This revamp is significant as this casa was where it all started in 1987, its the redesign of the original Nando’s casa. Finally this humble space it is now an extraordinary showcase of South African design. This casa from now onwards forms part of the Nando’s commitment to collaborate with the South Africa's design sector on a massive scale.

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Nando's Heartfelt Celebration of South African design takes this collaboration to a national and global level, taking the same concept of using exceptional South African designed furniture and an interior-design ZAesthetic to Nando's restaurants across the globe.

 

As an interior designer “I love the idea of visioning  interiors for Nando’s as South African design theatre,” “Essentially, we're taking South Africa design to the local and global stage through the Nando’s restaurants, and as a concept it works so well. The local design scene is rich and diverse, and currently we are only working with a fraction of the designer-makers that are out there, but what is important about the current players we engage with is that they are world-class in relation to innovation, craft, and a unique approach to design and quality. SA’s designer-makers are telling our stories, their pieces are sharing our collective culture with the world. This is a creative community fueled by passion and commitment.”

 

The opportunity to showcase South African design through the Nando’s restaurants compliments the chain’s commitment to include South African art in all their interior spaces globally. Nando’s owns the largest collection of curated contemporary South African art in the world, facilitated by the Spier Arts Trust, which runs various programs focused on the support and development of emerging and established SA artists.

 

One of the qualities I love most about South African design is the inclusion of craft elements, which seamlessly connect with the pieces generated by current methods of furniture production. 

 

Through the inclusion of craft we acknowledge the past, but by juxtaposing these handmade elements with cutting-edge technology we create a new and unique chapter, one which consciously highlights our history and journey as SA designer-makers. – Tracy Lynch, Studio Leelynch

 

Touch, taste, hear, smell, see; we're all familiar with the very basic human senses. It goes without saying that a fully realised and fully functioning interior can tickle all  the senses and give the end-user an experience they'll want to keep coming back for. 

 

As an interior designer I get to experience  this first-hand, the privilege and challenge of creating engaging and authentic spaces for Nando's. This in turn guides me in my role as the creative director of the Nando's design programme to recognise and link the existing potential I see in the creative design and craft communities of SA. 

 

I get to harness and amplify the potential of our designers-makers and vision links that enhance the Nando's design approach. While the chicken and the vibey environment of Nando's restaurants – casas as we affectionally call them – have the taste and hearing covered, it's largely up to the interiors to cover the rest, and each light, each chair, and every single pattern on the wall represents thousands of hours of work, hundreds of hands and minds, and together much of the product represents millions of Rands going into the South African economy.

 

Nando’s Rosettenville was a privilege to redesign and align with the passion and South African energy inherent to this incredible brand.