V O G U E | Diaspora: Farm

If you plan to spend the holidays somewhere and are still hesitating on where to go, you may want to check out Babylonstoren, an exceptional place located in the heart of the Cape Winelands, and an hour drive from Cape Town. In her inspired restoration of one of the Winelands oldest estates, the former editor of Elle Deco and owner of the estate, Karen Roos and her team have created a unique country getaway, a luxury hotel and working guest farm.

As a working farm, Babylonstoren's acreage is divided between orchards and vineyards. Its centerpiece is a magnificent eight-acre fruit and vegetable garden, modeled on the fabled gardens of Babylon, and inspired by Patrice Tarravella's creation of the medieval monastery garden at Prieure d'Orsan in France.

The historic werf, with its handsome buildings and pleasing spatial geometry is among the best preserved in the Cape. Among the old oaks and olive trees, a series of 18th century-style cottages have been built to accommodate guests. Skillful preservation and restoration of the original feel, combined with an infusion of 21st century life, the interiors are simple, yet utterly luxurious, a mix of modern and antique pieces and stylish touches such as a Magis Puppy Dog, a canvas wardrobe, a Xavier Lust hatstand.

The old cowshed has been converted into a cool milk-restaurant, Babel, where award winning stylist and food consultant Maranda Engelbrecht has come up with a unique new style of menu, which focuses on fresh produce from the garden and the region.

Babylonstoren

Farm entrance ©Babylonstoren

Farm activities @Babylonstoren

©Babylonstoren

Historical fowl house ©Babylonstoren

Historical Cape Dutch gable house ©Babylonstoren

Garden pond ©Babylonstoren

©Babylonstoren

Cottages ©Babylonstoren

Suites ©Babylonstoren

©Babylonstoren

Babel restaurant, a farm-to-fork experience ©Babylonstoren

©Babylonstoren

Bamboo spa reception ©Babylonstoren

Overview with the Simonsberg mountains, the finest terroir in the Cape ©Babylonstoren

Swimming in the pond ©Babylonstoren

Courtesy Babylonstoren, Drakenstein Valley, Franschhoek, South Africa

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The Farm Family Project focuses on the idea of the creation of identity within the photographic image. By foregrounding our innate compassion of animals, Rob MacInnis explores the correlation between the reifying process of animal consumption and the fashion world's depiction of the body.

Drawing upon the fashion portrait photography of Annie Leibowitz and David LaChapelle, MacInnis gives the animals an arena for self-expression as well as humiliation.
"By presenting animals as sentient beings capable of making their own decisions, my objective is to portray an alternate world in which animals exist not as human possessions, but rather as individuals living within their own communities."

Rob MacInnis studied Directing at New York Film Academy before receiving a BFA with a Photography Major from the Nova Scotia College of art and Design in 2005. He has been published in various editorials such as The New York Times, Eye weekly, and his work has been exhibited internationally in several galleries.
Currently residing in Providence, Rhode Island, MacInnis works primarily in photo.

Intensely stylized, The Farm Family portraits demand immediate emotional reaction, drawing on the raw connection between viewer and subject and exposing the instinctive, compassionate union of species.