8 MUST-SEE’S & DO’S AT DESIGN JOBURG 2022
A host of South Africa’s top creatives including multi-award winning designer Rich Mnisi, award-winning contemporary multimedia visual artist, Trevor Stuurman, industry icon Maira Koutsoudakis, creative director N A T U R A .co-Lab Manthe Ribane Liebmann and Cocoon Lifestyle founder Bilala Mabuza – all hailing from Johannesburg – will be taking part in Design Joburg, a highlight on the annual design and décor calendar. 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 and drive in Southern Africa and further afield.
Design Joburg is on from 19 to 21 May 2022 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 May 17 and will be live 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 we know it.
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 most importantly to 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 see’s & do’s to enjoy this year’s Design Joburg Experience:
1) The Design Theatre will be a space to pause and catch up on fascinating and eye-opening design-focused talks, both from local shapeshifters and commenters and international mavens, who will be broadcast in via the Design London platform. Cocoon Lifestyle’s Bilala Mabuza will lead the curation of this engagement space.
The impressive line up of speakers and moderators include: Koutsoudakis, Mnisi, Stuurman, Sir Abner, 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, a showcase of some of the country’s finest architectural projects. This year however, the introduction of a three-dimensional immersive element will bring each of the buildings in the gallery to life.
4) Always a hit with visitors, 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 and an immersive space where design, architecture and food converge.
6) The best part of a show with a design bent is the opportunity to shop and the Retail Corridor is a dedicated space where visitors can take a slew of locally designed lust-haves home with them – from cushions to ceramics and of course a phone full of images to mull over for further at-home inspiration.
7) Into the metaverse, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and other cutting-edge digital technologies are amongst the key features at Design Joburg 2022, with visitors being treated to an immersive trip into the metaverse, a series of expert talks, architecture, interior and design, as well as life in general.
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. The tours will have a brand-new VR component that will allow visitors to experience buildings from the inside without even leaving the gallery.
For more information, media enquiries and downloads, visit www.designjoburg.com and for regular updates follow @designjoburg on Instagram, facebook and Twitter – hashtag #DesignJoburg22.