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Creativity alive and well and living in Cape Town

If you are interested in design trends, you need to get the new Creative Cape Town Annual, produced by Bell Roberts Publishing in conjunction with Creative Cape Town. You can flip through the pages here, or get hold of a hard copy from the Cape Town Partnership offices in Bree Street (call …

Bus Rapid Transit in Istanbul

03 October 10 1 Comment

Here’s a recent video on the new bus rapid transit system in Istanbul produced by EMBARQ, a global network which focuses on environmentally and financially sustainable transport solutions to improve quality of life, mainly in developing cities. It is part of EMBARQ’s Cities in Focus series on innovative public transport solutions.

According to EMBARQ, …

One step forward, two steps backwards: the densification debate continues

28 September 10 5 Comments

I reported earlier this month that the City of Cape Town has approved a new city densification policy (City of Cape Town considers new urban densification policy). It appears that I was mistaken. It’s now back to the drawing board, as Ella Smook’s article in the Cape Argus (see …

Can greater connectivity help address poverty and inequality in the city?

27 September 10 0 Comments

Improving access and mobility for all citizens through the citywide implementation of the Integrated Rapid Transit System (IRTS) is a major priority for Cape Town in the next 15-20 years. In parallel, and perhaps as important, is promoting greater connectivity through the roll out of Cape Town’s Broadband Infrastructure Network.

Can greater connectivity …

Designing solutions for people and the planet, not just more beautiful stuff

13 September 10 1 Comment

Why is Cape Town bidding for the title of World Design Capital 2014? Because there are a whole bunch of Capetonians designing socially useful things. For example, check out Uncontained Living, proposals for environmentally friendly housing by Justin Beswick.

Go to World Design Capital 2014 for more information on …

Transforming the city through redesigning public spaces for people

10 September 10 7 Comments

Here is another great article published in yesterday’s Cape Argus (Sept 9, 2010) by my colleagues, Lorelle Bell and Alexandra Jongens, in support of Cape Town’s bid for the title of World Design Capital 2014. Through the WDC bid process, we are asking the question: how do we use design …

Where is the centre of Cape Town?

08 September 10 1 Comment

My colleague Iain Harris, who runs the popular Coffeebeans Routes (“We create contemporary, urban, African experiences that provide travellers deep insights into the places they choose to visit”) raised some provocative questions on his blog yesterday – Where is the centre of Cape Town? What happens if we move the existing city centre?…

No African cities feature in the top 100 cities of the 2010 global innovation economy index

07 September 10 3 Comments

No African cities feature in the top 100 cities of the 2010 global innovative economy index, published by the Melbourne-based 2thinknow Innovation Cities™ Program. Cape Town is ranked third in the emerging cities innovation index, after Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Top 100 innovative cities

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Why Cape Town is bidding for World Design Capital 2014

05 September 10 4 Comments

For an overview as to why Cape Town is currently bidding for the title of World Design Capital 2014, and changing the name of the design game in the process, read the excellent article by my colleague, Lorelle Bell, followed by the editorial by the Cape Argus, which gets it spot on. …

Cape Town’s Reclaim Camissa Project puts social media tools to good use

05 September 10 3 Comments

“CAMISSA, meaning ‘the place of sweet waters’ is the ancient Khoi name for Cape Town. Embedded, lost and obscured within the city’s fabric this vital ecological and cultural link still exists….”

The Reclaim Camissa Project, a citizen activation project to investigate, document and restore vital ecological and cultural heritage links between …

Cape Town Fan Walk lives on

28 August 10 4 Comments

It wasn’t as big as the World Cup Fan Walk. Or as glamorous. But last night’s PSL double header at the Cape Town Stadium showed that the Cape Town Fan Walk is here to stay.

Of the 46 000 people that attended the match at the stadium, only 6 000 used …

Reclaiming cities for people

06 August 10 1 Comment

Have a look at this short inspirational talk by Gil Penalosa (brother of the more famous Enrique) on how Bogata, a developing city, shifted resources into building liveable streets and spaces for the benefit of the majority of citizens.

I particularly like his example about constructing linear parks and walkways that connect …

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