Most Creative Stand Award at the 2008 Design Indaba

The stand of the Provincial Government of the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism Creative Industries Strategy (DEDT Creative Industries) was selected as the Most Creative Stand at this year’s Design Indaba Expo held at the Cape Town Convention Centre from February 23 to 26, 2008.

The award was initiated by the Cape Town Partnership as part of its Creative Cape Town programme – a social, economic and spatial programme that uses culture for urban regeneration in the Central City, building an inclusive civic identity and vibrant economy, in conjunction with the Design Indaba.

This year visitors to the Design Indaba enjoyed watching a virtual walking tour of Creative Cape Town at the Cape Town Partnership stand. Creative Cape Town has indentified more than 800 creative industries in the Central City alone – making Cape Town a leading centre for design, innovation and creativity in Africa.

The winning stand was designed by award-winning playwright Brett Bailey. It started out each day as one big white canvas. Performing and visual artists then filled the space with art, animation, photography, crafts and designs while interacting with the public, showcasing creativity in Cape Town and the Western Cape. At the end of the exhibition the space was filled with colour, crafts, photos and live animation, much to the delight of the audience.

Six finalists were chosen by the members of the public visiting the Design Indaba Expo over the past four days. A panel of judges selected the winning stand.

According to the judges, the Department’s stand was a clear winner in terms of being the most unique, interactive and innovative stand. “It showed the process of design and creativity as it evolves into final products – instead of focusing on the final product alone,” said Andrew Boraine, chief executive of the Cape Town Partnership, and one of the judges.

The Most Creative Stand Award Trophy was made by artist Daan Samuels from the Cape Craft and Design Institute. Samuels was one of the finalists for the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa award at the 2008 Design Indaba.

The runners-up were the stands of Fly on the Wall Productions – a film making collective from Observatory (second place) and craft design company Design Afrika from Woodstock (third place).

Cathy Cronje’s name was drawn from the group of names who voted for the winning stand. She has won herself a night out to enjoy Creative Cape Town in Long Street, including a sleepover in the Daddy Long Legs Hotel, dinner and clubbing at Café Royale in Long Street and a Walking Trends Tour with Cherryflava along with twenty of her friends.

Sappi and Design Indaba – together for eight years

Now in its eleventh year, Design Indaba is considered one of the foremost design conferences in the world. Sappi is a proud sponsor and supplier to this leading design showcase.

An essential “design fix” on designers’ calendars, representatives from some of the world’s leading advertising agencies, design companies and businesses, delegates are enthusiastic about the Indaba’s interactive workshops and seeing what cutting-edge products and services are presented at the Design Expo. Developing socio-economic trends are also well received.

“Sappi is about communicating ideas in a sustainable manor,” says Graeme Futter, Marketing Manager: Brand Communications, “about taking a concept and turning it into reality. Everything we use and see in the world around us has been designed and, moreover, every great idea begins on paper. As importantly, the world’s leading brands rely on printed communications as a fundamental component of their marketing mix, an essential tool of brand building and promotion. It is our duty as one of the world’s leading producers of coated paper to educate and innovate in a creative and sustainable way”.

“There can be no question that design is a profound economic force” continues Futter, “and Sappi’s vision is to partner with the creative value chain and end users alike to realise the importance of design through the use of paper.”

“Our presence at Design Indaba 2008”, says Futter, “is to increase awareness that paper as a communication medium is a sustainable communication tool. Corporations, agencies and companies should be aware that they can specify environmentally sound, locally manufactured, coated and uncoated papers for their printed collateral.”

“We are proud of our environmental offerings such as the Triple Green™ range of products but equally proud to be an integral part of the phenomenon that Design Indaba has become,” concludes Futter. “It is through these partnerships and by means of innovative products that we are able to make a significant contribution to the success of contemporary design in the global economy.”

For more information on the global Sappi group, Sappi Fine Paper South Africa, and Triple Green™, visit www.sappi.com.

More about Sappi

Sappi is a leading global producer of coated fine paper used in the production of glossy magazines, calendars, annual reports and brochures. While this business represents approximately two-thirds of Sappi's total sales, the company also has significant businesses in pulp, coated speciality paper, packaging grades and uncoated fine paper. Sappi Forest Products, the forests, pulp, packaging and newsprint business based in South Africa, is also the world's largest producer of chemical cellulose (dissolving pulp) used in the manufacture of viscose staple fibre and consumer and pharmaceutical products. Sappi is a global company with over 15 000 employees and production facilities in ten countries, on four continents and customers in over 100 countries.

The group is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa. Sappi is listed on JSE Limited (SAP), the New York Stock Exchange (SPP) and the London Stock Exchange (SAZ).

Design Indaba 2008: Fact sheet

Design Indaba will fortify as the South African Design Week in 2008, with the Expo and Conference programme running over a week from Saturday 23 February to Friday 29 February at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

•  Design Indaba 2008: Two weeks to go, don't miss out!

DESIGN INDABA EXPO

For the fifth time, the Design Indaba Expo will offer a curated commercial platform for South African designers. The 2008 event has been extended for an extra day, running from Saturday 23 to Tuesday 26 February.

•  Design Indaba Expo 2008 upsizes
•  Buyers flock to Design Indaba Expo
•  10 ways to drive a revolution
•  Newcomers set to delight visitors
•  Fashion Mix Masala
•  Most Beautiful Object in South Africa Award
•  Live design competition by The Times

Venue:
Cape Town International Convention Centre, Halls 1a, 2 and 3

Public opening hours:
23 to 26 February 2008
Saturday - 10am to 6pm
Sunday - 10am to 6pm
Monday - 11am to 6pm
Tuesday - 11am to 6pm

Tickets:
No pre-booking is necessary, and tickets are available at the door at a cost of:
R45 - adults
R25 - students and pensioners
R15 - children under 12
children under 5 are free

SPECIALIST INDABAS

Due to demand from delegates and the public to attend the Specialist Indabas, these will run parallel to the Expo.

Jewellery
Monday 25 February from 1pm to 3pmwith
Wendy Ramshaw and Christoph Zellweger

Architecture
Tuesday 26 February from 10am to 1pm
with Mark Dytham, Jason Bruges and Anya van der Merwe Miszewski

Lifestyle
Tuesday 26 February from 2pm to 5pm
with Ilse Crawford, Li Edelkoordt and Laetitia Wolff

•  Design Indaba specialist focus: Architecture, Lifestyle and Jewellery
•  Book at Computicket.

DESIGN INDABA CONFERENCE

The Design Indaba Conference will run from Wednesday 27 to Friday 29 February.
Day 1: Wednesday 27 February
Day 2: Thursday 28 February
Day 3: Friday 29 February

•  Design Indaba 2008 Conference pop quiz!
•  Design Indaba 2008: A better world through creativity
•  Design Indaba Conference 2008: Sold out, but book for the simulcast

SPEAKERS

Airside · Abbott Miller · Amanda Laird Cherry · Anya van der Merwe Miszewski · Bill Moggridge · Christoph Zellweger · Doshi Levien · Gavin Rajah · Gerry Human · Gert Dumbar · Hideki Inaba · Ilse Crawford · Ivan Chermayeff · Jakob Trollbäck · Jason Bruges · Karlssonwilker · Laetitia Wolff · Li Edelkoordt · Marije Vogelzang · Mark Dytham · Maxim Velcovsky · Mike Schalit · Mirko Ili? · Nkhensani Nkosi · Oona Scheepers · Oscar E Peña · Paul D Miller · Shinichi Takemura · Shunji Yamanaka · Toshiyuki Kita · Tucker Viemeister · Wendy Ramshaw

YOUNG DESIGNERS SIMULCAST

The Young Designers Simulcast allows young designers and students under the age of 25 to view a live broadcast from the main plenary session to a second auditorium.

•  Young Designers Simulcast bookings open
•  Book at Computicket.

DESIGN INDABA SIMULCAST

Due to the unprecedented demand for tickets to the Design Indaba Conference, tickets to the Young Designers Simulcast are now also available for people over the age of 25.

•  Design Indaba Conference 2008: Sold out, but book for the simulcast
•  Book at Computicket.

JOURNALISM WORKSHOP

For the first time, Design Indaba is presenting the Design Indaba Journalism Workshop in conjunction with the Design Indaba Expo taking place from February 23 to 26. Susan Yelavich, New York design critic and assistant professor at Parsons, will lead the workshop.

•  Invitation of participation: Design Indaba Journalism Workshop
•  Design Indaba Journalism Workshop: Book now!

OTHER

DJ Spooky installation at Design Indaba 2008
Design Indaba are pleased to present the New York is Now installation by Paul D Miller (DJ Spooky that Subliminal Kid) at Michaelis School of Fine Art.

Helvetica: Font cult movie premieres in South Africa
Design Indaba is pleased to present the South African premiere of Helvetica - a film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. It will be showing from February 22 to 27, 2008, at 8.30pm in the Labia Theatre on Orange Street.

Ten houses for Freedom Park
Design Indaba's 10x10 Housing Project is pleased to announce that building has started on the designated plots in Freedom Park. The first house will be unveiled during the Design Indaba Expo at the end of February.

CNMA 2008: Time is running out - enter now!
The Construction New Media Awards, now in its eighth year, celebrates and elevates the status of new media design by honouring and accrediting those designers, writers, programmers and thinkers who produce challenging, imaginative interactive work, both on a creative and a functional platform.

Design Indaba magazine announces Cape Town DC - as in Design Central
The newest issue of Design Indaba magazine celebrates its Mother City in "Cape Town DC" - as in Design Central. From cover to streets, this edition of the magazine is all proudly Capetonian, featuring the Jupiter Drawing Room Cape Town, Chimurenga , Toast Coetzer, Katrin Coetzer, the am i collective, Monique Pelser, Clockwork Zoo, The Gugulective, James Webb and Haldane Martin. Interviews with Design Indaba 2008 speakers Paul D Miller - aka DJ Spooky that Subliminal Kid, Toshiyuki Kita and Bill Moggridge, as well as a preview of the Design Indaba 2008 event are also featured.

African Carbon Trust

Design Indaba 2008 will again offset the carbon footprint of its conference, for the third year now.

Design Indaba continuously looks for ways to reduce our impact on the environment. For the past two years, Design Indaba has supported the planting of trees to offset our carbon footprint, however, as our knowledge of climate change has improved and the options for carbon mitigation increased, it is important for Design Indaba to choose the right project to support.

We are busy investigating two projects. Firstly, the Kuyasa project based in Khayelitsha, Cape Town – the very first project in the world to be certified as a CDM Gold Standard project. And secondly, a wind turbines project in the Western Cape, in association with Agama Energy.

Design Indaba is committed to reducing our carbon emissions and rethinking how we go about our daily living in an environmentally conscious manner. Our African Carbon Trust is an initiative to research the best carbon-offsetting strategy. A media campaign will be launched this year to raise awareness on how individuals and companies can make a difference in combating climate change and promoting sustainable development. Thanks also to a partnership with Toyota SA, a fleet of environmentally-friendly hybrid vehicles will transport our conference speakers.

Vote for the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa now!

Here's the direct link to The Times poll - you can win a year's subscription to the Sunday Times and R3000 worth of Woolies vouchers just by voting! http://www.thetimes.co.za/specialreports/designindaba/

SABC at Design Indaba 2008

True to its values of creating conversations and partnerships, restoring human dignity and building a common future, the SABC not only renewed its media partnership with Design Indaba in 2008, but also announced sole sponsorship of the fashion arena and founding sponsorship of the Creative Alliance Project, commiting to growing local creative excellence.

“Design touches every aspect of our lives. From the houses we live in and the clothes we wear, to the modes of transport we use. Design is about improving our quality of life and therefore remains a relevant and important discipline as we strive to build a better nation. The SABC is South Africa’s national public broadcaster. More than 24-million South Africans tune into the SABC’s network of 18 radio stations and more than 19-million people tune into our three free-to-air television channels. Public broadcasting is about citizen empowerment.  But so is design. As a proudly South African brand, committed to uplifting our beautiful nation, the SABC commends the design experts, and the brands they represent, for their powerful contribution to the building of a better South Africa,” said Jerry Mpufane (group marketing director of the SABC).

SABC sponsors a by-invitation-only master class on February 28, headed by Jakob Trollbäck. A self-taught designer from Sweden, Trollbäck leads the innovative and highly successful Trollbäck + Company. Under his leadership, they’ve created award-winning designs and are an acknowledged industry leader in branding and motion graphic design. The company was born when Trollbäck, a former DJ, transferred his aural pursuits to the visual medium, aiming to create emotive pieces that take audiences to purely sensorial planes. Now in its ninth year, Trollbäck + Company has expanded its creative output to film titles, TV-commercials, environmental design, music videos and short films.

In addition, the SABC again sponsors the Loerie Awards Travelling Exhibition – a local and international road show of award-winning communication work. The launch of the Loerie Awards Annual and Travelling Exhibition will take place on February 27, 2008, at the Design Indaba Conference. The exhibition will be on show at the Design Indaba Expo from February 23 to 26, 2008.

SABC will support the event through its various platforms such as on SABC1 in Street Journal, which will be profiling some of the designers; on SABC3 in 3 Talk; on SABC 2 in Weekend Live, and on SAFM.

Design Indaba 2008: Most Beautiful Object in South Africa

The finalists for Design Indaba's Most Beautiful Object in South Africa award have been announced. Place your vote via SMS at the Design Indaba Expo from February 23 to 26, 2008, or vote on The Times website.

The award asks our diverse country: "What is beauty?" While some may consider it an aspect of taste and others know it on sight, beauty becomes far more profound than a visual sensation when design characteristics such as social significance, economic impact, aesthetic value, humanist intuitions, lifestyle functioning and sustainability are thrown into the mix.

Different to previous incarnations of the award, the 2008 MBOISA will be posing this question of beauty directly to the public. For the first time, visitors to the Design Indaba Expo will vote via SMS - and stand in line to win a prize themselves.

The winner will be announced in the fashion arena at DeSsign Indaba Expo on February 26 at 3pm.

The competition promises to be fierce. What will the country's consensus be? Will luxury, making life easier, basic human needs, entertainment or even sheer folly be triumphant in the ultimate beauty contest?

The contestants:

Nested Bunk Bed - Tsai Design Studio
	Living space is at a premium in South Africa's townships - it's not unusual for six to eight people to share 36 square metres of space. The Nested Bunk Bed offers a space solution for overcrowded, low-cost houses. Sections of the Nested Bunk Bed can be pulled out to serve a number of purposes, such as a sofa for two, grandstand seating, or five beds that can be packed away into a standard bunk bed area. When fully extended, the bed system can sleep 20 children in a tight space of 50 square metres, as well as providing play space when the beds are retracted.
Succulent Cushion - Ronel Jordaan
	The South African textile designer Ronel Jordaan's succulent cushion offers an appealing blend of function and whimsy. The cushion is based on the local succulent plant Echevaria . The petals have the same woolly, spongy feel as the well-known plant. They are individually hand felted and assembled by women from different SA tribal groupings in a studio in Johannesburg.
Voëls Op 'n Tak - Daan Samuels
	Daan Samuels hails from Velddrif on the West Coast and draws his inspiration from the bird life along that unspoilt stretch of coast. He has traditionally carved driftwood into bird-forms, and now also incorporates untouched driftwood into his Found Wood sculptures.He was recognised as a Western Cape Craft Icon in 2005 by the Cape Craft and Design Institute.
Ozo Bowl - Juanita Oosthuizen
	Designed by Juanita at Pepper Plum Designs, this contemporary OZO bowl is stylish and practical. Made from a single piece of polypropylene and two plastic rings, it unfolds into a flat sheet for easy storage. The concept was inspired by the need for simple, easy-to-use and easy-to-store objects that will complement any home style.
Ring - Philippe Bousquet
	Is it a ring, a lighting idea, both or something else entirely? Phillip Bousquet's delightful ring entails a set diamond ringed with citrine inside a glass bulb, completing the design with silver detail. Wear it and be enlightened.
Lamp - Philippe Bousquet
	Society produces and wastes a lot of materials and working with these revitalises ideas about design and beauty. The rules to making this lamp were simple: no welding and nothing new added (except the electric wiring and bulb for safety). Everything had to come from scrap metal places or wasted materials from factories, junk shops, antique dealers and so on. Half a steel manual petrol pump forms the centerpiece of the lamp. The other parts come from an aluminum hand massage machine, a piece of an engine (unknown in rusted iron) for the head, a stainless steel tube and a steel base from an old spinning factory.
Urban Soul - Clementina Van Der Walt
	These four drinking cups are moulded using charcoal casting-slip and then distorted. The surfaces are individually hand-painted with slip and transparent glaze. Marks and textures are inspired by the energy and visual images of the city. Drinking from these cups is a tactile, meditative experience, symbolic of the quietness within, despite the frenetic energy of the 21st century.
Stitched Light - Lisa Firer
	These stitched lights have taken their inspiration from layered fabric, badges on denim jackets, local flora and lacy florals. Lisa Firer has used embossed and impressed slab-built porcelain clay to create lights that offer a delicate luminosity and impress with a sense of papery whimsy.
Untitled - Pwhoa
	Playing with exaggerated silhouettes reminiscent of birds, most desirable object from PWHOA, by Richard de Jager, offers protection to the wearer, arming him or her with power dressing that's just as easy to put on as a pullover.
Untitled - Mantsho
	Pushing the boundaries of the technical and the practical, Palesa Mokubung of Mantsho has fused two of her pieces - the multi-collared jacket and the fitted dress - to create a strong, vibrant statement through exaggeration.

Vote now at www.thetimes.co.za

Design Indaba 10x10: Ten houses for Freedom Park

Design Indaba’s 10x10 Housing Project is pleased to announce that building has started on the designated plots in Freedom Park.
Launched at last year’s Design Indaba, the 10x10 Housing Project challenged 10 architectural teams to provide innovative and dynamic design solutions for the low-cost housing sector. Ten of the first solution will be built in this first phase of the project, thanks to sponsorship from PG Bison and Pennypinchers. Future constructions involving the other nine designs are envisioned.

Said Justin Berry, group marketing manager of PG Bison: “As a leader in the South Africa’s building industry, PG Bison is proud to be part of a project that proposes a meaningful solution to the housing problem in South Africa.”

 

The solution to be implemented is the entry from architect Luyanda Mpahlwa, assisted by Kirsty Ronné. Using an innovative new building system, Ecobeams, which complies with all the rules and regulations of the Cape City Council, fits within budget and fulfils all the requirements with regards to testing and certification of an alternative building system.

"To be part of this project meant a lot in terms of making a significant contribution towards innovative, dignified solutions to the housing situation. I'm looking forward to seeing the final construction," said Mpahlwa.
 
The design also offers a number of improvements on the standard RDP house. Ecobeams are equal, if not superior, to brick-and-mortar, but cheaper and more eco-friendly. Taking this into account Mpahlwa has increased the size of the house and created a fluid interplay between public and private spaces in and around the house. The house is also built on a framework, making it easy to expand, and involves the whole community in its construction.
 
The design, and those of the other architects from around the world will be distributed as architectural open source. “All of these designs will bring new materials and concepts to low-cost housing, and will be an absolute boon to poor families across Africa,” said Ravi Naidoo, founder of Design Indaba and director of Interactive Africa.
 
The participating architectural teams are: Jo Noero (Cape Town) and Cameron Sinclair (San Francisco); Vanessa September (Cape Town) and Lindy Roy (New York); Luyanda Mpahlwa (Cape Town) and Will Alsop (London); Andrew Makin and Janina Masojada (Durban), and Christoph Egret (London); Lesley Carstens and Silvio Rech (Johannesburg), and Thomas Heatherwick (London); Stefan Antoni (Cape Town) and Eva Jiricna (London); Ruben Reddy (Durban) and Mark Dytham (Tokyo); Martin Kruger (Cape Town) and David Adjaye (London); Henning Rasmus (Johannesburg) and Shigeru Ban (Tokyo); and Don Albert (Cape Town) and Tom Dixon (London).

Design Indaba Expo 2008: Live design competition by The Times

The Times calls young creatives to showcase their talent in a live design competition on the Design Indaba Expo floor from February 23 to 26, 2008.

The Times daily newspaper is calling all ad agencies to showcase their impressive young talent by entering a team into its Young Creatives Competition being held at Design Indaba. The competition will take place at The Times stand at Design Indaba where delegates can catch a glimpse of the creative process in real-time.  

"As South Africa's first interactive newspaper, The Times embraces and supports pioneering innovation," says Enver Groenewald, general manager of advertising strategy, trade marketing and strategic communications at Avusa Media.

"For this reason it is essential to have a noticeable presence at this year's Design Indaba at the Cape Town International Convention Centre - an expo that showcases groundbreaking and inventive work."

The Times stand will consist of a glass "fishbowl" where an art director and copywriter will be on show while creating a print ad on a topical subject, for a fictitious client. The public will be able to view creatives cracking a brief within two hours with plasma screens displaying the work as it is being created.  

"The ad agencies are one of our key stakeholders and through this event we want to put them literally in the spotlight to showcase their exceptional talent," points out Groenewald.

All ads will be judged by an independent panel of advertising experts. Apart from the exposure that agencies will enjoy on the day, the winning agency will also receive a full page in The Times to be used for a pro bono client of their choice. This placement adds up to the value of R49 608, excluding VAT and including agency commission.

Both members of the winning team will also win a trip to Zanzibar for themselves and their partner. This includes flights, transfers, ORTambo airport taxes, accommodation for seven nights at the Sultan Suite in a private villa, and all meals prepared by a private chef.

To participate in this exciting competition, agencies can contact:

Michelle Mogo
Avusa Communications
Tel: (011) 280 3248

As soon as the confirmation has been received, a copy of the brief that the team will be working on will be sent. Entries close on February 20.

Terms and conditions include:

•  Entrants must be 29 years of age or younger at time of participation.
•  The teams must consist of an art director and copywriter. 
•  Participating agencies are responsible for own travel to and accommodation in Cape Town, as well as entrance fee to the Design Indaba.
•  Entrants must be willing to be photographed for publicity.
•  Teams have to report to The Times stand 30 minutes before their scheduled time.
•  No equipment or elements that can be used for the creative process will be allowed. All necessary equipment will be provided by The Times.
•  The judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
•  The winning agency will be notified either via e-mail or telephonically.
•  Entrants must have a valid passport to qualify for the prize.
•  Prizes cannot be exchanged for cash.

Issued by:
Alison van den Heever
Ogilvy PR, Cape Town
Tel: 021 4671346 or 082 760 9691

On behalf of:
The Times
Susan Russell on Tel: 011 280 5186
Michelle Mogo on Tel: 011 280 3248

Design Indaba magazine announces Cape Town DC - as in Design Central

 

With the approximately 3 000 Design Indaba Conference visitors and more than 20 000 Design Indaba Expo visitors due to descend on Cape Town from February 23 to 29, 2008, the newest issue of Design Indaba magazine celebrates its Mother City in "Cape Town DC".

In just more than a week, “Cape Town DC” – as in Design Central – is due to have the highest concentration of creative minds in Africa. However, as the Q108 edition of the Design Indaba magazine proves, “Cape Town DC” pulsates all year round.

From cover to streets, this edition of the magazine is all proudly Capetonian. The innovative perforated cover is courtesy of leading advertising and design agency the Jupiter Drawing Room Cape Town. Says Joanne Thomas, creative director at Jupiter: "Our idea for this month’s cover follows on from our ad campaign for Design Indaba this year, which shows how creativity can make the world a better place. ‘Recycling’ the content of previous Design Indaba covers and perforating them into strips, we show readers how the magazine could have a second life as a chair, just as industrial designer Charles Kaisin did. Creativity really does have the power to address the challenges that the world is facing."

DI Magazine - Page 16-17

Offering a dynamic biopsy of Cape Town’s creative arteries, leading cultural proponents Chimurenga, Toast Coetzer, Katrin Coetzer and the am i collective have each contributed a subcultural chart of their Cape Town. Ranging from high-concept to grungy poetics, these four cross-sections of Cape Town are sure to inspire even the most seasoned Capetonian to put their explorer boots on.

Rising star Monique Pelser, who wowed audiences with her Roles exhibition at the Bell-Roberts Gallery last year, also goes beneath the surface with her camera. In a Design Indaba-exclusive shoot, she traces five of Cape Town’s top designers to their studios and workspaces.

	DI Magazine - Page 32-33

We have also gone behind the scenes at South Africa's youngest and biggest animation studio, Clockwork Zoo, who have already garnered much admiration through their daily series URBO: The Adventures of Pax Afrika. Now they’re setting their sights on international markets with three new shows.

Hip new artist collective, The Gugulective show us how they’ve been rejuvenating Gugulethu’s cultural climate; and we also pop into possibly South Africa’s most famous shebeen, Mzoli’s.
 
Spreading the love of the Mother City, we asked local creatives to interview some of the Design Indaba 2008 speakers. Artist and sound activist James Webb goes head-to-head with DJ-as-artist progenitor Paul D Miller – aka DJ Spooky that Subliminal Kid; while product designer Haldane Martin questions and worships Japanese industrial and environmental designer Toshiyuki Kita.

DI Magazine - Page 62-63

Also in anticipation of Design Indaba 2008, we are greatly honoured to have managed to steal a few moments with interaction design guru Bill Moggridge, who designed the first laptop and is a cofounder of IDEO.

In the news section, get a thorough preview of what to expect from the Design Indaba Expo and Conference – besides all the surprises that we’re known for. But beyond our universe, we also have news from Hani Rashid, Matali Crasset, Max Normal, Heath Nash, Animal Farm, the Creative Company Conference, the Carry Me Away exhibition, the Fear of the Known music festival, the Carrol Boyes Functional Art competition and more.

One lucky reader can also win a Dolly Pot by designer Cornelius Lemmer, who will be launching his new range at the 2008 Design Indaba Expo.

Design Indaba, Q108, “Cape Town DC”, will be available in selected Exclusive Books stores, Melissa’s and other outlets from February 16, 2008.

Click here for a full list of distribution points.

Design Indaba Conference 2008: Sold out, but book for the simulcast

We did it again... With more than a week to go still, Design Indaba Conference from February 27 to 29, 2008, has sold out for the fourth year in a row.

“With higher interest rates and a slowing economy, it's great to still have a sell-out event! We've worked on fine-tuning this event for over 13 years, and it's wonderful to feel this valued by the global design community. If only we had a bigger auditorium in Cape Town!” said Deborah Weber, Design Indaba promotions manager.

To stem the ongoing demand for tickets to the Conference, Design Indaba has now opened the Young Designer’s Simulcast to over-25s. Offering a live broadcast from the main plenary session to a second auditorium, delegates older than 25 can now enjoy the foremost creative event in the country for the reduced price of R1500. Delegates can also buy a simulcast ticket and a year’s subscription to the award-winning Design Indaba magazine for R1645.

From Bill Moggridge, who designed the world’s first laptop, to the inimitable Paul D Miller, aka DJ Spooky that Subliminal Kid, and South African Oona Scheepers, who has designed interiors for Porsche and Audi, the Design Indaba Conference 2008 brings together some of the most influential creative minds in the world.

Shunji Yamanaka, acclaimed designer of humanoid robots; Ilse Crawford, founding editor of Elle Décor; Ivan Chermayeff, responsible for the NBC and Mobil logos; and Li Edelkoort, the world’s most renowned trend forecaster, lead a stellar cast of 37 industry heavyweights. Adding to the mix, Marije Vogelzang is set to seduce with her food installations, Jonathan Levien and Nipa Doshi to enchant with their Indian-European mashups, and Maxim Velcovsky to undoubtedly provoke with his post-socialist porcelain.

Driving critical debate around local creative industries, South African fashion designers Amanda Laird Cherry, Gavin Rajah and Nkhensani Nkosi will participate in a multimedia panel interview interrogating the future and significance of South African fashion. Creators of the MTV orb, Hjalti Karlsson and Jan Wilker from New York, will also be presenting a bespoke graphic design project that responds to their experience of South African culture, streets, cuisine, creative communities and charm – we call it "Foreign Eye for the Local Guy".

Tickets for the Specialist Indabas on February 25 and 26 are also still available. These breakaway focuses on architecture, jewellery and lifestyle offer concentrated insights for professionals, the public and interested parties.

Avant-garde Swiss jeweller Christoph Zellweger and top studio jeweller Wendy Ramshaw constitute the Jewellery Indaba on February 25 from 1pm to 3pm.

Maestro of British-Japanese architecture Mark Dytham, installation maniac Jason Burges and South African architect responsible for the CTICC, Anya van der Merwe Miszewski, comprise the Architecture Indaba line-up on February 26 from 10am to 1pm.

Leading creative director Ilse Crawford, world-renowned trend forecaster Li Edelkoort and Laetitia Wolff, editor of New York lifestyle magazine Surface, present the Lifestyle Indaba on February 26 from 2pm to 5pm.

Book for the Design Indaba Simulcast and the Specialist Indabas
at Computicket.

Design Indaba 2008: Font cult movie premieres in South Africa

Design Indaba is pleased to present the South African premiere of Helvetica &ndash a film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. Running concurrently with the Design Indaba Expo, Helvetica will be showing from February 22 to 27, 2008, at 8.30pm in the Labia Theatre on Orange Street.

Helvetica is a feature-length independent film about the world’s most ubiquitous font. Having played to sold-out audiences around the world since the font’s 50th birthday in July 2007, the movie’s success attests to the growing global awareness of design and its influence on society. As such, the film is an exploration of urban spaces and the type that inhabits them, accompanied by interviews with renowned designers about their work, the creative process and the choices behind their use of type.

The film's creator and director Gary Hustwit explains:
“I was walking around, looking at the type and the way people interacted with it, and I just saw the whole film in my head. I wanted to do a documentary about graphic design, and I thought – well, Helvetica is the most ubiquitous typeface in our lives, why not that?”

“This film really hits home on how design has shaped the world we live in – a topic particularly close to Design Indaba's heart with our ethos of a better world through design,” said Ravi Naidoo, founder of Design Indaba and director of Interactive Africa.

Interviewees in Helvetica include some of the most illustrious and innovative names in the design world – many of whom have previously spoken at Design Indaba. Of course they don’t always agree: Is Helvetica the safest and most boring font or the most powerful and ubiquitous?

Expect the likes of Erik Spiekermann, Matthew Carter, Massimo Vignelli, Wim Crouwel, Hermann Zapf, Neville Brody, Stefan Sagmeister, Michael Bierut, David Carson, Paula Scher, Jonathan Hoefler, Tobias Frere-Jones, Experimental Jetset, Michael C Place, Norm, Alfred Hoffmann, Mike Parker, Bruno Steinert, Otmar Hoefer, Leslie Savan, Rick Poynor, Lars Müller and many more, weighing in on the debate.

“We are always trying to extend our venue to include interesting concepts and this is yet another topic that we hope will excite the cinema lover,” said Labia programmer Ludi Ellman.

Friday February 22 to Wednesday February 27, 2008, at 8.30pm
Labia on Orange
68 Orange Street
Gardens, Cape Town

More info and bookings at Tel: 021 424 5927

Notes to editor
For more info contact the Labia on Tel: 021 424 5927

Websites
www.labia.co.za
www.designindaba.com

For more info on Helvetica
www.helveticafilm.com

About the director

Gary Hustwit has produced five feature documentaries, including I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, the award-winning film about the band Wilco; Moog, the documentary about electronic music pioneer Robert Moog; and Drive Well, Sleep Carefully, a tour film about the band Death Cab for Cutie. Helvetica is Hustwit's directorial debut. Hustwit worked with punk label SST Records in the late-1980s, ran the independent book publishing house Incommunicado Press during the 1990s, was vice president of the media website Salon.com in 2000, and started the indie DVD label Plexifilm in 2001.

In the media

“A full-length documentary, shot on a credit-card budget and made up of interviews with designers and typographers, [that] has somehow become a global phenomenon,” – Andrew Dickson in The Guardian

“With Helvetica [Gary Hustwit] produces a gleefully engaging investigation into the world’s most ubiquitous typeface, uncovering a minor shit storm in the world of graphic design as well as broadening the cinematic and analytical potential of the documentary form in the process.” – David Jenkins in Time Out London

“You’re guaranteed to spend the next few days scanning the world for Helvetica like a child on a cross-country car trip playing I Spy.” – Matt Zoller Seitz in The New York Times.

“It follows that the film, which was shot in Amsterdam, Berlin, Zurich, London and New York, is also a valuable document about recent transformations in Western urbanism.” – Sukhdev Sandhu in The Telegraph

“This does not sound like promising cinematic material. Yet like its seemingly neutral Swiss-born subject, the film says a great deal without raising its voice, lending wit and grace to an inquiry regarding the way a medium, a squiggle or the precise space between two letters affects a million different messages and a billion different eyeballs.” – Michael Phillips in The Chicago Tribune.

Design Indaba Expo 2008: Fashion Mix Masala

Local fashion has come to represent a conscientious choice for discerning South Africans. Displaying a bold pastiche, our country’s fashion signature speaks of pride, optimism and humanism.

In celebration of this democratic melting pot of creative self-expression, Design Indaba is launching a dedicated fashion arena in 2008, following the more than 20 000 visitors to last year’s Expo and fashion show. Sponsored by the SABC, the arena will host an all-day fashion and film festival, as well as a fashion boutique. Visitors to the Design Indaba Expo will pay R45 for unlimited access to the fashion and main floor.

Strengthening its position of presenting fashion in an original format, Design Indaba will again send the pedestal-like catwalk back to the dockyard. Begging the format of a typical fashion show with the catwalk-model-strut-pose formula, the Design Indaba fashion arena will be asking fashion designers to communicate their “story” or brand.

Last year we saw this format being communicated by gymnasts, tap dancers, models, ballerinas, mimes, contortionists, puppets and performance artists. Again this year, producer Jan Malan promises to push the creative boundaries right off the stage.

Intriguing collaborations have already been confirmed – Amanda Laird Cherry’s show will be directed and choreographed by Jay Pather and Karen Monk Klijnstra’s by Brett Bailey. In turn, Hip Hop will be presenting the Afro Diva Shebeen Queen Pageant, hosted by Irit Noble and featuring the drop-dead-gorgeous drag artist, Ivan from Mozambique.

Encapsulating the colourful and complex facets of the “slicksta” streets of Mzansi, John Sithole will show his Earthquake collection, presented by True Love Babe magazine. Craig Native too will be exploring the "space” where we South Africans all meet and create our own culture and Craig Jacob’s new Fundudzi collection reflects a tribe of warrior women lamenting the ravages that have befallen our continent and planet.

Looking to the past, Sarah Webber’s I Love Leroy show will be reviving the vintage romanticism of the 1940s, while Sandhya Lalloo’s “SINister” new winter collection has taken inspiration from surrealism and artists like Salvador Dali, Joan Miro and Edvard Munch.

Avant garde knitwear designer Richard de Jager’s PWHOA label announces “a new nightmare in craft!”; promising to introduce rugby gear into his signature jacquard knits. Suzaan Heyns similarly deconstructs sequential patterns, exploring the dynamic tension between modular shapes, geometry, block colour, technology and nature.

Getting philosophical, both Lunar and Mantsho by Palesa Mokubung will be considering the role of the fashion designer and the audience. In Lunar’s INSIDE/OUT, the audience will be placed backstage in the dressing room, while Mokubung, supported by the dti, will be featuring herself in an exploration of the emotions, facts, phenomena and happenings in the world that personifies her label.

The growing need of men to find their form of expression in fashion is also noted this year, with both Ruby and Stiaan Louw launching their first dedicated ranges for men. While Ruby will be offering their trademark cheeky underwear, Louw’s collection will feature a monochromatic, black-on-black palette with a ballsy, experimental vision.

On Tuesday February 26, 2008, Design Indaba Expo has also invited a veritable cast of local fashion editors to introduce each fashion show.

The day-long fashion shows will be interspersed by a festival of local short films and music videos, including work from the Blackheart Gang, Iaminawe, Clockwork Zoo, Fly on the Wall and Blackginger Studios. The Animation SA network will also be presenting a curated showreel of the best local animation.

View the full fashion and film programme here.

Design Indaba Journalism Workshop: Book now!

The interest and enthusiasm surrounding the announcement of the first Design Indaba Journalism Workshop from February 23 to 26, 2008, has been astonishing. With less than two weeks to go, places are filling up fast.

Susan Yelavich

“Clearly the South African media are hungry for knowledge and we are grateful for their commitment to furthering the cause for design, which Design Indaba believes is vital in growing the local economy,” said Ravi Naidoo, founder of Design Indaba.

Indeed, the workshop offers journalists unique access to world leaders in design reportage for only R1500. Susan Yelavich, New York design critic and assistant professor at premier design school Parsons, will lead the workshop and general discussions. Assisting Yelavich in providing tutorage to breakaway groups are Frederico Duarte, freelance writer and communications designer, Portugal; Marcus Fairs, editor of Dezeen and former editor of Icon magazine, UK; and Julie Lasky, editor-in-chief of ID magazine, US.

“Every object of design resonates with the intentions of its maker, but when it enters the world it takes on new dimensions – economic, social, cultural, even political. Accordingly, design criticism should go beyond reportage and promotion to stimulate public conversations about the nature of those objects and the experiences, meanings and values they engender,” said Yelavich.

In advance of the workshop, participants will receive a short selection of writings that will serve as examples of best practices. However, the workshop is centred on practical engagement and participants will be guided in developing a critical piece of writing based on their experience of Design Indaba.

Running in conjunction with the Design Indaba Expo from February 23 to 26, participants will also be taken on a site visit to Design Indaba’s 10x10 Housing Project as well as having access to the Specialist Indabas on February 25 and 26. Following the workshop, participants are invited to experience the Design Indaba Conference, through the Young Designer’s Simulcast from February 27 to 29.

Book before Friday February 15 to ensure your participation!

Participation

The workshop is open to all journalists working in South Africa. Limited places are available and will be awarded on a first-come basis.

The workshop itself will run from February 23 to 26, 2008. The cost is R1500 per person. This includes access to the Design Indaba Expo from February 23 to 26, the three Specialist Indabas on February 25 and 26, and the simulcast of the Design Indaba Conference from February 27 to 29. Participation does not include accommodation and transport.

The workshop is open to countrywide participation and is aimed at professional junior, middle-weight and freelance journalists. Participants of the workshop will be expected to publish their work as an outcome to the workshop.

Design Indaba Expo: Newcomers set to delight visitors

This year's Design Indaba Expo, from February 23 to 26, 2008, pushes the boundaries of creative expression with some highly original new exhibitors.

From toys to fragrances, from laptop and iPod art to recycled PVC billboard skins, Design Indaba Expo is a space for lateral thinking and eco-friendly artists of every stripe.

For the first time ever, Design Indaba Expo showcases the work of a perfume designer, Tammy Fraser, whose products, from beeswax to packaging, are all natural and locally sourced.

Stone Fruit Floors is similarly homegrown - its floors consist of peach pips packed by hand onto a glued surface, then filled with silica sand and resin, and sealed with urethane. The pips are ground to ensure a smooth surface comfortable to bare feet.

In the interests of sustainability, eco-entrepreneurs Carbon d'Afreeque collect Tanqueray billboard skins before they are dumped or incinerated and use them for high-end accessories like clutches and laptop bags. "Saving the planet one bag at a time" is their motto. Similarly, Give-it-Bag's shopping carriers are made from recycled coffee, sugar and rice packaging, fusing beauty and utility in an eco-friendly manner.

Noko Designs also uses recyclables to create its bright, beautiful wall hangings and picture frames. Funky and fun, they breathe new life into discarded goods.

ARTSKiNZ is an entrepreneurial company that designs thin, protective covers for laptops and iPods. A wide variety of artists and styles gain exposure, as the work is exhibited wherever the gadgets are carried and technology can now be proudly creative!

Other Design Indaba newcomers Amazing Grace, Clever Little Monkey, Igneous Furniture and Tattoo Furniture Design strengthen the furniture category this year, alongside regulars Haldane Martin and Egg Designs. Clever Little Monkey is launching a new range of eco-friendly, sustainable children's furniture, linen and wall décor, as well as a see-through chair and table set that gets filled with shredded, recycled paper.

On the warm 'n fuzzy side, Woo-Men Plush Toys are handmade using top-quality fleece, felt, fur buttons and resilient upholstery stuffing. No two are exactly alike and the comic characters have their own unique personalities. Woo-Men is also launching a range of blank toys that can be customised with fabric paint, kokis, spray paint, felt and whatever you can think of.

The 2007 Loerie Awards celebrates excellence in advertising, design and experiential marketing in Africa and the Middle East. At this year's Design Indaba Expo you can see the best on show at the 2007 Loerie Awards Exhibition. After its launch at Design Indaba, it will travel around southern Africa and go as far as the famed One Club in New York.

Once again, the delights and design excellence on show at Design Indaba Expo will provide a feast for visitors and buyers.

Venue:
Cape Town International Convention Centre, Halls 1a, 2 and 3

Public opening hours:
23 to 26 February 2008
Saturday – 10am to 6pm
Sunday – 10am to 6pm
Monday – 11am to 6pm
Tuesday – 11am to 6pm

Tickets:
No pre-booking is necessary, and tickets are available at the door at a cost of:
R45 – adults
R25 – students and pensioners
R15 – children under 12
Children under 5 are free

Design Indaba Expo: 10 ways to drive a revolution

1. MASSIVE INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION
Design Indaba’s reach and reputation in terms of global awareness is cemented by over 20 media partners, including highly esteemed publications such as Axis, Icon, Novum, +81, Modern Media, Creative Review, ID, Dezeen, Design Week and Surface. This vote of confidence is accentuated by the fact that the very editors of these publications deem the event worthy of their personal coverage. Yes, heavyweight design writers including Laetitia Wolf, Katsutoshi Ishibashi, Justin McGuirk, Lynda Relph-Knight, Marcus Fairs, Julie Lasky and Patrick Burgoyne are all Design Indaba regulars.

2. THROUGH-THE-LINE CORPORATE ENDORSEMENT
Design Indaba’s potency is reinforced by having an assembly of leading multinationals and some of the largest companies in South Africa as corporate partners to the initiative – including Vodacom, Absa and Coca-Cola. The presence of these corporates is essential in terms of augmenting large-scale commissions. While creatives can certainly get by among themselves, the industry can grow much larger by speaking to and inspiring the commissioners. After all, designers are commercial artists, earning their living off corporate clients.

3. VAST LOCAL MEDIA MOBILISATION
Design Indaba has established partnerships with two of the most significant media levers in terms of reaching the domestic market. The SABC, which has the biggest media footprint in the country, is dedicating substantial broadcast airtime to the event. Avusa Media’s newest daily publication, The Times, which also hosts the fastest growing online South African news portal, will be reporting live from the event through vodcasts, podcasts and blogs. The Times is setting up a full editorial team of five people right on the Expo floor. The new Design Indaba Journalism Workshop will also see 30 of South Africa’s design journalists doing hands-on workshop reportage of the Expo, under the guidance of leading international design critic Susan Yelavich.

4. BUYERS TRAVEL FROM THE ENDS OF THE EARTH
The number of buyers that are pre-registering for Design Indaba 2008 is just astounding. Already we have confirmed more than 200 registered buyers – double last year’s headcount. Representatives of Walmart, Anthropologie, Gap, Globus, the Conran Shop, Galeries Lafayette and the Rainbow Gallery establish the calibre of the buyers. The Department of Trade and Industry is further sponsoring another 20 buyers. Two dedicated buyers’ mornings have been set aside to allow exhibitors one-on-one time to get their products exported. Indeed, Beverly Price sold earrings to someone in Tromsø, Norway – as close as you can get to the North Pole – through a buyer she met at Design Indaba last year.

5. FIRST PRIZE FOR EVERYONE
Design Indaba has stood firm in upholding the highest of standards. Featuring only original, contemporary and innovative products made and conceived in southern Africa, there are no derivatives or imports. An advisory panel of the best South African designers, stylists, critics and industry experts approves each exhibitor. It is significant that this process is not a legislative directive, but based on peer-review, which is the most mature way of establishing any standard – as is done in academic journals.

6. DIVERSITY IS A WORLD FIRST
To our knowledge, Design Indaba is a world first in terms of its multi-disciplinary nature that showcases 13 sectors of the creative industries alongside each other. Straddling product design, fashion, film, jewellery, graphic design, architecture and more, Design Indaba’s eclecticism and diversity is really what South Africa is about. The inspiration that is available on tap through this juxtaposition and sharing of ideas is paramount to the constant generation of fresh ideas. Having contributed this approach to the global creative discourse, increasingly we find that other international platforms are starting to emulate it.

7. GROWING DISCERNING CONSUMERS
Discerning customers that demand high-quality local design are essential for pushing design products into our leading retailers. With more than 20 000 visitors stepping through the doors of Design Indaba Expo last year, our mission to educate and entice local consumers is clearly paying off. Since its inception, the amount of visitors has annually grown by more than 30% – which means that we’re expecting almost 30 000 this year. To these ends, an extra day has been added to the now four-day Design Indaba Expo and a dedicated fashion arena is being launched. The last day of the Expo also corresponds with the conference registration, ensuring that local and international delegates and speakers are sure to spend the day at the Expo. Further promoting this awareness, 2008 sees the first step in ordaining the South African Design Week.

8. FERTILISING THE FUTURE
Ensuring that the design industry in South Africa is constantly flooded with new talent is essential in a long-term strategy of sustained growth. Design Indaba has always supported new young designers and 2008 sees 40 Emerging Creatives showing their products at the Expo for the first time, thanks to a partnership with the Department of Arts and Culture. The Woolworths Making the Difference Through Design (MTDTD) programme also provides a hands-on educational opportunity for school learners.

9. DE FACTO THOUGHT LEADERS
In an emerging economy where there is still no policy framework for development of the creative industries, let alone a mapping study, nor even a national design council, Design Indaba has become the de facto reference point. Bringing the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Arts and Culture and the Western Cape Economic Development and Tourism on board, the design message is reaching the decision makers. Our advocacy activities also include drafting the “Creative Industries: The Sleeper in the South African Economy" document, which was briefed to cabinet ministers and the Office of the Presidency, resulting in the creative industries being highlighted as one of nine sectors to form part of an accelerated growth strategy.

10. BIGGER THAN AN EVENT
Design Indaba is more than an event, it is a socially conscious drive for the local creative industry. Besides the conference, expo, quarterly magazine, workshops, educational initiatives and proactive advocacy, Design Indaba is constantly looking for new ways to grow. This year will see the first phase of the 10x10 Housing Project come to life, as well as the announcement of the Creative Alliance, the African Carbon Standard and a venture capital component. Design Indaba thrives all year round, all decade round and paves the future for creativity in South Africa.












Venue:
Cape Town International Convention Centre, Halls 1a, 2 and 3

Public opening hours:
23 to 26 February 2008 Saturday – 10am to 6pm Sunday – 10am to 6pm Monday – 11am to 6pm Tuesday – 11am to 6pm

Tickets:
No pre-booking is necessary, and tickets are available at the door at a cost of: R45 – adults R25 – students and pensioners R15 – children under 12 Children under 5 are free

Design Indaba 2008: Two weeks to go, don’t miss out!

Two weeks to go until Design Indaba 2008 and some of the makers of the world as we know it are preparing to arrive in Cape Town for what has been called the world’s most glamorous design convention. Running from February 23 to 29, 2008, the Design Indaba Expo will be extended by a day and precede the Design Indaba Conference this year, in the inauguration of South African Design Week.

From Bill Moggridge, who designed the world’s first laptop, to South African Oona Scheepers who has designed interiors for Porsche and Audi, the Design Indaba Conference, from February 27 to 29, is set to push cerebral limitations into yoga-like pretzels. The Young Designer’s Simulcast, allowing students and designers under 25 to experience the Conference in a live telecast for a reduced price will again run simultaneously.

Shunji Yamanaka, acclaimed designer of humanoid robots; Ilse Crawford, founding editor of Elle Décor; Ivan Chermayeff, responsible for the NBC and Mobil logos; and Li Edelkoort, the world’s most renowned trend forecaster, lead a stellar cast of 37 industry heavyweights on the conference programme. Adding to the mix, Marije Vogelzang is set to seduce with her food installations, Jonathan Levien and Nipa Doshi to enchant with their Indian-European mashups, and Maxim Velcovsky to undoubtedly astound with the size of his hair.

Driving critical debate around local creative industries, South African fashion designers Amanda Laird Cherry, Gavin Rajah and Nkhensani Nkosi will up the eye-candy in a multi-media panel interview interrogating the future and significance of South African fashion. Creators of the MTV orb, Hjalti Karlsson and Jan Wilker from New York, will also be presenting a bespoke graphic design project that responds to their experience of South African culture, streets, cuisine, creative communities and charm – we call it “Foreign Eye for the Local Guy”.

The inimitable Paul D Miller – aka DJ Spooky that Subliminal Kid – will also be taking the conference podium. His New York is Now music-visual installation, initially shown at the African Pavilion at the 2007 Venice Biennale, will be installed at the Michaelis School of Fine Art from February 24 to March 10 for free public viewing.

However, will these international big shots even stand ground when compared to the full force of the South African creative industries at the Design Indaba Expo? Running from February 23 to 26, this year’s Expo has been extended by an extra day after last year hosted more than 20 000 visitors. Over 250 exhibitors will be displaying the most original South African jewellery, graphic design, architecture, product design, décor, industrial design, craft and film.

Shop, look, learn, love, be inspired… and be sure to stop in at the Brandhouse
/LiquidChefs designer bar for a relaxing tipple or trendy food chain Lulu’s for a tasty nibble, while you consider who you should vote for in the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa award. Yes, for the first time the award will be determined by public opinion poll via SMS. You also get to have a say in the best stand award at the Creative Cape Town booth.

Play at being a trend forecaster at the Emerging Creatives platform, sponsored by the Department of Arts and Culture. Showcasing 40 of the country’s freshest, youngest designers just embarking on their careers, this is a trend-spotter’s delight. The likes of Alfalfa, Andile Dyalvane, Warren Lewis and Lyall Sprong all launched their careers here.

In response to the overwhelming amount of visitors’ and buyers’ interest, Design Indaba Expo is also launching a new, dedicated fashion hall sponsored by the SABC. PWHOA by Richard de Jager, I Love Leroy by Sarah Webber, Lunar, Ruby, Afro Diva by Hip Hop, Suzaan Heyns, Fundudzi by Craig Jacobs, Karen Monk Klinjstra, Earthquake by John Sithole, Amanda Laird Cherry, Stiaan Louw, Sin by Sandhya Lalloo and Native by Craig Native have already confirmed participation in Design Indaba’s unique fashion concept that marries performing arts and high couture.

Also running in conjunction with Design Indaba Expo are the Specialist Indabas on architecture, jewellery and lifestyle on February 25 and 26. These breakaway sessions offer concentrated insights for professionals, the public and interested parties and include maestro of British-Japanese architecture Mark Dytham, installation maniac Jason Burges, avant-garde Swiss jeweller Christoph Zellweger, top studio jeweller Wendy Ramshaw and more on the programme.

For the first time, there will also be a Design Indaba Journalism Workshop, which will see 30 of South Africa’s design journalists doing hands-on workshop reportage of the Expo, under the guidance of leading international design critic Susan Yelavich, as well as Frederico Duarte, freelance writer and communications designer, Portugal; Marcus Fairs, editor of Dezeen and former editor of Icon magazine, UK; and Julie Lasky, editor-in-chief of ID magazine, US.

Design Indaba in association with Absa have also booked an evening at Madame Zingara on Wednesday 27 February, 2008, to host our Design Indaba international speakers, guests and sponsors. A handful of tickets are available for purchase by members of the public and design fraternity, the proceeds of which will go to the Design Indaba Trust, which supports needy design students.