David Adjaye announced as headline speaker at Design Indaba Conference

Dezeen promotion: architect David Adjaye has been confirmed as one of the speakers at the Design Indaba Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, later this month.


David Adjaye announced as headline speaker at Design Indaba Conference

Above: Moscow School of Management Skolkovo by Adjaye Associates

British architect David Adjaye has designed a number of high-profile buildings, interiors and pavilions such as the Moscow School of Management, the Stephen Lawrence education centre in London and theSmithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC.

David Adjaye announced as headline speaker at Design Indaba Conference

Above: Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture by David Adjaye and FAB

Now in its nineteenth year, the Design Indaba Conference will host more than 40 speakers and 2500 delegates over three days. Confirmed speakers include designers Oscar Diaz and Martí Guixé and Daan Roosegaarde, whose work is pictured below. Also on the programme are:

» Sir John Hegarty
» John Maeda
» Paula Scher
» Matthew Carter
» Marian Bantjes & Jessica Hische
» Nicholas Hlobo
» Masashi Kawamura
» Alexander Chen
» Seymour Chwast
» Louise Fili
» Ben Terrett
» Steven Heller
» Alex Atala
» Spoek Mathambo & Friends
» Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg
» Jeanne van Heeswijk

Design Indaba

Above: Lotus Dome by Daan Roosegaarde, confirmed to speak at Design Indaba Conference

The conference will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 27 February to 1 March. Design Indaba Expo runs from 1 to 3 March at the same venue and will feature products, fashion, jewellery and craft by local designers.

Design Indaba

Above: Ink Calendar by Oscar Diazconfirmed to speak at Design Indaba Conference

Visit the Design Indaba website for more details and a full programme of events.

Here's some more information from Design Indaba:


Design Indaba has committed the past 18 years to a vision that rests on the premise that creativity will fuel an economic revolution in South Africa. As such, Design Indaba is a celebration of design in a country iconic of the triumph of human spirit. Proof that even the most intractable problems can be neutralised by the will of people, resurgent South Africa is a beacon to the world. Design Indaba typifies this optimism and can-do spirit. Starting from the basis of how creativity can help solve the problems of an emerging country, it takes the view that a better future can be designed.

Design Indaba

Above: Still Life with Light by Martí Guixéconfirmed to speak at Design Indaba Conference

Focusing on bringing international thought leadership to South Africa since 1995, the Design Indaba Conference has grown to become one of the world’s leading design events and hosts more than 40 speakers and 2500 delegates. In 2013, the Design Indaba Conference will once again facilitate the convergence of the world’s top designers, creatives, thought-leaders and entrepreneurs discussing and showing how a better world is possible through creativity. Taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 27 February to 1 March, the 2013 Conference lineup is a diverse range of speakers including Pentagram partner and president of Alliance Graphique Internationale Paula Scher, artist and innovator Daan Roosegaarde, John Maeda (President of Rhoade Island School of Design), graphic designers Jessica Hische and Marian Bantjes, and founder of Bartle Bogle Hegarty advertising Sir John Hegarty, among others.

Design Indaba

Above: products on show at last year's Design Indaba Expo

In turn encouraging local creativity to go global, the Design Indaba Expo has provided a commercial platform for South African designers to showcase local goods and services to the global market through influential international buyers since 2004. The 2013 Expo will take place from 1 to 3 March at the CTICC and feature bespoke work of top South African designers from all creative disciplines, from jewellery to fashion design, craft, multimedia, product design and much more. The Expo also hosts workshops and talks by industry leaders, live music and comedy, fashion shows, food markets and much more.

Design Indaba

Above: products on show at last year's Design Indaba Expo

By attracting the world's brightest talent, Design Indaba has become a respected institution on the creative landscape and one of the few multisectoral events that celebrates all the creative sectors – including graphic design, advertising, film, music, fashion design, industrial design, architecture, craft, visual art, new media, publishing, broadcasting and performing arts.

Design Indaba

Above: the audience at last year's Design Indaba Conference

Besides the flagship Conference and Expo, Design Indaba has grown into a multitiered experience that incorporates other events, media, education, training, business development and a range of publications. The 2013 event lineup also includes the annual Design Indaba FilmFest, Your Street Live (the inaugural global iteration of the Your Street Challenge) and the Design Indaba Music Circuit.

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