In 2005, when Daniel Ting Chong looked at his matric results, he was amazed to find three digits next to his design practical. The young artist had confidence in his abilities, but 100%? "I thought it was quite ridiculous," he admits. But the remarkable mark was a sign of things to come.

Now 23, Ting Chong is one of Cape Town's most sought-after young designers, creating everything from pillowcases and toys to phone apps and websites. After graduating from the brand communication school Vega, in 2009, Ting Chong cut his teeth at the President design studio before opening his own studio with three partners, in Woodstock.

At Rondebosch Boys High School Ting Chong's love for design flourished under the tutelage of renowned Cape Town artist Andrew Putter. Guided by him Ting Chong and a few friends started a digital magazine called I Eat Soup, which became a medium for other high-school artists to exhibit their work.

Ting Chong believes design is all about tangibility, so, although he would be honoured to see his work on your home or office wall, he would much rather see it in your restaurant or on your T-shirt, out in public spaces, interacting with people and cultures. It is this principle that guided the creation of his Design Indaba magazine cover in December 2010. Drawing on the "Do it Yourself" theme, Ting Chong used the cover as a template for readers to cut out and create a 3D typeface, forming the letters DIY.

Off the page and into your personal space is his style. So it's not surprising that when he is not designing clothes or putting designer touches to restaurants such as Dear Me in Longmarket Street, he is projecting lights and custom graphics on to packed dance floors as resident VJ at the Assembly club. - Eric Axelrod