DUTCH MATCH: DESIGN INDABA IS MATCHMAKING VENUE
19.02.2007 News
Are
commercial partnerships feasible between Dutch and South African
designers or design agencies? The 'Dutch Match' matchmaking event
initiated by BNO intends to demonstrate that that is indeed the case.
The aim of this commercial mission is to develop potential partnerships
between Dutch and South African design agencies. In addition, a project
will be launched to boost the exchange of talented young designers from
the two countries. The mission is partly the outcome of the 'Holland -
South Africa Line in Design' market research that former BNO chairman
Peter Kersten carried out in 2006. BNO is organising the project
together with the SANEC (South African Netherlands Chamber of
Commerce). The project is enthusiastically supported by the Dutch
Premsela Foundation for promoting the development of Dutch design, the
Dutch embassy in Pretoria and the Consulate General in Cape Town.
Why Dutch Match?
It
is anticipated that there could be specific interest in Dutch expertise
such as museum and exhibition design, complex signposting systems,
retail, export product and packaging design, complex forms and other
visual design. Whereas Design Management could be a point of interest
for the South African design enterprises, outsourcing particular
aspects of designprojects to South African Design agencies could be
interesting for the Dutch. Design standards and quality of organisation
are well developed in South Africa. South Africa also has a good ICT
infrastructure and there are no problems due to time differences
between the two countries. Dutch Match will give Dutch enterprises an
opportunity to learn a lot from South Africa's experience with cultural
diversity. But the event's greatest merit will be to encourage the
participants to push back their frontiers by learning more about an
entirely different design culture and drawing inspiration from it.
Participants
The
following Dutch agencies have meanwhile registered for participation in
the project: CMK, Principion, Opera Ontwerpers, VBAT, Joost Alferink,
De Designpolitie, Van Gog ontwerpers, Proforma, MATTMO, Dietwee, Eden
Design, Keja Donia, Koeweiden Postma, Dedato, Brandnew Design and Wit
Design. In South Africa around twenty agencies have expressed an
interest in the project.
Visit: www.dutchmatch.co.za
For further information please contact:
The Netherlands:
BNO, Association of Dutch Designers
Rita van Hattum
T: + 31 (0)20 6244748
E: rita@bno.nl
SANEC, South African-Netherlands Chamber of Commerce
Mark Agterdenbosch or Brenda Bakker
E: mark.agterdenbosch@sanec.nl
E: brenda.bakker@sanec.nl
T: + 31 (0)70 347 0781
South Africa:
'O Brien Hunter & Associates
Carol O'Brien
E: ca.obrien@telkomsa.net
Kagiso Mnisi
E: info@obrienhunter.co.za
T: +27 12 342 8380/1
SANEC, SANEC, South African-Netherlands Chamber of Commerce
Mar-Loes Mantoua
E: mar-loes@sanec.co.za
T: +27 (0)11 263 5800
BNO ambassador
Peter Kersten
E: pkersten@euronet.nl
T: + 27 72 4492455
About BNO and think
The BNO, and 'Dutch Match' partner, think, are professional Members of Icograda.