Animal Farm

Ai Ai Ai

2011-05-18T03:41:00.001-07:00

a poster i designed calling for the release of our friend Ai Wei Wei. the type is made up from sunflower seeds.

Bridle Road Nest

2011-05-09T01:19:00.000-07:00

Merry Cratemass

2010-12-14T22:12:00.001-08:00

Just completed some Christmas decorations on Ellot.
All the best for the festive season.

Nest @ Tokara

2010-11-10T01:49:00.000-08:00

the Nest hanging at Tokara's deli. The Port Jackson is aging gracefully and looking amazing.

Elle Decoration UK. November 2010.

2010-11-08T04:32:00.000-08:00

Found Objects published in UK Elle Decoration's November edition. They were chosen alongside Tom Dixon's "void", Foscarini's "Aplomp" and others as one of the 9 best new pendant lights.

NEW Found Objects

2010-11-08T04:25:00.001-08:00

Renamed my SWARM series Found Objects as that's exactly what they are inspired by. Just completed 3 new designs based on more wooden spinning tops. My personal favourite being the one based on the spinning top in the recent movie Inception.
Again turned from walnut and using LED lamps.
Sizes 220mm x 2000mm.

2010-11-08T04:21:00.000-08:00

Did a small nest (1.9m x 1.6m x 1.6m) for the Visi 50th Exhibition held at Infinart on Bree Street, Cape Town.

Concepts of the Future

2010-11-08T04:17:00.000-08:00

Visi 50th Edition. The Weavers Nest was chosen as one of the 50 definitive creations of the past 12 years.

Cratefan in Design Indaba mag

2010-11-08T04:13:00.000-08:00

nice full page pic of Oupa in the Design Indaba India issue

"Elliot is born"

2010-07-07T04:44:00.001-07:00

We have just completed the second Cratefan in the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.
This one is about keeping the excitement going after the world cup road show leaves our shores.
Again it’s about recycling. Nothing is manufactured for the sculptures, we just use components from existing systems. The crates from the Coca cola bottlers system and the scaffolding from a scaf company. Afterwards, in this case July 2011) the sculpture is dismantled and the components put back into their respective systems. The crates that were damaged or cut will be recycled into new crates.
His name is Elliot. Named after the foreman of the construction team that built him.
Approximately 4200 coca cola crates were used to build this one and he stands 18 meters tall.
The project was sponsored by Coca-Cola and managed by Art At Work Art Project management.

Cratefan lives

2010-06-22T03:05:00.001-07:00

After a lengthly gestation period of 3 years, cratefan lives. He's over 16ft high and consists of a inner skeleton of scaffolding and then clad with over 2600 1.25l coca-cola crates.

Its a recycling initiative with Coca-Cola South Africa. Nothing was manufactured for the project, we only used components and parts that exist in the different systems. Everything will be reused after the World Cup - the scaffolding will be dismantled and used by SGB again and the crates will be put back into the Coca-Cola system. The crates that were damaged and the cables ties will be recycled.

Thanks Coke for finally believing it was possible and thanks Lesley Perkes and Mark Sinof from Art At Work Art project Management for getting it all together and making the impossible possible.

And thanks to Oupa and his team for such a fantastic tireless job.

SWARM

2010-06-22T02:57:00.000-07:00

A new set of lites inspired by stools by Ray and Charles Eames and wooden spinning tops.
The focus is on the way the light falls on the shades themselves and the interaction of the negative spaces.
size - various 200mm x 130mm to 260mm x 220mm
materials - American Walnut and LED lighting
available from LIM on Kloof Street Cape Town or contact porky@animal-farm.co.za

2010-04-15T06:21:00.000-07:00

Eric
An ode to the inventor of the dolos, Eric Merrifield.
Made in collaboration with Micheal Methven.
Where as the original dolos helps to reclaim land from water, these lights reclaim light from darkness. Ideally they should be displayed in a large group of 10+ units interlocking with each other.
Mild steel and paper.
Size – 110mm x 95mm
ZAR 4,000.00 each for a minimum order of 3 units

Black & Lite

2010-03-17T01:03:00.000-07:00

Obeche and Duco
Size - 240mm x 180mm
porky@animal-farm.co.za

plug/light

2010-03-17T00:53:00.001-07:00

why do we have "lights" in the first place.
a nod to Dadaism.
perspex, resin and LED
Size - 220mm x 240mm
POA

Birdwatcher

2010-03-02T23:07:00.000-08:00

a birdhouse that acts as a deterrent for uninvited visitors.
mounted outside either on a tree or against the wall.
more birds less burglars.
Co Designed with Warren Lewis of Warren Lewis fame.
size - 150mm x 350mm
pirce - POA
contact porky@animal-farm.co.za

American Walnut clusters

2010-01-25T00:03:00.000-08:00

POA porky@animal-farm.co.za

EDIDA Elle Decoration International Design Awards.

2010-01-21T07:22:00.000-08:00

WOW what can i say? It was announced in the latest issue that Porky Hefer was chosen as the South African Designer of the year.
Thanks Elle that's amazing. Thanks for the massive vote of confidence, if thats anything to go by, 2010 is going to be a brilliant one. Viva!

Elle Decorartion Revamp issue.

2010-01-21T07:17:00.001-08:00

Fantastic shot of the White Lites and the crate in the latest issue of Elle Decoration.
wonderful styling from the very talented Yelda Bayraktar. And thanks Yelda for the knot idea, genius!

White Lite

2010-01-21T07:08:00.001-08:00

Obeche with duco
size: 240mmx 180mm
price: POA porky@animal-farm.co.za

C3 Architecture Magazine, Korea, Issue 302.

2010-01-21T04:30:00.000-08:00

Thank you Eun Young Jeong, Editor of C3, a top architecture magazine in Korea for the fantastic article they published on the nests.

Kubu Nest

2010-01-21T04:22:00.001-08:00

completed this nest late last year.
this time there is no metal frame and the nest is 100% organic.
the frame and the cladding are made from Kubu cane which is the regular weaving cane for furniture. it's much lighter than the Port Jackson,metal frame version.
again its BIG and can easily fit three adults.
Price on application.

Weavers nest Mark 2

2009-07-27T00:50:00.001-07:00

.

Collaborating with Mthobeli Aaron Bakana, of Montebello in Newlands, on the second nest. This one is destined for Tokara in Stellenbosch. Made it a little friendlier to avoid the "It looks like a skull comments" as it is intended for kids.

Second Life

2009-07-27T00:43:00.001-07:00

we've developed a technique that gives old furniture new life. a secret process that means old indoor furniture can be made weather proof and reused outside. either buy the complete item from Animal Farm or dust off those heirlooms and bring them in for a new lease on life. Call Porky to set up a viewing.

house and leisure August 2009

2009-07-27T00:39:00.001-07:00

A great pic in the latest House and Leisure by David Ross of the first nest in situ showing one of the proud new owners. This is what i designed it for.

Weavers Nest

2009-04-20T09:03:00.001-07:00

Just recently exhibited a piece at the Joburg Art Fair
It was commissioned by Southern Guild and the purpose was to blur the line between art and design

I always lived under weavers and always wondered what it was like up and in there.
Finally I deceided to make my fantasy reality.
The most difficult thing was finding the right person who understood exactly what I was talking about and didn’t think I had been smoking my socks.

The bigger story is that it is woven out of alien trees. More specifically Port Jackson/Black Wattle which is abundant in the water catchment areas of the Riviersonderend Mountains.
It also has alien poplar trees and then dak riet to fill.
It’s made in Riviersonderend where I collaborate with Mariki and Beyers Beyers of Bloemenkraal.
They specialize in working with aliens and the result is providing much needed jobs in an area where there aren’t many.
It’s huge 3m x 2.5m, and can carry two adults and a small child.
The original dream was for them to be erected on game farms as chill spaces that functioned as hides for the occupants to view game at a watering hole or river or bird watching. Watch those spaces.
Suspended from a tree and hung about 3meters off the ground to keep you out of reach of any dangers.
Access is via a rope ladder that can be rolled up and stored.

First one's sold and we are currently designing one for 4 adults for a Russian client.

Lites

2009-04-20T08:51:00.001-07:00

Called “Lite” - to emphasize how softly this product treads on the environment.
The turned wooden bulbs function as lamp shades and, as outsize versions of the outdated and non-sustainable luminaires that are in the process of being replaced by CFLs and LEDS, make a comment on sustainability and energy consumption. In fact, Lite’s very design makes it impossible to use anything but a light-on-electricity CFL, as nothing else will physically fit the socket and old-fashioned bulbs would simply burn the wood. It is craft-based designs, sustainable processes and materials like wood, that hold the secret of our future.
What’s also noteworthy here is the natural beauty and variety of wood, which is integral to Lite’s appeal, no stains or dyes are used to create the wide range of colourways.

Material - Various woods

Size - 240mm high x 180mm wide

Price on application

CONTACT PORKY FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION
AND A PRICING LIST

Available direct from Animal Farm
porky@animal-farm.co.za

BEER CRATE STOOLS

2009-04-20T08:09:00.000-07:00

Inspired by makeshift seating found in most shabeens, barber shops and spaza stalls around South Africa, the wooden crate stool serves as an ode to every African tale voiced from these seats of hope.
Recent winner of Elle Decoration 2009 EDIDA Award for the seating category
Available in 'High Hopes - Big Dreams' and 'Short Courage - Tall Stories'
Material - Supawood
Size - 430mm high x 400mm wide x 300 deep
Price - R1 300.00

BLACK AFRICA. A MIRROR

2008-05-27T03:09:00.001-07:00

sizes:
1000mm x 900mm

Material - Perspex

price:
POA

NDEBELE STOOL

2008-05-25T23:57:00.001-07:00

Made in collaboration with Elizabeth and Vincent Gwebu, bead workers originally from Mpumalanga, now living in Philippi, Cape Town.

These stools are based on the materials, techniques and forms of traditional Ndeble dolls.

Ndebele art speaks no longer just to the indigenous community, but now serves also as an aesthetic commodity, an economic "bridge to the 21(st) century" for South African Ndebele women artists and their families. We are witnessing an artistic society of women proceeding through their own cultural aesthetic evolution.

Instead of producing more and more traditional dolls that are common in South Africa, and whose only function is a curio or keepsake, we are using tenets of Ndebele culture to produce furniture that is relevant/attractive to an international market with sustainable economic benefits.

TOKOLOSHE

2008-05-23T01:56:00.001-07:00

Traditional magic and superstition have always formed an integral part of South Africa's indigenous folktales, in which the tokoloshe is a significant manifestation. Even today many rural and urban Nguni peoples, particularly the Zulu and Xhosa, still believe in the power of these mischievous and sometimes evil, hairy spirits. Interestingly though, the belief in these water sprites has spread to all cultures in South Africa.

All over the country, black South Africans would often raise their beds by placing the legs of their beds on paint tins or bricks, raising their bed up to 3 feet from the ground. It is an almost universal belief, that this was to keep the occupant of the bed out of reach of the Tokoloshe while you sleep.

Tokoloshe is avaliable in two widths:
bench - 1800mm x 430mm
bed - 1800mm x 800mm

Steel frame is epoxy coated and
avaliable in a variety colours.

To place orders or for more information
contact Animal Farm on +27834410662
or porky@animal-farm.co.za

DIRTTRAPPER

2008-03-25T05:17:00.001-07:00

Below are two conceptually designed doormats, created to catch the stubbornest of dirt.

PLECTRUM

2008-03-25T04:51:00.001-07:00

Plectrum was created to be the face of Media 24 at this years 'Rockin' the Daisies' concert.
He was created around the infamous gimp of last years festival that partied strong, with his lighter, for three days straight.

FIGHTING FIRE

2008-03-20T01:22:00.001-07:00

Problem:

how to reduce the wild fires that ravage Table Mountain every summer.

Solution:
install wooden fire extinguishers that are completely useless. It’s not as dumb as it sounds…

So we decided to install 65 wooden extinguishers in the The Table Mountain National Park, with a focus on fire hot spots, picnic areas and along all major walking trails, to make the point that it is almost impossible to stop a wild fire once it has started. Using a real fire extinguisher on one would be as effective as using this wooden one. The only way to stop the fires is to prevent them. The instructions on the label are all about how people can prevent fires.

The Carpenters Shop, an Non Governmental Organisation setup to teach woodwork skills to the homeless and unemployed, were commissioned to carve the fire extinguishers from invasive alien trees that had been cleared from the Park. These non-indigenous trees destabilise the natural environment. They drink all the water, Cause major erosion, suck up all the light and, most of all, spread their seed when they burn, causing even worse problems in years to come.

The project was funded by Cape Union Mart, an outdoor clothing manufacturer and the extinguishers were installed by Chubb Fire, the major Fire extinguisher company in Cape Town.

For other reviews on this project checkout:

creative review
cherryflava

FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN

2008-02-05T00:42:00.000-08:00

For those who are not aware cape towns forests are destroyed every summer by raging forest fires and unfortunately the fire department just doesn't have the resources to deal with the situation. so......

We commissioned 'The carpenters shop', an NGO setup to teach woodwork skills to the homeless and unemployed, to carve us 65 fire extinguishers from alien trees.
these are the trees that drink all the water, suck up all the light and most of all spread their seed when they burn. our hope was to create a general awareness around fire prevention by
installing these extinguishers, mounted to alien trees, across all major forests and walkways in cape town.

All 65 extinguishers.were installed over three days spanning across the entire table mountain national park, from signal hill to kalk bay.

we will see how long they all last.