Cape Town to get Hollywood Style movie studios

about time!

Read about it here

Clip on Greenhouses

I found this on the DesignMind website - it is a very cool idea.

Original post

Now this idea from a Wellington, New Zealand based design team may not be such a bad idea for the Johannesburg CBD rejuvenation project. ‘The Plant Room’ is a prefabricated 'clip-on' garden shed/greenhouse designed for high-rise apartment buildings, or flats as we like to call them

The prefabricated room bolts on to a variety of existing building types, which improves quality of living, reduces energy and water use and generally makes the building more sustainable.

The Plant Room team explained:-
A Plant Room provides hot water for one occupant and a healthy growing space for herbs, fruit and vegetables all year round. It also offers a worm farm, a rainwater tank, an outdoor space and an enclosed room.
It shades the apartment to avoid summer overheating and collects hot air to circulate warmth in the winter. It is designed to improve the quality of apartment living while reducing the energy and water use of its occupants. It could also be a suitable solution to office retro-fits.

Pretty nifty, huh?
http://bit.ly/clEJ9l

The soft/well spoken design genius - Mokena Makeka

I was blown away by this well spoken man. Turns out he is a genius. Designers like him should be leaders of the Arch industry and shows that we can hold our own against any other country.

Makeka and his company Design Lab (lovely branding) approach problems not as designers only but also as philosophers and urbanists. This in itself is not a unique approach but this is one of the few groups that really applies it and dont just preach it.

The presentation started out extremely boring (my opinion) with a LOT of reading but it all made sense a few minutes later when he showed how the theory was applied. Any negatives regarding this presentation was saved by his amazing passion regarding the implementation of these theories.

The basic premise of his design philosophy is that design influences people and their behaviour. Once again not a new concept but brilliant implementation.

Take for example the SAPS Retreat project he did.

Yes - it is a police station...

Working on the basic premise that people will respond like delinquents if you design for delinquents he designed this building to inspire pride in it's occupants and neighbours. To date there's been no vandalism to this building.

There is a great article on their website here where they discuss the design intent of this building and how it was achieved.

Take some time and browse through their site - it is truly inspiring.

Memorable qoutes

a republish from the Design Indaba blog:

Michael Bierut:

“You get power by giving away power.”

“The audience is more wonderful than you think.”

Mokena Makeka:

- no one quote, but the idea that public buildings should not be designed for neglect.

William Drenttel:

“Why do universities need logos?”

The Wooster Collective:

“Cities need unauthorised acts of creativity”

Faith47:

“There’s a truth and honesty in brokeness.”

“The work I do is not a job.”

Harry Pearce:

“The world is full of flowers, if you only have eyes to see.”

Hang Feng:

“You are an artist - that means you can always find your own way.”

“When the time and the luck arrive - always grab it.”

Alejandro Aravena:

“It’s amazing how fast bad ideas travel.”

“The problem is the solution.”

“The resource we need is coordination.”

Fiona Raby:

“Do we change the world to suit us - or change ourselves to suit the world?”

Handspring Puppet Company:

“This is how people had to work together to make a life.”

So simple and yet so cool

4 extremely practical kitchen appliances by Tomas Kral

Alejandro Aravena

This Chillian architect is a genius and completely deserved the standing ovation he received.

he showed us a few of his designs - great designs but not really my taste so my attention started drifting when he moved on to his second part of the lecture and I realised something big is about to be revealed - the Do Tank.

The Do Tank is his answer to the outdated think tank - gone is the out of touch assembly of experts sitting around a table discussing their research - they actually do things as is evident from his presentation of the Elemental project.

Elemental Project.

The elemental project at it's most basic is a project that deals with low cost housing but by following these principles:

1. For poor people, location is even more important than is usually the case. The key question is - “Where is social housing located.”
2. A house should gain in value. Social housing should be an investment, not a social expense.

By following these principles the poor not only have a roof over their heads - they are actually empowered by the ownership. Suddenly banks are willing to loan money to them since they have something of value to use as security.

From the official Design Indaba Blog:

These principles are the exact opposite of those we see in many social housing projects, especially here in South Africa. Housing for poor people is usually located on cheap land. Cheap land is far from the centres of activity - far from work, schools and any of the other aspects of daily life.

Social housing is also usually so small and poorly constructed, and located so badly,that it decreases in value.

As Alejandro said - “It’s amazing how fast bad ideas travel”.

The problem is this. The informal settlement has a finite size, and too many families living upon it. Within the constraints of the budget, they could build

• Few medium size houses - and then most people have to leave, as there are no houses for them.
• Many tiny houses - but still not enough, too small, and these houses would be difficult to “expand” as families needs grew.
• Highrise buildings - which the inhabitants refused to contemplate, and which could also not be “expanded.”

The Elemental project’s solution was this. The project would plan for the “medium” size houses, but build only half the house. They would plan (and build) in such a way that more units could fit in, and that the families could easily expand into the “missing” half when they were able to do so.

image from dezeen

In other words: Elemental built a system of row houses in which half of every unit is missing. But because they have built the part that requires the most expertise and investment - the load bearing structure, the roof and so on - the inhabitants could expand into the missing voids at a later stage - in any way they liked.

image from dezeen

This also dealt with the pervading problem of social housing - the uniformity and lack of individuality.

But the heart of this project was the level at which the future inhabitants of this project were consulted.

“Can we have families understand the restrictions and help us establish priorities?”

I was particularly impressed with the projects commitment to consulting with the families who were to live in this project. Plans were not created for them, but with them - from the very beginning of the project.

For example, after explaining the project as Elemental envisioned it, they asked the “family leader” to write and draw their impressions of how the project might be, and used these to inform their own decisions.

image from viviendas

Another example: a decision had to be made about the bathroom fittings. I had already been decided that the bathrooms would contain baths, not showers - consistent with the vision of creating properties based on middle-income standards.

The budget did not provide for both a bath, and a water heater. In contrast to what the Elemental team expected, all families chose the bath - something they had never had before, in which they could wash their children and their clothing in privacy. A water heater needed expensive fuel, which they might not have in the future.

Another aspect I found fascinating was the approach to interior decorating. Elemental left the interiors as stark and empty as they could, to provide a neutral “stage” in which the families could create their own homes. This is a contrast to Le Corbusier’s approach, in which the inhabitants had to conform to the architects vision.

image from dezeen

image from dezeen

This also constrasted with the Marcello Rosenbaum presentation in which he shared his “social housing make-overs”. Rosenbaum showed us project after project of poor housing made pretty -pathetic squats turned into magazine glossy interiors.

The “after” images in the Elemental project could be used as the “before” images in the Rosenbaum project - but they left me with a feeling of hope. Maybe Elemental have found a way to help people without depriving them of dignity.

Just on another note - from the Design Indaba Twitter stream:

Alejandro was stuck at the airport after it collapsed during the earthquake but is fine. All the housing projects survived the quake.

also "We sending hippo rollers to Chile to aid in distribution of water to quake victims, after request from Alejandro Aravena. Tx, SAA Cargo too!"

A not so glittering performance

How to make a Martha Flambe

You will need:

• 1 x house wife
• Loads of dollars
• Country of overfed, dollar-bloated ignorant patriots

• 1 x Bodyguard
• 5 minutes of late
• Copious amounts of arrogance
• Abundant ignorance
• 20 minutes of glitter – colour of own choice
• Just under 2000 delegates
• 30 minutes of self glorification

Preparations:

The speaker:

Mix bored housewife and Loads of dollars. Pour slowly over Country of overfed, dollar-bloated ignorant patriots and let it simmer. Dollars should start multiplying exponentionaly.

Making the Flambe

Take one auditorium.

Add delegates to taste

Let them sit for 5 minutes while you mix the speaker and bodyguard. Wait for speaker until it is ready. Slowly move speaker to front of auditorium making sure that bodyguard stays between speaker and delegates. Wait for murmur to subside.

Pour ignorance and arrogance over speaker while stirring in 30 minutes of self glorification.

(if done right about 10% of delegates should leave the auditorium. Do not worry as ignorance and arrogance will form a thick skin around speaker.

Mix in 20 minutes of glitter.

Switch of lights and use video presentation as self-glorification glazing. (another 30% percent of delegates may leave now).

Mixture should be highly flammable now and delegates should automatically start flaming the speaker.

Enjoy the roasting.

(caution – bitter taste left behind might cause other speakers to leak subtle snide remarks and comments– don’t worry as this is a natural outlet of feelings of contempt and annoyance).

So what went wrong?

I will admit this – I was secretly looking forward to seeing Martha Stewart. Not because I secretly love scrapbooking or jailhouse rocking but because I wanted to know how this ordinary woman made a fortune selling nonsense that anyone can find for free on the internet or at the local library.

She blew it and prompted probably the first mass walk-out ever at the Design Indaba. She can also add to her list of credits probably the first ever subject of a Twitcom.

I am not going to re-invent the wheel and will leave you with this excerpt from Louise Marsland’s page at Bizcommunity.

“
Delivering a presentation more suited to the Krugersdorp Vrouefederasie or the Belville Housewives Scrapbooking Circle, she managed to inspire a mass walkout in both auditoriums - practically unheard of in the history of Design Indaba, which is the industry's premier conference and expo showcase in the creative industries and an inspiration destination annually.

And so we get another twiord (twitter word): she was ‘twitter slapped' (twitapped?) by the twitterverse. Twerrible.

The complaints centred around that fact that she used her presentation as a sales pitch (given how she is about to launch her ‘Martha Stewart's Cupcakes' in South Africa) and spoke to these highly creative and key delegates with a lack of awareness that was astounding. With the likes of local agency heads and creative directors and world-renowned designers and architects in the audience, you don't talk about doing ‘glitter by numbers' pictures and show 29 pictures of yourself holding various farm life (unless that's part of your creative installation!). The laughter was cringe worthy indeed. The result was a walkout.”

Read the whole article here

people gathered around the twitterfeed reading the twitcom

Some of the tweets:

• Stewart doesn't get irony. Maybe if we used glitter highlights? Oooooh, what's next? EDIBLE GLITTER!! o bad, I can't leave...
• Apparently Stewart's hashtag went from being Design orientated to the world 1st twitter comedy!
• Seems bloggers are crazy about glitter - Martha. Lots of giggles.
• listening to martha talk about her new paint line is as exciting as watching it dry!
• smother me with a Stenciled Hawaiian Flower Cushion
• Strangle me with some Merry Vintage Linens

And my favourite! (the fingerprint scan entrance system didn’t work half the time so people were late trying to get in)

AmandaSevast:i can't believe Martha Stewart is late. Would think she's used to having her fingerprints taken by now.

What we learnt in Cape Town

• At 7am on registration day, no-one has a sense of humour
• Pikka Chew, no wait Pecha Kucha
• The sun only rises at 6am
• It OK to interrupt the highway with 3 robots and take it though suburbia – no one minds!
• Quintus was more attractive to the general population of Cape Town than I was
• Most designers wear glasses
• More than I cared to know about where bits of a pig land up
• Gail likes bearded Brazilian decorators
• Driving 80kmph on the highway is considered speeding
• Designers have too many iphones
• And macs
• Livia holds a grudge for a long time
• You can hand paint your own volla
• Capetonians bitch passively on twitter, Gautengers just bitch out loud all the time
• Students are not really there to see the speakers
• Smash and Grab film is not standard issue
• People will buy faeces if it has a Martha Stewart label on it
• Cape Town has wireless now :)

The very last of last days

On the very last day of Design Indaba Cape Town gave to me;

• · One trendy lady (click)
• · A fashion conscious ninja (click)
• · A wool crazed Dutchman (click)
• · The ex-con glitterati (click) Quintus's opinion
  
• · One epileptic
• · A social housing guru (click)
• · 6 future farmers

And some sushi that I ate for free.

What an eventful last day indeed! The day was kicked off with Li Edelkoort, one of the speakers I looked forward to the most, she is a super duper consumer trend forecaster. The question is, what came first, Li or the trend?! :)

Her trends in a nut-shell, were family based, family is coming together, not the idea of a nuclear family, all manner of family, nuclear, same sex, adopted, fostered, groups, extended families etc. This in turn influences the indiwidual (as she says it) and the indiwidual is no longer more important than the group. People are looking for connections, life has to mean more than work, and relationships are very important (great ... even Li is making fun of me for being single) in our social matrix at the moment, which of course means consumers are feeling this impact. And of course, yellow is the new pink!

Han Feng was up next, a super duper dynamic little Chinese lady, she is truly inspirational in that she is the epitome of “fake it till you make it”, launching her career in fashion by paying fellow Chinese immigrants to the states $1 per scarf that they made, then selling them off to departments stores, you got to love it, or at the very least admire it.

Christien Meindertsma was next in the line up, she is wool be-f**k – literally! She started off with the philosophy of one sheep = one cardigan, which is lovely, if not just a wee bit un-feasible. Ending her talk with her book PIG05049 which is a book that details what happens to EVERY (she is very thorough) SINGLE bit and piece of the pig. Let’s just say, as it turns out, I am an unbelievably dodgy vegetarian, and if the other vegetarians knew I would be asked to leave the vegetarian inner circles of trust.

Martha Martha Martha, where do I start?! I was so looking forward to Martha, you see fundamentally, I am a huge fan. In my itty bitty feminist world, any woman who can be worth billions, run a successful business and do it all in heels deserves respect – R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

This is why, I spent all week eyeing every blond of appropriate age in the venue. I was over exited and I suspect in hind sight, expecting too much, hence when the patron saint of house wives started off on a downward slope and well, just kept sliding, I was horrified, mortified even. She spent the best part of an hour, explaining the Martha Empire, which is considerable, and then moved onto her “most exiting” newest addition, glitter, I am not even joking, Martha came to the Design Indaba, not only to discuss glitter, but to show us how one can buy Martha glitter by number packs, or even download off Martha.com software that will allow you to glitter by number your favourite pics. She redeemed herself slightly by selling (literally) her paint range to us, it’s based off of a chicken, I kid you not, a chicken and the colourful eggs it lays.

Just as I am about to wash my hands of Martha completely, I remind myself ...

Martha has;

• · 2 000 000 twitter followers (which by the way, according to Martha is both cheap and free)
• · 300 000 people clicked her web site to view photos of her closet (the irony has not escaped me)
• · Martha brand enamel paint which costs $85 per gallon
• · A net worth of about $638 million in 2007
• · Probably got a prison tattoo and was jail bait :)

Gail has? ... Exactly!

You may not like the old duck, but you got to respect her achievements!

Alejandro Aravena is a social housing guru from Chilli. Social Housing is one of my passions, I took it as an elective during my honours year – and loved it! It is a very complex issue as it deals with more than just housing, it about pride, community, ownership, achievement and values, just to skim to top of the iceberg. His ideas, while innovative, were not unique, but he managed to present them so beautifully and passionately that he had the audience hanging off his every word. He got the only (that I saw) standing ovation of the conference. Well deserved!

We had to miss the ZA puppets unfortunately, as we were running late, and Mornay put the fear of God into us with traffic horror stories. Afeared of missing our plane we hit the highway, crawled to the airport, booked in and had sushi to say good bye to Cape Town.

BYE CAPE TOWN!!

xxxgail

We made this

we really made this - saw these guys (they did this to themselves by themselves, there was NO art directing involved) at the ORTambo and conned Quintus into taking a pic - our very own motivational poster