The Creation of Art Deco Accommodation in Port Elizabeth

- 15 December 2008

Maurette van Eyssen, an interior designer from Alicedale, a small town ‘dorpie’ in the Eastern Cape Province started working with Adrian Gardiner CEO of the Mantis Group, with her husband, when he was commissioned to work on the Lobengula Lodge at the Shamwari Game Reserve in 1995.

At the time, Lobengula Lodge was Adrian Gardiner private residence, and due to the increasing demands at Shamwari Game Reserve, Adrian Gardiner had to convert his private abode into a premier lodge for international tourists. Up to now, Lobengula Lodge at Shamwari Game Reserve has accommodated high profile celebrities such as John Travolta and Tiger Woods.

Since then, Maurette van Eyssen and her husband, a leading furniture designer and manufacturer, never looked back. Thus far, they have been commissioned to work on the Mantis portfolio of five star game reserves and boutique accommodation all over South Africa and abroad in locations such as London.

Over the years, Adrian Gardiner, a strong advocate of the Eastern Cape, wanted to develop a five star Art Deco boutique accommodation in the city of Port Elizabeth, and hence waited patiently for the correct property that was befitting of the Mantis portfolio. For years, Adrian Gardiner has always shared a great passion for Art Deco and even relocated from suburban Sunridge Park to an Art Deco Building in Summerstand, which he absolutely adores and still enjoys. So, from the start the Art Deco façade of the Shamwari Townhouse building was a huge draw card for Adrian. The original Shamwari Townhouse building was built in 1937. The building created such a bold statement as its architectural design and style was quite revolunary for the 1930’s. With this in mind, Adrian Gardiner and his planners kept its Art Deco façade and ensured that any building additions or renovations respected and complimented its origins.

Art Deco boutique accommodation is not notable in the international and local hospitality industry, but this opportunity granted Adrian with yet another dream, to provide an ultra unique and unusual offering in the Eastern Cape tourism marketplace. Today, some of the finest surviving examples of Art Deco architecture can be found in Cuba, Brazil, South Beach in Miami.

Basically, Art Deco was a popular design movement from the 1920’s to the 1930’s – a movement that developed between the two World Wars. This movement affected all forms of art and architecture including interior design, sculpture, furniture, industrial design, visual arts, fashion, paintings, graphic arts and film. In those days, Paris represented the hub of the Art Deco era and its popularity peaked in America in the 1930’s. The movement shaped the glamour world of early Hollywood where champagne, cocktails and smoking paraphernalia such as cigars and long slim cigarettes became highly fashionable. During this period, Jazz was born, the Charleston and tango dance inspired the nations, and film stars such as Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire graced the movie theatres screens and Josephine Baker became a singing sensation in Paris. Art Deco style is opulent, elegant, functional and modern. Interiors can be either streamlined or of geometrical style and often include singular furniture pieces with curved fronts, mirrors, clean lines, chrome hardware and glass.

The Art Deco interior styling and influences created at Shamwari Townhouse can be strongly appreciated in the open areas as well as the Zanele Mbeki Presidential Suite. All together, Shamwari Townhouse is furnished with a wide selection of sourced antiques and replicas of Art Deco by utilizing mirrors, engraving, embellishments, glass, glassware, stainless steel, chrome, metals, mirror cladding and various combinations of light and dark wooded furniture incorporating inlaid patterns that appear to be highly polished. Bold, metallic colours and palettes of lilacs, mauves, greens and jaded tones are utilized throughout the interior of the property. Maurette van Eyssen and Adrian Gardiner tried to avoid all the overpowering and loud Art Deco elements by only selecting graceful contemporary influences with an opulent edge to appease any eye. All the various vases were individually handmade in South Africa and were fused with tones of lilacs and jaded greens befitting its environment.

Furthermore, Adrian Gardiner wanted to support the local up-and-coming Eastern Cape and South African homegrown contemporary artists. Each piece of art boasts a story that needs to be told or the artist’s impression of South Africa and its lifestyles. A coffee table book representing these art pieces is available in all seven suites so that staying guests can appreciate the stories or messages that need to be heard.

Art Deco was also widely considered to be an eclectic form of elegant and stylish modernism, influenced by a variety of sources such as ‘primitive arts’ of Africa, Middle East, Ancient Egypt, Aztec Mexico, and Greek and Roman themes. As travel became popular in those days, African safaris were all in rage and animal skins, ivory, mother of pearl and tortoiseshell began to appear. The only piece of artwork in Shamwari Townhouse that is reflective and a resemblance of world famous Shamwari Game Reserve deco is the Rhino collage Wittgenstein’s Rhinoceros by William Kentridge situated at the entrance of the Townhouse.

The grand designed imported wallpapers used in Shamwari Townhouse are very typical of Art Deco designs with its strong geometrical patterns and metallic colours. A true example of this is the wallpaper displayed in the Piano Lounge. The Piano Lounge is furnished with metallic wallpaper with floral motifs showcasing an antique piano purchased from abroad with geometrical inlaid wooden patterns and single pieces of period furniture with white and lilac undertones.

A vast accumulation of Art Deco interiors are also reflected in the Champagne Lounge; from the light green shaded walls, mirrors, chrome and stainless steel hardware to female imagery. The opulent furniture incorporates strong streamlined shaped single pieces of period furniture covered in either shiny or plain textures with scattered cushions and various inlaid wooden cabinets of the time. The dated fireplace is adorned with original porcelain figurines dating from the 1930’s, and a contemporary sculpture by Anton Momberg, an artist from Port Elizabeth compliments the surrounds that can be appreciated by many art followers.

The 1930 period pioneered the influences of Jazz, cigars and champagne, and all of these elements are seen and experienced in the dining facilities of Shamwari Townhouse and Salon Privé.

The only room that does not reflect the Art Deco era is the dining cellar. The underground space boasts a large selection of international and local wines, imbuing an atmosphere of intimacy and earthy Provencal smells and touches, so the team decided to work with all the earthy elements to provide a unique private dining experience for guests ensuring only memorable dining occasions.

In the Rock Retreat you will find photographs by Jon Riodran, an ex Rhodes University student. In addition, the designer shower is made up of a mosaic pattern resembling floral shapes, a natural motif of the art deco period. The oversized mosaic designer shower was created by none other than local ceramic artist Bianca Plate.

All six suites are furnished in a more modern contemporary style to appeal to business travelers with subtle touches of art deco filtering in. Art Deco tones can be seen in the use of mirrors, lamps, geometric carpets, strong colour tones, fabrics and collection of shells in the beautifully appointed double bathrooms. All six suites carry Grahamstown photographer Obie Oberholzer work plus the team has complimented his art with his table books. Local pewter artist Carol Boyes items are used due to her use of curved lines to add a South African touch. The Presidential Suite named after ex- President’s wife, Zanele Mbeki affords the ultimate luxurious accommodation with strong African and European influences.

During one of Adrian Gardiner’s trips to England, he developed a fondness for The Mountbatten Theatre at Prince Charles’ Clarence House. Shamwari Townhouse presented the ideal location to incorporate the cinema concept together with Art Nouveau. With permission from the English Royal family, Maurette proceeded to create the replica of The Mountbatten Theatre at Shamwari Townhouse. The wall and furniture palette of the Mountbatten Theatre fitted effortlessly into the Art Deco theme and completed the finishing touches to facilities offered at the Shamwari Townhouse. This cinema is equipped with the latest surround sound facilities for business presentations and perfect viewing pleasure.

Salon Privé is a private secluded environment featuring contemporary art deco elements and Fornasetti wallpaper offering opulent comforts and idyllic surroundings allowing guests an ideal retreat for business networking opportunities or a perfect setting to end ones day. Forncisetti was a well known Italian artist, and today, it is most common to see Fornasetti’s style in fashion and room accessories such as scarves, ties, lamps, furniture, china plates, tables and in our case wallpaper.. Piero Fornasetti died in 1988 and created more than 11 000 items, many featuring the face of a woman, operatic soprano Lina Cavalieri, as a motif. Other common features of his work included the heavy use of black and white, the sun and time. His style is very reminiscent of Greek and Roman architecture, from which he was heavily influenced.

Browse the online Art Gallery of Shamwari Townhouse