Cape Town
开普敦

Design Enhances Industrial Innovation
设计增强产业创新力

Abstract

Cape Town is South Africa’s legislative capital and second-largest city, located at the southern tip of the continent and famed for its majestic Table Mountain and Cape of Good Hope. As the earliest European colonial foothold in Africa, its history dates back to 1652, with a rich blend of cultures that has forged a unique 'mother city' spirit. Cape Town is not only a political and economic hub but also a benchmark for smart cities and creative industries through its inclusive public space design and pioneering urban regeneration.

The city’s design DNA is rooted in social change. In the early 20th century, the Malay community countered apartheid policies by replacing house numbers with colorful facades, establishing an early symbolic expression of creative industry. In the 1990s, the Mandela government launched a central business district (CBD) revitalisation plan—transforming public spaces and introducing diverse business models—that promoted racial integration, spurred economic growth, reduced crime by 90%, and attracted investments exceeding R18 billion. In 2009, events such as carnival parades built international influence, paving the way for Cape Town’s bid for 'World Design Capital'. In 2017, it became the first African city designated as UNESCO 'Design Capital', launching 460 creative projects in sustainable design, social integration, and more—exemplified by the Zeitz MOCAA, an African contemporary art museum transformed from an abandoned warehouse into the continent’s largest contemporary art landmark. In 2024, an agreement with Shenzhen to co-develop a smart city further promoted the internationalisation of its design industry and strengthened cooperation in energy efficiency and digital transformation.

Cape Town’s design practice is embodied in diverse projects. These include the Design Indaba—a global design summit held since 1995 that attracts top talent and fosters crossdisciplinary collaboration, with its 'emerging creativity' projects incubating local brands like eco-friendly furniture design; Open Design Afrika—a 12-day event engaging 8,000 participants through street art and craft markets, turning venues such as Green Market Square into social hubs for racial integration; the Cape Town Art Fair—the largest art event in Africa, showcasing works by 128 emerging artists and drawing over 23,000 visitors annually; NEXT21 Trade Show— focusing on sustainable design with 23 South African designers illustrating circular economy concepts; and the Adderley Street Festival of Lights—a free concert and light show with a 55-year history that unites a multicultural community of over 100,000 participants. Cape Town’s journey from colourful houses to a global design capital, from apartheid to inclusive coexistence, demonstrates that design is not merely an aesthetic expression but a driving force for economic growth and social equity.

摘要

开普敦是南非立法首都及第二大城市，坐落在非洲大陆南端，以壮丽的桌山与好望角闻名于世。作为欧洲殖民者在非洲最早的据点，其历史可追溯至 1652 年，多元文化在此交融，形成独特的“母亲城”气质。开普敦不仅是南非的政治与经济枢纽，更以公共空间的包容性设计、城市再生的先锋实践，成为全球智慧城市与创意产业的标杆。

开普敦的设计基因根植于社会变革。20 世纪初，马来族人为对抗种族隔离政策，以彩色房屋替代门牌号，开创了早期创意产业的符号化表达。1990 年代，曼德拉政府启动中央商务区（CBD）复兴计划，通过改造公共空间、引入多元业态，推动种族融合与经济增长，犯罪率下降 90%，吸引投资超 180 亿兰特。2009 年，狂欢节游行等活动积累国际影响力，为申评“世界设计之都”铺路。2017 年，开普敦成为非洲首个入选联合国“设计之都”的城市，启动 460 个创意项目，涵盖可持续设计、社会融合等领域，如废弃谷仓改造的非洲当代艺术博物馆（Zeitz MOCAA），将工业遗址转化为全球最大非洲当代艺术地标。2024 年，与深圳签署协议共建智慧城市，推动设计产业国际化，强化能源效率与数字转型合作。

开普敦的设计实践以多元项目为载体：非洲设计中心（Design Indaba）：自 1995 年起举办全球设计峰会，吸引顶尖人才，推动跨领域合作，其“新兴创意”项目孵化本土品牌，如环保家具设计。开放设计节（Open Design Afrika）：12 天活动吸引 8000 人参与，通过街头艺术、手工艺市集激活公共空间，如绿市广场（Green Market Square）成为种族融合的社交枢纽。开普敦艺术博览会：非洲最大艺术盛会，展示 128 位新锐艺术家作品，连接国际藏家与本土创作者，年观众超 2.3 万人。NEXT21贸易展：聚焦可持续设计，23 位南非设计师以家具、纺织品等作品诠释循环经济理念，推动产业出口。阿德利街节日灯饰：55 年历史的免费音乐会与灯光秀，凝聚多元文化社群，年参与人数超 10 万，彰显城市再生的文化凝聚力。开普敦以创意产业为核心，将公共空间改造、能源效率提升、智慧城市建设融入城市发展战略。从彩色房屋到全球设计之都，从种族隔离到包容共生，这座城市通过政策协同与社会参与，证明设计不仅是美学表达，更是推动经济增长与社会公平的引擎。未来，开普敦将继续以设计为纽带，书写非洲创新版图的新篇章。