Cape Town has just been named World design capital 2014.

This is some seriously BIG news everybody. The sheer magnitude of what this announcement means for design in South Africa is astounding!

This will serve as a massive springboard for South African design, which will help grow potential design talent and spur some much needed investment into, not only Cape Town, but South Africa as a whole.

The fact that Cape Town has been named World Design Capital 2014 reflects on us positively as a nation and shows that we are a country to watch as a future ‘Mecca’ of world-class design. It will open up the door to opportunities the likes of which we have never seen before.

So what can we expect?
The most important factor of SA becoming World Design Capital 2014 will mean a year-long design programme where we will focus on integrating design into transforming the economic, social and cultural landscape in South Africa.
Not to mention gaining the immeasurable knowledge of design communities from around the world who will descend on Cape Town and help us soar to all new heights.

The bid itself was centred around the creation of an ‘inclusive city’ by incorporating creative design knowledge into development strategies.

It’s hard to believe the decision has finally come. Considering the bidding process has been going for over a year it seemed like this AWESOME day would never come, hehe. South Africa’s “Live Design. Transform Life” portfolio concept must have blown the selectors away. In order to beat amazing cities such as Dublin and Bilbao you really have to pull a proverbial ‘rabbit out of the hat’.

That’s not to say we don’t deserve it….WE DO!
This is long overdue in my opinion.
Go Cape Town, Go South Africa J

The mayor of Cape Town, Patricia de Lille, received the humbling award on behalf of Cape Town and expressed how deeply honoured she was to accept the title of the FIRST African city to become a World Design Capital!

We were all Springleaping off the walls this morning at the HQ when we heard the announcement made by the International Design Alliance Congress in Taipei. Wish we could have been there….we would have danced until our feet fell off.

Springleap can’t wait to welcome the world to Cape Town.
Prepare to be astonished by our creativity and colourful design community!