ROUND OR SQUARE? It's bit like the "chicken or beef?" query extended by uniformed flight attendants. In this instance, it refers to the kind of headlamps you want with your new Land Cruiser. And like the cruising-altitude question, this one is equally moot in South Africa: usually, there's only chicken left; and when it comes to the Land Cruiser, all the special-edition round-headlamped Toyotas have already been sold.
It speaks to just how revered this Toyota model has been since it was first launched back in 1951 with the legendary BJ series. Subsequent models of the iconic Land Cruiser literally put Toyota on the map, selling about 11.3-million vehicles in more than 170 countries, and helping to build Toyota's reputation for reliability, durability and the ability to tackle rough road conditions. As we all know, if you want to drive across Africa, there's really only one automotive brand you want to do the job; such is the trust Toyota and its off-road models have built.
That means there was a fair amount of pressure when designing this new iteration. After all, the last one proved so popular, there was no need to follow the usual four-tofive-year life cycle that models usually go through before a new one appears on the showroom floor. The last Land Cruiser Prado was launched 15 years ago...
What, then, do you focus on when designing a new Land Cruiser Prado? Toyota's chief branding officer and senior general manager of design Simon Humphries is here to highlight three key areas.
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THE STORY OF AN AFRICAN ICON
With a long line of very successful ancestors, the new-generation TOYOTA LAND CRUISER PRADO had some big tyres to fill. We look at the approach its design team took to CONTINUE THE LEGACY.
THROUGH THE LENS
We asked one of VISI's favourite photographers, PARIS BRUMMER, to choose her four FAVOURITE CAMERAS. The brief? \"From the fun to the profesh!\"
YOUR GARDEN DAY CROWN
Gardens have the power to unite us - which is why the GARDEN DAY movement encourages plant enthusiasts to don a flower crown and CELEBRATE THEIR GREEN SPACES in unique ways.
RETRO-LICIOUS
Mid-century is not just making an interior design comeback: food is following right behind. So put on your vintage 1950s LUCIENNE DAY-PRINT APRON - or '70s HALSTON JUMPSUIT if you're feeling a little funkier - and get inspired by ABIGAIL DONNELLY's reimagining of classic dishes. Think moulded jellies, finger foods and soft-serve ice cream.
FERMENTATION
When you hear about FERMENTED FOODS, your mind probably goes to pickles and beer. But thanks to a growing interest in Asian staples such as kimchi and miso, we're becoming more used to these flavour profiles, and even seeing them in fine-dining restaurants. We asked ABIGAIL DONNELLY to share her favourite recipes for fermented flavour bombs that you can replicate in your OWN KITCHEN.
THE CERAMICIST
IN AN ART DECO BLOCK IN THE HEART OF CAPE TOWN'S CITY CENTRE, RENOWNED CERAMICIST MERVYN GERS HAS RENOVATED AN APARTMENT TO REFLECT HIS OWN TASTES AND HIS LOVE FOR FIRED AND GLAZED CLAY.
SEAMLESS
SITUATED ON A PRIVATE GAME FARM NEAR RUSTENBURG, THIS BUSHVELD GETAWAY HAS ARISEN FROM THE ASHES OF ITS PREDECESSOR TO PROVIDE ITS JOBURG-BASED OWNERS WITH A TRANQUIL WEEKEND ESCAPE.
BUILDING AN ICON
Kevin Fellingham, principal architect at Kevin Fellingham Architects, and a former lecturer at Cambridge University, UCT and the School of Explorative Architecture, talks about HOUSE HANSON and DENSTONE COURT, built in 1937/38.
THE VANGUARD KELLY WEARSTLER
In this instalment of our series on the new wave of INTERNATIONAL DESIGNERS, we look at the super-talented Kelly Wearstler's DISTINCT STYLE and seemingly INFINITE CREATIVITY.
COOL COLLAB OF THE YEAR
In a partnership that highlights the strength and diversity of local talent, this collaboration by LULASCLAN and POPSTRUKT had an unplanned helping hand from VISI.
