design matters - The Design School Southern Africa

design matters
semester 2
ANNIVERSARY
A word from Fay
Amaral
Table of Content
Managing Director of DSSA
Celebrating our Success
As we come to the end of 2015 and we take a moment to
look back at the year that has past we see all the amazing
successes that we have achieved. As professionals our
focus is always forward, calculating the next goal to
be achieved and the next strategic move to be made.
However, it is essential that we take a moment and look
back and to celebrate all our triumphs.
At Design School SA, a division of The Independent
Institute of Education (The IIE), our students have given
us endless reasons to celebrate. Jasmine Huang was
chosen as one of the top eight finalists at this year’s SA
Fashion Week student competition as well as winning
the prestigious 2015 Gauteng Sansui Summer Cup Young
Designer Award. Well done Jasmine, these are two big
achievements for one young lady. Bernard Coetser,
achieved second place in this year’s PG Bison Student
Competition and Christiaan Schutte won third place in
the 2015 Caesertone student competition. We also had
winners in the Truworths Student Competition, MMT by
Design and Chair Dare Competition in connection with
the Pretoria Homemaker’s Expo.
won the New Generation Emerging Designer Award at
the Durban Fashion Fair. Terese Potgieter won this year’s
Charles Freysen Best Teaching Practice Award of 2015
for DSSA. Ria van Zyl, Carmen Baxter and Lizette Carstens
were on the judging panel for the 2015 South African
Publication Forum’s Corporate Publication Competition.
In addition Carmen attended the 2015 Design Education
Forum of South Africa (DEFSA) Conference and Lizette
presented a paper at the same conference.
A Word from Fay Amaral 2
In this, the 25th anniversary year of DSSA, it has been a
year of hard work with some wonderful successes that
would not been achievable without the commitment of
DSSA staff, students and supporters.
By taking the time to celebrate our success we can
reflect on what we have learned and what we want to
do more of (and less of) in the new year.
We take pride in the fact that this year has taken DSSA
somewhere we can all be proud of and we are committed
to continuing this journey of growth into 2016.
Wishing all our students, staff and supporters a
wonderful and awe-inspiring 2016. See you all on the
16th of January, our first open day of 2016.
Not only have we had opportunity to celebrate our
students but also our lecturers. Sadie Bosworth Smith,
a Fashion Design lecturer at the DSSA Durban campus
Very best,
Fay
2
A Word from Felicity Coughlan 4
Wayfinding or Wayshowing 6
Student Activities
8
Student Awards
20
Lecturer Awards
31
Campus Activities
36
Alumni Activities
45
36
8
Student Activities
20
Student Awards
3
Campus Activities
A word from Dr
T
he advantages of a private higher education
experience are self evident in the fields of design where
the smaller classes and lecturers with good industry
experience mean that each student is able to embark
on an individualised learning experience to maximise
delivery on their unique potential. It is for this reason
our students and graduates from the Design School
Southern Africa do so well in the world of work.
Unfortunately this reality does not negate some of the
more negative concerns people have about private
higher education and the work of the central team
of The Independent Institute of Education includes
securing ways to ensure that your investment in this
high quality experience is protected. One such recent
innovation was in response to the number of times our
graduates were being asked by other institutions and
employers for information verifying their qualifications.
By the time one has put together the NQF and SAQA
documents along with the module outcomes and the
results a formidable paper pack has been compiled.
Felicity Coughlan
make it easy for you to communicate the detail of your
qualification to anyone you choose to – including future
employers, graduate studies institutions or anyone else
who may need to know more than the name of your
qualification.
With a scan from a smartphone or a quick click on a link
(www.iiemarque.ac.za) all of this important additional
information is instantly available. You can also choose
to make your results for each module immediately
visible.
On your certificate will be a QR code behind which is a
URL that is unique to you – once you have logged in and
authenticated yourself and decided which aspects of
the information you want others to have by amending
your password; you can then share this information
with anyone by sharing the QR code or the URL. (Try it
with your smartphone now – it works!)
Your personalised record space on IIEMarque will also
allow you to give others quick access to your LinkedIn
or Twitter or Facebook or any other social profile you
choose to add. This allows you to customise all the
additional information that you would like others to be
able to access easily.
Employers and other education institutions frequently
need additional detail about our registration and
accreditation status, the registration status of your
qualification and details about the curriculum including
credit values and NQF levels.
Many will also ask you for the SAQA identification
number. Providing all this information on request to
enable them to make quick decisions about your future
is often cumbersome and time consuming and involves
lots of paper or large scanned files – your IIEMarque
application changes all this.
The Independent Institute of Education is proud to
announce the launch of our innovative IIEMarque on
your qualification certificate. This is a first of its kind
innovative electronic verification process designed to
4
Dr Felicity Coughlan is Director of The
Independent Institute of Education
(IIE), a subsidiary of ADvTECH
(Ltd), appointed end-2005.
Felicity obtained her Honours degrees in
Social Work and Psychology from Rhodes
University. She received her Masters in
Sociology from the University of London
and a Doctorate in Social Work from
UNISA. After several years in practice as
a social worker, Felicity moved to Rhodes
University in 1991 and became Head of
Department and then Associate Dean
in 2001. She was appointed a Deputy
Registrar at Wits University and Director
of Strategic Planning in 2003. Towards the
end of 2005 she joined The IIE as Director.
Felicity has published a book, articles
and research reports in her academic
fields, which include policy and strategic
planning. She is a former member
of the Higher Education Quality
Committee Board (HEQC) and current
member and former chair of the HEQC
Accreditation Committee responsible
for accreditation of all higher education
programmes (public and private) in
SA. She is also an external member of
the Open University’s Curriculum and
Validation Committee and the founder
member and coordinator of the Private
Higher Education Interest Group.
This enables you to use your IIEMarque as a “one stop”
destination for access to all the information others
need to know to understand, recognise and value your
achievements.
IIEMarque changes the way graduates can
communicate their credentials to prospective employers
and postgraduate study institutions, the pride you have
in your qualification and our commitment to its quality
is now so much easier to share.
Dr Felicity Coughlan
Director
5
W ay f i n d i n g . . .
or wayshowing !
Words by Ria van Zyl
Wayfinding is the manner in which people navigate themselves through spaces such
as cities, buildings and parks. Graphic designers collaborate in interdisciplinary teams
with interior designers and architects to develop visual communication systems
comprising signs, words and pictograms to help the user to “find” the way.
Dillon Kay, a student in the BA Honours in Graphic Design
programme and Graphic Designer at Boogertman &
Partners Architects identified The Welkom Library and
Museum as in need of such a system for one of his final
projects, and developed a bolt-on wayfinding system
that can be used in any library. His proposed design,
uses bright colours, vector icons and leading lines to lead
patrons to the section that they wish to find. The system
is extended to include the Dewey Decimal system of
book classification and using these 9 sections creates a
wayshowing system that almost leads one to the exact
book that is needed. This wayfinding system can also
be translated into a mobile app and implemented in
Municipal libraries all over the country.
001
004
010
020-028
031-033
060
069
070
082
Mysteries
Computers
Bibliographies
Libraries and Reading
Encyclopedias
General Organizations
Museums
News, Media, Journalism &
Publishing
Quotations
100-190
133-158
Philososphy
Psycology
200-280 Christianity, Bible &
Theology
290
Comparitive Religion
291
Mythology
300
301
302
306
310
320-327
330-338
331
341-349
350-354
355-359
361-362
364
371-378
381-382
384
380-388
391
395
398
Social Sciences
Sociology
Communication
Culture
Statistics
Politics
Economics
Industrial Relations
Law
Public Administration
Military
Social Welfare
Criminology
Education
Trade
Post & Telecommunications
Transportation
Costume
Etiquette
Folklore
400-496 Languages and Linguistics
500
510
520-523
530-539
540-549
550-553
560-568
574-576
581-582
591-599
to communication, and may be a solution in a multilingual country such as South Africa. In order, to ensure
the symbols are recognisable and understood by most
people, especially those with disabilities or literacy
limitations, testing needs to be done.
Dillon explained in his rationale, that when designing
such a system one needs to keep several requirements
in mind. The most important is that a wayfinding system
has to be user-centric and needs to resonate with the
brand identity. Signs and symbols provide shorthand
6
600
610-618
620-628
621
629
630-639
640
641
642
643
646
647
649
657
651-656
659
660
670-671
681
683
684
690
Technology & Interventions
Medical Sciences
Engineering
Electronics
e hicles
Farming
ome Economic s
Cookery
Entertaining
I
Sewing & Beauty
otels
Child Rearing
Accounting
Management
Advertising
Chemical Engineering
Manufacturing
Clocks
Guns
Woodwork
Building
700-774
720-728
747
750
780
791-795
796-799
Arts, Crafts
Architecture
Interior ecor ation
Classical Art
Music
Films & Recreation
Sports
801-809
806
810-817
820-827
839
896
Literature & Criticism
Public Speaking
American Literature
English Literature
Afrikaans Literature
African Literature
904-909 istory & Events
910-919 Geography and Travel
916
South Africa Travel
920
Biographies
929
Geneology, Names & Flags
930-938 Ancient istory &
Archeology
Dillon’s proposed wayfinding system.
Strength in interdisciplinary design
Architecture and the built environment is the one area
where different design disciplines such architecture,
interior design, graphic design and landscape design
successfully work together. François Bredenkamp, architect
at Boogertman & Partners Architects, explains that “the
strength of our architectural practise lies in the seamless
integration of various design processes”. He further explains
that one of the areas where graphic designers play an
integral role is in the communicating of the design intent
of a building both diagrammatically and spatially. Thus
having specialised graphic input becomes a key link in
the design communication process.
Science
Maths
Astronomy
Physics
Chemistry
Earth
Prehistoric Animals
Biological Sciences
Plants
Animals
23
Alumni Corner: Reflecting on
career and studies – Dillon Kay
environment and the role graphic designers play in
the creation of this environment.
A lot of technical knowledge has been gained in
areas that would not have been touched on, had I
not had an interdisciplinary approach such as plan
reading and basic knowledge of building materials
and production. Honours taught me that design is
more than simply creating something beautiful, it
is about understanding people and then creating
something that will speak to them clearly, accurately
and concisely.”
“Working in an architectural firm and having completed
an Honours course in Graphic Design has been
invaluable in cultivating an interdisciplinary thought
process and workflow. Graphic design is, in most
cases a two dimensional field, however working
closely with interior designers and architects in the
signage and graphic design departments has opened
my eyes to the concept of the three dimensional
7
8
9
ST u d e n t a c t i v i t i e s
Beauty
F r oz e n i n T i m e
Words and Images by Chantal Pronk
The combination of soft and delicate, hard and cold
These beautiful photographs were noticed on Behance.
net and Paul Johnson, co-founder of thortful.com,
contacted Chantal. Thortful is a London based company
that focuses on creating unique and innovative greeting
cards using images and illustrations from today’s talented
creators. Chantal’s “Beauty Frozen in Time” creations
will be featured as part of their greeting card collection
that will be on sale shortly.
produced a beautiful and fragile artwork. In order
to create these compelling images the frozen flower
technique with boiling water was used. This involved
freezing flowers in water but not allowing the ice to
freeze solid, this meant that the ice could crack exposing
the beautiful flower inside.
Chantal Pronk is a 3rd year Graphic
Design student from the Pta DSSA
10
11
WA L K ING W I T H
BUSHMEN
Words and Images by Celeste McKenzie, Ashley Hite, Anize Gouws
Image by Ashley Hite
Image by Anize Gouws
This is what Anize Gouws had to say about the trip:
The few days spent in the Kalahari was an excursion
like none other, one that ticked all the boxes. It was
a happy mix of new friends, beautiful scenery and
awesome photography workshops. We spent our
days exploring the area and learning about the local
community. Yes! We met real Bushmen! Weather
permitting, we would be back out in the desert at
night, shooting the stars. There was not a dull moment.
Celeste was amazing. She gladly assisted us constantly
to make sure we were comfortable with camera
settings and techniques. What we learned out there
about photography was invaluable. What an honour
to have been part of such a special experience.”
The purpose of the trip was to introduce the Students
to different cultures and to give them an opportunity to
put into practice what they had learnt in class. The trip
was all about making new friends, expanding technical
abilities, learning new skills and providing students
with an opportunity to give back to the community.
Ashleigh Hite commented: “The trip was truly amazing.
loved photographing the Bushmen, the salt pans
and the beautiful night sky. I would definitely do this
trip again. I had new experiences that I will always
remember. A very big thank you again to Celeste. She
was a true star, as she made sure we were all safe
and at the same time that we were all having fun.”
Some of the DSSA Advanced Photography Graphic Design
students joined Celeste McKenzie, photography lecturer, for
an unforgettable photography field trip to the Kalahari.
Images by Celeste McKenzie
Images by Celeste McKenzie and Anize Gouws
12
13
Sta n d a r d B a n k
promotes novel
a r t i n s ta ll at i o n s
i n c o n j u n ct i o n
w i t h DSSA
Mars, a celebrated Johannesburg-born graffiti artist,
has transformed a blank wall in the Standard Bank
Business Incubator in Rosebank into a graffiti art
installation with help from students from the Design
School Southern Africa.
The graffiti installation visually represents the creativity
and innovation that Standard Bank’s business incubator
concept stands for. This is in line with a growing trend
to explore graffiti as a contemporary art form and to
incorporate it into corporate environments.
Viwe Majavu, completing a Higher Certificate
in Art and Design said that he learnt about the
culture and attitude of graffiti and its history.
“This workshop inspired me to become a better
designer and to appreciate the art of graffiti.”
During the workshop, the DSSA Bordeaux campus
students were given a real feel for the processes
behind the history and production of graffiti art. They
also learnt about the technical and theoretical aspects
of graffiti art, which will add a new dimension to their
own work as budding designers and artists.
Nomonde Mtetwa, a first year Graphic Design
student, concurs, “When I become a great
designer, artist and entrepreneur one day, I know
that having been here, even for a day, will play a
role in that.”
The Graffiti Wall Workshop fits the DSSA’s ethos of
balancing its students’ natural creative potential with
industry preparedness through academic training and
industry experience. “The students are in great need
of exposure and experience in the industry,” says Anet
Sears, senior lecturer at DSSA. “Some lives and futures
were definitely changed at this workshop.”
The success of the workshop could be seen in the
excitement of the students, who felt that a whole new
world of creativity had been opened up for them.
14
15
2 7 B ox e s
Words by Sylvia Dzirba van Rooyen & Liezl van Zyl
Images by Sylvia Dzirba van Rooyen & Katelyn Areington
Off the grid
“The outing was an eye opener, it gave me
a better understanding of the qualities of
shipping containers - size, shape, acoustic
properties and ventilation.” Katelyn Areington
27Boxes is built entirely from shipping containers. The
design combines shipping containers, garden plants
and rolling lawns, together with other brick and
concrete elements for a richly different look and feel.
The second year students’ design brief had the theme –
“Food on the Move” and they were required to design a food
stall within a shipping container. 27BOXES provided them
with the opportunity to document the space limitations
of a shipping container and to experience creative space
solutions. The students were also given an opportunity to do
their presentations in a public space.
The Gorgeous
G r e e n Ho u s e
Words by Carolanda du Toit
As part of raising awareness of passive eco-friendly
architecture and bioclimatic environmental design the
3rd year Interior Design students from the DSSA Durban
campus were invited to visit the Gorgeous Greenhouse
in Durban North.
The Interior Design 1st and 2nd year students from the Jhb
DSSA campus along with their lecturer Sylvia Dzirba van
Rooyen visited Melville to go and explore the new concept in
shopping centre architecture.
The first year students used this excursion as a research
opportunity, looking at the exposed materials that created a
masculine and hard space. This material execution linked in
nicely with the current Design brief that required the design
of an office space for a construction company using I-beams,
C-channels, IBR roof sheeting etc. The students examined the
various spaces, identified the materials and took some time
to sketch the various applications.
The students commented “Jane and
her guests are able to relax and enjoy
the calming atmosphere of the nature
surrounding them as they luxuriate in
a pedicure offered by little fish nibbling
at their toes in the natural pool” and
“overall, the experience of the whole
house and the ‘green’ elements allows it
to be the perfect example of modern living
whilst existing simultaneously within the
natural environment in which it is built.”
The intention of the home owners is to live their dream
and to tread more lightly on the planet. The contemporary
home is a model example of how one is able to live
sustainably and off the grid not being reliant on municipal
water or electricity.
“It was a wonderful learning opportunity and
gave us the inspiration we needed to take on
our next project.” Charne du Plessis
Photo by K Pretorius
Rain water is harvested to supply the household with
potable water. A simple grey water system keeps the
completely indigenous garden lush. Solar energy is
harvested for powering up appliances, lighting, hot
water and other comforts. The interiors are naturally
ventilated keeping the home cool in the summer months
and warm in winter.
Outdoors boasts a swimming pool that is completely
chemically-free which relies on a planted area and pump
that oxygenates and naturally filters the water. The home
is anything but a ‘hobbit home’ as one may expect, but
contemporary in design, and was recently featured on
Top Billing which airs on SABC TV 3.
Photo by Michael Beckett
16
17
M A I KO
National Cultural
History museum
Words by Jonathan De Klerk
Words byTerese Potgieter
The inspiration for my final range Maiko was based on two main factors –
the Japanese tradition of geishas and the battle between good and evil.
The Japanese inspiration is evident in the oversized,
long kimono style sleeves, the obis and the drapery of
the garments. The use of black and white symbolises
the inevitable opposition of good versus evil, resulting in
eliciting one’s emotion.
Some of the first year Fashion Design students
went on a field trip with their lecturer Terese
Potgieter to the National Cultural History
Museum. The purpose of this excursion was
to view the museum’s garment library.
I was approached by a photographic student, Fleur van
Rhyn-Behm, to use my garments for a fashion based
assignment and photo shoot. The abstract theme of the
shoot was a human being uncomfortable in her own
skin, almost robotic.
On arrival the museum curator, Annemarie
Carelsen gave a short lecture on the history of
fashion design in South Africa. From there the
students went down to the museum’s underground
storage area, where the garments are kept.
Additional to this, a current Vega student from the
Pretoria campus, Aaron Ward, used the Maiko range for
a Fashion through the Ages inspired photo shoot. The
theme was in the style of Man Ray, an American visual
artist, who made a significant contribution to the Dada
and Surrealist movements.
Photographs by Fleur van Rhyn-Behm
The students were allowed to browse through the
library which hosts original garments dating back to
the 19th century. They were also shown one of the
oldest garments in South Africa dating back to the
1750’s. Students got to view an interesting collection
of Victorian bonnets and shawls as well as garments
from the Anglo Boer War, the Victorian era, the
1920s, 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. This viewing opportunity
was not only informative but very inspirational.
Photographs by Aaron Ward
18
19
20
21
ST u d e n t A W ARDS
C HAIR DARE C OMPE T I T ION
In September this year the DSSA had a great opportunity to collaborate with the Pretoria
Homemarkers Expo. The challenge was to redesign the traditional chair into a functional piece
of art. Once again our students rose to the challenge and submitted superb designs.
1
Danica Steyn
Colour Block Ottoman into Workstation
“The Homemakers Chair Dare competition was such a great competition to be a
part of because our chair designs got to be manufactured and it was incredible to
see my design concept come to life and to be a part of that process. Being at the
Expo and seeing your own design on display is very rewarding. The experience of
being a part of this competition was so exciting because it made me feel like not
only a student but a real Interior Designer.” Danica Steyn
Danica Steyn with
her winning prototype
2
Bernard Coetser
Stijl – Chair into shelf
Bernard Coetser
came in second place
“I was chosen as one of 10 student in my class, to enter for the competition. We
had to manufacture our chairs and this allowed us to see our designs come to life. It
was a great learning curve, as not everything you design on paper works in reality.
On the day of the exhibition, it was nice to see the other 10 finalists’ chairs and how
they were modified from their original design to “make it work.” Bernard Coetser
3
22
B ORRO W ING F ROM T H E 7 0 ’ s
Jasmine Huang was chosen as one of the top eight finalists at this year’s SA
Fashion Week Student Competition. This prestigious contest attracts hundreds
of entries from leading fashion schools around the country each year.
For 2015, students were asked to borrow from the 70’s
by taking an existing vintage dress from that era and
transforming it into a high fashion item. Huang, who is
from the institution’s Durban campus, had her garment
exhibited at the SAFW Designer Pop Up Shop alongside
the other finalists’ entries.
All DSSA third year students competed in the SAFW
competition as part of their curriculum work in the first
semester. Their garments were submitted to the judging
panel once the project was completed.
Nicolette van der Merwe, programme manager for
Fashion Design at DSSA, says, “It is through such platforms
that our students get the opportunity to receive hands
on experience and exposure which fulfils our mandate to
ensure that they graduate as industry ready innovators.
DSSA has been competing in this competition for a
number of years, and we have already had a few students
make it as finalists to the competition’s top ten. ”
“This experience means a lot to
me as a designer, we got to show what we can
do and get recognised for it. It is no secret that
in the world of design all you need is recognition
and opportunities, and although you might
be unsuccessful when entering a competition
you might still get recognised by someone
who finds your designs innovative and fresh.
Experiences like these open the doors to these
endless possibilities.” says an excited Huang.
Huang drew her inspiration from the competition theme
and interpreted it by seeing what garments looked like
in the 70’s. This resulted in a fold over dress with a deep
plunging V neckline and a structured length reaching just
below the knee. She describes it as a retro wrap dress
with contemporary smocking and vintage pearls.
Natasha King
BOXO Chair into table
“Being able to design freely and then manufacture the design resulted in great
satisfaction for me as a designer. The process was somewhat challenging but
definitely an experience and I was so happy to be part of the Homemakers event. It
was an honour to be able to present my design to the industry and fully experience
working with manufacturers. The competition helped boost my confidence as a
designer and is a great form of exposure for the students.” Natasha King
SA FASHION W EE K S T UDEN T C OMPE T I T ION
Natasha King
in third place
23
PG B I s ON St u d e n t C o m p e t i t i o n
Congratulations to Bernard Coetser, 3rd year Interior Design student who achieved
second place in this year’s 1.618 PG Bison Student Competition.
The students were challenged to design an openair style experience for the Bioscope, a small
independent cinema based in the Maboneng
Precinct. The owner of The Bioscope approached
the precinct management with a request to
expand The Bioscope’s offering into the the space
underneath the Sivewright Avenue Bridge.
The top 10 finalists at the
prestigious award ceremony.
The top three winners with
Bernard on the right hand side.
“It was a great honour to have been chosen as one of three students in my class to enter for the annual PG Bison 1.618
competition. The awards evening was wonderful, it created a platform to be recognised by the industry as well as the other
top 10 finalists. I admire the support given, by companies like PG Bison, to future graduates, to sponsor events like these that
provide important opportunities to students to express ourselves creatively without restrictions.” Bernard Coester
24
25
Ca e s a r s to n e
Student
Com p e t i t i o n
Congratulations to Christiaan Schutte from
the Pretoria campus for winning third place in
the 2015 Caesertone student competition.
This year’s competition brief was conceptualised by
Stefan Antoni and named, A Space for the Soul, A Place
for the Senses. Antoni invited architecture and interior
design students to respond to the brief that was inspired
by Juhani Pallasmaa’s book, The Eyes of the Skin, where
students had to create a space that was a haven for the
soul – a multi-sensory place to get away from the hyperstimulation of modern living.
Third place winner
Christiaan Schutte
Christiaan’s competition entry
Christiaan’s competition entry
26
27
My experience at
100% Design 2015
MM T b y D e s i g n 2 0 1 5
competition winners announced
Words by Sinelle van Rooyen
This was an amazing opportunity that was given to the
third year Interior Design students. We collaborated
with MMT to design a writing desk. Two final designs
were chosen and MMT built the prototypes, which
were exhibited at the 100% Design Exhibition. The
public was given the opportunity to vote for their
favourite design.
After a close public vote held at the 100% Design show at Gallagher Estate, Sinelle
van Rooyen, emerged as the winner of the 2015 MMT by Design competition.
Van Rooyen beat runner up Christiaan Schutte by a close margin and her winning
design will form part of the Mike Made This (MMT) production range.
MMT by Design aims to explore and discover young
talented South African designers and bring their
imaginative pieces to life. The competition is an exciting
collaboration between MMT, a multi-disciplinary
design and furniture manufacturing company, and The
Design School Southern Africa (DSSA), a division of The
Independent Institute of Education (The IIE), which is the
leading private provider of higher education in South
Africa.
had to keep their target audience in mind when they
were designing, as the designs were judged against a
number of important criteria before the finalists were
selected.
It was truly remarkable to see your design being
built and not just on paper. We got the opportunity
to promote our designs for the competition, and I
enjoyed engaging with the public.
The judging panel who selected the two finalist pieces
included Mike Mason of MMT, David Lotter of Sotran
Tropical Décor and Furniture, and Tim Prins, interior
designer at TC Design Architects and accredited Green
Building Council professional. The two Pretoria campus
third year Interior design students’ desks were chosen
and manufactured by the MMT team and showcased at
the 100% Design exhibition where the public was asked
to vote for their favourite design. The finalists will be
given an opportunity to work with Mason in his studio
as part of their internship programme.
Maretha Olivier, interior design programme manager
at DSSA, says, “We are honoured to have been part of
such a wonderful initiative and would like to thank the
team at MMT for bringing our students’ visions to life.
Both Sinelle and Christiaan were worthy contenders and
they embody DSSA’s continued success in unlocking our
students’ creative potential as well as ensuring that they
are well-rounded, industry ready designers.”
In my mind I thought that Christiaan’s design had
a bigger chance of winning, because of its futurist
and angular approach. Wow, I was so surprised to
hear that my design won! It was truly the greatest
moment of my student life!
“The hands-on, practical knowledge of furniture design
gained by our students during this exercise is invaluable
and it creates a wonderful platform for them to make
a name for themselves. As the leading design school
in Southern Africa we will continue to collaborate with
industry leaders to create opportunities such as these
for our students,” concludes Olivier.
The MMT by Design competition was launched at the
beginning of May 2015 and ran over the course of three
months. Third year interior design students at DSSA
were asked to design a contemporary styled writing or
workplace desk incorporating natural materials.They
Images by Sam de Boer
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Lecturer awards
Student Competition
The Fashion Design students were challenged to design
a range of commercial and fashionable Bohemian
maxi dresses. Additional to designing the dresses, the
students needed to incorporate Bohemian patterns into
their designs through the incorporation of accessories
such as belts and/or brooches.
The prizes were handed over at the Annual Student Exhibition
on the Durban and Jhb campuses.
Mel Smith who is a Truworths Graduate Recruiter
& Psychometrist explained that, “Once the entries
arrive at Head Office, the project team select the most
commercial ranges as well as ranges that represent the
Truworths customer. We look carefully at the design
skills and details of each board and whether the range
is cohesive in terms of the mood and trend portrayed.”
Winner: Cari St
Quentin (Durban)
Runner up:
Charmaine Francis
(Pretoria)
Design/
Interpretation
Winner: Verischa
Heyns (JHB)
Special Mentions:
Ilene Frank – Great design and original ideas.
Jessica Smith – Excellent boards, great design
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CH A RLES
FREYSEN
AWA RD
S A DIE B O S W O RTH S M ITH
w i n s N e w G e n e r at i o n
E m e r g i n g D e s i g n e r Aw a r d
S
adie Bosworth Smith, a
Fashion Design lecturer at
the DSSA Durban campus
won the New Generation
Emerging Designer Award
at the Durban Fashion Fair.
Accepting the award.
Photo by S K Mkhwanazi
for two months where she
will attend the Milan Fashion
Week, UNICA, White and
Super, the Gucci Museum
and various designer studios.
Sadie is a young star shining
bright, last year she won the
Young Designer Award at the
Vodacom Durban July.Sadie
was also nominated for the
Emma Smith Scholarship
- the Africa Fashion Week
Fast Track Programme
SA Publication Forum’s
Corporate Publication
Competition
based on her undergraduate range. She also received
a special recognition award at the DUT fashion
show and the Dean’s Merit award at graduation.
Three judges from DSSA at the 2015 SA Publication
Forums Corporate Publication Competition.
R
ia van Zyl (Academic Team), Carmen Baxter (Graphic
Design Programme Manager) and Lizette Carstens
(Lecturer) were on the judging panel for the 2015 South
African Publication Forum’s Corporate Publication
Competition.
Sadie Bosworth by Matt Kay
Sadie is taking part in
the Durban Fashion
Fair Mentorship
Programme and is
being mentored
by Greg Wallis and
Terrence Bray. Sadie
will be going to Italy
This year the SA Publication Forum’s received a record
number of publications. Over and above the print and
e-publications, annual reports, one-offs, DVDs and
websites entered, this year saw a new category emerge,
that of innovative corporate communication tools such
as apps and portals.
C
ongratulations to Terese Potgieter for winning this
year’s Charles Freysen Best Teaching Practice Award
of 2015 for DSSA. The nominees had to submit their
teaching portfolios which showcased their teaching
philosophy and teaching practice. This prestigious award
recognises outstanding talent and passion for educating
young adults.
Group Photograph by
Colourise Studio
Photograph by SDR Photo
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The publication industry in South Africa is growing and
competition is fierce among agencies. Each publication
judged received a written report by the judges, and it
is clear that editors take the judges’ comments very
seriously and strive to improve their publications year
after year. Obviously, then, the competition is meeting
one of its objectives: to improve the standard of
corporate publications in South Africa. Ria, Carmen and
Lizette are proud to be able to make a contribution to
this prestigious competition.
Terese explains, “Winning the Charles Freysen Best
Teaching Practice Award of 2015 was a very encouraging
experience as it forced me to reflect on my own teaching
practices. I was able to analyse what worked well in the
classroom and what didn’t. This allowed me to identify
both the problems and successes. In teaching, the best
reward is seeing good results in your students’ work,
but additional to this, it was very motivating to receive
recognition for my work. Furthermore I enjoyed being
given the opportunity to share my teaching practice with
my colleagues at the Teaching and Learning celebration.
There is a lot that we can learn from each other and our
shared classroom experiences.”
The top five publications this year are:
1st Place: Mercedes Benz
2nd Place: Wild, the Wild Card Programme
3rd Place: Concerto, Cape Town Philharmonic
4th Place: InSite, Kumba Iron Ore
5th Place: The M@G
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Discovering and understanding the design problem: Exploring a participatory
research approach during the brief development phases of the design process.
2015
Design Education Forum of
South Africa Conference
Words by
Lizette Carstens
Words by
Carmen Gunkel
T
L
his year I had the
privilege of going to the
2015 Design Education
Forum of South Africa (DEFSA) Conference. The topic of
this year’s conference was Ethics and Accountability in
Design: Do they matter?
izette Carstens, Graphic
Deign lecturer on the
Jozi Campus presented a
paper at the Design Education Forum of South Africa
The title was: Discovering and understanding the design
problem: Exploring a participatory research approach
during the brief development phases of the design
process.
The two day conference saw speakers from various
tertiary institutes present their research on the topic.
A theme that saw itself repeated often was the idea of
collaboration in design and how to approach this notion
in an ethical manner.
Her study was part of her MA in Information Design
(UP) and explored stakeholder participation during the
problem-setting phase of a design project.
The proceedings of the conference culminated in a full
day academic writing workshop. The workshop aimed
to demystify the process of publishing research as an
academic. During the workshop, I was afforded the
opportunity to discuss my own ideas of research with
well-established researchers. The three days I spent at
the conference was truly an enlightening experience and
left me with many aspirations that I aim to achieve.
The primary objective was to supplement brief
development through the discovery of underlying
design problems and user expectations so as to
facilitate responsible design decisions. Her interesting
research demonstrated the advantages of following a
participatory approach during the first stages of a design
project.
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Ethics in design require an awareness of the complexity
of problems and a consideration of the impact of
outcomes on economic, environmental, social and moral
levels. Accountability requires a clear understanding
of the design problem. On a methodological level this
means that more weight and time should be given to
the brief development phase of the design process, both
in design practice and education. On a theoretical level,
practical research approaches suitable for application in
everyday design practice are needed.
a need, was introduced. Subsequently a semi-structured
interview with the client to obtain a general idea of the
business and the project was followed by documentation
and analysis of the interview and concluded with a
written brief.
Participatory workshops in phase two tasked the
designer, client, randomly selected sales consultants
and customers with identifying problems related to the
products and with proposing solutions. Workshops and
outcomes were recorded and documented.
In practice, the design brief serves as a departure point
for problem-setting. Limited research and development
budgets and limited knowledge about design can present
stumbling blocks to brief development. Consequently,
lack of a problem statement and clear objectives, as well
as insufficient information regarding user expectations,
impede designers’ ability to understand and consider
the potential interaction with and impact of design
outcomes. This can result in ill-conceived, ineffective
design outcomes, frustrated designers, disillusioned
clients and dissatisifed customers.
In phase three, previously gathered information was
collated, analysed and combined with a critical reflection
by the designer, based on her experience and knowledge,
thereby facilitating the development of a comprehensive
written brief and resulting in a strategic creative proposal.
A comparison and evaluation of all proposals examined
whether the study offered answers to questions
about user expectations or potential solutions to the
methodological issues of design practice as set out in the
problem statement.
This case study aimed to explore stakeholder
participation during the problem-setting phase of a
design project. The primary objective was to supplement
brief development through the discovery of underlying
design problems and user expectations so as to facilitate
responsible design decisions. A secondary objective was
to theoretically explore Participatory Action Research
in the context of design in order to establish a practical
research approach suitable for application in practice.
The study holds methodological and ethical significance,
demonstrating that a participatory approach can impact
positively on brief development: The brief expanded
from the client’s basic initial design instruction into a
comprehensive creative proposal focused on meeting
the designer’s responsibility by addressing strategic
business issues with considered design outcomes.
Of theoretical significance, is the seamless, effortless
integration of the action research approach into the
problem-setting phase of the design process, The wellestablished and tested methodological guidelines and
principles of action research proved extremely valuable
in demonstrating rigour, reliability and validity, making
possible the presentation of this study as a valid clinical
research case study.
A Participatory Action Research methodology was
followed with the designer in dual roles of designer
and researcher. Mixed methods including interviews,
participatory workshops and critical reflection were
employed during three phases. In phase one, the client’s
initial commission, no more than a simple e-mail stating
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campus activities
Night of a
1000
Drawings
The Night of a 1000 Drawings held on all the DSSA campuses was a huge success. Over
200 guests were treated to a DSSA experience by doodling in a creative environment. The
great atmosphere was enhanced by the fabulous smell of fresh coffee, delicious food and
great music. People of all ages joined the event and amazing doodles were created.
SAF W POP UP SHOP
The DSSA was once again a part of the vibrant and exciting South African Fashion Week
Pop Up Shop that was held at the Brooklyn Mall in Pretoria.
T
he Fashion Design students’ garments were
showcased on the exhibition stand, as well as in
various installations over the duration of the event.
The exhibition stand was divided into two themes,
the first two days saw soft pastel colours and very
delicate garments and the last two days displayed
the striking contrast between black and white
with a strong Japanese influence. The installations
showcased garments from all three campuses,
displaying the diverse design talent of our students.
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39
STUDENT EXHI B ITI O N - PRET O RI A
T
fellow students across disciplines as they scrutinised
the best finished products of each others’ work.
he Design School Exhibition was held on a
beautiful but moody Tuesday evening in the first
week of October.
The staff took great pleasure in sharing a reflective
pride on the student’s achievements and the progress
which has been made in 2015. For a few hours,
the students forgot about the pressure associated
with the deadlines and enjoyed an evening which
celebrated their talent, the lecturers, parents and
bursars who have passionately supported their
tertiary career at DSSA.
It was fitting that the student work was as strikingly
exquisite as the sunset over Pretoria as the guests
began to arrive. Yet, as the weather changed
later that evening, so too did the contrast of the
different disciplines become more obvious. From
the elegance, functionality and intricacy of the
interior design, to the flair and pizazz of the fashion,
beautiful art, subtle pop and intelligently stylised
graphics work, it all demanded the attention of our
guests. As the campus swayed to some laidback
and bluesy tunes, the happy mood was palpable as
industry, family, students and staff enjoyed mingling
and taking in different perspectives than what they
had encountered before this evening.
As many of those who were exhibiting were exit
level students, the event marked the first step
towards completion of a milestone in a foundational
step towards their career. To those who still have a
way to go or are considering their next move, the
evening may have inspired some to take the plunge
into degree or post graduate studies. Either way,
the evening was successful and promises to be the
hallmark event on the DSSA calendar in the future.
There was certain pride from family members, great
interest from industry and a new appreciation from
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STUDENT EXHI B ITI O N - JH B
STUDENT EXHI B ITI O N - DUR B A N
Words by Nadira Sewnunan
T
O
Thereafter the guests grabbed a bite to eat and drink
and wandered the halls of the campus admiring the
various exhibitions. The students took advantage of the
opportunity to talk to the industry guests and to answer
questions about their design philosophies. The evening
came to a close with very proud parents and industry
guests that expressed their admiration for the standard
of work delivered.
n a warm spring evening the students, parents and
industry guests gathered to view the celebration of the
students’ hard work.
he evening was filled with buzz and excitement. The
first award for the Higher Certificate in Art and Design
was presented by Nicole Maurel, Nicole has a Masters
in Fine Arts and has exhibited in various exhibitions
throughout her career.
The evening was started with a warm welcome from the
Campus Principal Karen Gantsho and the announcement
of the Truworths Student Competition winners.
The award for Fashion Design was presented by Casey
Jeanne, one of Durban’s top fashion designers. Casey
specialises in high end wedding dresses and is currently
running a successful business. While, the award for
Graphic Design was presented by Martin Pace, Creative
Director from Dutch Ink Advertising and a Vega alumni.
Finally, Craig Bennett, KZN Regional Representative
for the South African Institute of the Interior Design
Professions (IID) presented the award for Interior Design.
The 3rd year fashion runway collection was the highlight
of the programme. It was a privilege to see first-hand the
hard work the students have put into their work. The
announcement of the Truworths Student Competition
was made by Nicolette van der Merwe, Programme
Manager for Fashion Design. Out of 16 entries, the
award went to Cari St Quentin.
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Al u m n i a c t i v i t i e s
Be, see, Share
f ab u l o u s
T
his year’s Skip Fashion Exchange took place on 13
August 2015. Attendees were able to refresh their
wardrobe by sharing their fabulous clothing with their
fellow fashion-lovers, they also got exclusive access to
the launch of the #MyFabulous designer collection.
Created by three of the hottest young designers in South
Africa, and inspired by fashion-forward Instagrammers
in our three major cities.
Four of our Fashion Design students had the privilege
of working at this year’s glamorous Skip Fashion
Exchange. The group of girls were Natasha Sallie,
Genevieve Norman, Lebogang Bautloane and Danielle
Human.
Students were dressed by Skip and could keep the
clothes and shoes afterwards. Their duties started
off with tying the ribbons on the rating tags for the
garments that will be evaluated.
Natasha Sallie
commented on
the experience by
saying that it was
hard work but an
awesome evening
Once the guests handed in their garments, the DSSA
team assisted in rating the clothing according to
quality, texture and the brand of the garment. After the
evaluation of the garments the exchange took place
and our ladies assisted the guests with their choices to
make up the perfect outfit.
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Zelmari du Preez
Words by Zelmari du Preez
Zelmari du Preez graduated from Design School South Africa Pretoria Campus in 2012 with a BA in
Fashion Design. While studying she started building and creating her name and label in the industry.
2015 – Collaborated with International Photographers
Kallah Ohr Photography in a styled Disney shoot.
Collaborated with South African celebrity choice
photographer Hanri Human in a styled Bohemian Bliss
Wedding shoot with Roelene Appelgryn as model and
jewellery designer Marion Rehwinkel. Designed and
manufactured a Great Gatsby dress for a client from New
Zealand.
H
er journey…
2011- Vodacom Durban July
Young Designers Awards finalist.
2012 – Achieved a Top 5 position
for SABC 3 “South African Young
Designer” reality show. In addition Zelmari showcased
her “Untitled” range at the Sansui Summer Cup fashion
show as a Top 5 designer.
During 2015 she also designed and manufactured
4 wedding dresses, 6 Matric Farewell dresses, 92
Bridesmaids dresses, and 11 Mother of the bride dresses,
3 outfits for WBFF South Africa 2015.
2013 - Showcased her range “Untitled” at the F Wilson
Pre Las Vegas Fashion Show. She also started working as
a visual merchandiser at Forever New. In the same year
she worked at Vertigo as regional visual merchandiser.
Currently Zelmari is working on a ladies and kiddies
summer range for Preez to be launched in December
2015, new designs for work in 2016 with Kallah Ohr
Photography, WBFF South Africa 2016 and believe it or
not wedding season for 2016 already kicked off for Preez!
Zelmari is building the future of Preez and will hopefully
be seen in SAFW soon!
2014 – Started her label Preez and exhibited at the
International MADIBA Day. Designed and manufactured
bikini’s for Miss NABBA World. Showcased with DSSA at
the 2014 SAFW Fashion Show during the POP UP Shop
in Brooklyn Mall. Styled and worked with the incredible
icon Nataniel, stylist Anna Marie Bronkhorst for MNet &
KykNet shows. Styled and worked at boutique Babbette’s
and Ragaza and The Habibi Label with Elizabeth Jacobs.
The aim of Preez is to have a satisfied and glamorouslooking client record with the main focus to dress and
style each client to perfection!
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Garments designed by Zelmari u Preez
Photo by Hanri Human Photography
Garments designed by Zelmari u Preez
Photos by Kallah Ohr Photography
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Michelle van der Merwe
Words by Michelle van der Merwe
Michelle van der Merwe graduated from The Design School Southern Africa in 2005 with a Higher
Diploma in Interior Design, thereafter she received her BA Degree in Interior Design in 2009.
T
longing to be creative and designing again, therefore I
returned to an Architectural Practice in 2012.
his year, she formed part of the Judging panel for the
Annual PG Bison Awards 2015, and has also co-written
the brief for the Annual 2016 competition. Michelle
is a specialist in Retail and Restaurant design, and has
worked on the development of many brands in South
Africa.
2012 – 2013: Martin Engelbrecht Architects
Position: Senior Architectural Technologist
2013-2014: Pattichides & Partners Architecture & Design.
Position: Senior Interior Designer
2007 – 2011: The Design Partnership
Position: Design developer and Project leader
When I joined Pattichides and Partners, my boss Chris
asked me ”Are you sure you’re up for this?: We are busier
than Wall street” …He wasn’t joking about the pace, but
this pace is also what keeps us going. We work on such a
diversity of brands and projects, both locally and abroad.
When I started working at the Design Partnership, I had
no idea how tough the retail design industry would be. I
questioned my choice of a career many nights, however
I’ve always been determined to never give up and push
my own limits. In my years at the Design Partnership, I
learnt to become meticulous about detailing. And grew
into a strong designer both technically and conceptually.
2011 - 2012: City Property
Position: Tenant Coordinator
Earlier this year I worked at Famous Brands Pty Ltd. The
company is Africa’s leading quick-service and casual
dining restaurant franchisor. As their Group Design
Manager. I was responsible for managing the design
and planning team that forms part of the development
department, as well as designing any new concepts.
I decided to take a turn in my career and discovered a
profound interest in the project management & coordination side of the industry and joined the giant
property management group, City Property.
My
responsibilities included the appproval, coordination
and handling of tenant installations for new tenants
into commercial, retail and office spaces. Although I got
great insight working as a Tenant Coordinator, I started
I gained an immense amount of experience working at
Famous Brands, especially in management and corporate
relations, however I decided to return to Pattichides and
Partners, which is a smaller, more intimate company,
where I can focus on design. Currently I am working on
an array of projects at Pattichides & Partners. Current
Projects: Great Bingo Entertainment Venues; Renew it
Offices; G-Bets Sports.
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DSS A a l u m n u s c h o s e n to j u d g e
p r e s t i g i o u s PG B i s o n c om p e t i t i o n
T
The competition organisers describe the 2015 judging
panel as being ‘made up of a vastly talented and
contemporary group of professionals, reflecting some of
the widest experience and varied perspectives available
in South Africa today.’
he Design School of Southern Africa (DSSA), a division
of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE),
congratulates Michelle van der Merwe, a DSSA student
alumnus, who has been chosen as a judge for this year’s
PG Bison 1.618 Competition and Awards.
Programme manager: Interior design, at DSSA, Maretha
Olivier says, “We are proud of Michelle for being
bestowed with such an honour and for the many strides
she has achieved in her career so far.
The PG Bison 1.618 Competition is now in its 21st
year and was created to recognise future interior and
industrial designers, architects and key decision makers
in the country’s construction industry. The competition
is synonymous with the prestige it offers its winners
as well as the tradition-defying brief given to the
students each year. It culminates in a prestigious awards
ceremony, and has established itself as an integral part
of the syllabus at the majority of institutions across the
country.
“We believe that this bears testimony to the DSSA’s
continued commitment to produce IIE graduates that
become well respected leaders in their industry. At DSSA,
we balance natural creative potential with vocational
preparedness via academic excellence and industry
experience.”
Alumni Corner: Reflecting on the Retail Industry
“I believe that Opportunities comes past our lives every now and then, posing itself as
a window that opens and closes. Once the window has closed the Opportunity is gone,
therefore take on and embrace any opportunity that you might encounter on your path
and always be ready for new challenges. The retail industry is tough, but fun to work in and
it poses many great opportunities for Designers and Architects.”d
Galito’s Restaurant Abu Dhabi
Pattichides & Partners
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Moloko Night Club
Pattichides & Partners
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Johannesburg | +27 (0)11 326 3830 Pretoria | +27 (0)12 326 3830 Durban | +27 (0)31 003 0182
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