2013 – 2021 | Designing Development

Designing Development: An Exploration of Technology Innovation by Small-Scale Urban Farmers in Johannesburg was my Doctorate in Literature and Philosophy in Development Studies awarded in March 2021 by the University of Johannesburg. The project was supervised by Dr. Naudé Malan, Department of Anthropology and Development Studies, University of Johannesburg and Prof. Anna Meroni, Politechnico di Milano, Italy. Overview: Both the field of Development and discipline of Design were conceived from agendas of capitalist driven economic growth. Despite having to stand against this current, a minority of practitioners and academics in both these arenas have critically realigned their intentions towards more human-centred ideals. This Doctoral thesis adds new knowledge to this pursuit through the use of an original theoretical framework that combines both Activity Theory and the Capabilities Approach to systemically explore how people innovate technology. Within the complex Johannesburg food system, this study made use of an embedded multiple-case study ... Read More

2001-2003 | African Style in Product Design

After completing my Bachelors in Industrial Design, from 2000-2003 I undertook a research Masters in Industrial Design titled "Developing New Stylistic Possibilities for African Product Design Inspired by African Cultural Heritage." It was the first Masters study in Industrial Design in South Africa, and was undertaken at the Technikon Witwatersrand under the supervision of the late Phil Oosthuizen, Department of Industrial Design, and co-supervison of Phil du Plessis, Department of Industrial Design and late Marialda Marais, Department of Fine Arts. Overview: The research project endeavoured to explore and develop notions of ‘contemporary African design’. The project focused on chair design with particular reference to the Senufo articulated chair from the Ivory Coast. In order to frame the practical research the separate histories of Western chairs and African chairs were examined for common ground. Ideas of cultural identity and style as a means of communicating an African identity to the West ... Read More