Across the design industry and across the globe, we’re seeing a move: from designing pretty things to designing change. And transforming people’s lives through design is Cape Town’s World Design Capital 2014 promise.

As part of Cape Town’s bid for the 2014 designation, three case studies were identified as part of showcasing what design can do to reconnect, rebuild and reposition the city:

The Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading project increased the safety of Khayelitsha residents, helped to reduce crime and violence and upgrade low-income neighbourhoods.

Design Indaba’s 10×10 low cost housing project saw architect Luyanda Mpahlwa’s 54m² sustainable homes built from local materials and without advanced construction knowledge for around R65 000.

Tsai Design’s Nested Bunk Beds are a set of five beds that can be retracted to take up the space of a single bed, meaning families living in small homes can sleep more children without compromising play and living areas.

Hot on the heels of Design Indaba’s Your Street competition – which encouraged citizens to transform an aspect their street-level experience through the power of design – come two community-centred design awards.

The first of these  is COMMON Pitch, which is  “all about shining a light on the incredible people using creativity to find new solutions to the world’s toughest challenges,” says Alex Bogusky, COMMON co-founder and an Adweek’s creative director of the decade. “It only makes sense to bring this event to Africa, where creativity and enterprise are colliding in the most brilliant ways.”

In a very similar vein is the Deutsche Bank Urban Age Award, a celebration of creative solutions to problems and opportunities facing people living in urban areas in the developing world. Held previously in São Paolo, Mexico City, Istanbul and Mumbai, Urban Age has chosen Cape Town for 2012.  “It is about making citizens aware that they can be the change they want and it is about showcasing Cape Town as a city that is trying to overcome urban challenges positively,” explains Wolfgang Nowak, managing director of Deutche Bank’s Alfred Herrhausen Society.

Design Indaba is known for championing emerging creative and designers who help find key solutions to society’s seemingly intractable challenges – and inspiring others to follow suit. As founder Ravi Naidoo puts it: “ … design is about …finding creative solutions to transform and improve the lives of people across the globe. Creativity can have the most material economic impact on a country and it is for this reason we are committed to our belief that a better world is possible through creativity.”

In a metaphorical representation of the global population, 99% ‘’have not,’’ compared with 1% who ’’have … in abundance’’.
Join the revolution where design is the tool – for rebuilding, reconnecting and repositioning Cape Town for the 99%, for the 21st century and beyond
For more information on the City of Cape Town’s World Design Capital 2014  yourwdc2014@capetown.gov.za.
Courtesy Creative Cape Town.

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Please raise your glass to an innovative South African company producing distinctive wines – while conserving African wild dogs and their habitat – building a community among supporters of wine, conservation and wildlife art – and contributing to the triple bottom line.

One of Africa’s most desperately endangered mammals, the African Wild Dog is also known as the “Painted Wolf”. These fascinating animals inspired Jeremy and Emma Borg to commit to conservation initiatives via funds from every bottle of their Painted Wolf Wines* sold.

Find out more about these intriguingly beautiful creatures with their co-operative family structure, unusual learned, as opposed to instinctive hunting tactics and their submission-based, rather than dominance-based hierarchy, where nonaggression is emphasised and even over food, they beg energetically instead of fight.

The Borgs favour organically grown, low yielding and mostly un-irrigated vineyards. They are striving to create wines that are balanced, harmonious yet with a persistent lively finish – just like a wild dog pack.
They don’t own their own cellar, but lodge their artisan wine making equipment and barrels with a wine making friend, where they ‘’den” down seasonally.
They are avid fans of two distinctively South African varietals – Chenin Blanc and Pinotage, and their bold, fruit-driven wines expressively reflect their terroir. Look over their ratings – from Steve Tanzer of US Wine Enthusiast, to medals in the Decanter World Wine awards and Old Mutual Trophy Wine shows.

Jeremy, a former professional chef and foodie, has over 20 years experience working in the UK, in California with Rosenblum Cellars and in the Cape with Fairview Wine Estate. He’s a visionary with a burning passion to build a community of like-minded individuals who embrace a symbiotic relationship, such as grape growers, wine makers, conservation-istas, wildlife artists and photographers. See what they are up to with their creative wine labels.

Emma harnesses her rich photographic and networking skills to tell the Painted Wolf story and draws on her adventurous past to co-craft delicious wines and co-create a company which strives to be socially and environmentally responsible, nimble … and fun to be associated with.

They are inspiring pioneers whose company mantra  is ‘persistently remarkable, remarkably persistent’. Cape Insights salutes their vision and will keep you posted about exciting new initiatives they have up their sleeves. Meanwhile why don’t you try out their wines for yourself?

*Painted Wolf Wines is an advocate for the conservation of the highly endangered African Painted Wolf (African Wild Dogs) and the protection of the diminishing wild spaces of Africa, through its donations to The Tusk Foundation, The Botswana Predator Conservation Trust and The Endangered Wildlife Trust.

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Paul Theroux, travel writer and novelist, asked to be shown around some ‘’unusual places’’ while on a journey in southern Africa. He wanted to meet ‘’extraordinary people’’ and hear ‘’compelling stories’’ …

‘’I want to thank you for your help in showing me some fascinating aspects of Cape Town. I deeply recommend you as an insider / guide  … for finding just the sort of places you know’’.

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Summer holidays in the Cape are all about putting your feet up … or dipping them in the ocean … or even stomping grapes at harvest time.
But new year is about fresh beginnings and powerful intentions.

How about wishing for …
”A real voyage of discovery that consists not only in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes” – Marcel Proust …
Isn’t this an attractive resolution – and one that’s do-able?

Here’s to the law of attraction which is a powerful force. May it be with you!

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Cape Town has just been crowned the World Design Capital 2014. Which means it’s hot on the world’s radar as the newest design hub and deservedly in the international spotlight.

It also means that the city’s plans for growth will be bedrocked on creative design, which focusses on architecture, public transport and greener ways to do things – and goes far beyond things like decorating, clothing and jewellery.

Taking over the mantle from Helsinki which followed Seoul and Torino in 2008 when the bi-annual award was inaugurated, Cape Town will host six events that use design for their social, economic, and cultural development.

These are exciting times for the roll out of public spaces and innovative strategies for sustainable living conditions for all. Citizens will benefit from the focus on ”what people do and how solutions are designed around them” said Johannes Cronje, dean of the faculty of Informatics & Design at Cape Peninsula University who was instrumental in kick-starting the bid that beat Bilbao and Dublin.

And then Table Mountain was voted one of the New7Wonders of Nature. Read all about it.
As well as the significance of the iconic site!

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Stand up and be counted … Vote with your Mouse ~ Blow with your Whistle …

Table Mountain is a heavyweight contender in the final round of the New7Wonders of Nature contest, but she needs your help to become an ultimate champion!
The mountain is vying for a spot on this most prestigious list along with 27 other natural beauties.

A worldwide popular vote will determine if Cape Town’s most beloved icon makes the cut.
Table Mountain is up against some very stiff competition, but you can ensure she gets the recognition she deserves by voting for her in this crucial last round.
Even if you voted in the previous round, you must go through the process again to ensure that you have a final say.

The world’s New7Wonders of Nature will be announced in Zurich, Switzerland, on the 11-11-11.
The campaign raises awareness of the incredible variety and beauty of nature around us.
The organising foundation’s slogan sums its position up:
“If we want to save anything, we first need to truly appreciate it!”

Support a whistle-blowing campaign. Open Democracy Advice Centre spokesman Alison Tilley says that there is a real need to create a culture of whistle-blowing in South Africa “Fighting corruption starts with individuals. Small acts of courage can have a massive impact.”

The City of Cape Town has its own Whistle-blowing Policy which seeks to promote a culture in which its citizens feel able to raise genuine and valid concerns. Any member of the public can call the City’s toll-free anti-corruption hotline on 0800 32 31 30 to report suspected corruption – anonymously or otherwise.

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The first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, Wangari Maathai will be remembered as an eco warior extraordinaire and founder of the Green Belt Movement in Kenya that has planted more than 47 million trees to prevent environmental and social degradation.

When the movement expanded to embrace wider campaigns for social, economic and political change, it set her on a collision course with the government of Daniel arap Moi, that whipped, tear gassed and threatened her with death.

She knew the forests were facing destruction because of indiscriminate development. “You cannot protect the environment unless you empower people and help them understand that these resources are their own, that they must protect them.”

Together with the UN Environment Programme, Mathaai launched a campaign to plant a billion trees worldwide in 2006. To follow her courageous footsteps why don’t you find our what your carbon footprint is. … and then do something about it?

We passionately believe that each step we take matters - which is why we donate to an award-winning campaign run by Food and Trees for Africa as our contribution to offsetting the imprints made by our clients  … to … from … & within South Africa.

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