For the second year, internationally acclaimed office furnishing solutions company Dauphin HumanDesign® Group, was the headline sponsor for the premier design showcase, 100% Design South Africa, which took place from 6 to 10 August 2015 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg.
As SA’s premier show dedicated to promoting the best of local and international design talent, the partnership of 100% Design South Africa (which forms part of the Decorex SA portfolio) and Dauphin HumanDesign® Group made for a great match.
100% Design also contains an award element, the 2015 Design Awards. The winners, chosen by an adjudication panel of industry experts, with strict criteria for each of the eight categories, were announced at a Gala evening on 6 August. The following awards were announced by 100% Design South Africa Programme Director, Cathy O’Clery:
Best Furniture Design – Meyer von Wielligh; Best Lighting Design – Laurie Wiid Van Heerden; Best Surface Design – Papilio; Best Textile Design – Design Team; Best Product Design – Renée Rossouw; Best International Design – Generation for 100% Hotel; Best Stand Design – Mungo stand and maker’s hub.
The Designer of the Year Award was announced by Cherine Leishman of Dauphin HumanDesign® Group, the headline sponsor of 100% Design South Africa. The 2015 accolade went to David Krynauw.
Each of the eight winners received a bespoke 100% Design South Africa trophy designed by leading local design duo Dokter and Misses, and were gifted with wine by Spice Route.
In addition to the 2015 Design Awards, two other competition winners were announced at the Gala event – the BOS and UJ Industrial Design Department Seating Competition, and the Southern Hospitality Furniture Design Competition.
Launching at this year’s 100% Design South Africa was Dauphin’s Bosse Modul Space, proudly made in South Africa, thus marking an extension of Dauphin HumanDesign® Group’s expertise into holistic solutions for all types of work environments, and making it accessible to local businesses.
The philosophy of this range is based on the understanding that today’s work environments are no longer static; that their dynamism is a result of the changing needs of those who work in them. Thus the Bosse range of modular office concepts and furnishing systems allows companies to configure private and communal spaces to their specifications, thereby addressing the need for workers to be flexible and dynamic while getting the job done.
This together with technological advancements, a thorough knowledge of best ergonomic practices and the high value placed on visually aesthetic pieces all come together in Bosse Modul Space.
Another highlight for visitors to this year’s design fair was 100% Hotel. This was presented in collaboration with esteemed Johannesburg design business Generation, founded by prominent designer Julia Day some 25 years ago. Invited to showcase ‘a cutting-edge and unique hotel space’, the Generation team partnered with iconic Italian furniture brand De Padova, whose stable of designers includes international hotshots like Nendo and Patricia Urquiola and heavyweights like Achille Castiglioni. Some of the De Padova items that Generation displayed on their stand were the first pieces of their kind available in the world to date, marking yet another coup for 100% Design South Africa.
For their interpretation of a hotel space, Generation decided to feature a lobby area, recognising this as an essential part of the overall design. Part of Day’s design concept for 100% Hotel was the creation of a signature scent especially for the display, in collaboration with professional fragrance company, Initial. Generation also partnered with The Friendly Plant, who supplied beautiful olive trees – very Italian and in keeping with the De Padova style – while Mae Artisan Rugs graced the floor.
This year, the contemporary office also came into special focus with a curated collection of office solutions from a variety of exhibitors; a special feature display known as ‘100 % Office’ created by award-winning designer Liam Mooney; and the first localised global launch of Bosse office furniture, thanks to headline sponsor Dauphin HumanDesign® Group.
This year the featured designer of 100% Office was Liam Mooney, a successful interior designer whose work has been widely covered in local and international media. His work is best known for displaying the natural convergence of his industrial design background with his flair for creating modern interiors.
Mooney’s numerous interior projects include private residences, hotels and restaurants such as Clarke’s and Superette. Most recently, he boldly revamped the beloved and popular La Mouette Restaurant in Sea Point, Cape Town. As the selected featured designer for 100% Office 2015, Mooney presented contemporary ideas for office solutions by tapping into a growing trend which sees the emergence of dual work/home spaces.
Cape Town based flooring specialists, Florstore OnTrend, partnered with Mooney to supply stylish Real Oak flooring from MacNeil, a fitting surface solution to show off the wood-veneered Bosse Executive Desk, chosen for 100% Office.
Visitors to the show also had the chance to see a range of new works from exhibitors, including the headline sponsor of 100% Design South Africa itself. Dauphin HumanDesign® Group unveiled the latest workspace trends from Europe at their own unique stand, designed for the show by leading firm Platform Creative Agency, which also happens to curate 100% Design South Africa. Other office-oriented South African designers participating at 100% Design South Africa this year included product design and supply company Raw Studios, IXAXA Office Furniture and Offix, manufacturers and suppliers of office desking, seating and storage.
But 100% Design South Africa was not all work and no play, so to speak, with exhibitors from across a number of design disciplines, as well as special feature exhibitions on show. These included the Spice Route bar, designed by Mia Widlake; featured designer for 2015 Renée Rossouw, selected for her use of bold colour and pattern; South African design names such as Egg Design, De Steyl, David Krynauw, and the Design Team; as well as international brands such as The Scandinavian Sofa Company, Vitra and Hay from Innova.
With 100% Design South Africa recently lauded as one of the top design shows in the world, anyone interested in design should mark next year’s edition on their calendars well in advance.
