Some people dream about going to space, Mokena Makeka dreams of changing people’s lives and the world through the spaces the live in. Makeka was born in South Africa but he spent most of his childhood in New York. In the mid 80s he returned to Lesotho and then to South Africa where he began his journey to become an Architect.
In 2001 he graduated at the University of Cape Town with honors and even won a scholarship to a Masters in Urban Design and City Planning but he decided to establish the Makeka Design Lab in 2002. Through this project he has been dedicated towards the innovation and solutions at the cultural, urban and architectural system.
Mokena states that the power of a good architectural design is real. It is a way to communicate with the users, either you make a great design or a poor one has to be taken seriously; it will affect the way you work, study or do any other activity such as interacting with others or just have a good time
Imagine the influence within inspirational, exciting, positive spaces. Makeka is very clear about this, he says that is a human right to be able to enjoy said kind of spaces that must contain: good ventilation systems, natural light entries, high ceilings and open spaces. That privilege should not be money dependent; it should be there for everybody’s delight and comfort.
Makeka has published the Transport and Mobility Handbook in 2009, plus his sustainable experiments in Cape Town; not to mention the countless articles about urban culture and urban design. Mokena’s was part of the Ordos 100 architects. Only two African Architects have accomplished to be part of this project, representing not only an entire generation but a continent: Africa.