Narrative Design Portfolio
Location: travelling exhibition
Client: Totem Media
Completed: 2025
In commemoration of 30 years of democracy in South Africa, this exhibition looks back at Dutch solidarity with the South African liberation movement and explores the extraordinary commitment of ordinary citizens to democratic ideals.
The exhibition is initiated by the Embassy of Kingdom of the Netherlands in collaboration with the South African History Archive (SAHA), the International Institute of Social History (IISH) and Freedom Park. The objects, books, posters and photographs on display are made available by the IISH, SAHA and the Nelson Mandela Foundation (NMF). This collection of archival material has its roots in the anti-apartheid movement and was repatriated to SAHA by the IISH in 2013.
Archives safeguard our heritage and, in many instances, this heritage is shared between countries, making it important for archives to work together beyond borders. It is also vital that the items in archives are made visible to the public through exhibitions and digitization programmes. A valuable archive is one that is alive, relevant and accessible.
This exhibition consists of 5 double sided information pillars flanking a compact exhibition cupboard on wheels, with display cabinets and a set of stacked ‘turners’ to showcase a series of protest photographs and posters. Many of these photographs had been separated from their source, and we had to dig further into the archives to find more information – who are the people in the photograph, what are they doing, when was the photograph taken and by whom? In addition, the protest posters on display are all worn on the shoulders, held within hands, taped upon podiums and pasted onto the walls around the people inside each photograph, revealing a dynamic display of culture.
Culture played a crucial role in the struggle against apartheid and continues to shape our global society today. Art and cultural expression are powerful tools to bring injustice to the world’s attention, inspiring people to do what is in their power to stand up against it, and advocate for greater equality and freedom.
Location: Baywest Office Precinct, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Client: Abacus Property Group
Completed: 2017
The users of this building are road engineers. For this sunscreen we adapted a coastline map to highlight the bustling harbour and main arterial road networks coming into and out of Port Elizabeth. The sunscreen facade reflects this web of networked patterns back into the space at certain times of the day to remind this company that what they do is really awesome.
Location: Kimberley, Northern Cape
Client: Sol Plaatjie University
Size: 260 sq.m
Completed: 2016
This was a collaborative project between Activate Space and Activate Architecture.
The narrative sunscreen wraps itself around the Moroko Hall residence building and functions to protect the interior spaces from the harsh afternoon sun. The story on the panels reflects the great human migration to Kimberley when diamonds were discovered there in 1870. The patterns and shapes describe the incredible efforts required to travel great distances, mostly on foot, by migrant labourers who navigated using geographic markers and signs carved into trees and marked on rocks. Worked into the visuals of the migration story are patterns from Driekops Eiland, which is sited on a farm just outside Kimberley. These ancient geometric engravings are the expressions left behind by a group of nomadic people that traversed the landscape two and half centuries earlier, long before Kimberley even existed.
The sunscreen panels reflect and bounce these migration inspired patterns across the modern concrete finishes of the new university. Recognisable shapes come into focus and then elongate and shift into shadow depending on the time of day and season. They remind us to continue our own incredible journeys with care and consideration for those who have traversed the landscape before us.
Location: Kimberley, Northern Cape
Client: Sol Plaatjie University
Completed: 2016
The balustrades are positioned along the corridors of the interior courtyard of the Moroko Hall Residence, and their function is add interest and pattern to the space.
The balustrades were featured in this article by Visi Magazine – On Trend in Architecture – Mesh. Click here to read it.
Location: Salvokop, Pretoria, South Africa
Client: Freedom Park Cultural Institution
Size: 500 sq.m
Completed: 2013
Location: Phokeng, North West Province, South Africa
Client: The Royal Bafokeng Administration
Size: 200 sq.m
Completed: 2011
This project entailed the manufacture and installation of a 200 sq. meter mosaic narrative onto the interior and exterior walls of the school’s new library building. The following community based artists worked on this project for 14 months : Elvis Lekgetho, Gloria Mafatshe, Karabo Mkhabele, Lukas Mokwalase, Tebogo Molefe, David Molotsi, Kearabetswe Molotsane, Thabang More, Magdalene Mosime, Lawrence Phetoane, Sephiri Rangaka, Lebakeng Sello, and Jacob Tsotetsi. The mosaic was designed by Clive van den Berg and project managed by Activate Space and Bronwen Findlay.
Awards : The Lebone II College of the Royal Bafokeng Architecture and Interior Design Team was awarded
- a Bronze Loerie in the category Architecture and Interiors 2011
- a SAPOA Award for Innovative Excellence in the category Social Development / Transformation 2011.
details of some of the beautiful birds which appear in sections of the mosaic
Location: Cradle of Humankind, South Africa
Client: Definite Properties
Size: 28 beds, public lounge, restuarant, conference centre and library
Completed: 2006
For this project, an ‘evolution’ narrative was developed to weave the buildings, landscape and interiors together. Activate Space collaborated with a number of South African visual artists to develop a series of site specific permanent sculptures and interior pieces which explore some of the dominant themes of man’s evolution. The following artists engaged and developed work for this project : Christelle Antonites, Marco Cianfanelli, Paul du Toit, Beatrice Matloga, Peter Mthombeni, David Rossouw and Karen Vermeulen.
Awards : The Forum Homini Design Team was awarded a Silver Loerie in the category Architecture and Interiors 2006
