Creative Cape Town

The CT Design Network 2010 event for July includes as its speakers Rod Stevens (Blueprint Architects) who designed the new Cape Town Airport as well as Roger Van Wyk and Lerato Berang (Educentric cc), the curators/project managers of the public art work installed at the new IRT stations around the city.

At the last event in June there was a focus on Graphic Design in CT. Speakers included Bruno Morphett of Plan B Design and Tabatha King of Coley Porter Bell. Held, appropriately, at the Primedia Studios on the Fan Walk, this was a great space to feel the atmosphere of the 2010 FIFA World Cup which was due to start the next day. We were welcomed warmly by Karl Gostner from Primedia Cape Town. Karl oversees both Cape Talk and KFM, based at the Greenpoint Studios.

Our invited speakers gave visually rich presentations. Bruno works as an independent designer/DJ with a strong interest in type and he has done some incredible commissions, including logos for the World Design Capital bid, amongst others.

Coley Porter Bell is a relative newcomer on the CT design scene. It is a well known UK design company whose successes include a very creative rebranding of Kotex. The company decided to put its first international satellite office in Cape Town because of its interest in the local scene. Tabatha’s team has worked on a range of projects, including Cape Town Tourism’s Live it Louder brand and a range of projects for Fairview Wines and Cheeses.

The July Cape Town Design network event is entitled Airports, Bus Stations and Nominations. There are two speakers: Rod Stevens, who will talk about his design work on the CT international Airport and Roger Van Wyk and Lerato Berang, who will discuss the IRT Public Art.

Rod Stevens is an architect with Blueprint Architects (a joint venture with KMH and Jonker and Barnes Architects). Roger Van Wyk is an artist, curator and planner who has worked on a number of public art projects. Lerato Berang was one of five Young Curators at Cape Africa Platform where she co-produced Sessions Maputo in Mozambique and curated an unusual and brilliant project in a taxi.

The Cape Town Design Network 2010 is a project aimed at helping to create a forum for designers in the city. Nominations are being sought for an interim committee of the network to properly formulate the forum and to determine its future work. Individuals are welcome to nominate themselves.

Nominations are open to more than one person per organisation. Both younger and more experienced (busy) designers are needed as both energies are needed to drive the network at this early stage. If you are interested in being on this committee email caroline@capetownpartnership.co.za

The venue for the 8 July 2010 event is The Cape Creative Exhibition, 37 Main Road Greenpoint. Time: 17h30 – 19h30. The event is free with a cash bar. Rsvp: bronwyn@capetownpartnership.co.za to attend.

Cape Creative Exhibition is collaboration between the Visual Arts Network (VANSA), the Performing Arts Network (PANSA), Cape Film Commission, the Africa Centre, the Cape Craft & Design Initiative (CCDI) and The Fringe Arts, in partnership with Indalo Project and the City of Cape Town’s Tourism Department. This multi-disciplinary exhibition will showcase the creative talent of Cape Town, bringing together selected ranges of craft, design, fine art, film and performing art. The exhibition runs for the duration of the World Cup until 18 July 2010, in an industrial-style building diagonally opposite the stadium. The exhibition is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00 as well as for scheduled evening performances. See Facebook for more info.

Download Invitation.