Design Joburg shows the way

SHOWCASE: STATE OF INTERIORS, FASHION, ARCHITECTURE IN SA AND THE REGION TODAY Get up close and personal with top creatives from the city.

Ahost of South Africa’s top creatives will take part in Design Joburg, a highlight on the annual design and décor calendar. They include multi-award winning designer Rich Mnisi, award-winning contemporary multimedia visual artist Trevor Stuurman, industry icon Maira Koutsoudakis, creative director Natura co-Lab Manthe Ribane Liebmann and Cocoon Lifestyle founder Bilala Mabuza, all hailing from Johannesburg.

Now in its fourth year, this full-scale show is a polished showcase of where interiors and design, fashion, architecture and sustainable design practices are in South Africa, where new talents are putting their energy and what the future holds for design as a vehicle of change in southern Africa and further afield.

Design Joburg is on from 19 to 21 May at the Sandton Convention Centre, while the fringe event, Design Joburg Collective (which will include industry walk-arounds, trend talks and networking events) kicks off on 17 May and will be in nearby décor and design districts Kramerville and 44 Stanley.

The Creative Panel driving this year’s Collaborations and Highlights include some of the city’s finest creative minds including Stuurman, Ribane Liebmann, Mabuza and ideas synthesiser Sir Abner Makgamatha.

Collectively they’re driving Collaborations and Highlights and have pooled their resources to create a deeply immersive experience that embraces technology and tech innovations, sustainable design practices, explorations and a post-pandemic response to the world.

As much a cerebral as a social event, Design Joburg is an opportunity to grab a glass of bubbly, mingle with local talents and fellow cognoscenti and get up close and personal with some of the most exciting and stimulating creative endeavours happening in the décor and design arenas right now.

Here are eight must-sees and dos to enjoy this year”s Design Joburg experience:

1. Design Dialogues will be a space to catch up on fascinating and eye-opening design-focused talks from local shapeshifters, commenters and international mavens, who will be broadcast via the Design London platform. Cocoon Lifestyle’s Mabuza will lead the curation of this engagement space.

The impressive line-up of speakers and moderators include: Koutsoudakis, Mnisi, Stuurman, Makgamatha, Andrea Kleinloog, Melody Maker, Nthabi Taukobong, Peter Rich, Steve Pinto, Ann Roberts, Chris Bakker, Donald Nxumalo, Gillian Holl, Graham Wood, Kulani Keagile, Tessa Proudfoot and

Trevor Sibanda.

2. Headline sponsor Sanlam Private Wealth is presenting a showcase of brand-new work by leading female creatives Mpho Vackier from The Urbanative, Imiso Ceramics’ Zizi Poswa and Candice Lawrence from Modern Gesture.

3. The Architects Gallery will showcase of some of the country’s finest architectural projects. This year the introduction of a three-dimensional immersive element will bring each of the buildings in the gallery to life.

4. The Hendrick’s Gin Bar returns using the iconic gin’s signature blend of 11 botanicals as its design cue.

5. Once Again, the show’s restaurant, will be a focal point.

6. The Retail Corridor is a dedicated space where visitors can buy a slew of locally designed lust-haves to take home.

7. Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and other cutting-edge digital technologies are among the key features at Design Joburg, with visitors treated to an immersive trip into the metaverse.

8. Architectural Tours. This year’s programme includes designer-led in-person building tours of iconic buildings including The Bank in Rosebank designed by Daffonchio Architects and The Leonardo in Sandton, designed by Co-Arc International Architects.

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