Design Indaba 2011

Tags:: Design; Decorations; Lighting; Furniture; Gardening

Cape Town's Design Indaba always kicks off with a conference of eclectic speakers from all over the world and wraps up with an expo focusing on Southern African designers. "Forget about the beauty," says New York-based designer Dror Benshetrit, as if every city with two oceans wrapped itself around a mountain. "The people are so welcoming, so open minded, so thirsty to be connected to the grid. I see a lot of potential in South Africa, a lot of creative, eager, ambitious people. I have a really good feeling that I'll be here again soon." Job creation and environmental stewardship have been oft-discussed themes at previous Indabas, but seem to have reached a critical mass this year, which may help its bid for World Design Capital 2014. In the following slideshow, have a look at some of the outstanding works created by the South African designers who exhibited at the 2011 Design Indaba Expo.

— Rebecca L. Weber

Bucket Stool

Designed by: Pedersen + Lennard

In South Africa, objects tend to be overly designy without enough craft, or too crafty without enough design, says Luke Pedersen. His team has developed several pieces that strive for a balance between industrial and handmade components. In their version of the iconic South African bucket, the metal is powder-coated and fitted with digitally cut plywood legs. The seat works culturally in a similar way that District 9 did: it's immediately accessible to an international audience, but with a special wink-wink-nudge-nudge for South Africans with nostalgia for bucolic days. A favorite with Expo visitors, this piece won the Western Cape Furniture Initiative's award for Emerging Designers.

More info: pedersenlennard.co.za

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