Attending COP for the very first time offered a good understanding about the type of people and organizations that are present. The most valuable part of the program was learning about the individuals of the CCC. All the creatives share aligned goals and the diversity of the group is unique.

We find ourselves at a defining moment in history. The human spirit is put to test and we are in a period of transition. The pandemic and all its side effects leave us with our collective balance uprooted, searching for a new form of steadiness. We are forced to isolate, yet rely on each other to stay alive.

After receiving applications from the University of Cape Town’s student society Engineers Without Borders (EWB-SA), Studio Sway selected ten students from various disciplines to research and assess features of the “Aquatecture” pilot panel throughout the year. With backgrounds in geomatics, humanities, mechanical, civil and chemical engineering the young researchers contributed a diversity of skills to the research stage of the pilot.

Unveiling the second full scale pilot of Aquatecture. It is located where the idea was initially conceptualized and nurtured, in the city of Eindhoven the Netherlands.

Proudly launching the very first pilot installation of Aquatecture in the world. It's found a space in Shaakira’s birth country, the same place which fueled the inspiration for the project, Cape Town, South Africa.

Shaakira presents her 'work-in-progress' research at Dutch Design Week Virtual 2020. Using her own kitchen waste, she began working with eggshells to discover its unique and hidden properties.

Studio Sway instagram stories takeover by graphic designer Abdallah Hussein from Kenya. In light of the Black Lives Matter movement, Shaakira offers space to showcase creative talent from Africa.

Bio Art Laboratory in Eindhoven selects Shaakira as one of their yearly talents twice in a row. She took part in the Talent Pressure Cooker to develop her research using the lab equipment.

Crystal clear water, in every ocean, from every tap. That’s Dopper’s goal which aligns with Shaakira's love of water as a material. She was a top ten finalist in the Dopper Changemaker Challenge of 2019.

Arita is a small town on Kyushu island in Japan which is famed for its history in porcelain ranging over 400 years. Shaakira spends a semester in Arita learning fine Japanese ceramic skills.

Shaakira speaks at Design Indaba Conference in South Africa 2018. She was invited to present thirTEA for ONE, a ceramic installation which highlights the virtual water footprint of a cup of tea.