The 2022 Creative Exchange (CX) kicks off this month with collaborative engagement around the development of our African cities through the lens of water sensitive design.

The Craft + Design Institute (CDI) and the Kingdom of the Netherlands in South Africa (#cocreateSANL) will once again host this monthly series. The main theme this year will tackle the topic of Designing African blue-green cities for all, considering how to design better processes, systems and products that can lead to a more water secure future, particularly in an African context. In South Africa, the challenges are exacerbated by the need to address unequal access, and the state of our infrastructure.

The first CX event on 20 April will focus on the big picture of water in our country, its management, some of the good and the bad processes at work, particularly in our urban environments; and where the opportunities for collaboration and new solutions may be found.

The CX series will act as a bridge to the annual #cocreateDESIGN FESTIVAL to be held in September. Hosted by Africa Melane (CapeTalk 702 Early Morning Breakfast show host) the CX will, for the first time, be livestreamed to a broader online audience through YouTube and Facebook.

Each month, the series will bring together people from the water sector (policy-makers, government officials, water engineers and practitioners, the private sector and civil society) in significant effort to break down professional silos and open the floodgates to collaborative thinking to inspire water sensitive design.

“This year’s series of Creative Exchanges will unpack the fundamental issues and, in the process, we hope, unlock new thinking, innovation and cross-pollinations of ideas. You need to join us!” says Erica Elk, Group CEO of CDI.

Join us for our first Creative Exchange on Wednesday 20 April (2pm to 3:30pm) on one of our live streams:

To join us on YouTube, click on the link: https://youtu.be/H3p-Uw1Lz0o 

To join us on Facebook, click on the link: https://www.facebook.com/events/733130394348646/

Theme: Water in the city – Designing African blue-green cities for all.

MEET OUR SPEAKERS FOR THE CX APRIL

MEET OUR MC 

About Cape Town as a UNESCO City of Design

The CDI is proud to partner with Cape Town as a UNESCO City of Design through this project. In 2017, Cape Town was the first city in Africa to be named a UNESCO City of Design, joining a total of 180 cities in UNESCO’s global Creative Cities Network. The honour recognises a city’s design status and commitment to promoting and developing the cultural and creative industries.

Launched in 2004, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network aims to foster international cooperation with and between cities committed to investing in creativity as a driver for sustainable urban development, social inclusion and cultural vibrancy. To date, more than 30 world cities have received the Design City designation.

See more at: https://www.designcities.net/