The House & Garden Designers of the Year Awards 2025 brought together the brightest minds and boldest talents in South African design for an unforgettable evening of inspiration, elegance and innovation. Against the backdrop of the Norval Foundation’s striking gallery space, with champagne flowing and cameras flashing, the red carpet came alive with the country’s most celebrated creatives.
This year’s winners reflect the diverse spirit of South African design - from sustainable innovation and luxury architecture to avant-garde artistry and culinary brilliance. Each award was made possible thanks to our generous sponsors, whose support continues to shape the future of design.
Here’s a look at the 2025 honourees:
Restaurant of the Year: Heirloom at the Cape Grace
Sponsored by: Santam Insurance
Located in the iconic Cape Grace Hotel, Heirloom delivers an elevated take on Cape heritage cuisine. Led by Chef Wesli Jacobs, the menu balances tradition and innovation with dishes like kudu tartare and Cape Malay-inspired seafood, all crafted with seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. The refined interior - featuring curated local art, soft textures and panoramic waterfront views - adds to the sense of grounded elegance. A thoughtfully curated wine programme, led by sommelier Alvezo Abrahams, enhances the sensory journey.
A toast to Santam Insurance for backing this celebration of culinary design and South Africa’s ever-evolving food culture.
Hotel of the Year: Franschhoek House at La Residence
Sponsored by: Santam Insurance
Franschhoek House is an exclusive‑use villa within the lush 30‑acre La Residence estate, catering to up to 12 guests across six individually styled suites. The design blends French heritage with bold African and Indian influences - vibrant fabrics, antique furnishings, curated art, and striking color palettes bring each suite its own character. Common areas, like The Long Room with its show kitchen, bar, billiard table and sweeping views, fuse luxury with sociability. Outdoors, multiple patios, landscaped gardens and a private heated pool invite guests to unwind under the valley’s panorama.
Santam Insurance’s continued support elevates the recognition of world-class South African hospitality.
House of the Year: Wave Villa by ARRCC
Sponsored by: Oggie Flooring
Perched above the Atlantic Seaboard, Wave Villa by ARRCC is a striking coastal retreat where sculptural form meets serene functionality. Its signature floating roof, expansive glass walls and natural textures - like oak, granite and concrete - create seamless transitions between interior and landscape. With dedicated wings for entertaining and relaxation, the design balances drama and liveability, setting a new benchmark in contemporary South African residential architecture.
We thank Oggie Flooring for championing residential design that dares to dream - and delivers.
Product Designer of the Year: Studio Kája
Sponsored by: Jetour South Africa
Studio Kája continues to earn praise for striking a balance between clean form and material richness. Their pieces often blend timeless aesthetics with modern functionality - think minimal silhouettes softened with tactile details. Although less is publicly documented about specific recent works, their reputation rests on thoughtful craftsmanship, elegant proportions, and an ability to make everyday objects feel elevated.
Thank you to Jetour South Africa for supporting product design that merges innovation with identity.
Artist of the Year: Dada Khanyisa
Sponsored by: Norval Foundation
Dada Khanyisa works across multiple media, delivering visuals that are both conceptually rich and culturally resonant. Their art weaves storytelling, identity, and place into paintings and installations that challenge and reflect contemporary African life. The interplay of narrative and technique creates work that is deeply rooted in heritage while speaking to current dialogues in art.
Our deepest thanks to the Norval Foundation for hosting the evening and sponsoring this vital category, with an unforgettable backdrop - the Breeding Ground exhibition curated by Anelisa Mangcu.
Pan-African Designer of the Year: Manthe Ribane x Pantheone Audio
Sponsored by: Ultimate Provence South Africa
This collaboration between artist-performer Manthe Ribane and sound innovators Pantheone Audio pushes creative boundaries, combining performance, sound design and visual thinking. Their work blurs the line between disciplines - immersive installations, soundscapes, and live experiences that highlight technology as a canvas as much as a tool.
Gratitude to Ultimate Provence South Africa for celebrating creative voices that transcend borders.
Sustainable Designer of the Year: BYLD Development
Sponsored by: Country Road
BYLD Development is making waves in sustainable architecture and design through modular systems and a low‑carbon footprint approach. Their projects emphasise responsible sourcing, efficient construction, adaptive use of materials, and durability. The firm’s philosophy: that design must anticipate change - environmental, social, or operational - and serve as a model of beauty married to responsibility.
Thank you to Country Road for aligning their values with the next generation of responsible design.
Landscape Designer of the Year: Danie Steenkamp, DDS Projects
Sponsored by: House & Garden
Danie Steenkamp applies artistry and ecological sensitivity in his landscapes, creating outdoor settings that are both visually striking and mindful of their environmental context. Whether through native planting, structuring outdoor rooms or drawing views into the terrain, his gardens feel like seamless extensions of the land - places to move through, reflect, and live in.
House & Garden is proud to sponsor this category and honour a designer redefining the art of the garden.
Icon of the Year 2025: Adam Court of OKHA
Sponsored by Nuxe
Since taking the helm at OKHA in 2007, Adam Court has transformed the brand into a benchmark of South African luxury design. With a background in fine art and experience across fashion, photography and film, he brings an explorative mindset to materials, form and storytelling. His design philosophy values integrity, longevity and emotional resonance - pieces that endure both physically and in design relevance. OKHA’s headquarters in Cape Town serve as creative crucible, from which Court designs furniture, lighting and objects that carry a sense of place - organic materials, artisanal craftsmanship and sophisticated yet bold statements. His recent work - such as the Magnifico tables - illustrate a tension between structure and fluidity, geometry and texture, evoking the rugged landscape of the Cape while comfortably resting in international galleries and luxury interiors.
Thank you to Nuxe for sponsoring this prestigious award and for recognising those whose leadership defines and elevates design at its highest level.
As the champagne flutes were raised and the spotlight shone on each winner, the Designers of the Year 2025 reminded us that South Africa’s creative spirit is not only alive - it’s thriving.
Until next year, we celebrate those who make the world more beautiful, one idea at a time.
