photo by Yasser Booley
@Field Office, Barrack Street, East City
29th September 2010
If you’re talking Cape Town clichés, I’m a bit lost right now. I don’t know which gourmet coffee shop I’m in, who exactly these confidently dressed creative professionals are, or why there’s a giant poster on the well hung wall that towers over the buzzing bodies below. All I know is that there’s a certain respect in the air for what’s about to happen in the newly opened ‘pop-up’ café, Pederson and Lennard’s “Field Office”. But before we get there, the food.
Call me superficial, but as a person of the press, I have learnt the truth – the calibre of a gathering is directly relative to its quality of food. This one should get an award. You know how budget caterers are at pains to serve cheap finger food that ups your cholesterol and puts you in a funk after one too many functions? This is not one of those occasions. The food was light, delicious and, I dare say, nutritious. Good move, bringing Woodstock secret “The Kitchen” to the table. Characteristically Creative Cape Town, really, the creative and innovative mobilisation mechanism is known for fraternising with the fantastic and the refined, the real and the inspired. Case in point; I think I paid more attention to the waiters than Andrew Boraine welcoming the overflowing turnout.
No, that’s a lie. Andrew is outspoken, succinct and sharp; it’s hard to ignore him. He’s also funny and warm, so it’s never necessary to. Not quite your typical Chief Executive Officer; Andrew represents Cape Town Partnership. He gave an overview to the good people gathered elbow to armpit, highlighting Creative Cape Town’s overall activities, including its key projects, the World Design Capital2014 Bid and the East City development project and it’s most recent contribution to the inner city creative pie, The Creative Cape Town Annual 2010. If an annual report could be an art form, this would be its template.
Between its pages lie many secrets and insights, which is the real reason it was so well received by both readers and advertisers since its inaugural launch in 2009, when 6000 copies were distributed free to creatives, politicians, the media and business leaders. From Woodstock’s regeneration through design to Sean O’Toole’s insights to the Jazz Fest, from why the Loeries love Cape Town to why Cape Town loves socially conscious design, from cover to cover, this year’s annual is dedicated to the World Design Capital 2014 Bid. Suitably, it looks good, it reads easily, and it invites you to re-imagine your city, positively, potently and as a potential Design award winner. It is an excellent motivation for its ulterior motive – to get you inspired by and involved in the city’s evolution.
Creative Cape Town Annual’s editor, Zayd Minty (and the coordinator, visionary of Creative Cape Town) believes that the “the bid process itself will be highly beneficial, not just for the creative community but also for the city as a whole. We value your engagement with it.” Andrew mirrors this as I reach for another love-smothered kebab. “Regardless of the results of the competition,” he states pointedly, “we will have accrued an incredible database.” Its function is to further galvanise design and innovation for those living andworking in Cape Town. Are you on it? This is one Cape Town trend worth following.
Find out more about the Creative Cape Town Annual.
