Japan Study Mission
At the beginning of 2024, I read a book by American businessman and author Paul Akers, Two Second Lean. This book tells the story of how he turned ...
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OUR GROUNDING PILLARS
CRAFTED
All our furniture is exceptionally well crafted. By marrying traditional techniques with 5-axis CNC technology, we’re able to create an end product which bears all the marks of a hand-crafted piece, with none of the imperfections or hefty price tags.
Our Grounding pillars
CONSIDERED
We believe in taking time within the creation process and working with nature to create harmonious design in every sense of the word. We don’t just want our furniture to look good, but to work effortlessly and leave a legacy, providing people with a sense of comfort and purpose. From perfectly curved seats to smoothly sliding cupboards, unwavering bed frames and tables that won’t wobble. Everything we create is well-considered and environmentally conscious.
Our grounding pillars
TIMELESS
We design all our furniture using classic silhouettes and noble materials, drawing from Scandinavian and Japanese traditions but adding contemporary twists. We believe furniture should last lifetimes and create a positive environmental effect, leaving a legacy for future generations. All our pieces will sit comfortably in any space, forever.
our story
the houtlander journey
Phillip Hollander is the founder of Houtlander, where his deep-seated passion for craftsmanship challenges the boundaries of making both traditional and contemporary furniture.
As a designer and maker of things, Phillip operates at the intersection of aesthetics and function, driven by the conviction that a deep, tactile understanding of the making process is an intrinsic yet underappreciated part of design.
This philosophy is anchored in a Japanese inspired approach of Kaizen, through which he relentlessly pursues efficiency and the elimination of waste to uncover the soul of the object.
For Phillip, the factory floor is as much a creative space as the studio, he believes that true innovation is born from mastering the "how" just as much as the "what."
pushing the limits of posibility
OUR ACHIEVEMENTS
2017: Best furniture design 100% Design for the coronation bench.
2018: Best SA Designer – 100% Design.
2019: Collaboration with MashT Design & Beauty Ngongo on the Hlabisa bench, presented at the Révélations International Biennial of Crafts and Creation at the Grand Palais in Paris.
2019: Winner of most beautiful object in South Africa – Design Indaba, for the interdependence bench.
2019: Interdependence bench showed in Milan design week with Rossana Orlandi.
2019: Best furniture design for the preservation bench at 100% design, collaboration with AHEC.
2019: Preservation bench shown at Downtown design as invited designers in Dubai.
2022: Collaboration with Trevor Stuurman on the Sunday Table for ‘A Place Called Home’ exhibition.
2022: Hlabisa bench acquired by the Pompidou Centre in Paris.
2022: Future Heirlooms collaborations with seven SA designers in partnership with AHEC.
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The Factory
Our Woodworking Home
Located on the West Rand of Johannesburg, our factory represents a seamless combination of personal touch and technology. Having grown our team from five to 60 in five years, we’re incredibly proud of the mark we’ve been able to leave on the lives of our staff and the landscape of South Africa as a whole.
Providing apprenticeships in our blend of 5-axis CNC and handcrafted techniques allows us to employ people who would otherwise have no entry point to the carpentry trade.
We hardly ever see staff leave and make a fervent effort to assist those who are struggling – frequently hiring from a nearby mentally handicapped facility and assisting the team wherever we can.
We take participation and transformation within our direct community seriously, and we believe you can feel that in the quality and energy of the end product.
OUR TEAM
Our team is the beating heart of Houtlander. Without this collection of talented and dedicated people we wouldn’t be here today. By continuously upskilling and empowering these inspiring individuals, it’s our hope that we’ll be able to carve out a place for South African craftspeople on the global stage.
OUR FOUNDER
PHILLIP HOLLANDER
Phillip started making furniture for friends and family when he was a student, using his dad's garage as a workshop. With an entrepreneurial mind and a love of working with his hands, furniture-making was a hobby that naturally became a career. A love of timber and its age-old appeal runs deep in his veins.
