Design and creativity form part of Singita’s DNA. Showcasing the creative talent found in Africa is one of the ways we celebrate the culture and heritage of this continent. Over the last 30 years, Singita has been creating pioneering hospitality experiences, and design has formed a large part of our visible identity. Singita has worked with the same design team for three decades, Cécile & Boyd.
In this episode, host and creative icon, Maps Maponyane, speaks to Geordi da Sousa Costa (co-founder of Cécile & Boyd) and Group Creative Direction at Singita, Georgie Pennington.
In this fascinating and lively conversation, they discuss where the inspiration comes from and how design has evolved naturally at Singita over 30 years, whether that’s new builds or redesigns, and showing off the dynamic creative talent in Africa.
For 12 years, Georgie has been responsible for every detail of the guest experience and delves into what goes into every item that a guest is going to use, which considers all the senses. How's it going to feel? What's the texture going to be? What’s the music or the sound? Or the lack of sound? How does that all fit together? How do we make you feel rested?
The design is always intuitive, considered with an aversion to waste. They discuss how to design with sustainability in mind, or to repurpose and how you open a lodge in Tanzania during a global shutdown.
The African art and design scene is the hero, and both designers source incredible décor and art locally.
Guests either like contemporary or more traditional design and some lodges are on rivers or sandstone cliffs, but it’s the people of Singita and the warm welcomes and teary goodbyes that guests connect with. You can’t describe the feeling you get at Singita.
They also discuss how to design for the future guest and tell some hilarious stories along the way. See more Cecile & Boyd at their website · Follow Cecile & Boyd on Instagram · Singita website