Sorry, I digress from my direction so enough of this. Ours is not not a current affairs journal and it’s not my place to make political comment. I do so only insofar as it affects the lifestyle segment in which we are slotted, likely to a lesser extent, but nonetheless. I’ve spoken recently with leading architects and designers and most are not in the best of spirits.

Coming Chill
Winter is almost upon us and in Gauteng it means various things: cold nights, freezing early mornings, mild mid-days and afternoons, and no rain. Trees shed leaves and form very different silhouettes against clear blue skies and lawns become dry, brown and dusty.

With daily temperature fluctuations from -3°C to 22°C this is a four month period of climatic challenge that demands we wrap up bodies and interior spaces effectively. It’s for this reason that we’ve included the annual FOCUS features: Climate Control and Art of Seating in this Autumn issue. Staying warm might be the major priority but being comfortable in the process is a prerequisite. Our first feature spells out the best ways to do this without relying on the questionable delivery of costly power from much maligned para-statal Eskom.

Architecture and décor in this issue includes two coastal projects overlooking the Atlantic in Clifton, another in the Cape Winelands and – as a suitable foil – a hill-top extravaganza above Gothenburg in Sweden.
Don’t forget to follow us on our social network pages and please contact me on this issue’s look and feel; and on any other subject that may concern Habitat.

Colin Ainsworth Sharp – colin@habitat-mag.com
April 2012