Mokena Makeka is a young Cape Town-based architect with an exciting project portfolio, a long list of accolades and an increasing influence. From his design for the upgrading of Cape Town Station to a community centre in Khayelitsha and the Shared Services Centre in Athlone, Makeka’s work has had an impact on public life in Cape Town while his views on matters such as sustainability, socially responsive design and culture and public spaces are inspiring many young designers,
Makeka’s first public project was the upgrading of Retreat police station on a limited budget.
His design challenged stereotypical state architecture and honoured the dignity of those who work in or visit the station and the neighbourhood, earning him the Cape Institute for Architecture 2007 award for cutting edge design to add to his South African Council for the Architectural Profession medal for the best work over six years of academic study as an architecture student at the University of Cape Town.
Makeka sits on the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council for Design, is an external examiner at the Columbia University School of architecture and lectures at the University of Cape Town.
He has twice received a Cape Institute of Architects Award of Merit, won the Johnnie Walker Celebrating Strides Awards in Design in 2010 and has been selected as one of 100 architects across the world to bepart of the Ordos 100, an ambitious project to develop 100 houses in Ordos in China.
Home
Where do you live?
In a loft apartment in Long Street in the Cape Town CBD. I think Long Street is the most progressive model of cosmopolitan urban living and street life in the country. Although it’s imperfect in many ways, there are many clues about how to make South African cities work in a resilient and sustainable manner in Long Street.
What are your favorite objects in your home?
My collection of model fighter jets and Star Wars memorabilia... and my horror novel collection... and my bonsai tree.
What’s on your walls?
Black and white pictures of Manhattan in the 1950s and mid-1930s. The optimism of a society expressed in the making of civic buildings is powerful and outlives the egos that often are required to make these buildings possible. I admire the boldness of these bygone eras, and sometimes wish that we could find our own language of boldness and optimism in the way that we make our cities and imagine ourselves. Progress and fear often cancel each other out and nobody wins if pessimism drives our social imagination.
How you get about?
I walk whenever I can and drive a black BMW Z3.
Work
Where’s your office?
I run and own my own atelier, Makekadesignlab.
My office is off St George’s Mall. It’s a compact double-volume creative space in a building that struggles to be mixed use. It’s a bit messy at times but always interesting and never too relaxed.
I like the fact that the city life is on our doorstep, but I can also escape the city in a few quick steps. Never too far from the action with the station a two-minute walk away. Proximity to stimulation is an important feature of my creative process and that of my staff.
Which of your designs is your favourite?
It’s the community centre in Khayelitsha. It’s an optimistic building, it anticipates a better future will emerge. But what was built was not exactly what I intended. It was meant to be one of four civic buildings that would work off a common public realm and create a new public square for culture.
What’s your design philosophy?
Design has the capacity to address people’s needs effectively and appropriately. Access to good design should be a human right.
I love design which is bold and takes us a step further from what we already know. I hate timid designs which are one-dimensional and fail to build knowledge and inspire people.
What’s your favourite design?
It’s actually a bicycle called the Ciclotte. Also, I like Mies van de Rohe’s Barcelona pavilion
Which local designer/designers do you love?
Design Champion Ravi Naidoo, Byron Qually industrial designer and Heath Nash lighting designer.
Play
What do you do for fun?
I love to read and make music and sketch buildings for which the client has not yet emerged. I love playing with my baby, teaching her to swim, grilling succulent meats, hanging out with the wife and watching fantasy, sci-fi, horror and popular culture comedy.
Where do you hang out for coffee?
Andiamo, Pepenero, Origins – but I will never travel for coffee. I will travel for friends and coffee.
Where do you go to movies?
Canal Walk – the selection is simply the widest, and the seating ergonomics are the best.
And eat out?
Chef Pons, Caveau, any Thai place, Balduccis, Bukhara and l love ordering in from Colcachio and Da Vinci.
Where do you listen to music, meet your friends?
I chill wherever there is a wifi spot, a mojito and a buzz.
I love 1990s hip hop and classical ( Beethoven) and 1980s rock, 1960s soul and any music with attitude and lyrics. Songs must tell a story to music for me – mindless dance repels me. I meet friends at their homes.
What are your favourite Cape Town chill spots?
Pepper Club, Cape Quarter, Long Street, Deer Park Cafe and friends’ homes.
Your favourite place to people-watch?
Long Street – no question. Long Street Cafe. - Weekend Argus