Design Indaba magazine announces
Cape Town DC - as in Design Central

With the approximately 3 000 Design Indaba Conference visitors and more than 20 000 Design Indaba Expo visitors due to descend on Cape Town from February 23 to 29, 2008, the newest issue of Design Indaba magazine celebrates its Mother City in "Cape Town DC".

In just more than a week, “Cape Town DC” – as in Design Central – is due to have the highest concentration of creative minds in Africa. However, as the Q108 edition of the Design Indaba magazine proves, “Cape Town DC” pulsates all year round.

From cover to streets, this edition of the magazine is all proudly Capetonian. The innovative perforated cover is courtesy of leading advertising and design agency the Jupiter Drawing Room Cape Town. Says Joanne Thomas, creative director at Jupiter: "Our idea for this month’s cover follows on from our ad campaign for Design Indaba this year, which shows how creativity can make the world a better place. ‘Recycling’ the content of previous Design Indaba covers and perforating them into strips, we show readers how the magazine could have a second life as a chair, just as industrial designer Charles Kaisin did. Creativity really does have the power to address the challenges that the world is facing."

DI Magazine - Page 16-17

Offering a dynamic biopsy of Cape Town’s creative arteries, leading cultural proponents Chimurenga, Toast Coetzer, Katrin Coetzer and the am i collective have each contributed a subcultural chart of their Cape Town. Ranging from high-concept to grungy poetics, these four cross-sections of Cape Town are sure to inspire even the most seasoned Capetonian to put their explorer boots on.

Rising star Monique Pelser, who wowed audiences with her Roles exhibition at the Bell-Roberts Gallery last year, also goes beneath the surface with her camera. In a Design Indaba-exclusive shoot, she traces five of Cape Town’s top designers to their studios and workspaces.

	DI Magazine - Page 32-33

We have also gone behind the scenes at South Africa's youngest and biggest animation studio, Clockwork Zoo, who have already garnered much admiration through their daily series URBO: The Adventures of Pax Afrika. Now they’re setting their sights on international markets with three new shows.

Hip new artist collective, The Gugulective show us how they’ve been rejuvenating Gugulethu’s cultural climate; and we also pop into possibly South Africa’s most famous shebeen, Mzoli’s.
 
Spreading the love of the Mother City, we asked local creatives to interview some of the Design Indaba 2008 speakers. Artist and sound activist James Webb goes head-to-head with DJ-as-artist progenitor Paul D Miller – aka DJ Spooky that Subliminal Kid; while product designer Haldane Martin questions and worships Japanese industrial and environmental designer Toshiyuki Kita.

DI Magazine - Page 62-63

Also in anticipation of Design Indaba 2008, we are greatly honoured to have managed to steal a few moments with interaction design guru Bill Moggridge, who designed the first laptop and is a cofounder of IDEO.

In the news section, get a thorough preview of what to expect from the Design Indaba Expo and Conference – besides all the surprises that we’re known for. But beyond our universe, we also have news from Hani Rashid, Matali Crasset, Max Normal, Heath Nash, Animal Farm, the Creative Company Conference, the Carry Me Away exhibition, the Fear of the Known music festival, the Carrol Boyes Functional Art competition and more.

One lucky reader can also win a Dolly Pot by designer Cornelius Lemmer, who will be launching his new range at the 2008 Design Indaba Expo.

Design Indaba, Q108, “Cape Town DC”, will be available in selected Exclusive Books stores, Melissa’s and other outlets from February 16, 2008.

Click here for a full list of distribution points.

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
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 open at Computicket on 14 January 2008.

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.

DESIGN INDABA JOURNALISM WORKSHOP
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. The cost is R1500 per person. To apply for participation, please contact Deborah Weber.

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.designindabaexpo.com