. This year, Fired Earth paints has partnered with each of the CoLab designers, think Liam Mooney, Tristan du Plessis and Donald Nxumalo, to create a virgin paint colour that’s unique to each designer. “My colour was inspired by the rich golden tones of interiors from the 70's. It’s warm, iridescent and autumnal and the perfect hue to use as a backdrop for contrasting colours,” Liam says of his.

RETAIL THERAPY

Design Joburg has answered the call from retail thirsty visitors wanting to take home some of the incredible design items they came across last year. Retail Corridor will be offering exactly that with a host of hot designer names to shop from including Haldane Martin, Skinny laMinx, A Love Supreme, Avoova, Skultuna and Alexa Lily.

GIN FOR THE WIN

Gin lovers would be wise to head to the Hendrick’s Gin Bar. Curated by Andrea Kleinloog and Megan Hesse (Design Joburg’s curators), this inspired and imaginative watering hole will nod to Hendrick’s signature use of botanicals in the making of their gin, as well as featuring the animal inspired works of luxury lifestyle brand Ardmore. Picture a Tim Burton-Edward Scissorhands clash of fantastical proportions.

ARCHITECTURE UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT

Architect and draftsman behind Blank Paper’s meticulous architectural city maps, Shaun Gaylard is curating the Architect’s Gallery. The gallery will feature a lineup of top drawer projects by the country’s architectural heavyweights by way of print features and 3D models. Look down and you’ll notice the Belgotex rug produced in collaboration with architects StudioMAS.

A few other highlights this year include an exhibit entitled FRONT ROW that will feature side tables and chairs from some of SA’s leading design lights, as well as a stylishly edited table setting entitled BANQUET put together by CoLab designer Heather Boting, who will also be launching her first homeware collection at the show. 

For more information, visit designjoburg.com