Picture: Design Week South Africa
In an effort to uplift South Africa’s creative economy, Design Week South Africa (DWSA), supported by Yoco, is set to debut this October with a curated programme of events and immersive experiences in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
The initiative seeks to celebrate South African design while creating a space for collaboration, innovation, and knowledge-sharing within the industry.
DWSA is designed to be more than just a showcase. The platform aims to foster connections, drive collaboration, and shape the next generation of creative leaders.
According to Margot Molyneux, founder of Design Week South Africa, the event represents a crucial step toward promoting sustainable and economically viable design practices across the country.
“I am excited to embark on a role where I can help create a platform that showcases forward-thinking design that is inspirational, educational, and beneficial for all who engage in it,” Molyneux said.
Having spent 10 years building her namesake clothing studio, Molyneux, a manufacturer and retailer of boutique collections of menswear and womenswear, Margot more recently turned her attention to the world of media, specifically focusing on interiors, architecture and decor, fulfilling the role of managing editor of House and Leisure publication and general manager at independent publisher LOOKBOOK Studio.
The event invites designers, brands, and makers to apply for participation, with successful applicants being featured in a four-day programme in either Johannesburg or Cape Town.
The line-up will include workshops, exhibitions, discussions, interactive installations, product launches, and much more. By covering a wide range of design disciplines — from architecture and fashion to urban planning and industrial design — DWSA intends to provide a comprehensive look at South Africa’s creative potential.
Mmaphuthi Morule, head of brand marketing at Yoco, highlighted the alignment between DWSA’s goals and Yoco’s mission to support local businesses.
“At Yoco, we’re proud to support Design Week South Africa, a platform that mirrors our own commitment to fostering creativity and innovation. By empowering local designers and creators, we’re investing in a vibrant future for South Africa’s creative economy,” Morule stated.
A key feature of DWSA will be the Modular Public Playground, a collaborative project that aims to transform public spaces into safe and functional areas while reflecting the artistic flair of the community.
The installation, designed by Jeffrey James and locally produced by Stonecast, is part of a broader initiative led by Young Urbanists and Urban Think-Tank Empower, in collaboration with the Masakhe Foundation and the City of Cape Town. It will debut in Langa, Cape Town, as part of South Africa’s first street experiment on Lerotholi Avenue.
“Imagine a future for urban South Africa where high fences are a thing of the past, monotonous malls are no longer approved, and the development of new neighbourhoods that fail to support the majority of commuters on foot or public transportation is prohibited,” said Roland Postma, managing director at Young Urbanists.
Postma believes that by “enacting policy reforms and empowering the many ethical, passionate, and talented urban planners, designers, architects, geographers, landscape architects, and others to reshape the built environment for a more inclusive and sustainable future.”
DWSA’s content will be structured around four core themes: Space Sharing, Growing Collaboratively, Future Archives, and Game Changing. Each event, exhibition, and activation will explore these pillars, creating a narrative that bridges the gap between design and its real-world impact on communities and economies.
The event will run in Johannesburg from October 10 to 13, 2024, and in Cape Town from October 24 to 27, 2024. Public tickets and RSVPs for the various events will be available online starting mid-September.
IOL