Writer: Lifestyle Desk | Photographs: Supplied
Happening this week, the inaugural Design Week South Africa, powered by Yoco, is popping up in and around Johannesburg from 10 – 13 October, before heading down to Cape Town from 24 – 27 October. From workshops, launches and exhibitions, to collaborations, open studios and discussions, visitors can expect a broad mix of events and activations.
Ahead of this week’s festivities in Johannesburg, Design Week South Africa, powered by Yoco, has released some interesting new inclusions to the Johannesburg calendar, as well as a selection of exciting Cape Town events coming up later this month.
Urbanist and member of the Design Week South Africa curatorial team, Roland Postma said, “Design Week South Africa, powered by Yoco, is not just another exhibition or talk shop, but rather intentional pop-ups situated in working urban spaces across the city to solve real problems relevant to our struggles as an urbanised country.”
JOHANNESBURG CALENDAR:
Adding to the incredible mix of Joburg-based brands and showrooms already listed as participants, some other exciting additions have been added to the local calendar:
Thursday, 10 October sees the addition of a ticketed dinner by Masterchef contestant, chef Tebogo Mabye, at 44 Stanley’s Bean There, a book presentation on ‘I Love You I Hate You’ by Bradley Kirshenbaum of Love Jozi, and Laurice Taitz-Buntman, of Johannesburg in Your Pocket, and an interactive open studio by internationally-renowned architects dhk.
On Friday, 11 October, Soweto-based Soulart Foundation will launch its free, two-day sustainable art and design workshop, while culinary design studio Borwa will showcase an exhibition and culinary experience at Victoria Yards.
The non-profit organisation and catalyst of change, Jozi My Jozi will conduct the Urban Renewal minibus tour from 10:00 to 13:00 on 11 October. Guided by Jozi My Jozi member and inner-city management company, LocalAbode founder, Stephen Du Preez, the tour will start in the east of the city at the Ellis Park precinct, moving through to Ghandi Square and the Nelson Mandela Bridge and surrounds, to showcase some of the incredible inner-city renewal and revival projects it is spearheading together with leading corporates, organisations and a public-private partnership with the City of Joburg. The aim of the movement – for the people, by the people – is to ignite hope and instil pride in our city once again. The cost of the tour is R200 per person.
Young Urbanists in conjunction with Rosebank Management District will be hosting an exciting street experiment at Bath Street in Rosebank.
House and Leisure, in collaboration with The Manor, will curate a panel discussion entitled, ‘The Eye’, featuring Trevor Stuurman, Charl Francois Edwards, Bielle Bellingham, Cassandra Twala, Nandi Dlepu and hosted by Design Week South Africa’s Zanele Kumalo.
Saturday, 12 October will feature a collaborative short film and interactive activation, ‘Daydreaming & Breaking Bread’ by Luke Radloff of UNI FORM and Annegret Affolderbach, an exhibition launch at Path Nomad entitled ‘African Zen’, and a Spring Collection launch at Asha Eleven’s Parkhurst store.
On Sunday, 13 October, ‘An Exploration of Joburg’s Alleyways’ tour, hosted by architects and urbanists Clare Chappel and Mark Schaerer will guide visitors (children also welcome) from Breezeblock Cafe in Brixton through some of the surrounding, forgotten alleyways, while Mamakashaka will host a discussion entitled, ‘Design in Bloom’ at their creative space in Braamfontein.
“For me, as a young South African and urbanist, Design Week South Africa, powered by Yoco, will continue the vital dialogue that the World Design Capital 2014 brought to our Mother City, helping us find solutions, cross-pollinate ideas, and cultivate our collective action,” says Postma.
To find out more about these events, and to book tickets and free registration to each of these events, visit the Design Week South Africa, powered by Yoco, website here.