Kwena Square is the latest addition to Little Falls and with community being a focus of the shopping centre an exciting campaign was launched to identify homegrown artists who would design truly unique benches and dustbins for Kwena Square, this would be manufactured locally within the Westrand. Kwena Square saw this as an opportunity to give financial aid to a local entrepreneur and make a measurable difference to smaller business. Kwena Square positions itself as “Inspired Convenience for Our Community” and having bespoke benches further reiterates the uniqueness off the Shopping Centre offering

About our winner:

Siviwe Jali head designer and director of uMugqa Studio got started by doing an internship with Joe Paine where he got to learn about what it takes to be a designer in the industry and what the days would look like working in the industry. His vision is to spread his philosophy and approach to design across the country and then onto the world.

The benches will be manufactured by Takk Studio located in Luipaardsvlei Krugersdorp, keeping it locally produced. Takk Studio is an emerging local design/ manufacturer. Practising sustainable methods of production while making beautiful products. They can be located a mere 20 minutes from Kwena Square

Collaborating artist Katlego Tshuma, began his online business during the pandemic who amplifies products with a distinctly homegrown and indigenous feel of Africa will be adding his unique aesthetic to the benches.

Here’s what Siviwe had to say when we discussed this project with him:

Kwena Square: “What inspired you to be in the industry?”

Siviwe Jali: “The opportunity to be involved in creative work that impacts people's lives in some shape way or fashion. Seeing my work out there in the market and seeing people use the product and knowing that I contributed to their life even if it was just for a moment.”

Kwena Square: “What inspired you to enter this competition, and what was you inspiration behind the design?”

Siviwe Jali: “I saw a great opportunity to use my design in a more commercial setting and wanted to take on this challenge. Functionalism was mostly the biggest inspiration; I also drew from the narrative about Kwena Square and how it is inspired by the surroundings. Combining those two elements got me to the final solution that we see”