KONTEXT‪.‬ Khensani de Klerk

In this special episode, pluri-disciplinary artist and architect Maxwell Mutanda and I get into conversation about Cape Town, and my current research focus around notions of Safe Space? Usually I speak to people about their contexts of interest, whereas in episode 10, the microphone flips with Maxwell spearheading the conversation and asking the questions. As African spatial practitioners concerned with Africa, we discuss the double conscious state of being in institutions outside of the continent and what the implications of our efforts in these Global Northern spaces might be. Maxwell, who is currently pursuing an MSc in Sustainable Urban Development at The University of Oxford shines light on mutual themes of social sustainability also present in my current Mphil in Architecture and Urban Design project at The University of Cambridge. We explore a plethora of themes including safety, representation and visual translation constantly cautioning against extractive contemporary research processes. We draw inspiration from each others’ work, highlighting other places and people we constantly learn from, with special shoutouts to Dr Tomà Berlanda and Dr Nick Simcik Arese. A longer and detailed episode which we invite you to join!
For more on the project, visit www.publicagender.cargo.site and instagram @khen_dek

If you have any comments or are interested in getting involved in KONTEXT, visit: https://khensanideklerk.com/KONTEXT

Graphic design by: Michael Tymbios
Jingle by: Dustin van Wyk + Mike Dawson

As we begin to slowly approach the end of the season, I am in conversation with Joseph Marchbank who is currently a post-graduate researcher in Architecture and Urban Design at The University of Cambridge exploring IKEA’s expansion into Indian Cities on an urban and domestic scale. We explore urban and residential forms, along with the socio-economic implications of IKEA’s retail presence in India. A very interested conversation, with many mutli-geographic conceptions of home, leisure and labour across different value systems. Join in on our conversation!

For more on Gurgaon and Joseph Marchbank check Instagram handle: @joemarchbank_cdrs

If you have any comments or are interested in getting involved in KONTEXT, visit: https://khensanideklerk.com/KONTEXT

What an interesting episode this was with James Smith, who is currently a post-graduate researcher in Architecture and Urban Design at The University of Cambridge interested in housing, capital, equality and transport. James takes us through the development dilemmas and opportunities in Old Oak Common, west of London. We explore themes capital and stakeholder relationships at an urban scale, and zoom into the social implications these forces have on mixed income housing residents at an architectural scale. Join in on the conversation!

For more on Old Oak Common and James Smith check Instagram handle: @valuesofland

If you have any comments or are interested in getting involved in KONTEXT, visit: https://khensanideklerk.com/KONTEXT

This episode I am in conversation with post-graduate researcher in Architecture and Urban Design at The University of Cambridge, Charlotte Airey. Researching and discussing a place familiar to her, Charlotte takes us through New Chum Beach in New Zealand. Through her lens of “People and Land” we explore themes of well-being, preservation, capitalism and its manifestations in the ecological landscape of New Chum Beach. Join our conversation and journey briefly to New Zealand.

For more on New Chum Beach and Charlotte Airey check Instagram handle: @airey_design_research

If you have any comments or are interested in getting involved in KONTEXT, visit: https://khensanideklerk.com/KONTEXT

In episode 6 of KONTEXT, I am in conversation with Chelsea Sia. We speak across Cambridge and Singapore about Chelsea’s lens of ‘Quotidian life and its Value’ in a place with a strikingly decreasing deathscape. Chelsea is also an Architecture and Urban Design at The University of Cambridge, and takes us through her specific site of research in Bhukit Brown, the last existing graveyard in Singapore. A detailed episode exploring themes of landscape, death space, zoning and urban development in the trajectory of newness, emblematic of Singapore.

For more on Singapore and Chelsea Sia check the instagram handle: @ploopypoopy

If you have any comments or are interested in getting involved in KONTEXT, visit: https://khensanideklerk.com/KONTEXT

We’re half way through the season! In episode five of KONTEXT, I am in conversation with Elliot Zhou, who is a post-graduate researcher in Architecture and Urban Design at The University of Cambridge. We look at Urban Villages in Shenzen and through Elliot’s lens, dig into ‘Cultural Production at Precarious Space’. A short yet rich episode exploring themes of zoning, urban development and some critique of how art and architecture Biennales approach exhibition.

For more on Shenzen and Elliot Zhou check the instagram handle: @zheng_design_research

If you have any comments or are interested in getting involved in KONTEXT, visit: https://khensanideklerk.com/KONTEXT