The public is invited to view an exhibition of some of the most innovative design work by students of Aalto University in Finland and CPUT students.

Cape Town took over from Helsinki as World Design Capital in 2014 and the relationship resulted in an on-going collaboration between Aalto and CPUT that is expected to flourish for years to come.

The exhibition, Shaping a Shared World, was launched at the District Six Homecoming Centre in the city centre yesterday evening and was attended by students and staff from both institutions as well as the Finnish ambassador.

A photography exhibition entitled Me/We by a duo of Finnish and Soweto photographers is also on display at the same time.

The Shaping a Shared World exhibition is a collection of student work that demonstrate positive change through design and symbolizes Helsinki’s world design tagline of Embedding Design in Life and Cape Town’s Live Design Change Lives slogan.

One of the works on display is former CPUT B-Tech student Chanel Oosthuizen’s Knus baby hammock that was designed and created in conjunction with the Cape Town Society for the Blind.

The hammock is currently nominated for the ‘Most Beautiful Object’ prize at the Design Indaba expo happening later this week.

The event also saw CPUT Vice Chancellor Dr Prins Nevhutalu sign a memorandum of understanding with Aalto University that formalizes the institutions’ partnership.

AGREEMENT: CPUT VC Dr Prins Nevhutalu signed a memorandum of understanding with Aalto University to ensure future collaborations

Visit the Shaping a Shared World exhibition at the D6 Homecoming Centre on the corner of Buitenkant and Caledon streets from today to March 15.

Written by Lauren Kansley
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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.

The Department of Architectural Technology and Interior Design celebrated Africa Day with an exhibition titled: Tribal Identities of South Africa.

Held at 80 Roeland Street, this vibrant event provided students with a platform to connect with fellow artists, faculty members, departmental lecturers, and visitors, while sharing the rich narratives and artistic journeys of their cultural tribes and identities.

The exhibition sought to honour the diverse cultural heritage of South Africa's tribal communities, which are a vital part of the nation's identity. Visual artists from the department were invited to participate in this unique showcase of artistic expression and cultural appreciation.

The preparations for the exhibition sparked significant interest among students, eager to express their cultural identities through art. This enthusiasm was palpable at the opening, where the audience warmly received the artworks, igniting curiosity about future exhibitions.

Staff and students shared their positive experiences. Staff member, Rezah Mogamat commented: "I think it was an awesome initiative. One of the students came to chat to me in private afterwards to say how glad he was to partake in this initiative. The hidden talent hey!!"

Students also reflected on their participation. Raeesah Toefy remarked: "It was overall a great experience. I feel like I could've spent more time on making my art piece look better, but I had fun painting it and researching about my culture. It was a learning curve for me which I enjoyed."

Raeesah added: "Yes, I would participate again. Life is all about risks and experiences, and exhibiting artwork is a fun and great experience. Even if you're new to the field or not too confident about your art pieces, you'll only get better at it."

In his opening address at the exhibition, Head of Department, Rayner Moodley, said: “As Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, ‘We are not people of one book, one truth, or one way. We are people of many books, many truths, and many ways…”"

Moodley thanked students for their enthusiasm in partaking in this exhibition and encouraged them to embrace their heritage and let it inspire their creativity and innovation.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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