Visi moves to coffee table style

Highlights of the first issue include the conceptual work of architects Joe van Rooyen, Peter Rich and Fanuel Motsepe, who have re-imagined and redesigned a long-forgotten 'black hole' on Johannesburg's skyline and a look at Karen Roos' working farm, a hotel that offers guests the authentic pleasure of picking their own fruit and vegetables.

It also announces Michael Forst, as winner of the 2010 Haute Lumière Awards for his lighting design entitled 'Replay'. Making use of disused CDs and a basic linear florescent tube, his design seamlessly embodies simple design elements.

"Visi has always had a generous measure of timelessness represented within its pages," says Chemaly. "However, from this issue, the magazine really becomes a collectable almanac of the world's and South Africa's décor, design and architecture."

Nominations open for awards

Nominations are open for the Absolut Visi Designer of the Year Award 2011. These close at the end of January 2011 and the winner will be announced in February 2011. "A multidisciplinary accolade, the award will go to a designer in recognition of his or her talent in his or her chosen field of design, whether it is industrial or fabric design," explains Annemarie Meintjes, deputy editor of Visi magazine and a panel judge.

The 2011 Haute Lumière Awards spearheaded by Paul Pamboukian, calls for designers at large - not just lighting designers - to apply how they perceive light according to a prescribed brief. The prize is a trip to a lighting design workshop in Finland.