DESIGN
LIGHTING
Creating the most
suitable silhouette Karl Rogers, Matt van Niekerk and Gareth Griffiths
Gareth Griffiths
Hanno de Swardt is a talented Cape Townbased professional architect and interior designer who clearly makes sense of an often misinterpreted discipline. Maybe that’s because he believes that great designs start with getting the basics right. He shares some guidelines, tips and tricks that a homeowner or business owner can follow. It starts with getting the lighting right. “As in fashion, architecture and interiors are all about creating the most suitable silhouette, tailor-made to the client’s brief and in harmony with the site and its context. These disciplines all entertain through, and thrive on, the lovely layers of pattern, structure, texture and detail,” he says. Over coffee at Lazari, one of his more recent commercial projects, he shared his approach to design and the role of lighting and other key outcomes, which he sees as important ingredients in any project’s formula of success.
“I often refer to myself as an aesthetic ‘terrorist’, determined to win the ongoing war to create a more beautiful world through sound design principles.” . Hanno says the the designer tries to strike a balance between function and aesthetics, comfort and style in line with these goals: 1. Provide sufficient lighting for dayto-day living and activities. 2. Create various levels of lighting allowing the homeowner to change the mood depending on the occasion or time of day. 3. To celebrate design features for aesthetically pleasing and visually stimulating results.
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volume 12 | issue 3 www.tobuild.co.za
Hanno with Linda of Lazari. Note the collection of 75 coffee cups hanging from the soffit.