Decorex Africa 2024
Designing Tomorrow: A Circular Future
In a pioneering exhibition on circular design, Decorex Africa invites innovators to join in exploring ways to safeguard the future, starting at home
The exhibition, REGENERATE, was launched at Decorex Cape Town in June 2024, and will make a second appearance at 100% Design in Joburg in August (read on* to get your complimentary tickets). Conceived and curated by Decorex Africa Executive Creative Director Bielle Bellingham and Department of Trend Director Anja Joubert, it is dedicated to creating a sustainable future through the lens of circular and regenerative design. This engaging and informative showcase aims to educate and inspire visitors by providing actionable knowledge and demonstrating how circularity principles can be integrated into everyday life.
REGENERATE features a range of innovative design concepts and solutions, highlighting the importance and practicality of sustainable practices. Through interactive displays, hands-on workshops, and real-world examples, it empowers visitors to make informed, eco-friendly choices, sparking a transformative journey towards a more sustainable, circular future.
Top Left Scrap Metal Bale Series by Matthew Dasneves, part of an ongoing project exploring the use of scrap metal bales as a new source of material to work and design with. Above Sustainable thread by Rewoven Threads and examples of the substrate that Zerocrete is made from. Bottom Left 3D-printed vase by Amnova using recycled waste, demonstrating the innovative intersection of modern design and manufacturing techniques.
Top Scrap Metal Bale Series by Matthew Dasneves, part of an ongoing project exploring the use of scrap metal bales as a new source of material to work and design with. Middle 3D-printed vase by Amnova using recycled waste, demonstrating the innovative intersection of modern design and manufacturing techniques. Bottom Sustainable thread by Rewoven Threads and examples of the substrate that Zerocrete is made from.
House and Leisure is the official media partner of the exhibition, which Anja and Bielle kicked off with a workshop at The Ramp with likeminded industry friends including House and Leisure Editor-in-Chief Charl Edwards, Studio H, Cameron Barnes, Lucie Loops, Xanita, Driaan Claassen, Sealand Gear and Jessica Harwood. See more about the creative process in the preview below.
‘The process of bringing the trend report research to life was a great experience from start to finish. We had the opportunity to connect with an amazing network of innovators, both locally and globally, and it’s inspiring to see the exhibition content go beyond that space and into design classrooms.’ – Anja Joubert
Also House and Leisure‘s Contributing Design Editor, Bielle writes in her piece ‘Future forward’ in Volume 13 (Unearth), ‘In a world that demands ecologically responsible and socially responsive solutions, the future of design relies on our collective strength as an African design community.’ She continues, ‘Imagine a future where our homes are not just shelters, but also regenerative dwellings that give back more than they consume. Picture a world where traditional, vernacular wisdom collaborates with cutting-edge technologies to create sustainable, circular and interconnected systems. Consider cities that could generate our fundamental needs – energy, food and water – through innovative designs and infrastructure. It’s all possible if we work in communion.’
Below (inset) Fault Lines lamp by Made by Pigeons, made from recycled single-use PET bottles, processed entirely in-house and 3D-printed in the style of traditional fluted glass. Below On plinths of Zerocrete blocks and hemp bricks from Afrimat Hemp stands the ‘Adam Sheet’ by environmental innovators, Adam: a durable, translucent fabric made entirely from recycled apple waste in Japan’s Aomori Prefecture. Next to it stands an experimental bio-plastic from seaweed.
*As the media partners of REGENERATE, we have teamed up with Decorex Africa to offer our readers complimentary passes to Decorex Joburg and 100% Design Africa at Sandton Convention Centre from 1 to 4 August 2024.
