With Cape Town nominated for the title of World Design Capital 2014, One&Only magazine looks at the city’s design highlights…

Cape Town is famous for its mountains, beaches and vineyards—and now you can add progressive design scene. With Cape Town nominated for the title of World Design Capital 2014, there’s already much to offer the design enthusiast from a once derelict factory turned cultural hub in fast-gentrifying Woodstock, to a cutting-edge vineyard on the city’s breezy eastern reaches.

A meeting of minds

Located in the up-and-coming Cape Town neigh­bourhood of Woodstock on artfully graffiti-splattered streets, The Old Biscuit Mill was founded in 2006 by two entre­preneurs, Justin Rhodes and Cameron Munro. It includes art galleries, shops and cafes, as well as day and night markets, workshops and designer stores. The best time to come, though, is on Saturday mornings when the farmers’ market sets up shop from 9am to 2pm. Little tip: come early—and don’t eat before.

Sink your teeth into Alsace-style tarte flambée made by Jutta Frensch at her stall, Piroschka. Or try chef Louden Kirk’s delicious, crispy carta di musica-based pizzas at Simply Italian, then try on handmade silk and leather sandals, or buy brightly coloured woollen throws. http://theoldbiscuitmill.co.za

With its high ceilings and earthy natural tones and textures, and its generous dollop of industrial chic, Bistro 1682 has become the place to be seen—and not just because of executive chef Brad Ball’s food

Cape design under one roof

Of course, designers in the know have had Cape Town on their radar for years, with the likes of Paul Smith and Tom Dixon flocking to the annual Design Indaba Conference, founded by media entre­preneur Ravi Naidoo. Taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre at the same time, and comple­menting the conference, is Design Indaba Expo, a showcase of the very best of South African archi­tecture, craft, film and fashion to interior design, jewellery and product design.

It’s a one-stop shop of creativity, recog­nising and celeb­rating local work across all fields. Everything is South African, attracting buyers— and public—from far and wide. You can catch fashion shows, watch short films, even chat to designers or just browse through their creations. The 2011 event saw Woza Maya win The Most Beautiful Object in South Africa for their Dreams for Africa chair. Next year’s event takes place from 2-4 March 2012 (tickets R60). www.designindaba.com

Cutting-edge winery

Steenberg Vineyard is located just 20 minutes from downtown Cape Town on the eastern flank of the Cape Peninsula in Constantia, the nearest wine region to the city. Nestled in amongst the gated communities and imposing villas and surrounded by vineyards is the wine estate’s Bistro 1682. With its high ceilings and earthy natural tones and textures, and its generous dollop of industrial chic, it has become the place to be seen—and not just because of executive chef Brad Ball’s food.

Sitting on a white sofa on the terrace surrounded by water features, with far-reaching views across the vines and False Bay beyond, there is much to consider in the visually inter­active, eclect­ically designed modern space. As well as the raw bar, with its sashimi and gravadlax, ceviche and carpaccio, Ball offers a line-up of punchy dishes from fresh-ginger-laced beef tataki to a wickedly gooey gorgonzola gnocchi. But the wines are the name of the game here, partic­ularly Sauvignon and Semillon. www.steenberg-vineyards.co.za

Art for art’s sake

Another Woodstock venture, cementing the area as a hub for artists, is Greatmore Studios. Established in 1998 in response to a critical need for studio space and art-making facilities by a cross-section of Cape Town’s artists, there are 14 studios rented as private spaces where local artists work full time and another three studios held back for artists visiting from aboard and elsewhere in Africa and South Africa. The enclave forms part of the Triangle Arts Trust, a UK-based organ­isation that estab­lishes a network of artist-led workshops and residences. Recent arrivals at Greatmore include painter and video artist Satadru Sovan Banduri from India and Camberwell Art School-educated photo­grapher Precious Mhone from Malawi. www.greatmoreart.org

One&Only Cape Town

South Africa’s most urban chic resort, One&Only Cape Town boasts enviable views over Table Mountain from its prime location on the city’s vibrant Victoria & Albert Waterfront. While the hottest chefs— the inter­na­tionally acclaimed Nobu Matsuhisa and celebrated local boy Reuben Riffel—add to the must-see factor, the cutting-edge design of the first luxury hotel to open in Cape Town in nearly a decade will no less excite. Expect contem­porary glamour with an authentic South African vibe. http://capetown.oneandonlyresorts.com

Haldane Martin

Who is he? A super-hot contem­porary furniture designer based in Cape Town. Born in Johannesburg, Haldane Martin started his company in 2002 and the collection now consists of over 50 furniture pieces, ranging from a bright and breezy take on the Durban kitchen classic, the Globe Chair, to a great spin on Le Corbusier’s pony skin chaise. The company has won a host of awards and has exhibited in New York, Paris and London. “I design furniture that is simul­tan­eously meaningful for the spirit, beautiful for the soul and nurturing for the body,” says Martin. You can buy his furniture online or through selected retailers. www.haldanemartin.co.za

Photography – by Matthew Willman/Sydelle Willow Smith