Our students rose to the occasion, tackling live briefs provided by Cambridge Consultants, Joseph Joseph, and Kohler Mira. These companies are at the forefront of design innovation, and their involvement gave our students a taste of what it’s like to work under professional conditions, tight deadlines, high expectations, and the need for creative solutions.
Throughout the week, students developed innovative concepts that were later showcased in an exhibition within the school, coinciding with the university’s open day. This gave visitors a chance to see the incredible talent and ambition that define our design community.
We were thrilled to celebrate the outstanding work of our students with awards across each brief:
Cambridge Consultants Brief
Design a next-generation device that uses Al to enhance people's lives. It should be viable, responsible, and designed with user trust and experience at its core.
1st place – Emily Yoo, Industrial Design
2nd place – Rio Frost, Product Design and Technology
3rd place – Georgia Vermeiren, Industrial Design
Kohler Mira Brief
Redesign a watering can. Consider how the design can improve functionality, ergonomics, sustainability, and emotional connection in a simple everyday object.
1st place – Lynne Ukrit, Industrial Design
2nd place – Emma Parker, Industrial Design
3rd place – Doga Mizrak, Industrial Design
Joseph Joseph Brief
Develop an inventive and disruptive design concept to enhance pet feeding in the home. It should be original, commercially viable, and appeal to modern pet owners living in contemporary homes.
1st place – Phoebe Harrison, Industrial Design
2nd place – Kalina Kuzanova, Design Exchange Student
3rd place – Charlie Porter, Industrial Design
Reflecting on the event, Gareth McNeil, Director of Industrial Design and Innovation at Joseph Joseph, shared his admiration.
“The students produced some amazing work in such a tight time frame. It was difficult to choose a winner.”
Design Week is more than just a project, it’s a cornerstone of our commitment to industry engagement, hands-on learning, and preparing our students for successful careers in design.
Well done to all of our talented students. We look forward to partnering with industry again next year!