New gallery and showroom in downtown Cape Town, celebrates the exuberance of the contemporary African design scene.
The designer Philip Tyers has combined an eclectic collection of art, sculpture and furniture which combines the tribal rawness with honed international design sensibility for more than twenty-five years, Philip has created a unique branded interior which expresses the latest trend in African furniture and lifestyle.
The exterior of Villa Africa.
The latest store seeks to unveil an Africa that is both sophisticated and bold in presence. Tyers has built a loyal following with both corporate and private clients that infuse his unique designs into their own sleek interiors.
Tyers’ signature style combines sculptural elements with luxury materials. Many designs are made in artisanal craft environments and are largely one-off pieces. Much of his design is generated by tapping the subconscious by sketching shapes and forms which are eventually pulled into a functional piece of furniture. These unusual pieces are worked into interior design projects.
Deep Red Men Sculptures: The style of carving of the ancestral figures is modernist both influenced by African tradition and the 20th century cubist movement. Pieces are colour coded representing the emotion associated with the underlying story/meaning. Wood is recycled from the Cape Overberg where many trees are felled on the working for water programme, or by farmers seeking to conserve water resources by clearing river banks.
Traditional African design is based on instincts in which spirit, tradition and pure emotion are combined, Tyers combines this instinct with western rationalism to produce functional pieces with a difference.
Set on two corners the gallery at the corner of Hout and Loop street, Villa Africa is set to become a firm favourite stop off during the seasons busy first Thursdays – where you can expect to see Tyers’ pieces exhibit alongside works by up and coming designers, sculptors and artists.
Barbershop Sideboard: African Urban Sideboard based on the vibrant street lifestyle of Africa. It has a combination of industrial pipes as the base and oak top with etched portraits.
The store is a lifestyle venue where the studio produces anything from one-off exotic hardwood furniture pieces to hotel signature areas or even bespoke residential homes.
Expect to be inspired and visit Villa Africa if you are looking for an avant-garde take on African interiors and lifestyle. Tyers continues to put his stamp on a unique vision of a future African.
Acacia Server: based on the highveld Acacia tree with its prolific thorn branches. This server is made in solid Kiaat wood with hand sculpted thorn legs. Courtesy of Villa Africa.
Brendon Bell-Roberts
