At TheUrbanative, design is a vessel for cultural storytelling and responsible making. The ‘Akaya’ Lounge Chair—meaning home in Xitsonga—is a signature piece from the award-winning Homecoming Collection. It explores the concepts of belonging and warmth through the lens of African vernacular architecture and geometric patterns.
For this auction, the Akaya is presented in a unique collaboration with local textile designer Kristin Hulda. The upholstery features Hulda’s Ndebele-inspired ‘Labyrinth’ pattern, bringing hand-painted brushwork and a bold graphic language into direct dialogue with the chair's structural form. This convergence of Xitsonga nomenclature and Ndebele-inspired visuals reflects the vibrant diversity of South Africa, celebrating how different cultural identities can coexist and inform one another within a shared contemporary design language.
Crafted with a durable steel frame and a functional stained ash timber side table, the Akaya is designed for longevity. It represents an ongoing commitment to local collaboration and circular design principles, inviting the sitter to find a moment of pause and a sense of ‘home’ within the landscape.



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