Balancing global styles with Moroccan standards, a geometric concrete home catches the eye without sticking out. In a family photo, everyone might share the same eyes or nose or smile, but you can immediately spot the one with an extra spark, the spirit of adventure. So too the Casablanca, Morocco, house of architect Mehdi Berrada. Though similar in size and shape to … [Read more...]
Doing justice to office design Part 2: The evolution of the workspace
Kuba Granicki, Alessio Lacovig and Mike Rassmann, the three partners behind Johannesburg-based Architects Of Justice, sat down to have a discussion on how the workplace, and the architect’s role in its design, has evolved over the past few decades and point out areas where they feel it can be improved. How do you see office spaces having changed over the years? Mike … [Read more...]
Worldwide trend towards living green walls
There is a worldwide trend towards installing living green walls in buildings and homes. It is a way to enhance the building’s visual appearance, improve air quality and provide a work or home-friendly environment. People are becoming increasingly attracted to green areas. Businesses and large retailers, such as the multi-story La Fayette departmental store in Paris, are … [Read more...]
CemCote Skimmed – the latest from Cemcrete
We recently saw the launch of an exciting new product added to the Cemcrete range – CemCote Skimmed. This product is a skim-on coating (as the name implies) that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also extremely versatile. Let’s look at some of the many ways that CemCote Skimmed can be used. Bathroom Walls & Basins We know - this bathroom is pretty much a … [Read more...]
Layered lighting for award-winning store
The brief to Dakota Design, the interior architects and retail designers for Exclusive Books at Ballito Junction in KwaZulu-Natal, was clear; design a space that would encourage likeminded patrons "to have conversations" in the store. For centuries, bookstores and coffee shops were spaces where people would gather to share thoughts, debate ideas and start movements that would … [Read more...]
Central courtyard space defines Mauritian home
Located in a residential development in the northern part of the island near Grand Baie, Mauritius, the site for this home, designed by Rethink Studio, slopes gently with distant views of the mountains and the northern cane-covered agricultural hills. The climate can be both hot and humid in summer to windy with cool evenings during the winter months. The plot being … [Read more...]
Homemation shares Home Cinema trends and advice
The biggest movie stars are moving into TV series and sitcoms due to the popularity of at-home entertainment, thanks to on-demand viewing with the likes of Netflix, Showmax, Black and many others. “Binge watching” the non-stop list of TV favourites and the latest movies has become a very popular pastime. “Along with this trend, there has been a surge of interest in the home … [Read more...]
Inside the mind of a Lighting Designer: Sakina Dugawalla from Light.Func
Africanism recently spoke to Sakina Dugawalla, Principal & Head of Design at Light.Func, a Tanzanian and Dubai-based boutique studio with the aim of providing the built environment with a holistic approach to lighting design. Can you tell us a bit more about yourself and your background? A multicultural Tanzanian, I was born and raised in Tanzania and pursued higher … [Read more...]
Home Tour – A dramatic modern home
On their last tour, Cemcrete took you through an urban farmhouse home. This home is the complete opposite - a modern and industrial space. The vast contrast of these two homes highlights just how Cemcrete's finishes can work for a myriad of design styles. For today's home Cemcrete's finishes were used on the walls and ceilings (yes, our coatings can be applied on ceilings as … [Read more...]
The unique flooring alternative
Let’s face it – with all the flooring options out there even the most skilled flooring professionals sometimes feel overwhelmed. So what should you choose? By nature, people strive for floors that are out of the ordinary, not mass produced and that will be adaptable to their everyday lives. It is for these exact reasons that Cemcrete is the obvious choice as the unique … [Read more...]