Located in the heart of Cape Town on the V&A Waterfront with panoramic views of the city port and the famous Table Mountain, One&Only Cape Town has undergone a major renovation. A total of 133 rooms and suites, the lobby area and Vista Bar & Lounge have been completely renovated, as well as landscaping throughout the resort. “This has been a very special and exciting project for the One&Only Cape Town team, reflecting our shared belief in the future growth of South African tourism, said Ann Scott, general manager of the resort. – We are particularly proud of our collaboration with local suppliers and artisans, who have enabled us to combine unique African culture with the iconic, ultra-luxurious style of the One&Only brand”. Cape Town’s rich cultural heritage and mythology, as well as its natural treasures – the infinite blue ocean, the high mountain ranges and the variety of native plants found only here – are reflected in every element of the interior.
The main accent in design of renewed Vista Bar & Lounge is a sculpture of Kenyan artist Stanislav Trzebinski “Observers” towering above the bar. It complements the panoramic view of Table Mountain, which in turn benefits from the intricate patterns on the lounge carpet.
Organic, natural materials, minerals and metallic elements have been used in the interiors of the rooms. In addition, great attention was paid to the choice of textures, both to create a special cosiness and to convey the authenticity of the location and emphasise modern African luxury. The entrance, decorated with Kent fabric, references traditional North African “mud” fabrics, created using a special dyeing and painting method. The curved headboard contrasts harmoniously with the other structural and geometric shapes. The golden yellow of the ceramics evokes the hot sun, the deep green evokes the riot of green, the blue conveys the beauty of the ocean, while the dark colours reflect the local Capе and silver-leaved pines. The sparkling accents in the room design are a reminder of South Africa’s informal status as the diamond capital of the world, as the country produces almost half of the world’s gemstones. The patterns on the rugs and cushions in the rooms and suites mimic Cape Town’s famous underwater forests of brown algae, one of the most complex ecosystems in the world, found in the ocean waters off the city. The frames of the mirrors in the sleeping areas, by Coote and Wench from Johannesburg, were also inspired by marine flora. Each of the frames is hand-crafted by renowned wood sculptor Ben Tuge.
The design of the suites follows the overall stylistic concept of the resort, but with the addition of green tones. Local artists decorate the interiors: for the Marina Rise suites, artist Johanny Twala has created abstract outline paintings of African mountain ranges, depicting Lion’s Head, Signal Hill and Table Mountain, while artist Claude Chandler, inspired by the scale and panorama of Table Mountain, has created striking canvases that adorn the lounges.
Limestone tiles and African ash in the lobby design as well as eye-catching tables and a concise waiting and lounge area complete the overall stylistic ensemble. In the reception and lounge areas, the designers have used the play of light and shade, calm dark-browns and warm earth tones as well as subtle African patterns. Fresh flowers are another important design element. The mountains of Cape Town are home to the so-called Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest of the world’s six recognised floral kingdoms but with the highest diversity of species.
Photo: press-office
