In his hit song ”Imagine”, John Lennon famously sang “You may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one.”
World Design Capital Cape Town (WDC) 2014 recognised project, 100in1day (#WDC412), is an invitation to every “dreamer” in the city to do something in a public space that delights, inspires, creates connections between communities and improves the quality of lives – all in one day.
According to the project’s innovator, Didintle Ntsie, “100in1day is a citizen driven, city development that empowers hundreds of people all over Cape Town to devise their own little public projects – a creation or activity that manifests a person’s dreams for a better city. It’s a permanent or temporary transformation of a small part of a person’s neighbourhood.”
Capturing the essence of WDC’s ethos of using design thinking as a tool for transformation, 100in1day is an opportunity to encourage citizens to ‘think differently’ about people and about the places they inhabit.
Ntsie says that the project will have a positive impact both on the individuals who create these opportunities for interaction and those who experience them. “This can lead to greater tolerance of social diversity and encourage people to think of their city in new ways.”
In the period leading up to The Day, weekly meetings will be held to support and encourage individuals with ideas and to provide guidance for turning ideas into viable projects. People will be encouraged to organise their own meetings within their communities, supported by the project team. In workshops and online, individuals needing help are brought together with those offering resources. Project owners can register online so that others can see and offer help to their projects and to show where things will happen on the day.
The Day is set to take place on 31 May 2014.
