六月，历经一夜西飞，时序从炎夏进入初冬。舷窗外是无尽的红色大地，低矮建筑物连成一片，由近及远，融入晕染开的曙光之中。清晨的六点一刻，我们降落在约翰内斯堡的O·R·坦博国际机场。
In June, after a night of flying westward, we moved from the scorching summer into early winter. Outside the window stretched an endless expanse of red earth, with low-rise buildings clustered together, extending from nearby into the distance and blending into the diffused light of dawn. At a quarter past six in the morning, we landed at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
走出机舱，寒意从廊桥的缝隙挤入，不由使人打颤。身着夏日衣装的旅客，纷纷打开行李，寻求暖意的庇护。通过边检，我们几乎与太阳同时抵达这片最南端的非洲大陆，阳光澄明，空气通透，反倒有几分秋高气爽的意味。候机楼里各色人种，如潮涌动。
As we stepped out of the cabin, the chill seeped through the gaps in the boarding bridge, sending shivers down our spines. Passengers dressed in summer attire hurriedly opened their luggage, seeking the warmth of additional layers. After clearing immigration, we arrived on this southernmost tip of the African continent just as the sun rose. The sunlight was clear, the air crisp, evoking a feeling reminiscent of a refreshing autumn day. Inside the terminal, people of all races moved like tidal waves.
但我们此行目的并非约翰内斯堡，而是海滨之城开普敦。
However, Johannesburg was not our final destination—we were headed for the coastal city of Cape Town.
雨天的城市
The City in the Rain
进入冬季的开普敦，总是多雨。从山腰的杜普酒店（Dorp Hotel）出发，下坡，穿过街区，十几分钟车程，就来到南非著名的豪宅设计事务所 SAOTA 的工作室，迎接我们的是创始人 Stefan Antoni，面对雨天，他打趣地说：“我敢保证，开普敦的晴日确实迷人，但雨天也不错。”
Cape Town in winter is often rainy. Starting from the hillside Dorp Hotel, we went downhill, crossed the blocks, and arrived at the studio of SAOTA, South Africa's renowned luxury architectural design firm, after a mere ten-minute drive. We were greeted by founder Stefan Antoni. Joking about the rainy weather, he said, "I can assure you, Cape Town is truly enchanting on sunny days, but the rain isn't so bad either."
这雨犹如一层滤镜，让我们认识了到别样的开普敦。期间，工作室的玻璃窗外停驻着不断鼓大的雨珠，忽地滑落，留下一道道水痕。视野的不远处是狮头峰（Lion’s Head），山间云雾缭绕，城市建筑若隐若现，消隐在连绵的阴雨里，冷冽而清爽。
The rain acted like a filter, allowing us to experience a different side of Cape Town. During our visit, raindrops continuously gathered and swelled against the studio's glass windows, only to suddenly slide down, leaving trailing streaks. In the distance, Lion's Head was shrouded in swirling mists, with the city's buildings fading in and out of view, disappearing into the persistent drizzle—chilly yet refreshing.
SAOTA 物料中心总监 Annelie Furstenberg
SAOTA 合伙人 Roxanne Kaye
SAOTA 合伙人 Dominik George
“观察（Seeing）”被 Stefan Antoni 视为获得设计灵感的重要途径，即使是普通事物——诸如一池水景，它们所荡起的涟漪会形成图案，产生形式，激发联想，我们通过直觉进行捕捉、筛选、处理，进而转译成一种为我所需的设计语言，不定某个时刻它换了种形式出现在你的项目里。
"Seeing" is regarded by Stefan Antoni as a vital way to gain design inspiration. Even ordinary things—such as a pool of water—create ripples that form patterns, evoke forms, and spark associations. We capture, filter, and process these through intuition, then translate them into a design language that serves our needs. Who knows, they might reappear in your projects in another form someday.
受地中海气候的影响，开普敦的雨要么一下一整天，打湿地面，干扰视野，严重时一片模糊，中途当我们试图去往桌山（Table Mountain）登山口处俯瞰城市时，只能提前折返；要么一下忽晴忽雨，天空突现彩虹，甚至同时出现两道，像前后两个图层，让人称奇。瞬息变化的海湾天气，真是难以捉摸。
Influenced by the Mediterranean climate, the rain in Cape Town either falls all day long, wetting the ground and interfering with the view. In severe cases, it becomes blurry. Midway, when we tried to go to the Table Mountain trailhead to overlook the city, we had to turn back earlier. Either the weather alternates between clear and rainy, with rainbows suddenly appearing in the sky, or even two at the same time, like two layers in front and back, which is truly astonishing. The ever-changing weather in the bay is truly unpredictable.
末了，Stefan Antoni 说，相较于在 Pinterest 上浏览图片找寻灵感的方式，我更建议大家走出办公室，去体验世界。只要留意观察（Seeing），用心体悟，这种源于身边事物的概念原型，便会成为我们宝贵的设计素材库，取之不尽。自然的一切，皆是信息，比如今日的落雨。
Finally, Stefan Antoni said that compared to browsing images on Pinterest for inspiration, he would rather recommend stepping out of the office and experiencing the world. As long as you observe carefully and reflect deeply, these conceptual archetypes derived from the things around you will become an invaluable repository of design material—inexhaustible and ever-abundant. Everything in nature is information, just like today's rain.
他乡的故人
An Old Friend in a Distant Land
游学之行的首日，我们造访了 SAOTA 联合创始人之一的 Greg Truen 的豪宅 Kloof House。这座建造于半山的住宅，借助场地高差嵌入山体，完全朝向景观面开放，湾区的城市之景尽收眼底。极具特性的V型结构旨在最大限度地借景，让远处高耸的山脉也成为空间的一部分，内外交融。
On the first day of the study tour, we visited Kloof House, the mansion of Greg Truen, one of the co-founders of SAOTA. This residence, built halfway up the mountain, is embedded into the mountain by taking advantage of the height difference of the site and fully opens towards the landscape, offering a panoramic view of the city in the bay area. The highly distinctive V-shaped structure aims to maximize the borrowing of scenery, allowing the distant towering mountains to also become part of the space, blending the inside and outside.
夜幕降临，一天奔波在曼妙音乐与精致食物中得到舒缓，Kloof House 的主人 Greg Truen 以特别家宴的形式，对我们热情款待。来自天南地北的同行之人汇聚一堂，契阔谈宴。把酒言欢之际，也不忘互相分享自己的最新作品、当日行程的收获以及对于开普敦的初次印象。
As night fell, the day's travels melted away amidst soothing music and exquisite food. Greg Truen, the host of Kloof House, warmly welcomed us with a special home-cooked dinner. Colleagues from all corners of the world gathered under one roof, engaging in heartfelt conversations and sharing laughter. Over drinks, we exchanged stories about our latest projects, reflections on the day's itinerary, and our first impressions of Cape Town.
接近尾声，灯光有意暗淡下来，人声也随之逐渐平息，印际游学的领队婷玉突然说，“今天是丁俞老师的生日，让我们一起祝他生日快乐吧。”话音甫一落下，众人欢呼，于是心有灵犀的打着节拍哼唱起《生日快乐》之歌。偶然的插曲，让氛围变得格外温馨。此刻，相遇于他乡的新识朋友在那一瞬似乎都成为了故人，温暖彼此。
As the event was coming to an end, the lights gradually dimmed and the voices died down. Suddenly, Tingyu, the leader of the international study tour, said, "Today is Teacher Ding Yu's birthday. Let's wish him a happy birthday together." No sooner had the words been spoken than everyone cheered and, in unison, hummed the "Happy Birthday" song to the beat. An accidental interlude made the atmosphere particularly warm and cozy. At this moment, new friends who met in a foreign land seem to have become old acquaintances in that instant, warming each other up.
旅行的记忆
Memories of Travel
翌日午时，我们抵达 SAOTA 联合创始人之一 Philip Olmesdahl 自住的 Upper Albert 住宅，它是一座有着当地上世纪60年代历史特征的花园式建筑，矗立于转角的缓坡之上。结合地势，建筑分上下两段，底部拉毛灰泥的部分为地下功能空间，拾级而上，室内豁然开朗。公共区域与外部花园自由连通，植物葱绿，野趣横生；泳池之外，是无垠的城市景观，可极目远舒。
At noon the next day, we arrived at the Upper Albert residence where Philip Olmesdahl, one of the co-founders of SAOTA, lives. It is a garden-style building with the historical features of the local 1960s, standing on the gentle slope at the corner. In line with the terrain, the building is divided into two sections, upper and lower. The part with roughened plaster at the bottom is the underground functional space. As you ascend the steps, the interior suddenly opens up. The public area is freely connected to the external garden, with lush green plants and a wild charm. Beyond the swimming pool lies the boundless cityscape, offering a panoramic view of the distant horizon.
住宅最醒目之处，莫过于上部红色色调的混凝土结构，Philip Olmesdahl 说，这是再现了他和家人去墨西哥旅行的一段时光，让家成为家人共同记忆的情感载体。借景是 Upper Albert 住宅的另一特色，通过各种形式的大小开窗、外部调整光线进入的格栅、顶部与立面墙体的有意留缝、借由单面弧顶设计实现通道的高位采光之类的细节考量，让空间内外变得通透，光和影交织，建筑和自然相融。
The most eye-catching feature of the residence is the red-toned concrete structure on the upper part. Philip Olmesdahl said that this recreates a period of time he and his family spent traveling in Mexico, making the home an emotional carrier of shared memories for the family. Borrowing views is another feature of the Upper Albert residence. Through various forms of large and small Windows, grilles that adjust the entry of light from the outside, intentional gaps left between the top and the facade walls, and the high-altitude lighting of the passageways achieved through the design of a single-sided arched roof and other detailed considerations, the interior and exterior of the space become transparent, with light and shadow interwoven and the architecture and nature integrated.
生活的热爱
Love for Life
沿狮头峰（Lion’s Head）西侧蜿蜒而行，隐于山体一侧的145 Kloof House 以坚硬如磐石般的外立面形象，朝水平向铺展。雨天的视线虽有些模糊，但依然可以想见，晴天时那壮丽迷人的山海风景。
Winding along the west side of Lion's Head, the 145 Kloof House, hidden on one side of the mountain, spreads horizontally with its rock-hard facade. Although the vision is somewhat blurred on a rainy day, one can still imagine the magnificent and charming mountain and sea scenery on a sunny day.
循着一侧楼梯而上，挑空的公共区以最佳景观面为基准，将具有社交属性的功能区一字排开，互为补充。内部的雕塑、艺术画或摄影作品不仅展示业主的品味，又成为空间的主角，升华主题。
Following the staircase on one side, the open public area, based on the best view, arranges the functional areas with social attributes in a row, complementing each other. The sculptures, art paintings or photographic works inside not only showcase the owner's taste but also become the main characters of the space, elevating the theme.
夜幕低垂，Stefan Antoni 和 SAOTA 旗下高端家具品牌 OKHA 的设计总监 Adam Court 结束一日工作之后，与我们相聚于145 Kloof House。同 SAOTA 紧密交流、互动的三日，让我们吸收到了可贵的设计养分，对设计实践也有了一种新的认知。席间，Stefan Antoni 激昂而兴奋地说，去热爱生活吧，是的，它永远是我们生命的意义所在。
As night fell, Stefan Antoni and Adam Court, the design director of OKHA, a high-end furniture brand under SAOTA, joined us at 145 Kloof House after a day's work. The three days of close communication and interaction with SAOTA have enabled us to absorb valuable design nourishment and gain a new understanding of design practice. During the meal, Stefan Antoni said passionately and excitedly, "Love life. Yes, it will always be the meaning of our lives."
一夜的炉火
The Hearth of the Night
暂离开普敦，在夜色降临之前，我们到达了始建于1790年，由开普敦建筑师 Tiaan Meyer 翻建的 Bosjes 庄园。有着明显殖民风格的建筑群体坐落在一处狭长的平原地带，背靠马特罗斯伯格山脉（Matroosberg Mountain），同时面向哈韦夸斯山脉（Hawequas Mountain）以平行而优雅的姿态展开布局。
Leaving Cape Town temporarily, before nightfall, we arrived at the Bosjes Estate, which was originally built in 1790 and rebuilt by the Cape Town architect Tiaan Meyer. The architectural complex with a distinct colonial style is located in a long and narrow plain area, backed by the Matroosberg Mountain and facing the Hawequas Mountain, and is laid out in a parallel and elegant posture.
作为轴线的所在，也是唯一进入的主道路，一侧种满葡萄，形体修剪得当，当下时节已是落叶无几，只剩枝干，有一股冬日里的萧瑟；而另一侧则是专门设计的农场景观，各类植物鳞次栉比，郁郁葱葱，随着路径的移动而精巧排布，二者形成明显对比。夕阳落下，远近无人，虫鸟啁啾。
The central axis, and the only main access road, is flanked on one side by neatly pruned grapevines. In this season, most leaves had already fallen, leaving only bare branches that evoked the stark beauty of winter. On the other side, a carefully designed farm landscape unfolds—lush, layered plants arranged meticulously along the path, creating a striking contrast. As the sunset faded, the surroundings grew still and empty, with only the chirping of insects and birds breaking the silence.
晚宴过后，朋友们聚集一处，开始交谈心事，你来我往，直至深夜。山区温度远低于城市，好在每一间客房都设有壁炉，临睡之前，添满柴火，噼里啪啦的燃烧声，不仅给室内提供热量，也仿佛一位许久不见的老友，述说着山区的悠远故事。翌日醒来，炉内铺满厚厚一层灰烬，依然冒着生命的热气。
After dinner, friends gathered to share thoughts and stories, engaging in heartfelt conversation late into the night. The mountain temperature was much lower than in the city, but each guest room was equipped with a fireplace. Before bed, we stoked the fire, and the crackling of the burning wood not only warmed the room but also felt like a long-lost friend recounting the ancient tales of these mountains. When we awoke the next morning, the fireplace was covered with a thick layer of ash, still breathing with the warmth of life.
青春的广场
The Plaza of Youth
由谷仓改建而来的非洲当代艺术博物馆（Zeitz MOCAA）是 V&A Waterfront 商业区里重要的公共建筑，Richard Kilpert 导览时说，“对于历史，它记录的不仅是南非，更是整个非洲；而当下及未来，它不仅是南非艺术家展示自己的窗口，更是面向整个非洲的艺术家群体，鼓励其积极探索并助力成长，将他们推向广阔的国际舞台。”
The Zeitz MOCAA, which was converted from a barn, is an important public building in the V&A Waterfront business district. Richard Kilpert said during the tour, "For history, it records not only South Africa, but the entire Africa." At present and in the future, it is not only a window for South African artists to showcase themselves, but also an opportunity for the entire African artist community to actively explore and grow, pushing them onto the broad international stage."
Zeitz MOCAA 主入口的西侧，是花岗岩铺就的广场，作为交通动线上的缓冲地带，也是一处最具公共性的场地。正午时分，阳光正好，突然出现11位中学生，鼓声响起，高低音阶的人声瞬间夺腔而出，开启了一场不插电的即兴歌舞表演。他们载歌载舞，一切自然发生，学生制服之下的身体显现出了自由的灵魂。
To the west of the museum's main entrance lies a plaza paved with granite. Acting as a transitional space within the circulation route, it also serves as a highly public gathering area. At noon, under the bright sun, a group of eleven high school students suddenly appeared. As drumbeats sounded, voices rose in layered melodies, launching into an unplugged, improvised song and dance performance. Singing and dancing freely, everything unfolded naturally—their student uniforms barely containing the liberated spirits within.
路过的行人像我们一样，停住脚步，甚至安静地坐在台阶上，欣赏——不，应该叫“感受”，对，感受他们青春的无限力量，绽放在广场之上。当日是游学的最后一天，在我们准备离开的时刻，像是感受到了隐藏于现代城市背后的非洲热情，那种与血液融为一体的永恒张力，久久回响。
Passersby, like us, couldn't help but stop. Some even sat quietly on the steps to appreciate—no, to feel—the boundless energy of their youth blooming across the plaza. It was the final day of our study tour. Just as we were about to leave, it felt as though we had encountered the vibrant African passion hidden within the modern city—a timeless force, inseparable from the blood and soul of this land, echoing long after in our memory.
