It's a warm evening in June and Durban's design set are out, soaking up the craft beer and cool interiors of S43 on its opening night. This is the most recent outlet of restaurateurs Sean and Marcelle Roberts, owners of Café 1999, Unity and That Brewing Company. S43 is a micro brewery, cafe and bar overlooking the railway tracks in the Station Drive precinct.Another husband and wife team, Xavier and Suzanne Clarisse, of Clarisse Design, crafted the interiors. French by origin and known for his exuberance and high-energy output of work, Xavier is passionate about his adopted home town.Of S43 he says: "The concept for the interior was to reflect the unique character of our city, Durban; industrial, somewhat raw, but vibrant and beautiful too. This is expressed in the brutal elements of exposed metal, concrete and brick, softened by abundant lighting, rich wood, colour and lush planting."A collaboration with artist Ewok produced 20 sheets of plywood covered in street art, which were cut into smaller tiles. The tiles were mixed together to clad the bar and cover the top of the central communal dining table. Along with the enormous strelitzias between tables, the gritty illustrations, tagging and bold graphics on the tiles bring Durban's urban, subtropical outdoors inside.Similarly, the large cocoon-like aluminium light fittings that fill the space are industrial and organic at the same time. Geometric laser-cut aluminium pieces are sprayed copper-coloured and riveted together to produce oversized nests that glow. According to Xavier: "It's important to me that the light is effective and fills space sculpturally, when off during the day and when illuminated."Xavier has a hands-on approach to design; his workshop where he laser-cuts, assembles and crafts is crammed with tools and materials. Studies in technical drawing and mechanical engineering theory, and then sculpture and design classes at L'Ecole des Beaux Art, St Etienne, are the foundations for work that is both technically resolved and beautiful.He cites his love of materials (favourites are wood, stainless steel, aluminium and leather) as inspiration and says he prefers to operate in the challenging space between fine art and design, where magical and bespoke results can be achieved."I approach product design in a sculptural way," he saysClarisse Design participatedin Durban's first Creative Collab with Cocoon Light. A partnership between Design Indaba, Imagination Factory and the KwaZulu-Natal Society of Arts, the project represents KwaZulu-Natal's finest design talent.For more information go to www.clarissedesign.com...