Have you ever wanted to design, build and code your own robot? Or what about making soccer balls using giant molecules, learning to make sustainable bricks, or a puppet theatre using shadows and light? These are some of the activities everyone can look forward to at design and innovation festival Open Design Cape Town 2017. The event runs on Sunday 13 until Friday 19 August at Cape Town City Hall, and until 25 August at other venues in the city and other communities.
Sune Strassen, the co-founder and creative director of Open Design, said the youth-friendly events are part of their fous on education, innovation and building communities.
“To prepare our youth with the correct set of skills for the future Open Design hosting a variety of workshops for young and old that will One of the festival’s aims is to introduce creativity and design thinking to young people,“ she said.
We all use dozens of appliances every day, but do we know what’s going on inside them and how to put them back together again? Luckily, Open Design has a workshop for that, and many others. Here is a snapshot of what is on offer.
Disassembly Workshop (Sunday 13 August)
One of the most popular workshops for children and families presented by the Maker Station returns to give young children the opportunity to play with various components of appliances. Kids will learn to fix and recycle things like toasters or irons in a safe environment. They can also build their own gadgets and imaginary creations, then take them home. At City Hall in three scheduled two-hour sessions. R300 per team of one adult with a child, and R120 for each extra child. Each team receives a kit of tools which they can take home. Book here.
The Experience Workshop from Finland (Tuesday 15 – Saturday 19 August)
The Experience Workshop from Finland is hosted by Kristóf Fenyvesi of the University of Jyväskylä, the founder of the Experience Workshop and a researcher in STEAM education, together with designers Ho Gul Park and Changwook Choi from Korea, the free workshops allow kids to collectively apply the different skills of mathematics, science, technology, engineering, art and design to boost their innovative skills. Kids will build from giant domes with 4D frames, make soccer and basket balls using giant molecules, build a water tower and code their own mechatronic creation. 15 workshops for learners from grades 1-12 to choose from. Book here.
Eco Bricks Activator’s workshop (Sunday 13 August)
Have you ever wanted to learn how to turn waste into sustainable building materials? That’s what the free Mini EcoBrick Activator’s Workshop will offer participants young and old. In this hands-on workshop, participants learn about EcoBricking, strategies towards zero-waste living and DIY EcoBrick applications. Geared to high school students and older.
Pukka Shadow Play Theatre Workshop (Sunday 13 August)
Theatre-maker, teacher and artist Gabi Immelman hosts a fun and educational free event for kids aged 7 to 13, with her team of highly skilled and dedicated volunteers. Kids will get to use everyday materials to create model theatres, puppets and other tools and explore the world around us. The children will finally create a performance that Pukka Theater records and shares on Youtube.
SeeSawDo’s Animation Station for kids (Sunday 13 August)
SeeSawDo is a company that engages children in storytelling and character design, with the added benefit of making teaching them about tech tools – fun and educational, combining hands-on and digital play. At their free workshop at the City Hall between 10am and 5pm, participants will use smart devices and a stop motion app to create their own stories.
Togetherheid Heroes Expo (Sunday 13 – Tuesday 19 August)
The Togetherheid Heroes expo promotes local heroes from Cape Town’s marginalised communities. It highlights amazing people from places often overlooked by affluent Capetonians and tourists. It’s a strong message that the whole family can come and experience.
A+ Build-it workshop for Kids and Adults (Sunday 13 August)
The Cape Craft & Design Institute & Africa A+ Schools’ workshop takes place at City Hall between 10am and 5pm. Children, parents and friends will have fun making things together using upcycled materials. Kids will get to experience how to plan, problem-solve and innovate while exploring shapes, spaces and how different types of materials fit together. Behind the fun is a serious message: SA needs problem-solvers and entrepreneurs. Book here.
Education and Learning in Cape Town meetup (Saturday 19 August)
Designers of Change seeks to contribute to positive social change in a way that encourages inclusivity, diversity and experimentation. They will host a discussion and workshop between 1pm and 3.30pm where they will discuss the role of design in Cape Town especially in education, takeaways from Open Design and the importance of design in our daily lives. The event is for adults, youth and children. Communal lunch R40 per dish. Info here.
Open Design is open to everyone, whether they are new to design and innovation or already see it as critical to designing a better future world for all. While some festival events are ticketed, most events are free to attend.
What: Open Design 2017: Youth Edition
Web: www.opendesign.com
Social media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook @opendesignct, Opendesignct, #ODCT2017
WS
