The AfriSam-SAIA Sustainable Design Award recognises contributions that bring sustainable innovation to both urban and rural living environments through an integrated approach to communities, planning, research, architecture, building practice, natural systems and technology. In particular, we advocate for design projects that are responsive to our social complexities, growth requirements and needs of marginalised communities in South Africa and throughout the African diaspora. We believe that in order to achieve sustainable goals across the African continent, transformation needs to be focused on integrated design approaches, teaching, thinking and practice.