The Cape Craft and Design Institute is a joint initiative of the Western Cape Provincial Goverment, AMTS, DST and CPUT. The CCDI incorporates a Fabrication Laboratory (Fab-lab), this laboratory is a high tech facility with open-source design software linked to digital desktop manufacturing technology.
This means that people in the emerging creative class will have access to improve their economic situation, grow their business and learn new skills.
Erica Elk, executive director of CCDI says ‘We aim at design that makes a difference to quality of life in our developing world.’ from South African crafts: style and social investment, Pingmag 2006.
One of the success stories is the range of wire tables and stools produced by Willard Musarurwa and developed by New York designer, Steven Burks, as part of the Aid to Artisans programme. They are being marketed in Italy and Europe by Enrico Basson of Artechnika and are availabe at Weylandts in South Africa.
Posted by email from Design in Africa (posterous)
