I am currently in my final year of BA Visual Communication Design at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. This year we have a strong focus on sustainability, and my topic of choice is design and reinvention of urban green space in developing areas.

It is amazing to me that so many disciplines can overlap when it comes to sustainability – to an extent it no longer feels like I am studying graphic design, but a more trans-disciplinary subject that includes design, urban planning, architecture, social studies… this is particularly challenging and humbling, but also exciting!

I’m very interested in seeing what has worked and what hasn’t worked in terms of sustainable urban planning across the globe. I admire the Low2no block rendering above, especially because I will be attending a “Design and the City” summer school later this year in Helsinki. Helsinki is the World Design Capital for 2012, and I’m interested to see what they are implementing. Perhaps there is something that South Africa can learn from them.

I’ve been reading a fabulous book about public space, “Convivial Urban Space” (2009: H. Shaftoe). In this book Shaftoe explains how some of the most successful/well-used public spaces did not originate from blueprint designs, but in fact evolved organically. (He gives Copenhagen city centre as an example). I find it interesting that the most convivial space in Greater Stellenbosch is the township Kayamandi. Every inch of space is used, there are people and children everywhere, and although it has its problems, it is certainly lively and social! The million dollar question is, how do we get more of such a space, without the issues of crime, poverty and enforced close living quarters, but maintaining that spirit in a sustainable way? It is a global challenge.