Game Changer
The new pavilion at Country Club Johannesburg has transformed the way its members use the establishment, and updated the institution’s somewhat stuffy image.
Among the overblown roses, the squash courts and the old gents ruminating over their corporate glory days, the Country Club Johannesburg’s new pavilion – an undulating extension that covers the club’s outdoor restaurant and bar – has done a lot more than offer shelter from Highveld sun and storms. It’s got outsiders talking and members hustling for a table under it on a Friday evening, so they can sip good Chenin Blanc in cool surroundings while their offspring run wild on the lawns below.
Not so long ago, this was a sun-weathered, bumpy bricked terrace, dotted with clunky wrought-iron furniture and shaded by an ancient oak tree. Then architect Vedhant Maharaj and his Rebel Base Collective got involved. The young designer is a club member who cares deeply about the institution, but is just as ardent about his profession. He’s worked extensively in heritage architecture and, as he puts it, “It’s never been my approach to replicate what’s old – it’s more of a conversation of what’s new with the old.” This is a prime example.
Parts of the building date back to the club’s opening in 1906. There were other additions, but the most recognisable is undoubtedly the Art Deco-style frontage built in the 1960s – ship’s balustrade details included. Despite this new intervention, it’s still very much evident. “We’ve tied back to that façade: we have the big windows that show off the Art Deco details, and the roof sits above the old frontage, so you can see it all,” says Vedhant.
His 10.5m addition was prefabricated off site and installed with minimal unsettling of the space. It sits lightly on the site, but nevertheless makes an impressive statement about an establishment shaking things up. And the oak is still there – Vedhant and his team cut a huge hole in their pavilion to make space for the venerable old gal. So she’s part of the new wave too.
rebelbase_clctv | thecountryclub.co.za
“THE BIG WINDOWS SHOW OFF THE ART DECO DETAILS, AND THE ROOF
SITS ABOVE THE OLD FRONTAGE, SO YOU CAN SEE IT ALL.”
The television has been the centre of the living room for decades, but not much about its design has changed since the creation of the flatscreen. But things are about to head in a fresh direction – one that many will find exciting, given the current craze for folding screens.
The new offering takes the form of a rollable TV that’s won a bunch of awards at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Yes, you read right: LG has been at the forefront of rollable TV design, showing off prototypes that either roll down from a ceiling like a projector or roll back into their soundbar when not in use. One of the latter is the LG Signature OLED TV R, a consumer-ready product that will go on sale in 2020.
The rollable OLED design is something straight out of the future, and is a glorious feast for the eyes if the LG US YouTube channel is anything to go by. Using cutting-edge technology, the 4K HDR TV will appear or disappear at the push of a button. It supports three types of view: full view; zero view; and a line view, which minimises the display but gives access to the weather, time and music.
Of course, the OLED panel is smart all round, with self-lighting pixels, AI 4K upscaling support, and AI Sound Pro to deliver the best settings by default – plus it is optimised for gaming, with high refresh rates and much less lag. It is also powered by the AI ThinQ processor (now standard on all LG smart products) that has integrated voice assistants such as Google Assistant and Alexa, and offers personalised recommendations via the webOS interface and Apple AirPlay 2 support. It also integrates with other connected home devices.