STOP PRESS:
Architecture Indaba for R500

Due to a glitch in communications between ourselves and the ticketing vendor, the prices for the Architecture Specialist Indaba were incorrectly stated. It should actually be at the same price as last year, which is R500. Refunds to those who have already paid will be made at the door. The correct price will be insituted by Computicket on the morning of Saturday February 23, 2008. Design Indaba would like to apologise for the inconvenience this may have caused and hope to see you all at the event on Tuesday February 26.

ARCHITECTURE INDABA: 26 February 2008, 10am to 1pm

Renowned Tokyo-based architect and Design Indaba luminary Mark Dytham returns this year with tales of launching Pecha Kucha and how he's bringing a British sensibility to Japanese architecture. He will be joined by Britain's Jason Bruges, who has redefined architecture to encompass large-scale interactive designs, and South Africa's Anya van der Merwe Miszewski, widely recognised for the Cape Town Convention Centre and the acclaimed Tree House.

A ticket costs R500, on sale at Computicket.

Mark Dytham

Mark Dytham graduated from the Royal College of Art in London and established architectural firm Klein Dytham in Tokyo with Astrid Klein
in 1991.

Some of their most high-profile works include the Leaf Chapel, the Pika Pika Pretzel and the Super Deluxe. The latter is also the birthplace of the Pecha Kucha Night. Devised as a way for young creatives to show and share their work in a 20-images by 20-seconds format, Pecha Kucha Night has grown virally and now takes place in more than 100 cities globally.

Dytham’s creative, entrepreneurial energy and his services to British design in Japan was honoured by the Queen with the Member of the British Empire Medal in 2000.

Jason Bruges

Trained as an architect at Oxford Brookes University and the Bartlett School of Architecture, Jason Bruges brings environmental awareness and technical skill to his creative projects. He founded the Jason Bruges Studio in 2001, which creates surfaces, spaces and largescale interventions that exist in between the worlds of architecture, installation art and interaction design.

Recent works include temporary installations for the Tate Britain, London Architecture Biennale and Victoria and Albert Museum. They were also key in creating George Michael’s 25 Live Tour and the wind-powered lights for the Southbank Centre. Permanent works include the Memory Wall at the award-winning Puerta America Hotel in Madrid, interactive street lamps in Leicester and interactive way-finding installations on the A13 motorway in London.

Anya van der Merwe Miszewski

Anya van der Merwe Miszewski is a director of Van Der Merwe Miszewski Architects Pty Ltd and a professor at the University of Cape Town School of Architecture and Planning. Working from the philosophy of creating buildings with conceptual narrative that still have spirit, Van der Merwe Miszewski has distinguished herself by interpreting the unique needs of each client and each site within a physical, cultural and environmental context.

Besides winning numerous awards, the practice has created iconic buildings including the Cape Town International Convention Centre, the De Beers building, the Franschhoek Manor House and the Tree House, which was voted the best building in South Africa in a public opinion poll.

DESIGN INDABA 2008
Design Indaba will fortify as the South African Design Week in 2008, with the expo and conference programme running over a week from Saturday 23 February to Friday 29 February 2008.

DESIGN INDABA EXPO
For the fifth time, the Design Indaba Expo will offer a curated commercial platform for South African designers to showcase local goods and services to the global market. Based on the success of the 2007 event, which played host to more than 20 000 visitors, the 2008 event has been extended for an extra day, running from Saturday 23 to Tuesday 26 February, 2008. The Expo will also be even bigger than before with more floor space, a host of new exhibitors and a brand-new dedicated fashion arena with day-long shows and movie festivals.

DESIGN INDABA CONFERENCE - SOLD OUT
The Design Indaba Conference will run from Wednesday 27 February to Friday 29 February, 2008. Judged the best conference in the world by EIBTM in Barcelona, the conference has played host to luminaries from all over the world since 1995 and been sold out for the past three years.

SPECIALIST INDABAS
Due to demand from delegates and the public to attend the Specialist Indabas, these will run parallel to the Expo on Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 February 2008. These two-hour architecture, fashion and jewellery events feature local and international designers debating the contribution of these creative sectors to the South African economy. Bookings for Specialist Indabas are at Computicket.

YOUNG DESIGNERS SIMULCAST
As part of Design Indaba’s ongoing commitment to design education, Design Indaba 2008 will again offer a Young Designers Simulcast, catering to young designers and students under the age of 25. This is a live broadcast from the main plenary session to a second auditorium. Students and young designers will be able to access speakers in short, informal chat sessions during and at the end of the day. To accomodate the sold-out conference, the simulcast is now open to over-25s. Book at Computicket.

DESIGN INDABA JOURNALISM WORKSHOP - FULL
For the first time, Design Indaba is presenting the Design Indaba Journalism Workshop in conjunction with the Design Indaba Expo taking place from February 23 to 26, 2008. New York design critic and assistant professor at Parsons, Susan Yelavich will lead the workshop with the assistance of an international team of acclaimed editors, journalists and writers.

For more detailed information about the above activities taking place, and for related high-resolution images, please contact:

Deborah Weber
E-mail: deborah@interactiveafrica.com

Nadine Botha
E-mail: nadine@interactiveafrica.com

Tel: (021) 465 9966
Website: www.designindaba.com