AMAZING INSPIRATION FEATURING:
PROGRAMME
07:30 – 07:55 Registration
08:00 – 08:10 Welcome and Housekeeping Yadah Kekana (Student)
08:10 – 08:50 Mnemonic Craig McClenaghan (Architect)
08:50 – 09:30 Un/doing Architecture Alexander Opper (Architect/Lecturer at UJ)
09:30 – 10:10 Designing a Bio-tech animal protein food system and plant for conserving Wildlife and Biodiversity while addressing food insecurity. Dr Paul Bartels (Founder of Wildbio)
10:10 – 10:30 TEA/Comfort Break
10:30 -11:10 The design of a Constitution Robbie Brozin (Co-Founder of Nando’s)
11:10 – 11:50 Changemakers Mindset Miles Kubheka (Wandaka Food Accelerator)
11:50 – 12:30 Simple ideas. Changing lives Grant Gibbs (Hippo Roller)
12:30 – 13:10 The Structure of a People – South Africa’s Pavilion at the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale S Maape (Architect/Lecturer at Wits)
C Spies (Architect)
S Steyn (Architect/Lecturer at TUT)
E Nkambule (Architect/Lecturer at TUT)
13:10 – 13:50 LUNCH
13:50 – 14:30 Contemporary craft driven design Thabisa Mjo (Founder: Mash.T Design Studio)
14:30 – 15:10 The making and staging of The Gold Rhino of Mapungubwe Dirk Badenhorst (Director: Mzansi Ballet)
15:10 -15:50 The adventure of Design Kyle Brand (Industrial Designer)
15:50 – 16:00 Thank You and Closure
MC – Yadah Kekana (Student)
Yadah is an ambitious young lady who is driven and thrives in challenges and definitely not comfortable with settling – I believe in the saying that says “_where there’s a will there’s a way_”. Taking life’s detours as refreshments stops to her set goal, she has learned to work with people and technology with seasoned soft set of skills. Always enthusiastic and an ever-ready scholar for a task, teaching or helping moment.
Currently in 4th year – Tech stream where we have been learning the alternative methods and materials of doing architecture. That has been one of the highlight thus far which has been a fun yet rather challenging experience which I’m still very set on finish strong in.
Craig McClenaghan (Architect):
Mnemonic
Craig McClenaghan is a Johannesburg-based architect, exhibition designer, artist and teacher, with a particular interest in creative research. After graduating from UCT in 2002, he worked for Mashabane Rose Associates for thirteen years before formally establishing Craig McClenaghan Architecture – an exploratory, multi-disciplinary award-winning design research studio, that engages collaboratively with researchers, writers, artists, curators, educators and students. Craig teaches at the Graduate School of Architecture at the University of Johannesburg, and has been an invited critic, reviewer and examiner at several national schools of architecture. He was invited to participate in one of the Curator’s Special Projects, Mnemonic, at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice, The Laboratory of the Future.
Alex Opper (Architect, Lecturer UJ+ Author: Un/doing Architecture
Alexander Opper (1972, Pretoria) is an artist, educator, writer, architect, designer and curator. After living in Berlin from 1995-2005, he settled in Johannesburg in 2006. Since 2007 he has taught in the University Johannesburg’s Department of Architecture. Here he designed and in 2011 launched the department’s first ever master’s programme. He served as its director from 2011-14). His artistic practice and primary research interest are based on a radical disciplinary shift from making architecture towards its unmaking. From an earlier practice base of ‘doing’ architecture, a new critical practice of a kind of architecture-in-reverse has emerged: an approach Opper refers to as ‘Undoing Architecture’. His projects – which decode and re-present architecture, space and power – are situated in the productive field of tension between art and architecture. Much of his work is catalysed by observations and experiences gathered in Johannesburg. His projects confront and wrestle with expressions of line, boundary and territory within and between this city’s countless liminal conditions. These ideas are translated in his artistic, writing and teaching practices. In the context of the entanglement of these mutually interdependent modes of thinking and making, his work manifests through a wide range of media, including language, installation, drawing, photography, collage and video. Key solo exhibitions have been ‘Separ(n)ation’ (2013, Goethe on Main) and ‘Uitval Unfolded’ (2015, Gordon Institute of Business Science). Group exhibitions ‘The Double Body: Being in Space’ (2009, FADA Gallery), ‘Time’s Arrow’ (2010, Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG)), ‘TWENTY: Contemporary Art from South Africa’ (2014-15, Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, USA), ‘Past Imperfect // Future Present’ (2015, FADA Gallery) and ‘Booknesses’ (2017, FADA Gallery) have further cemented his critical spatial practice.
Dr Paul Bartels (Founder of Wildbio): Designing a Bio-tech animal protein food system and plant for conserving Wildlife and Biodiversity while addressing food insecurity
CEO WildBio, Meat the Future of Wildlife, Biodiversity and Food Security. Rebranded from Mogale Meat Co
1. Founder and CEO: WildBio. Meat the Future of Wildlife
2. Rebranded from Mogale Meat Co.
2. Previously team Lead MeatOurFuture / XPRIZE FeedTheNextBillion semifinalist
3. CryoWild NPC
4. Wildlife Veterinarian
Robbie Brozin (Co-Founder of Nando’s): The Design of a Constitution
Born in Middelburg, South Africa, Robbie Brozin calls himself Jozi made. It was here he co-founded Nando’s, which today can be found in 23 countries around the world. The brand’s success is rooted in Robbie’s philosophy of having fun while making money, and its purpose of changing lives.
After stepping back from Nando’s in 2020, Robbie’s passion for making a difference grew. He now champions changing lives at Nando’s; co-founded Goodbye Malaria; is a Constitutional Hill trustee; is helping to secure the future of Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital; and is part of the Jozi My Jozi team who are working hard to revitalize Johannesburg.
When he’s taking some downtime, you’ll find him spending time with his children and grandchildren – all of whom keep him grounded and forever young!
Miles Kubheka (Wakana Food Accelerator) : Changemakers Mindset
Miles Kubheka: A passionate serial entrepreneur and changemaker on a mission to drive positive change in South Africa, a country he firmly believes to be the best in the world. With the audacity of hope and innovation, he transforms dreams into reality. His influential story resonates across the cultural landscape of both South Africa and beyond, inspiring others to embrace the spirit of entrepreneurship and contribute to the country’s greatness.
As a thought leader, he fosters an entrepreneurial mindset in individuals (across walks of life) and organizations, making a lasting impact on the nation’s business landscape. Accomplished in business, he founded Vuyos and later, Wakanda Food Accelerator & Gcwalisa. Beyond entrepreneurship, he serves on the board of the food rescue organisation, SA Harvest, further cementing his commitment to making a positive difference in South Africa.
C. Spies, S. Maape, S. Steyn + E. Nkambule (Architects and Lecturers):
The Structure of a People – South Africa’s Pavilion at the 2023 Venice Architectural Biennale
Carla Spies is the principal of Spies Architects based in Pretoria. She obtained her master’s degree from the University of Pretoria with an NRF bursary for the study of resiliency in cities. She worked for Mathews and Associates architects between 2014 and 2021 where she was the project coordinator of the Cool Capital project, team leader for the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale and the project architect for the UP Javett Art museum from 2018 to 2019. This year, her practice lead the South African team at the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale.
Carla is a founding member of the Molo Mollo City Rooftop Cinema Club, the founder of the “Architecure Theory Summer School” series and she is the host of a monthly get-together for women in the built environment called “shoptalk”.
She lives in Sunnyside with her husband.
Dr. Sechaba Maape is an architect and the director of the design practice Afreetekture, as well as a senior lecturer at the Wits School of Architecture and Planning. His thesis explored people/place relationships, ritual and climate change adaptation among indigenous communities in Kuruman in the Northern Cape Province. These explorations have become key in his academic activities both in teaching and research. In his teaching of the History and Theory of Architecture 1 course at the Wits School of Architecture and Planning (SoAP), he introduced a revised curriculum that included archaeological material from prehistoric periods which was previously excluded in the curriculum, as well as new techniques like photogrammetry scans of archaeological sites, and using 3D scans of these sites for teaching.Sechaba also runs the major first-year Architecture Design and Theory 1. Again, in this course, he introduced elements of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) in his teaching methods. This course won the 2018 Vice Chancellors’ Team Teaching Award at Wits.
Dr. Emmanuel Nkambule is a senior lecturer in the Department of Architecture and Industrial Design at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). Emmanuel’s focus on the use of auto-ethnography and visual research in investigating, visualising, developing, representing and realising interventions (built environments) that provide pragmatic socio-spatial and systematic solutions which are sustainable and scalable, as well as his interest in income generation to address poor socio-economic conditions in Africa, has been recognised both locally and internationally. From 2018 to 2021, Emmanuel was a research team member of the Italy-South Africa Research Project (ISARP) Joint Mobility Scheme which employed photogrammetry to digitally survey and preserve Bokoni settlement ruins in Mpumalanga Province.In 2019, Emmanuel also co-founded the TUT-based Archiving of Design & Architecture (ADA) which is the custodian of the In Plain Sight (IPS) lecture series which culminated in the exhibition of the three founders of the Association of Black Architects (ABA) in South Africa: Linda Mvusi, Aziz Tayob, and Mohamed Mayat. His work validates ‘the story we tell’ as pivotal in crafting a truly African and South African design identity.
Mr. Stephen Steyn is currently a full-time lecturer and programme coordinator in the post-graduate programme in architecture at the Tshwane University of Technology’s Department of Architecture and Industrial Design.
He has taught at other institutions in South Africa, including the University of Pretoria, and most notably the University of Johannesburg’s Graduate School of Architecture, where he served as the Unit Leader for Unit 10 (2016-2017) as well as the coordinator of the Theory and History Programme (2017). He has published widely on the topic of social structures, architectural representation, politics and education.
Grant Gibbs (Hippo Roller): Simple Ideas. Changing Lives
After matriculating at Queens College in Queenstown in 1978, I then completed 2 years of military service at 1SSB in Bloemfontein although I was compelled to attend disrupting annual camps for the next 8 years. My first real job was at Gold Fields mining as a mainframe computer operator and later changed to banking at Natal Business Society as a trainee manager until I landed up on the Enquiries Desk and promptly left. I then changed lanes to be a computer technician working on Wang Computers and later changed to sales. It was while I was an unfulfilled salesman that I found the Hippo Roller and started selling on the side of William Nicol in Sandton. That was 30 years ago and has now provided me with a significant sense of fulfilment and purpose! Initially the IT company I worked for persuaded me to work with them in what effectively became what is now known as CSI (corporate social investment). This valuable partnership lasted for 5 years after which the IT company withdrew as we were not getting any traction with SA government – not surprising. Since then I have been on my own as a family business and I am proud to say we have distributed about 70,000 x Hippo Rollers to 56 x countries with the aid of sponsors and donors. We are constantly uncovering new opportunities and hope to change many more lives with this simple idea.
Thabisa Mjo (Founder Mash.T Design Studio): Contemporary Craft Driven Design
Mash T’s mission centers around preserving the essence of traditional artisanal craftsmanship. This is achieved through melding technology and age-old crafts, to create a contemporary design aesthetic.
Our creative process thrives on close collaboration with local artisans who skillfully weave South African stories into our diverse range of products, ranging from lighting to furniture.
Leveraging the power of design as a medium, Mash.T draws upon our rich cultural heritage to inspire modern design. This approach also allows us to breathe new life into traditional designs, techniques, and objects, ensuring their relevance in today’s society so that they are not forgotten.
Over the years, Mash.T’s unique and contemporary design aesthetic has received coveted accolades such as “South African Designer of the Year, 2019” and “Most Beautiful Object in South Africa” for its award-winning, Tutu 2.0 Pendant Light.
In a recent achievement, Mash.T has made history as the first South African designer-maker to secure a permanent spot for two of our works—the Tutu Light and Mjojo Cabinet—in the permanent collection of Paris’ Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Museum of Decorative Arts) at the Louvre.
Continuing to expand our global footprint, the Hlabisa bench, a collaboration with Houtlander and master weaver Beauty Ngxongo, has also found a new home at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
We are excited for the opportunity to contribute towards making South African design a category brand.
Dirk Badenhorst (Director Mzansi Ballet): The making and staging of The Gold Rhino of Mapungubwe
Dirk Badenhorst is currently the Director of Mzansi Ballet – a uniquely multi-genre ballet and dance company, the founding CEO of the South African International Ballet Competition and the Director of the Training Teachers in the Townships programme in South Africa. This year the South African International Ballet Competition is hosted its 10th edition of the South African International Ballet Competition.
Mr Badenhorst has been on the jury of ballet competitions in Cuba, USA, China (Beijing and Shanghai), South Korea, Russia and South Africa.
He has arranged tours and productions in South Africa, Spain, Cuba, China, South Korea, Russia and more and hosted International Ballet Galas all over South Africa. He did the staging of Ballet in the Bush, to raise funds and awareness for Rhino conservation in South Africa. As well as directed numerous ballet’s with Mzansi Ballet such as: The Abba Show: A Cinderella Story, The Queen Show, Swan Lake and The Gold Rhino of Mapungubwe.
Kyle Brand (Industrial Designer): The Adventure of Design
A curious individual who enjoys diversity within his work and is passionate about expanding his knowledge and skill set. An experienced designer, lecturer and researcher. Has twelve years of experience in teaching and mentoring students in different design courses, developing and demonstrating the application of skills like critical thinking, human-centered design, social innovation, prototyping, creativity, systems thinking etc. Has participated and led within transdisciplinary teams, working on complex real-world projects. Spoken at academic and non-academic, local and international, conferences presenting research and projects. Is an adaptable individual who learns new skills quickly in response to needs that emerge.
Date: 24 October 2023
Time: 07:45 for 08:00 until 15:45 Conference
Venue: Loft at Nine; 9 Umgazi Road, Menlo Park, Pretoria
MEMBERS: R950.00 per delegate. NON MEMBERS: R1300.00 per delegate STUDENTS: R500.00
Banking Details: Pretoria Institute for Architecture, ABSA BROOKLYN, ACC NUMBER: 1500167501, REF: Name + IDEAS
CPD: 1 CPD Point in Category 1