Housed in a heritage building dating back to the 1900s, Athletic Club & Social opened its doors late last year to instant Instagram acclaim. It is so wonderfully photogenic. Occupying a beautifully renovated three-storey building in central Cape Town, this ‘non-members member’s club’ (everyone is welcome) invites visitors to explore its bar and restaurant, which are situated across a unique maze of impeccably furnished rooms where every detail has been carefully considered.
I’ve recently found myself with a fair bit of extra time (I’ll write more on that at some stage, perhaps), but for now I don’t think I’ve ever shifted into a slower pace and a period of relative unknown with as much ease, effortlessness, and joy. Who is this person?!
My home needs work. I’ve been living in it for six years and it needs work. Houses and apartments take maintenance and at the moment I’m embarrassed by how run-down and sad it is. In light of this, I’ve imagined a lump-sum lotto win and an opportunity to renovate the parts of my home that yearn for a spruce up – i.e everything. Inspired by this ‘ultimate renovation’, I’ve naturally turned to the Scands. Studio Joanna Laajisto, headed up by the eponymous lass herself, is a Helsinki-based boutique design agency with a focus on functionality, quality and infinitely beautiful aesthetic. Founded in 2010, and scoping commercial, retail, hospitality and office design, each project is a masterpiece.
