Steyn City marked the opening of its vibrant retail elements at its flagship City with a Night Under the Stars – a glorious celebration of fine food, art and music.

• Steyn City brought together the cream of South African celebrities and socialites, media and performers.
• Steyn City’s celebration had all the hallmarks of the development’s signature style and elan.
• The official launch of the retail emporium marks an important milestone for Steyn City.
• Visit www.sandtontimes.co.za for more stories.

The Sandton Times had the pleasure of joining the likes of Grammy award winning flautist Wouter Kellerman, Mi Casa, celebrity chef Siba Mtongana, vocalist André Schwartz, Sharon Barkhuizen and Colleen Teklenburg, sisters of Carolyn Steyn, and Trent and Mark Read of the Everard Read Gallery for an evening of theatre, champagne and an array of surprises.

Steyn City’s ‘wow’ factor has been very much in evidence since inception, giving residents an opportunity to experience convenience and luxury in a setting that has no comparison. The City Centre continued this tradition when it launched in 2021. Offering urban living of an unprecedented standard, it impressed purchasers and lessees alike with its groundbreaking design, the spaciousness of the homes and the array and quality of facilities within our unparalleled 2000-acre parkland.

// CEO of Steyn City Properties, Steven Louw

Those facilities include the recently unveiled retail stores in the City Centre’s piazzas, all in keeping with the City Centre’s accent on unabashed luxury. A Night Under the Stars welcomed those retailers who have just opened their doors, as well as those who are set to do so shortly. The evening commenced with the unveiling of a bronze bust of Steyn City visionary and founder, Douw Steyn. The work of sculptor Heidi Hadaway, the bust was commissioned by The Gallery at Steyn City and will remain on display at the gallery for 6-months, after which it will find its permanent home in Steyn City.

Gallery director Bianca Bellamy says that she is thrilled to be part of the City Centre. Her love of art is best described as a family inheritance, as both parents are art lovers. However, it was only when Bianca and her family moved to Steyn City in 2019 that she first considered leveraging off the relationships her father had built with many South African artists to establish her own art gallery. After her father introduced her to Trent Read, son of legendary gallerist Everard Read, the idea was on its way to becoming a reality.

Trent’s knowledge of the fine and applied arts is superlative. We were excited to introduce him to the site – and he was just as eager to collaborate as we had hoped.

// The Gallery at Steyn City Director, Bianca Bellamy

She explains that the Gallery at Steyn City is set to showcase a range of contemporary fine art, including painting, sculpture, ceramics and mixed media.

The unveiling of the bust by Douw’s wife, Carolyn Steyn, and Giuseppe Plumari co-founder of Steyn City and Deputy Chair of Steyn City Properties, was followed by a spectacle of entertainment which utillised the magnificent backdrop of the upper piazza for a series of theatrical performances.

Guests were stunned by a performance from former Cirque du Soleil mime artist Daniel Buckland, followed by a display of talent from saxophonist Cathy del Mei. More thrills followed, with electric violinist Cristina Rodrigues seemed to defy physics, performing while encased in a translucent sphere.

Then came the highlight of the event: tenors Given Mabena and Lucky Sibande, and soprano Loveline Madumo transported guests to a street in Rome with their rendition of classical favourites, including Nessun Dorma. The piazza rang out with their songs, performed from various balconies around the space, showcasing its generous dimensions and adding a touch of romance to the proceedings.

Guests were invited to tour the upper piazza, view the newly designed show apartments and explore the various retail offerings available. The City Centre’s retail offering include, the Seattle Coffee Company, which is already an entrenched part of the Steyn City community, having first started pouring espressos, cappuccinos and freezachinos 18-months ago. Then there’s Paul’s Homemade Ice-Cream, a name which is certainly familiar to those with a sweet tooth.

Café Del Sol is another name that’s already known to food lovers. This al fresco eatery is set to delight with a celebration of Italian flavours and selection of apertifs and fine wines from the bar as well as a range of scrumptious, authentic Italian deli goods (think charcuterie as well as cheeses and readymade meals) – ideal for entertaining, or even for a night without cooking! Look out for Café del Sol’s Neapolitan pizzas, with their airy, light crust, hot from the on-site pizza oven.

These enterprises will soon be joined by colourful cookware brand Le Creuset next month, as well as a gym, laundry service, and a cellular network provider.

We have chosen our ever-evolving retail partners with great care to ensure that they reflect our values and are in line with the convenience and luxury which form the foundation of the Steyn City lifestyle.

// CEO of Steyn City Properties, Steven Louw

He adds that, in another exciting development, three new show apartments are available for viewing at the City Centre. This adds to the complement of interior designed apartments that were launched in 2021, all decorated by luminaries of the South African design scene.

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