UNIQUE: Nando’s says it invested R9.8m in its flagship Soweto outlet, which won a silver Loerie in the three-dimensional and environmental design category. Picture: SUPPLIED
UNIQUE: Nando’s says it invested R9.8m in its flagship Soweto outlet, which won a silver Loerie in the three-dimensional and environmental design category. Picture: SUPPLIED

THE effort by Nando’s to support local designers garnered it a Loerie award recently for the decor at its outlet in Soweto’s Maponya Mall.

Nando’s head of design Michael Spinks said the restaurant chain had invested R9.8m in its flagship Soweto outlet. The outlet won a silver Loerie in the three-dimensional and environmental design category.

Mr Spinks said Nando’s was now working with small design firms on 60 other projects budgeted to cost about R4.5m each.

Each restaurant would be designed differently, using local artists.

The chain was not aiming at a uniform look, but was rather involving as much South African talent as possible to create unique spaces.

"We want Nando’s to be a family place for people who want to feel at home," he said.

The Loerie Awards CEO Andrew Human said: "Nando’s Maponya Mall was an obvious choice, as it met all the requirements needed to win this award."

The Loerie Awards — whose sponsors include Business Day proprietor Times Media Group, Standard Bank and Unilever — aim to reward creative excellence in brand communications.

"Winning the Loeries is acknowledgement that Nando’s is taking the right direction," Mr Spinks said.

The design of the award-winning Maponya Mall restaurant was managed by Design Partnership.

It had taken several attempts to get the design right, Design Partnership’s Sharyn Andrianatos said.

"We used local designers for the restaurant, who we found via the internet and around Soweto," said Ms Andrianatos.