F.L.O.W | Flexibility, Living, Order, Well-being
Prize(s):
Honorable Mention 2026 INTERIOR DESIGN / Residential Interior
School / University Name:Greenside Design Center
Lead Designer(s) Name(s):Tanya Grässer
Design Team / Other designer(s):Tanya Grässer
Professor Name(s):Bongisa Msutu & Ilze Wessels
Photo Credit:Tanya Grässer
Project Location:Greenside, Johannesburg
Design Status:Concept
Project Description:
A space to live, work, and play. A space where you can feel like a god or just like a small dot on the map. A place to be both a businesswoman and a meditation guru. Inviting you to become a glistening blue river within a green, lush forest. Sweet and savory aromas greet you upon entering. It is an invitation to the kitchen, a magical place where mixing and stirring bring wonders and remedies to life. Gliding up the stairs to the heart of the home, you are met with a heavenly sight, an array of sweet, crispy and all in all yummy goodies ready to grab on the go. On bustling days, the air is filled with laughter and warmth, on quieter days, it turns into brilliant thoughts and the soft tip tap of keys echoing through the silence. When overwhelmed or tired, the next floor beckons you- a deep personal retreat where you can disconnect from reality.Here, a lush green forest surrounds you. At the heart lies a beautifully woven hemp carpet and a blue pillow, grounding the space in its stillness. Sitting on a raised platform, you feel a heavenly connection as you meditate. Amid the elements of the Earth, the bedroom offers safety and rest-A sanctuary designed for flow. Life itself is a flow
A space to live, work, and play. A space where you can feel like a god or just like a small dot on the map. A place to be both a businesswoman and a meditation guru. Inviting you to become a glistening blue river within a green, lush forest. Sweet and savory aromas greet you upon entering. It is an invitation to the kitchen, a magical place where mixing and stirring bring wonders and remedies to life. Gliding up the stairs to the heart of the home, you are met with a heavenly sight, an array of sweet, crispy and all in all yummy goodies ready to grab on the go. On bustling days, the air is filled with laughter and warmth, on quieter days, it turns into brilliant thoughts and the soft tip tap of keys echoing through the silence. When overwhelmed or tired, the next floor beckons you- a deep personal retreat where you can disconnect from reality.Here, a lush green forest surrounds you. At the heart lies a beautifully woven hemp carpet and a blue pillow, grounding the space in its stillness. Sitting on a raised platform, you feel a heavenly connection as you meditate. Amid the elements of the Earth, the bedroom offers safety and rest-A sanctuary designed for flow. Life itself is a flow
Project Innovation / Specification:
Transforming an apartment into a fluid river, F.L.O.W. focuses on the well-being of Funeka, a rheumatoid arthritis patient, plant lover, and sustainability advocate who grows cannabis for pain relief and re-purposes hemp waste. The concept evokes a sense of gliding through a lush green forest, thanks to the plants’vibrant vitality. Designed for the daily living of a businesswoman by day, and a meditation guru by night. The space features ergonomic zones for gardening, relaxation, and self-sufficiency, promoting physical ease and mental rejuvenation. Materials emphasis sustainability: blanched oak engineered veneer on MDF for furniture; Porcelain counter-tops; recycled glass tiles; and pervasive linen/hemp textiles, including reused hemp from her cannabis waste. In Johannesburg’s dynamic urban context, F.L.O.W. champions SDG-aligned regenerative design, mirroring post-apartheid resilience through personal empowerment.
Transforming an apartment into a fluid river, F.L.O.W. focuses on the well-being of Funeka, a rheumatoid arthritis patient, plant lover, and sustainability advocate who grows cannabis for pain relief and re-purposes hemp waste. The concept evokes a sense of gliding through a lush green forest, thanks to the plants’vibrant vitality. Designed for the daily living of a businesswoman by day, and a meditation guru by night. The space features ergonomic zones for gardening, relaxation, and self-sufficiency, promoting physical ease and mental rejuvenation. Materials emphasis sustainability: blanched oak engineered veneer on MDF for furniture; Porcelain counter-tops; recycled glass tiles; and pervasive linen/hemp textiles, including reused hemp from her cannabis waste. In Johannesburg’s dynamic urban context, F.L.O.W. champions SDG-aligned regenerative design, mirroring post-apartheid resilience through personal empowerment.
Project Sustainability Approach:
The F.L.O.W. apartment embodies this ethos: ergonomic layouts inspired by nature, re-purposed hemp textiles, and recycled glass for a rheumatoid arthritis client who cultivates healing plants. Meditation/ Plant room The original plant room concept featured a stepped platform to distinguish it while maintaining apartment flow. Addressing drainage concerns—crucial for sustainability—a system channels excess water through floorboard gaps into an integrated flowerbed, preventing waste and nurturing the space.
The F.L.O.W. apartment embodies this ethos: ergonomic layouts inspired by nature, re-purposed hemp textiles, and recycled glass for a rheumatoid arthritis client who cultivates healing plants. Meditation/ Plant room The original plant room concept featured a stepped platform to distinguish it while maintaining apartment flow. Addressing drainage concerns—crucial for sustainability—a system channels excess water through floorboard gaps into an integrated flowerbed, preventing waste and nurturing the space.
Local and Regional Impacts of the Project:
Local Materials, Climatic conditions and orientations for the spatial planning and consideration of Plant life, were crucial to the design of this conceptual residential interior for a South African client.
Local Materials, Climatic conditions and orientations for the spatial planning and consideration of Plant life, were crucial to the design of this conceptual residential interior for a South African client.
