The Better Living Challenge Showcase Launch
The Better Living Challenge’s signature Showcase event will be taking place in October and November 2014, comprised of an exhibition at the V&A Waterfront and life-size interactive displays, talks and debates at the Cape Town Station Forecourt.
On show at both events is a display of solutions by the finalists and exhibitors whose projects form the Better Living Challenge Showcase. These innovative, affordable and green solutions aim to address some of the problems faced by people living in low income communities.
The V&A Waterfront exhibition will feature a number of plinths offering information and product and prototype displays. The plinths will be placed in the main retail area of the V&A Waterfront with the aim of communicating to a broader audience interested in sustainability. This exhibition will be taking place from Monday, 6 October to Sunday, 26 October 2014.
The Cape Town Station Forecourt exhibition is an interactive event taking place from Tuesday 28, October to Saturday, 8 November 2014. The exhibition will be officially opened by Premier Helen Zille, MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela (Human Settlements) and MEC Alan Winde (Economic Opportunities) on Thursday, 30 October 2014. There will be lunchtime talks and debates taking place from Wednesday, 29 October 2014. Exhibition opening times are as follows: Monday to Friday from 09H00 – 17H00 and 09H00 – 13H00 on Saturdays.
The Creation of the Better Living Challenge
The Better Living Challenge is a design competition calling for green and affordable products, systems and services, to improve the homes of people living in low-income communities. The Better Living Challenge has been on the hunt to uncover solutions and ideas to improve the lives and homes of people living in low-income areas. Groundbreaking products and innovations that are affordable, well designed and green are being brought to life through this competition.
Alan Winde, Western Cape Minister of Economic Opportunities, said: “In the spirit of our motto, “Better Together”, we put the challenge out to our residents to come up with innovative, sustainable solutions for low-income housing. The entries we received far outweighed our expectations, and I am looking forward to seeing the winning concepts brought to life in a way that improves livelihoods in our province”.
The Better Living Challenge Selection Panel of 47 industry experts identified 23 finalists and 33 exhibitors – out of an impressive number of 130 total entries received. These solutions to be showcased, embody the aims of the competition. The Panel nominated 3 finalists in the Connected Home category, 8 in the Comfortable Home category and 12 finalists in the Structural Home category. In addition, the Selection Panel identified a further 33 projects of merit that will exhibit as part of the Showcase, but are not in line to win an award. To ensure fairness, the selection process was independently observed by KPMG.
There are 3 grand prizes that each consist of half a million rand’s worth of support services to enable these solutions getting to market. 3 student entries will each receive a R40 000 cash prize. The concept facilitates the concept-to-market value chain for innovative and affordable home improvement solutions. The project is specifically aimed at lower LSM groups, although innovations can apply across various communities.
The Better Living Challenge is project-managed by the Cape Craft + Design Institute (CCDI), on behalf of the Western Cape Government’s 110% Green initiative, which encourages organisations to commit to the Green Economy. The Better Living Challenge is a collaborative project between the public and private sector, and civil society demonstrating that these partnerships work to promote economic development. It is an official project (WDC#204) of the Cape Town World Design Capital 2014 (WDC2014) programme.
For more information: www.betterlivingchallenge.co.za
Facebook – The Better Living Challenge
Twitter – @TheBLChallenge
