Dubbed one of South Africa's most prominent young rising architects, Mokena Makeka's architectural philosophy is about creating interactive spaces.

Creative and managing director of Makeka Design Laboratory, Makeka launched the Museum of Design Innovation Leadership and Art, called MoDILA, in Cape Town last month. He believes MoDILA will be at the forefront of creating a public that is conscious of dynamic design and art.

"MoDILA is a platform where global and local excellence meet in dialogue. It's a privately-driven project to initiate change in the design and entrepreneurial sector by using display to inspire and stir debate among academics, civil society and creatives," Makeka says.

Makeka's architectural style is to create built environments that will enhance cultural wealth and diversity.

For instance, he says: "Create architecture that grows on people and has personality."

As examples of this he cites the Eiffel Tower and the Sydney Opera House, which both inspired horror when they were first completed.

Then, he adds, "demonstrate hope and faith in the human condition. Architecture is much more than buildings".

His work on Cape Town station as part of the Arc Station joint venture is indicative of his philosophy. As a revitalisation project they combined ethical and humanist architecture with sustainability to create a contemporary environment.

The design puts the station at the centre of activity within the city - integrating access to transportation with other daily activities. The trading spaces, pedestrian routes and, forecourt (green park) serve as a milieu in which civic space is reclaimed by the citizenry in their engagement with it.

Makeka's latest project, MoDILA, has been two years in the making and was initiated when he realised that there was a need to create socially relevant public infrastructure.

"Without a clear social compass between the state and civil society to invest in the innate creativity and potential of citizens, projects of this nature will take decades to emerge," Makeka says.

"I believe that a design-literate and entrepreneurial society is more resilient in terms of creating jobs and unleashing our creativity and really growing the knowledge economy."

In developing architecture in Africa, MoDILA aims to be a part of an awakening that locates Africa as a source of knowledge, not merely a consumer of global ideas, says Makeka.

"Clearly our past, present and future must be in dialogue with who we are, where we are from and where we want to be," he says.

"There is a lot of knowledge that is submerged and untapped. Design will show us how to use this knowledge in novel and contemporary ways."

He continues: "Sometimes the process is more important than the outcome, the debate more important than the conclusion. If it unlocks doors for others in unforeseen ways, that alone is a success."

Makeka says good design leaves a lasting imprint on people's lives. Design is encompassed by ingenuity and elegance, and it is thoughtful and often unexpected.

"Life is hard, so design to make the ordinary things in life much easier. Make designs which you can look back at over time and feel good," Makeka says.

RESOURCES: Times Live Online

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