CASE STUDY #010
INTERNAL PROJECT SHOWCASE
Showcasing Excellence: The Mayor’s Portfolio of Urban Sustainability
Highlighting examples of best practice to encourage the mainstreaming of sustainability considerations
IDP LINKAGES
Opportunity city
Well-run city
The Integrated
Development Plan (IDP) is
a plan for how the City
will prioritise its budget
spending over a five-year
cycle. The IDP is agreed
between local government
and residents, and is
adjusted to accommodate
changing needs.
The Mayor’s Portfolio seeks to increase the awareness of best sustainability practice within the City.
SUMMARY
The primary objectives of the Mayor's Portfolio of Urban Sustainability are to publicly profile the City’s
continually evolving response to complex issues, highlighting examples of best practice to encourage
learning and collaboration among City officials, and motivate for the mainstreaming of sustainability
considerations into projects managed and supported by the City. Additionally, the lessons learnt from the
Portfolio are anticipated to contribute to building a resilient, productive and equitable city by increasing
the awareness of best sustainability practice within the City of Cape Town. Beyond the publication date,
the Portfolio will leave a legacy that can inform future project planning and implementation processes.
DIRECTORATE
BACKGROUND
In 2005/6, the City published a profile showcasing various projects across the City which demonstrated
best practice contributions to urban sustainability. Cape Town’s World Design Capital designation in 2014
provides an opportunity to build on the lessons learnt as well as produce another publication recognising
and showcasing sustainability in some of the City’s capital projects.
As an African city faced with the legacies of an unjust past, and the uncertainties of contemporary
challenges, Cape Town needs to respond in a manner which builds resilience and sustainability through
innovative, creative and integrated thinking. Under the spotlight of World Design Capital 2014, officials,
Economic,
Environmental and
Spatial Planning
Directorate:
Environmental Resource
Management
Department
This case study describes one of the City of Cape Town’s innovative projects that demonstrates how the
City applies design-led thinking to support City strategies and goals and help to improve the lives of
residents. For more, scan the QR code alongside or see www.capetown.gov.za/WDC2014/
CITY OF CAPE TOWN WORLD DESIGN CAPITAL 2014 INTERNAL PROJECTS SHOWCASE
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#010: THE MAYOR’S PORTFOLIO OF URBAN SUSTAINABILITY
politicians, residents, visitors and other cities will want to know how the City is designing solutions for the
challenges that it faces, and implementing these through tangible, creative projects which bring real results.
The Mayor’s Portfolio comprises two phases. Phase one entailed the scoping and reporting on identified
projects, while phase two will transform that information into a printed publication.
The objectives of this project are to:
+ produce a portfolio of City projects and programmes underlining social, economic, environmental and
governance aspects of sustainable development;
+ promote integrated working arrangements across line functions and strengthen the buy-in of key external leaders; and
+ promote projects with innovative design and creative concepts promoting sustainability.
The Portfolio profiles existing projects which demonstrate the four legs of sustainability and support one or
more of the Integrated Development Plan’s five pillars. Projects were identified from various departments
across City directorates. All the projects selected encompass sustainability and display innovation or
originality in their approach and embrace or demonstrate collaboration and partnership building. In the
first phase of the project, 34 projects were identified and profiled for inclusion in the portfolio.
For the project assessment process, an external review panel was established. This body comprises
panellists with an interest in urban sustainability from an academic background, non-profit organisations
and the private sector. The involvement of the panel is in the form of sharing reflections and discussion on
optimal strategies with regards assessment and profiling of City projects within the Mayor’s Portfolio at an
early stage of the project. Following this, formal assessment was undertaken at a workshop in September.
DESIGN THINKING
Design-led thinking is a
collaborative and usercentric process through
which challenges are
identified and creatively
addressed to deliver
innovative and relevant
solutions. With the
responsibilities placed on a
city administration, the
core driver for embracing
design-led thinking is the
improvement of the
quality of life of citizens,
the ethos that underpins
INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT PLAN LINKAGES
OPPORTUNITY CITY: This Portfolio is an opportunity to facilitate the promulgation of the strategic
focus areas discussed in the IDP. Each project profiled in the portfolio will incorporate the ecological,
social and economic aspects of sustainability. As a World Design Capital project, this promotes the City
as an opportunity City.
WELL-RUN CITY: The Portfolio can serve as an indicator of the progress being made across City
departments to mainstream sustainability principles. It can contribute to the development of a well-run
City, since sustainability can only occur in a context where the institutional arrangements favour democratic and transparent processes. Sustainability best practice contributes to improving governance
through efficient, effective and appropriate processes.
the World Design Capital
programme.
DESIGN TOOLS
For an explanation of the
key constructs which
support design-led
thinking in project
HOW HAS DESIGN BEEN APPLIED?
Of the key tools which support design-led thinking in project conception, design and implementation, the
following are fundamental to the success of the Mayor’s Portfolio of Urban Sustainability:
+ INNOVATION CO: The portfolio profiles existing projects that encompass the principles of sustainability – i.e. they address environmental, economic and social issues in an integrated manner and within a
framework of good governance. Further, the projects profiled are innovative or original in their
approach, and demonstrate collaboration and partnership building.
To steer this process, a multi-disciplinary advisory forum was formed. This team generated ideas about
the objectives of the publication, how it could be presented and the focus of the showcase. This also
included thinking about possible links between the publication, Integrated Development Plan, World
Design Capital and Integrated Environmental Management Plan, for example.
+ DREAM TEAM: The dream team is in the form of an advisory forum. This team of key persons strategically guides the project and provides high-level support. The team consists mostly of director-level officials from different line functions to provide an integrated perspective and promote innovative
approaches to identifying and promoting projects that contribute to urban sustainability.
+ CONSULTATION/COMMUNICATION: An external review panel was formed to provide added perspective on project methodology and will, later, assess the profiled projects. The panel comprises academics
CITY OF CAPE TOWN WORLD DESIGN CAPITAL 2014 INTERNAL PROJECTS SHOWCASE
conception, design and
implementation,see
the Toolbox.
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#010: THE MAYOR’S PORTFOLIO OF URBAN SUSTAINABILITY
+
+
+
+
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and representatives from NGOs and the private sector with interest in urban sustainability.
OPEN ACCESS TO INFORMATION: The publication aims to promote sustainability best practice in
City project design and implementation. In order to encourage the mainstreaming of sustainability
principles throughout the City, access to this local knowledge is expected to motivate improved practice across City projects, promote collaboration and partnerships, as well as profile and market Cape
Town’s innovation and sustainability best practice.
This final product will also be distributed to all project managers and directors across the City to
encourage best practice. Lastly, to ensure that the information gathered reaches the public, media coverage of the publication will be filtered via online media, print media and other networks.
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM: Mainstreaming sustainability principles requires high-level support. Consequently, an advisory forum of key persons (director-level) was formed. This added to the
effectiveness of a top-down approach when identifying projects for inclusion in the portfolio and
preparing these channels of communication will now facilitate the transformed thinking of directorates
when planning and implementing projects. Thus, members of the advisory forum have the potential to
serve as a guiding body for more sustainable City operations.
INNOVATION CHAMPS: Review panellists are specialists in their fields and are not City officials. As a
result, when assessing projects, the panel's view is not obscured by silos and they are better positioned
to identify opportunities for out of the box thinking. Similarly, the panel can indicate project achievements that may have gone unnoticed as well as indicate possible areas of improvement to make projects more sustainable.
BIG THINKING, LOCALISED IMPACT: At the start of the project, the advisory forum stressed the
need to profile projects that address a real need. Consequently, the indicators and methodology used
for the portfolio is informed by the approach used for the 2006 publication. The new model for profiling projects is based on 12 objectives that relate to the pillars of sustainability. This offers a platform to
look beyond economic indicators to social and environmental aspects as well as intentionally assess
how projects can/do meet community needs.
COMMUNITY AT THE CENTRE, CREATIVITY ON THE FRINGE: The publication provides an opportunity to motivate project managers to improve standards in project design and implementation. To make
this process more sustainable, project managers will have to adopt a co-creation approach. It is hoped
that the publication will communicate this message by illustrating the correlation between a sustainable project and the resources invested in engaging with key stakeholders.
DESIGN THINKING
Design-led thinking is a
collaborative and usercentric process through
which challenges are
identified and creatively
addressed to deliver
innovative and relevant
solutions. With the
responsibilities placed on a
city administration, the
core driver for embracing
design-led thinking is the
improvement of the
quality of life of citizens,
the ethos that underpins
the World Design Capital
programme.
DESIGN TOOLS
For an explanation of the
key constructs which
support design-led
thinking in project
FURTHER INFORMATION
Contact Stephen Granger: Stephen.Granger@capetown.gov.za
conception, design and
implementation,see
the Toolbox.
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