One&Only Cape Town Redefines Style in South Africa

Published: March 6, 2009 / LuxuryTravelMagazine.com

Located in the heart of Cape Town's working harbour, internationally acclaimed designer Adam D. Tihany collaborated with local architects Ruben Reddy and Dennis Fabian & Berman to redefine the traditional South African experience at One&Only Cape Town. Through the use of contemporary architecture and artwork, Tihany and his team capture a new and progressive energy within this historic destination.

To celebrate Sol Kerzner's triumphant homecoming to South Africa since the opening of The Palace of The Lost City at Pilanesberg in 1992, designers and architects used only local materials in the development of One&Only Cape Town. Opening on April 3, 2009, the 131-key resort is the first urban property in the One&Only Collection with designs and artwork that showcase emerging artistic talent from the South Africa region.

"I wanted the resort's feel to be contemporary whilst still drawing heavily on the rich African culture and heritage that has so greatly influenced my life," says Sol Kerzner, Chairman and CEO of Kerzner International. "Much of the resort is inspired by my own love of Cape Town. I felt confident that Adam D. Tihany would be able to capture the true spirit of a modern South Africa whilst remaining faithful to the traditional culture. His approach to design runs parallel to One&Only's core philosophy of providing distinctive experiences that celebrate the authentic flavour and colour of their respective locations."

Located on the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, the hotel is designed to encourage guest interaction with the local Capetonian population whilst still providing exclusive island escapes accessible by walking bridge and private water taxi.

“In the four years we worked on this project, we lived the site, breathed the air, met the people, and absorbed the richness and variety that Cape Town has to offer – from nature to art to food and wine," says Tihany who recently completed the design of Market by Jean-Georges at One&Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, Mexico. "I was honoured to be the one chosen to conceive and execute the meaningful design of Sol Kerzner’s return to his home country. We wanted our design to embody the local sensibility, and the multi-layered contemporary and traditional cultures that make up Cape Town style. As always, we strived to create a luxurious, bespoke, and site-specific experience.”

The Arrival
Designed to frame the spectacular views of Table Mountain, One&Only Cape Town's Lobby boasts expansive windows enhanced by calming cream tones and sandstone floors. A combination of contemporary and indigenous artwork decorates the space including a metal and mesh egg-shaped sculpture, wooden totem-like sculptures and contemporary paintings by leading South African fine artists and sculptors such as, Deborah Bell, Walter Oltmann and Norman Catherine. African-inspired metal balustrades separate the Lobby from an elegant lower Lounge adorned with dark brown carpeting and African-inspired rugs. Over-scale floor lamps balance the high ceilings, and a custom chandelier with moulded crystals floats above the center bar. Again African-inspired metal balustrades separate the Lounge from a glowing bar composed of frosted glass topped with dark brown oak.

maze by Gordon Ramsay
To the left of the Lobby and Lounge is the three-story tri-level wine loft and maze by Gordon Ramsay. Guests enter under the functional wine wall, housing more than 5,000 bottles of wine glowing from within, into the restaurant space consisting of a dining room, patisserie and terrace. In the maze dining room, columns clad in intricately textured chocolate brown African walnut complement a suspended grid lighting feature, which also acts as a backdrop for a custom commissioned 50-foot photographic panel entitled Offering by South African artist Berni Searle. The artist’s signature motifs of food and spices are abstracted into red and ochre crepe-paper forms that bleed vibrant, swirling colour into water. An open fire grill creates a warm inviting atmosphere, a signature for maze restaurants worldwide. Tactile materials in earth tones such as forest green and burgundy cover the furniture. Abstract African-inspired carpets in natural tones decorate the floor whilst cream and copper blush silk drapery frame panoramic views of Table Mountain. Bookcases situated between the windows are flanked with vertical light boxes. Upon exiting maze, patrons are encouraged to stop in the patisserie to choose from a variety of desserts displayed in a glass box or enjoy wine on the terrace consisting of a communal wood table surrounded by bar stools and lit by pendant lamps.

Nobu
Across the Lobby and Lounge, Nobu serves as the fine dining concept at One&Only Cape Town. The most notable feature is the textured, translucent origami light fixture that crawls along the ceiling throughout the space. A three-dimensional metal mural sculpture by Brett Murray and Freciano Ndala covers the wall behind the maître d’ stand. Enormous ebony wooden rings between columns separate the bar and dining areas creating distinct spaces. Rich brown carpeting ascends down the metal fan-like staircase into the dining room complementing the hunter green of velvety banquettes. Translucent silk roman shades cover windows and contemporary Japanese lanterns provide a warm amber glow. A sushi counter is located at the back wall of the dining room decorated with vertical light boxes to create a warm glow.

Accommodation
Local Architect Dennis Fabian maximized the proximity and panoramic views of Table Mountain in his designs, specifically with the Marina Rise’s 91 rooms and suites that face the majestic mountain. In addition to the Marina Rise, One&Only Cape Town boasts 40 island suites and an expansive spa located on their own secluded and lushly landscaped islands surrounded by waterway and accessed only by bridge or private water taxi. These exclusive villa enclaves provide an alternative to the distinctly urban feel of the Marina Rise and feature private balconies and waterway views.

Marina Rise
Marina Rise houses the Presidential and Imperial Suite, both spanning more than 2,730 square feet. These luxurious suites boast a master bedroom with his and her bathrooms, an exercise room and a private terrace, foyer, powder room, full kitchen, dining area, salon, study and a second bedroom with full bath and private terrace. Warm, neutral fabric imparts a residential feeling and sumptuous pillows provide splashes of colour throughout. Other notable design details include an oversized African weave-inspired feature wall which separates the salon from the dining room.

In the Presidential Suite, the central dining area is visually anchored with a series of six glass roundels by Conrad Botes. This well-known South African artist finds inspiration in comics and uses a technique of painting on the reverse side of glass to achieve luminous and profound images. Also in the dining area, guests can enjoy a panel of detailed wirework woven by Walter Oltmann, another widely acclaimed and exhibited South African artist. For this commission, he has produced an image inspired by brass plaques from the Western African nation, Benin, in the form of a crocodile. In the neighbouring study, guests can admire a coastline photograph by David Goldblatt. This colour image is one in a limited edition of ten produced by the veteran South African photographer.

Guests walking into the Imperial Suite can admire a custom commissioned wall sculpture by Willem Boshoff, arguably South Africa’s best-known sculptor and conceptual artist, entitled Walking the Stick Jig. The piece is constructed from 13 walking sticks made of distinctive dark and light coloured Zebrawood. The main living space features more Walter Oltmann work. For this suite, the artist created a large woven panel inspired by complex geometric patters of Congo Kuba cloths. The space also features artwork by acclaimed artist Jeremy Wager. The two large disc sculptures have been cast in resin and covered with clay and ash used in Zulu and Xhosa ritual practices. According to the artist, use of these materials comes from his interest in indigenous healing, transformation rituals and rites of passage.

All Marina Rise décor features warm earthy shades of red, brown and terracotta, complemented by touches of tropical green. Doors, windows and baseboards are outfitted in natural African oak wood, while the bathroom details and furniture are stained a dark coffee. Love seats decorate the foot of each bed and are paired with an armchair and coffee table for in-room dining. Wood screens with African detail create a separate but open feel throughout the space. Ivory travertine stone covers the bathroom floors and walls complemented with silk screened frosted glass doors. Custom art pieces – from prints to sculptures and accessories – are placed throughout the rooms and bathrooms to capture a true Capetonian energy. The two Marina Junior Suites are an extension of the design concept of the typical Marina Room but with touches of green. They also offer a residential-looking salon, sitting and dining areas. All Marina Rise rooms feature balconies overlooking Table Mountain.

Villa Island
A series of bridges link Marina Rise with two separate, exclusive islands boasting 40 additional villa suites, a private infinity pool and expansive spa. In addition to the Island Junior Suites, the expansive King and Double Villas are decorated in natural sand, brown and earthy green shades. Parquet floors in African caramel coloured Kiatt wood lead to a luxurious dressing area and bathroom embellished with an oversized bathtub engulfed in a frosted glass box that glows at night. King and Double Villas are outfitted with a grand fireplace and salon. In keeping with the Marina Rise theme, custom artwork from regional artists is displayed throughout all of the villas.

One&Only Spa Island
Neighbouring Villa Island, the One&Only Spa is a serene haven located on its own private island and is decorated with the same calming, neutral tones found throughout the resort including dark brown finished woods and cream marbles. The Spa features more artwork by Berni Searle from her Home and Away series. The collection of six photographs features the artist floating in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and the coast of Africa. Spanning more than 13,000 square feet, the Spa includes: a Salon, Relaxation room, Treatment rooms, Special Pedicure Treatments, Wet areas, Vitality pools, Steam rooms and Saunas. The atmosphere is energized with highlights of natural greens, watery blues, and earthy shades of copper and orange details. Sheer white linen frames the windows in the Treatment rooms boasting spectacular landscape views. Changing room floors and walls are coated in cream marble whilst red copper leather inserts inside locker doors offer a subtle burst of colour. Geometric wooden screens featuring a hint of African motif mingle with African art and accessories.

NEO, The Boutique at One&Only Cape Town
The resort’s sophisticated and original boutique design matches its unique product offering of one-of-a-kind fashions for men and women as well as custom jewelry, locally designed accessories and objects for the home. Tihany used a three-dimensional polished black feature wall and polished black floors to complement a gold leaf display containing accessories, small sculptures, and artwork. Two gold leaf columns housing couture garments frame a wall of mirrors also featuring designer apparel. Directly in front of the columns, two vitrine tables displaying fine jewelry are flanked by contemporary zebra-print chairs, where guests can relax and sip cocktails from the champagne bar. An iPod stand is also available for patrons to listen to a selection of South African music.

Meeting and Banqueting Rooms
State of the art function and banquet rooms are located on the upper level of the lobby and maze providing a chic and private alternative for larger groups. Function room walls are clad in padded cream leather panels. Sandstone floors with bands of brown marble dominate whilst graphic wooden screens layered over mirrors make a bold statement over large wood doors. Refined patterns of striped cream fabric and dark African oak contrast an intricate carpet and indigenous art in the Banquet Room. This beautifully appointed room, measuring 2,314 square feet with 648 square feet of outdoor space, is available for private events and meetings and can accommodate 112 guests for a sit down dinner or 200 for cocktails. The space can also be divided into two separate rooms for a more intimate setting. The adjacent boardroom seats 20 people, whilst a second boardroom in the business centre seats 12.

For further information, visit www.oneandonlyresorts.com.