Settlement gets a makeover

Cape Town's Mshini Wam informal settlement has embraced the World Design Capital concept by transforming itself.

The International Council for Societies of Industrial Design awarded Cape Town the accolade of World Design Capital in October 2011.

Cape Town's reign starts only next month.

The society promotes the use of design for social, economic and cultural change. Cape Town is the first African recipient.

Councillor Grant Pascoe, responsible for tourism, events and marketing, said residents of the informal settlement, near Milnerton, came up with an "out-of-the-box" design that has turned their lives around.

He said residents started by building their shacks well apart to create space for streets, improving access for residents, visitors and, most important, emergency vehicles.

"This is just one example of how design can be used to improve lives," he said.

Pascoe said the city will host a series of events to promote itself as the World Design Capital at the Design Week Forum in London this week.

He said Cape Town was using its World Design Capital status to help residents "re-imagine" their communities and will host co-design workshops in all the city's 111 wards.

Workshops with residents of Mitchells Plain, Hanover Park, Durbanville and the Bo-Kaap have already been held.

"People were encouraged to take part in deciding the way in which schools and clinics are built, and how and where new development takes place," said Pascoe.