Threedimensional Design & Architecture: 2022
Three-dimensional Design & Architecture Foundation Diploma in Art & Design Central Saint Martins University of the Arts London
Tutors: Gabriel Birch Ursula Dimitriou Sarah Harkins
Architecture & Spatial Design
Aleyna Akcay: Life & Death
This project consists of an overground memorial space and an underground living space located in the gardens of St Pancras Old Church. Thinking of cemeteries underground, I have thought of creating something sentimental and protective of human life. In my opinion during these times of war, underground living must be considered for safety. Thus, my overall purpose was to originate a safe place for people in London while also having an open space for them to pray and meditate.
Sharmin Akhtar: Detachment I wanted to create a safe, neutral space that was welcoming to all, to give people a few minutes away from the busy world around us. This led me to design a multi faith space, in Kings Cross. The shape of my design was based mainly around my chosen site; the gasholders. I found that there was no specific user except that it was for anyone looking for a moment of peace, a moment to de-stress. The model was built with wire and a sheer stretchy fabric, to reflect the real construction materials.
Aneesa Ali: The Healing Space This is a glass building within the Gasholder structure, located in Kings Cross. It is solely focused on providing a therapeutic experience for visitors to cleanse their mind or take a break. There is a central glass tube running through the structure, which pumps filtered canal water that then cascades down the walls of the building. The Waterfall surrounds the building with ambient, relaxing sound. There is opening is the structure to allow users to watch the canal water get cleaned in the filtration system, as the main theme is healing, it is a metaphor for the cleansing of the mind.
Yang Bai: Architecture Atmospheres
My project is about architecture atmospheres, I want to transform Barbican Centre so that it will meet the needs of the visitors, performers, and communities in 21st century. By extending the building, people will be able to communicate better by using the various platforms as a new botanical garden. To distinguish between the original building and the remodelled part, I used wood, while the remodelled part uses foam board.
Chahanaya Barai: Fluidity Within Structure The Regent’s Canal is a forgotten gem of London. The proposal creates an interactive extension to the London Canal Museum, to educate about the Canal’s history. The new structure is defined by a dynamic volume, free movement and yet does not break rules of everyday architecture. Using metal as the medium to construct the model, the malleability of metal gave the building an elegant fluidity with varied sized loops. A cubic building, in acrylic, creates a visual connection to Granary Square. Other materials used in the model represent stained glass bringing in a plethora of colours onto the structure floor and the water and boats below. The Museum is an interactive and educational space, attracting tourists and locals alike.
Oliver Branch: Peripatetic Architecture
The inspiration for this project came largely from my observations of the canal during a visit to Kings Cross. I was struck by the juxtaposition between the ad hoc settlements of canal boats that sprung up along the various mooring places and the somewhat imposing commercial development of Kings Cross. It was evident that there was not just a dissonance in terms of scale, but that the dichotomy represented the difference between two very distinct modes of urban development.
Izzy Buxton: Sensory Space The theme of my project explored the senses and how someone’s surroundings can instil calmness. My proposal aimed to create a series of spaces that stimulate the different senses to focus the user and create a sense of calm. The main feature of the design is a maze with three pavilions targeting vision, hearing, and smell. The maze and pavilions are surrounded by a wall that externally reflects the city, and internally walls are covered with moss, to help reduce noise and add tactility. I chose to focus my project on the British library because users of the library need to switch their focus from the overwhelming intensity of the city to concentrate on quiet study.
Orion Chan: Shelter for All Inspired by Yona Friedman and Lebbeus Wood, this project explores how architecture can alleviate the current state of affairs of homelessness and the refugee crisis in London and Ukraine respectively. This visionary project explores the world of a spatial city where housing is controlled by the free will of its inhabitants, resulting in an ad infinitum of houses suspended above the ground. The project also features various links to parasitic architecture included below the bridge.
Brandon Yi-Ming Chang: The International Library
In this project, I sought to re-imagine how we interact with the digital world and how education might evolve because of this shift. The existing library would be turned into a digital and physical learning space that uses VR to educate, as opposed to more traditional learning environment. The building aims to attract all age groups and people from all backgrounds, while the existing site would be expanded with three new structures to house this digital experience.
Chengxuan Chen: Pavilion
This project aimed to transform the Camley Street Natural Park into a new fashion park. The original natural reserve has some problems – it is too narrow and noisy for visitors. Now these problems are solved, it can attract more people than before. The underground water purification also improves the animals’ environment.
Herbie Clark: The Connection Between People & Nature My project focuses on reconnecting people to nature. The proposal is workshops and a library where urbanites and Londoners can come to learn about horticulture and then have a workshop and space to practice it. I wanted to create this space because of the lack of green space in London and the public disconnection with nature within inner cities. My proposal is located on Goods Way, Kings Cross, next to the Regent’s Canal and in close proximity to Camley Street Nature Reserve. This amplifies the connection to nature. The model reflects proposed materials that are raw, natural and recycled materials, ensuring the architecture is more sustainable.
Fleur Collin: Connections
Throughout this project, I have explored a conceptual approach to my work. My design concept was to create a roof top park above St Pancras station. I wanted to create a space that would reduce the chaos and transience of Kings Cross and bring people closer together; to connect with each other. For my final model, I have designed a diorama which explores perspective. I wanted to create a narrative within my piece, to allow the viewer to feel more immersed in the space, as they would in a park.
Oliver Cowlishaw: Zones & Layers
My project investigates the site of Bingfield Park and how I redesigned this space to connect two zones of Kings Cross which I felt were the most disconnected, in relation to architectural style, financial income and opportunities. One zone is a new development, the other, a longestablished housing estate. My redevelopment aims to create a safe, interactive, fun, local neighbourhood space, targeted at tweenagers and teenagers, giving them a sense of community and belonging, thus aiming to prevent being drawn into gang life.
Yuzi Feng: Loves’ Terminal
A narrative architecture built around love and sentimentality, that combines elements from the movie Notting Hill and the video game Monument Valley 2. With new love, there is often an element of dressing to please another, so they forget that the real self is also loved. The proposal is an experiential space, allowing the true self to be seen and not an illusion.
Yushra Hamuth: Multisensorial Architecture for Wellbeing This project explores how the connection between the senses and mental wellbeing can be applied to architecture. The result is the Gasholder mental health hub- a place where anyone can come to receive therapy, counselling or general advice. The various structures will incorporate features of sensory environments which aim to relieve the effects of stress. This hub is intended to be a haven within the dense built environment of Kings Cross and is primarily targeted towards the students of CSM.
Zeki Harrison: Infrastructure Overhaul The aim of my project is to design and develop an improvement for my chosen area on Regent’s Canal in order to make it safer and more accessible, through the addition of walls along the footpath. The users of this structure will be canal boats and their users and random pedestrians so this project will need to maintain the same level of accessibility as the area already does such as wheelchair access and not impeding the canal boats on the water.
Emir Hasan: Junk Architecture
The proposal seeks to use recycled materials to create a music stage located on top of the St. Pancras railway while responding to the theme of sci-fi. The final visuals of the design are located somewhere extraordinary to illustrate the emotion and connection to the artists when you are inside this musical event. It would be used by people who immerse themselves in music and unique experiences. My project is unique to others because it is personal to what I enjoy every day, therefore it has a stronger relationship and connection to the designer.
Alina (Xiaocong) Hong: The Healing Bridge
The proposal is a Healing refuge and Shelter for women who are victims of domestic violence; located in the Camley Street Natural Park, Kings Cross. The shelter will offer more than short term emergency help and advice, with psychotherapy and counselling, yoga and meditation studios. There will also be on site residential accommodation. This centre will be a safe space and refuge for those in need with the intent on healing.
Chelsea Huang: Block M
My proposal is building an extension of the CSM library that specialise in decolonised and inclusive reading resources that better represents identity and experience of the CSM student body. This extension would be on the site of Wharf Road Gardens in Kings Cross. The floor of the library is naturally sloped, encouraging visitors to engage with the space. At the same time, the materiality includes Mycelium bricks, Low carbon concrete mixes, ensuring this high recycled content material reduces the carbon footprint.
Ibrahim Jalil: The Exoskeleton My project theme originally was exoskeleton and form, to which I responded by choosing the Gasholder Park in Kings Cross to build my structure. Early in the design the function was clear – create a market. Combining the theme and location, enabled the design response to be industrial, and utilitarian in both form and materiality, looking at how shipping containers are used to form living and workspaces. The new structures are based on container proportions and are stacked and stilted, occupying an elevated position, enabling the ground to be landscaped. The containers allow for an indoor market to sit within the confines of the gasholder structure.
Sloane M Jesse: Denizens Denizens surrounded the idea of Space as Entity, or a space with a life of its own. I quickly centred on the interaction between Camley Street Natural Park and its users, mainly children and families trying to find connection to nature in the big city. That relationship sparked the idea of a personified playground and education space spread across the park, using materials like moss and timber to connect the play-spaces to their setting.
Mingyu Li: Industrial Nature
My proposal involves blending the robust style of High-tech architecture, like that of the Centre Pompidou in Paris, with the softness of nature. The result is to create a public toilet and perfume shop. The architectural proposal is both industrial and organic. A contradiction but one that works completely in terms of function and for the user. The structure has two levels, the toilet being on the ground floor with a second-floor perfume shop, adorned with flowers & tumbling living walls.
Lin Yixuan (Iggy): The Tide
The theme of my project is ‘Temporary’, and the aim of the proposal is to integrate the theme within the interior spaces of my design. As the high and low tide comes, a temporary space will be created for the visitors to enter. In my design, the building will be located at the coast, and the function of it will be a sculpture museum. As the time pass, sea plants and animals will live and grow on the sculpture and building, until it covers the whole building. The sea wind and the sea water can also cause the texture of the original material changed.
Teed Lombardi-Ali: Primates
Primitivism and instinctive design processes within rehabilitation, to me, are simple, cordial decisions often overlooked within the development of medical environments. My final design is a variation of spaces centred around the fictional ‘growing stone.’ Using the simplest materials-clay, paper, and wool, I apply significance to the sensitivities of designing for varying healthcare and support needs, showing this contrast in instinctive reactions and highlighting this impact on vulnerable people. The extent to which we need to consider these processes more closely is a project I will continue to explore.
Pittinun Patanapipat: Canal-side Rest Stop
The project takes on a theme of ‘nature’, reconnecting and a display of our bond and reliance of it. The project is an extension to the bankside of the Regents Canal in King’s Cross, adding a 25m long bench, also accompanied by shades above. This is a public space created for the public acting as a place to rest by the canal. Though the model is made from paper, the project would be made from a variety of materials such as timber, metal and cloth. This piece mimics the corm of water to show the connection and the fluidity of human nature.
Dora Pursey: Pseudopublic
Pseudo-public spaces are areas that present as public but, are monitored and policed to ensure that only ‘acceptable’ members of the public are admitted. Pancras Square is a pseudo-public space. My proposed design within this area is a 20-metre diameter public tent, offering a meeting point and a shelter for protesters. The bamboo structure, inspired by the umbrellas used in the Hong Kong 2014 protests, is a riposte to insincere attempts at public space.
Selen Sarayli: Community Exchange & Reconnection This project seeks to inject greater public engagement within King’s cross, specifically between local residents and students of CSM. My contention is that art should serve its local community, this scheme proposes a willow-weaving workshop to strengthen the interaction between artists and residents. The overall undulating structure, situated in Camley’s Nature Reserve, creates a space where outdoor and indoor blends together. Students move through, in, between and out of vertically embedded bamboo, finding themselves in light-filled classrooms which flows into open spaces, all together promoting a serene and peaceful atmosphere.
Daria Shabalina: Subterranean Spa Labyrinth My proposal seeks to change the perception of subterranean structures, moving away from the utilitarian origins and extend the spectrum of functions of underground structures. My project aims to reduce the users’ level of stress by building a series of swimming pools and saunas, to distract users from everyday problems and to diversify their routines by creating a relaxing, unforgettable experience of wondering in the water labyrinth and discovering various chambers and spaces. These complex underground structures located in Granary Square, King’s Cross, aim to attract locals, students and workers from the area.
Nelli Shkarupina: King’s Cross Community Centre Although the King’s Cross area, redeveloped in the 2000s, is popular within the local families, there are nearly no facilities for them. Therefore, my proposal is a Community Centre: I combined playful children-focused design with the shapes and materials that reflect the King’s Cross area and its history. Children are excited to explore spaces without ‘instructions’ for how exactly they should play, so my design gives them the freedom of non-guided interaction with interesting, complex environment. The building contains spaces for their parents to communicate and spend leisure time as well.
Hedwig Skarstedt: The Bird’s Nest ‘A bird’s nest’ proposes an invitation to a multi-species co-existence between humans, pigeons and microorganisms in order to re-imagine a new pathway of architecture. They are being gathered in the most vital and natural activity, eating. They will meet in urban microbiomes, made from luffa fibres and carbon fibres. As a society we are increasingly aware of how microbiome can promote gut health, this proposal shows how microbiome could benefit public health. Instead of creating architecture that is antibiotic and sterile we would benefit from developing environments that are alive and probiotic.
Josie Smart: Belief & Religion
I have explored belief and religion by creating a star gazing tower based on tarot and astrology. It will be an extension on St Pancras Old Church with the bottom 2 floors accessible from the church and the top 3 accessible via a large iron staircase swirling around the outside of the tower. Each floor is decorated based on a suit of tarot (wands, pentacles, cups, swords and power cards) and the outside is clad in steel and wood.
Willow Stephens: Getting Women Back on Track With the current crisis in Ukraine and it being Women’s history month during my process, I was motivated to design a space for refugees by adaptively re-using an abandoned tube station, north of Kings Cross. I have proposed a women’s refuge inspired by the ideas of the radical feminist architect, Alice Constance Austin. Her feminist concept of ‘designing away housework’ by connecting homes with underground communal kitchens and laundrettes within her subterranean utopian plans for Llano del Rio in the early 1900’s – I created a large shared safe space for women and children seeking safety.
Yifei Sun: Gap Space
To start my project, I analysed the area of Somers Town, identifying neglected spaces among the buildings; some of the facilities are now outdated in the area, so I designed an art studio in the shape of flowers and an exhibition hall connected by an open walkway. Increasing the amount of public space for community activities and providing a new venue to introduce the history of the town will revitalise the community.
Mukh Taechamahaphan: Multicultural Hub This is a multicultural hub, a social public space located in Lewis Cubitt Park in Kings Cross. The theme of this project is ‘Culture and Identity’. The fluid designs are inspired by different cultural centres around the globe. This includes the Taj Mahal, Ananda Temple, and St Irene Church. By abstracting each form and placing them together in modular units, I have created this public space where people can relax and interact. While being in this space, I wanted to make people feel immersed in different cultures that are being communicated through the architectural designs.
Nicholas Tan: Waterways, Ex-industrial, & Canal Community Regeneration My project encourages the interaction between the canal boat community and the public where they get to learn more about the canal culture in King’s Cross area. Located at a Mooring point in the St. Pancras Basin, it’s purposed as a community space for both private and public use - which is both a shared activity space for canal boat owners and marketplace for small canal business owners to interact with the public.
Fred TownsendElliott: Walthamstow Reservoir Social Housing I have explored the theme of how climate change will make living on water necessary. The proposal is a massive council housing development to take place on the Walthamstow Reservoirs, with three different types of housing. My plan takes up an area of 500 square metres and is 100 meters high. The intended users are young people who want affordable housing. To accomplish this, I will only allow people under 40 to live in it.
Anna Van Gucht: LookingGlass House
Spatial Fiction & Fictitious Space: When we are gripped in the reading of a story, an imaginary architecture seems to be building itself around us: but what is the limit between what is real and what is not, and what can we deem as ‘real’? This project, inspired by Alice in Wonderland, serves as complementary exhibition space to the British Library and explores the relationship between space and fiction using mirrors, fooling spectators, and confronting them to their self.
Yixin Wang: The Realistic Space of Overlapping Time & Space Gasholder No. 8 was moved from the side of the canal to its present location, and today it encases lush circular lawn. The cast iron frame of the original ceiling has been retained and designed this experience space based on the lawn. The function is to display the past, present and future of Gasholder through the exhibition. Users of this project are residents of the King’s Cross community. The shape of the main model is a simplification of the shape of the gas storage tank. The model mainly uses sheaf board and transparent acrylic. The relatively soft dynamic rod neutralizes the cast iron frame, and the overlapping transparent acrylic plate allows the light to pass through.
Zhiye Yao: Free & Hybrid Landscape
Designed for the historic St Pancras Old Church, the final outcome includes the huge ramp which serves as open stage, assembly and theatre while also providing new visual sense of flow and circulation. After dividing the space naturally, the architecture can better integrate into surrounding environment. When wrapped by plants become a synthetic hybrid landscape, between the natural and the artificial. The spatial mood is shaped by elemental experiences of confinement and expanse, the combination of glass and concrete materials interacts with the materials of the old church.
Junyi (Sona) Zhu: Curvature & Architecture The spine is one of the most important parts to our body; and Architecture is one of the important part to our life. When the building has a sideways curvature condition just like the Scoliosis what will happen? Scoliosis is a complex medical problem. Within architecture it can be a complex replicating the curvature but achievable whereas, there are also no solutions to treat this disease. By addressing bring this disruption in bodily structure into a construction method, I aim to embed the effects of Scoliosis within my new Architectural proposal.
Zhuang Yue: Immersive Exhibition Space The theme of this project is an exhibition space, with an emphasis on its immersive user experience. As seen in the final outcome, the walls and windows are made of translucent and transparent materials, visually expanding the space. A sky garden is raised from the ground floor to add a sense of playfulness and make better use of the tall ceiling. Being above the ground floor, the sky garden provides its users with an open vision. The space locates next to Euston Road and is designed to be a leisure place for local residents where art exhibitions can be held.
Tutors: Birgit Frietman Ambrin Howell Tamsin Lillywhite Nicola Malkin Karla Newell Helmert Robbertsen
Jewellery, Footwear & Fashion Accessories:
Anandhi Amonkar: Through a Lens
‘Through A Lens’ is about the Madonna Whore Complex and its effect on Women of Colour. The psychological dichotomy divides women into two categories: Madonnas or whores. WOCs are placed as the ‘whore’ by men for simply existing. I created a work that emphasises this element of the complex. The headpiece acts as a way to push women into Eurocentric standards, not as a means of conformity but as a method of protection. I crocheted the work because the medium is domestic labour and not recognised as an art form. The work communicates the unfair portrayal of women and the desire for a more progressive society.
Ethan Bailey-Smith: Masculinity
In this final piece I wanted to explore how machismo tropes such as weaponry and the act of penetration could be subverted. The design is primarily inspired by imagery of Saint Sebastian pierced with arrows, which when put into context of the arrow being a symbol of manhood and furthermore the phallus could be viewed as homoerotic. The bondage is comprised of suiting fabric, fuchsia nylon, brass buckles and the arrows are made from steel.
Weiwei Cao: Blood is Blood
As you read this, 1 in 5 women in the world are experiencing their period. We’ve all been made to feel as if it’s something dirty. Something to hide, or to be embarrassed about. Blood is red. Don’t be afraid of it. Don’t be ashamed of it. I’m proud of my feminine structure. My work, which can be worn on different parts of the body, protests and satirises menstrual shame. My final product is a textile Brooch, exploring differing material experiments and processes. It was made with mixed media: resin, wool, organza, cotton, metal and beads.
Sirui Chen: Fauna
My project is inspired by the different patterns, textures, and colours found in flowers and plants. I’ve played with scale and structure to combine the most engaging elements of my research and created wearable designs. This piece is worn as an earring. The materials are used to simulate the shape and touch of plant.
FeifeiPhoebe: The HoleMissing Brooch
People trafficking affects not only the victims themselves but their families, as well as society as a whole. The sense of regret for the family members is an emotional vacancy. Therefore, I compare the pearls which may get lost at any time to the children who may be abducted anywhere at anytime. They may never be found. The brooch with the missing pearl become incomplete jewellery, just like the lost children who will separate the original families forever.
Tabitha Eccles: Sustainable Urban Future My project focuses on futurism and how we tackle fast fashion in a dystopian world. I have created sustainable ethical Jewellery that is 100% compostable. The series of rings and bracelets are made from paper pulp and kombucha leather which I grew by hand over a series of weeks. Tea and sugar eventually form bacteria into a skin like texture that is flexible and completely compostable. On top of the rings sit bioplastic embellishment that are made from agar agar gelatine and glycerol that is boiled and dried to form biodegradable organic shapes coloured with turmeric and saffron. Some rings also feature a variation of wildflower seeds and soil, fastened with starch and water. When the ring composts new plants will grow from the remains.
Joaquin Rafael Flores: Provoking Practical
My work replicates and re-purposes well known pioneered engineering devices, such as the pulley system and threaded fasteners, subverting their use and function. This garment shows a sense of restriction, almost mocking the way these timeless devises have previously been utilised. This suit aims to challenge those who think in a narrow-minded way.
Rose Frankland: Music & Emotions
“When he holds me in his arms.” La Vie En Rose by Grace Jones, was the starting point for my project. I took the idea of arms wrapping round a leg, reaching up and developed a design for a pair of boots. Each arm is divided by a working zip. The boots are entirely hand made from dyed, and moulded leather forms.
Charlotte Glen: Fungi, Fairytales & Folklore
My outcome is based on the growth of mushrooms; a visual appreciation of the internal workings of their systems, with a particular focus on the mycelium threads which we cannot see which help to support surrounding ecosystems. The idea behind it is that it becomes entirely visible in light, but in darkness, the areas which represent mycelium threads concealed underground are brought to our awareness. These glow in the dark elements were inspired by bioluminescent fungi and have been delicately placed within a sheet of similarly shaped rings. These particular shapes were inspired by fairy rings, physically and metaphorically bringing together the three elements of fungi, fairytales and folklore.
Tong Fei (Freia) Guo:
In this project, I express the love of parents that I have felt since childhood. In China, it is common for parents to give their children enough pocket money and live a high-quality life. But they cannot set their children free. Even extracurricular classes are strictly for education and future opportunities. I chose two represented motifs – the crucifix and the feather. In fairy tales, a mother bird protects her young with her beautiful feathers. The crucifix represents love and salvation in religion, but there are still stories in which people are imprisoned by the crucifix. I combined these two things to create my jewellery.
Ao Han: Evolution & Circles
As humans, creatures or organisms continue to change or evolve over time, features tend to repeat and advance. My project focuses on those changes and repetitions. I used several types of leather to reference the human skin, playing with layers, textures, and forms. Cutting, connecting, and polishing to explore what happens to skin over time. The aim for the wearer to locate the pieces across the body to endlessly explore their potential. One is a circle made from leather to represent the repetition of living things. The other is a representation of time by using leather and dried flowers.
Millie Lovechild: Through the Eyes of a Child ‘Through the Eyes of a Child’ is a project that explores a child’s view of the world, and how their imagination knows no bounds. Through research and experimentation, I saw how our imagination leaves us the older we get. This was what I wanted to explore, a child’s imagination. I got my 7-year-old brother involved, creating drawings that would later be the basis of my final outcome. His “imagination bear” is what I used to create these small pin brooches, to remind everyone to be more imaginative.
Xiaohui Hu:
The theme of my project is about the current consensus of the perfect body shape. I focused on the muscle tone and flesh of the arm when developing my design. I used the contrast of hard and soft with aluminium and cotton. I wanted to express the damage that liposuction has on the body. The arm piece is flexible so everyone can wear it.
Marina Ito: The Art of Problem Creating
Does jewellery design solve problems? I decided to explore this question and play around with the idea of creating problems rather than solving them. I created a pacifier, a product used to calm children, but potentially problematic in its effect on the child’s development. In my selection and manipulation of materials I aim to subvert the function and association of the product. Challenging the audience and user by replacing the teat with a fish trapped in resin I hope to achieve an unnerving effect that is counter-intuitive to the purpose. Resin, soap, plaster, fish head.
Xuanhui Ji: Seeing is Not Believing
Seeing is believing, right? Not necessarily. Visual illusions can distort our perception so that what we ‘see’ does not correspond with what is physically there. This work uses illusion to express the false information in social media that confuses our judgment. I put different materials in the test tubes, such as water, alcohol, oil, honey, detergent. Each with their own unique refraction reaction, the wearer can see different information through different test tubes.
Chenxi Jiang: The Power to Adapt
The masks we wore during Covid led me to question how people might survive without wearing their masks in the next pandemic. How could we adapt? My project investigates how nature adapts to survive ever changing environments. I took inspiration from sea slugs, who consume algae to absorb energy through photosynthesis. The materials I used were a combination of resin, plastic and edible water balls made from sodium alginate and water.
Luhan Jiang: The World of the Blind
For this project, I focussed on the world of the blind. This was inspired by my blind neighbour; maybe to experience their world will help us understand them better? The sensitive hearing, sensitive touch and blurry vision are the key. Because what blind people see is not darkness, but blurry images, so I used mesh as one of the materials. Plaster in trumpet shapes amplifies the sound to the ears. The inside is a soft textured wool felt and a hard textured gypsum gauze.
Sunho Jung: Hidden Presence
I was always sure that I knew myself well. But after recent events, I was shocked to discover new aspects of my personality. The most shocking thing was that I am not honest about how I really feel and will rush to hide it. Inspired by Carl Sandburg’s quote “Life is like an onion: you peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you weep.” This work reveals my character and true disposition.
Lois Kozinos:
Zhenyu Lin: Emotional Blackmail
I want to explore and express what it is like to experience emotional blackmail. My finished work depicts one being controlled by another, parasitic and corrupt. This is an interactive piece, worn by two people. The face is half wrapped in burnt organza, the special texture expressing a feeling of being wrapped in corrosion. The overall skeleton is made of steel wire and painted black for a sense of forced control. The red wire wrapped around the skeleton represents the parasitic trajectory on the one hand, and the feeling of taking someone’s energy through the wires attached to the face on the other.
Mathilda Monteil: The Real Parasite
The Real Parasite, is a head piece made entirely out of sugar, it explores the parasitic relationship between different species. A parasite will attach onto its host for survival regardless of its negative effects, —this characteristic isn’t limited to animals. Humans consume without regard for, the people, our environment or our resources. This project went through many stages to find the most suitable material and technique to express the characteristics of a parasite while keeping in mind the way we pick resources and the after effects of our choices. The only materials used for this piece were sugar, glucose syrup, water, food colouring, hard candy and lace candy making it entirely edible with a combination of various sugar and glass techniques and crocheting for added detail.
Zehra Nensey: Vanitas
Vanitas originates from the Late Renaissance and Mannerism art movements, encouraging oblivion towards certain art styles. Similarly, individuals focus on temporary luxuries and turn a blind eye to their transiency and final destination. On display is a body drapery which represents luxury through silk and death through physical weight. I have utilized silk, pouring acrylic paint, copper, and embellishment. Paint mixtures were poured onto the fabric as the main process. My design is fluid and can be worn on any part of the body.
Freddie Peacock: Mixed Personalities
For this project, I chose to explore and transform the psychological sensations felt when living with ‘mixed personalities’, into a wearable object. This exploration was driven by primary research into my own sensations and how they are emitted through my paintings. Resultantly, I created a piece of quilted and painted wearable luggage, that was constructed using a variety of cut and sew techniques. The piece resembles the form of my eye, that is commonly used throughout my paintings for its spiritual connotations and connection to my own psychological sensations.
Finlay Polley: Scars of Overcoming Adversity
Adversity usually presents itself initially as a negative annoyance, however, once we overcome these hurdles we look back at these events as positive learning experiences. Scarring left from adversity isn’t negative but builds character and individuality. Here I explore the stories repaired clothing can hold. My piece takes the form of a protective mask inspired by various militant sects and drawn from the view of adversity as an ‘internal battle or personal warfare’. Using common and relatable materials like denims and metals I aim to show the commonality and shared experiences we must confront and overcome.
Iris Pope: A Dead Bod
This project explores the ways in which modern society identifies that which provides hope and relief, examining the presence of mythos, legends, and idyllicism harnessed to seek refuge from industrialism. ‘A Dead Bod’ mural was painted by Captain Hopper after nursing an injured bird back to health at sea, only for it to be released and killed by the Bosun in the swing of his boot. Bod soon grew to be a locally famous Hull graffiti, symbolising home return after long deep-sea fishing trips. A reliquary of cast silver, balsa, tissue.
Kitty-Sue Quah: My Chromista
My project expresses the evolution of mould from nature to the body, becoming one and growing together. I was interested in how the natural world could create such vibrant jewel like pieces. This outcome represents the body being taken over by what is seemingly horrible, challenging the wearer or audience to see the beauty within it. Wire, plaster, glass beads, moss.
Ronaldo Quezada: Discomfort in Concealing
There are different routes to explore identity. My focus was on how we adopt traits from others to conceal our true selves. To embody this physically is where I took inspiration from parasites and organisms that attach themselves onto hosts, becoming one with them. I opted to use copper, nylon tights and filling as my base materials. This piece is worn around the neck holding a fixed posture. The purpose: to create discomfort for the user. They will feel as if the piece has latched itself on and is beginning to take over.
Lea Saban: Alaturca X Alafranga
This piece uses traditional Ottoman and French motifs as a base to represent my cultural heritage and connection to the westernisation of the Ottoman culture. In the Ottoman times, the influence of the western cultures, described as ‘alafranga’, was extremely visible, so I treated the headpiece as a joining symbol for both cultures. Patterns and shapes from French buildings are put on the piece, and the colour scheme of the Ottoman was used. The wires and ropes from the colour scheme are layered as a symbol of the Ottoman Rugs. This allows me to depict the intersection and separation of the two cultures in my home country.
Eleanor Scott: Let’s Eat
I have focused on food and how we eat looking at the development of kitchen utensils throughout history and different cultures. Looking at dining room etiquette and the way we eat from a young age, then trying to break these ideals to make eating more of an enjoyable experience and less of a chore. I wanted to create a set of cutlery that encourages the user to think, and slow down to appreciate their food. Taking an axe, I made the handles from field maple tree that blew down behind my house. Inspired by traditional Swedish spoon carving I whittling the wood. The brass knife and fork components are cut out as a whole piece, folded, soldered together with handmade brass nails.
Hyoeeun Shim: Mirror-touch Synaesthesia
Mirror-touch synaesthesia is a neurological phenomenon where the subject feels the same sense of touch physically when seeing another person’s tactile experience. For example, they will feel someone else getting hit from seeing it. I made this piece hoping that sharing feelings and sensations would encourage empathy. In the piece, several long rods penetrate the plates in the shape of a human eye. Soft materials are attached to both ends of the sticks, and one side touches the wearer, and the other side touches the person the wearer is looking at.
Zana Siddharth: Redefining Anxiety
‘Redefining Anxiety’ is a piece made to replicate the physical discomforts felt when anxious. I used each stage of developing this project as a means to express and conquer this illness by exploring the topic to take control of it. Visualising anxiety as a tangible product brings to light what many of us experience, to help convert that feeling of weakness that is associated with anxiety into a source of power. I used latex to form the ‘corset’ style base of the chest piece, which acts as a claustrophobic second skin creating discomfort for the wearer. I chose to sculpt the hand detail out of plaster with intention of bringing a heaviness alluding to the feeling of anxiety.
Mia Singh: Women & Religion
This piece explores how the religious perceptions of women throughout history have impacted how we view the modern-day female. Women are primarily valued for their ability to reproduce, and while this is beautiful and to be celebrated, it also confines us. I used moulded leather to accentuate the curves of the body. The white symbolises virginity and purity, starkly contrasting with the piece’s provocative nature. Designed to empower the wearer, the crossbearing central pin represents of the restrictions that religion has placed on women, preventing movement of the wearer’s torso.
Lulu Tian: Beauty & Discomfort
My work is inspired by plastic surgery and some of the more extreme Asian ‘beauty solutions’, including beauty tools such as nose clips and V-shaped face masks. My outcome is series of face jewellery. The aluminium wire wrapping technique – a reference to surgical tools -suggests a sense of restriction and reflects some of the more historically problematic beauty methods such as Chinese foot binding and Victorian-era corsets. The use of pearls symbolises beauty, forming a distinctive contrast to the metal wire. Each piece of jewellery refers to different parts of the face people most want to change. The aim of the piece is for the wearer to feel a sense of discomfort and unease.
Mia Tierney: Is Dancing a Sin?
My main theme in this project was dance restrictions. I discovered the Lindy Hop, a dance invented in the 1920’s that was credited with breaking down racial barriers. This inspired me to make my piece. My outcome is a panelled dress that is black and white on one side of the panels and on the other, a range of colours. The exposure of colour and movement is revealed as you dance celebrating liberation, integration and togetherness.
Kin Tuet: Cryonics
The theme of my project is cryonics, where patients are submerged in a liquid nitrogen tank before death until medical technologies are advanced enough to resurrect them. I aim to understand cryonics’ fascinating process and patients’ rationale behind their decision. The crystals replicate the cold temperature in the tank. The container is being held, symbolising one’s fear of death and unwillingness to let go of their life. Material: Brass, Selenite, Ice Method: Soldering (container), Lostwax Carving (Brain), Polishing
Wenqi Wang: Mutation & Uniqueness
The theme of this project is mutation and uniqueness. My jewellery is based on mutations in different species and our fascination with how they appear on the body. I took hirsutism and some plant mutations and combined them to make people feel that the jewellery is beautiful and special but also a little strange and disgusting. I want people to have a certain resonance and think about the natural phenomenon of variation. We should appreciate and tolerate this unique beauty.
Zimeng Wang: Go Back Home
I have been away from home for a long time. The epidemic and the war between Russia and Ukraine have made going home more difficult and expensive. Although I have grown accustomed to life in the UK, I still miss my home country and my family and friends. I made this piece in the hope that it would bring me closer to home and make me feel the comfort of being back home with the people I love. Wearing this jewellery, one can feel its softness and the feeling of holding hands, touching and hugging with loved ones.
Sydney WarghusenUsher: Family Mire
This project explores interpersonal relationships within a nuclear family. The interactive design allows for each member to express their desire to be closer, further apart or to remove themselves entirely. Inspired by my personal experience, the finish on each ring is reflective of the personalities within my family, and the loops represent their individual attachment styles. The twine is a physical manifestation of an innate connection, woven with hair to ground it within my family. Despite heavy themes the piece remains light through use of the ‘childish’ finger knitting technique. Brass, twine, hair.
Kayla Wilck: Sight
I have always been fascinated with the eye and the way it works. Sight is intended to engage with our ways of seeing by allowing the wearer to alter their vision with tinted lenses. It is a chance for the wearer to see the world through a different lens. Each of the eight, handmade rings holds a coloured acrylic lens encased in a brass and silver frame.
Xinyi Xie: Princess Dream
Where once we would dress up to play and fantasize, now we dress up to feel better or escape. Inspired by a game I used to play as a child where I would pretend to be a princess with my friends, I created work that would explore the way we grow up, enter society, and become more mature in the face of many worries. My work captures that yearning to return to childhood, and the ability to be happy with oneself, and confident of beauty.
Zimin Xu (Kyra Xu): Freak Show
This is a controversial subject. Back in the day, people defined groups they considered ‘abnormal’ as ‘freaks’ and looked down on their existence. This is still the case in today’s society. When people see these special populations, they will often avoid them as if it’s rude to even look at them. Isn’t that another form of discrimination? It’s not them that needs to change, it’s the way people see them. In my series, each piece represents a character who has performed in ‘freak shows’. I chose to use an attractive presentation (performance jewellery) to emphasize that they are not ‘freaks’.
Wanlin Yang:
This project started from a dream of mine, in which I was being chased and killed in an endless loop, but every time I entered a new round of endless loop, I lost my previous memory and was forced to experience the worst, time and time again. Real despair and pain. In real life, depression is also chasing me. I lost my memory when I was seriously ill. When my condition improved, I remembered the pain, and experienced despair and pain, again and again.
Xinran Zhai: Self—comb Women
Improvements in promoting the status of women in the family and society are far from sufficient in modern society. Therefore, I integrated the Chinese culture ‘Self—comb Women’, referring to women who unite and live together to resist the oppression of marriage into my work. The main part of the work is an interconnected circular clay with the growing hair as the symbol of increasing female power. The work also incorporates the symbols of the feminist movement, Votes for Women. I hope this work can arouse awareness and cooperation for upholding women’s rights in the new era.
Yang Zhao: Rebirth
I have always had a great interest in nature, and plants and creatures have always held a magical attraction. My work is inspired by the ecological change from caterpillars to butterflies, and used as a metaphor for rebirth. I wanted to capture the moment a butterfly crawls out of its cocoon - the embodiment of a new life successfully conceived and completed. I used the process of carving wax and casting. Silver, paper, and cotton.
Samantha Zhuang: Light Jewellery
The concept for this project is ‘Making Light Visible’. Instead of understanding light to be a supporting factor that enhances the value of jewellery, this piece of work aims to subvert the relationship between light and jewellery. The piece itself acts as a reflector of surrounding light, and the reflections and shadows cast across the body create the actual jewellery piece. This project challenges the mainstream definition of jewellery, and highlights the importance of light in visual arts and design.
Tutors: Beatrice Giannotto Kathleen Hills Tom Nelson Dominic Postlethwaite
Product Design & Ceramics:
Urvi Agarwal: PerioEND Pain Pads
A reusable two-way heating and cooling pad made from wool containing rice. It has been hand sewn using a machine. The ideal users are teen girls starting their periods. Wear in bed, out or about or anywhere you may want to relive the pain of menstrual cramps. For best results, the pad should be worn directly on skin and underneath clothing, however, over is also possible. The rice pouches are detachable and can be interchanged once tattered.
Sinéad Ambrose: Design & Craftsmanship
Conceptual designs which successfully challenged the popularist perspective led to new ways of looking at our world, our boundaries, and our capabilities. Key to the enduring success of such designs has been the skills and craftsmanship to transform designs into reality, redesign aesthetics and resolve existing limits and production conflicts by considering new techniques. This deconstructed reclining chair prototype shows the appreciation of craftsmanship and demonstrates why successful designs need to take all aspects of production into consideration, including left-over waste created.
Izzy Arthur: Heirlooms
My product consists of stackable pods for heirloom jewellery storage. Extra pods can be added as more heirlooms are gifted. Plywood discs with internal cork lining create a perfect environment to preserve the jewellery. The wood has been stained using three types of used tea leaves: Earl Grey, Breakfast and Ginger. The staining gradient reflects the ageing process through generations, and I achieved this using sustainable methods and materials, including a beeswax finish for durability.
Senanur Basatemur: Traditional Turkish Delights
Inspired by the famous Turkish dessert, which has a unique taste, various flavours, sizes and creative new versions. At the beginning of my project, I travelled to Turkey to visit more craftspeople and explore my culture’s artistic history. This collection is a modern take on traditional Turkish motifs. It includes two ceramic mugs, a ceramic serving plate, two pillows, and a throw blanket as homeware designed for everyone to bring a pop of colour into their living room.
Eliza BellOgilby: Ritual
I explored how modern habits and activities can be ritualised to enhance the everyday experience. Wine-related rituals have existed for centuries within many cultures. This product celebrates its history and significance whilst recognising the casual, modern consumption and appreciation of wine. The collapsible and portable table is designed to improve the event of sharing a bottle, especially outside. The glasses are suspended, and bottles stabilised; the table serves as a centrepiece for a social occasion.
Qiwen Chen (Simon): Health & Support
A design for supporting those grieving to move forward. The unit has a recording function and a biodegradable memory card with monoplane wing and seeds. The product can record what users want to say, recalling someone they loved that has passed away and storing this audio on the memory card. After the user has found a place to release the memory card, the seeds within it take root as it degrades. Through the process of nurturing a plant that ‘inherits’ a memory of the deceased person, the user is supported, step by step, to come to terms with their grief.
Yanxi Chen: Egg Shell
I chose to design a packaging system for eggs, to make it easy for manufacturers to transport them, retailers to display them and users to purchase them. My packaging does not dictate to the customer how many eggs they must buy – they can choose to buy one or more, discouraging food waste. The packaging is compostable, so it can be discarded with the eggshells – convenient, sustainable and easy to use.
Yichao Chen: Phonograph
As technology evolves, people expect better experiences. Traditionally, phonographs provided users with an engaging, physical platform for music reproduction. I wanted to make a modern product that could create a similar atmosphere, combining a turntable and speaker to create a minimalist product.
Yu Chi Cheung: Ouroboros
Ouroboros is a symbol that persists throughout history. I wanted to create a product that focuses on its meaning and value of existence. Flower seeds are embedded within the sheets of mushroom that layer the exterior, which can be peeled off and planted in the vase after the flowers have died. Over time, the ceramic vase is the only thing that remains. Together, they tell the story of life, death, and eternity.
George Collyer: Practicality
Practicality, is a project based on the way in which 20th Century design movements prioritised form and function differently. The different ideologies and original inspirations led me to create 3 pizza cutters based on a manifesto I created for each movement. I used a variety of different processes and materials, focusing on how they would have been utilised had the design movement been prominent in the 21st Century.
Zhuohan Dai: Punky Cushion Today, more work is desk-based. Modern technologies make people’s lives more screen-based and stationary. We cannot avoid being sedentary in daily work and study. However, retaining poor posture for a long time is harmful to one’s body. I designed the Punky Cushion for people to use in the office and at home. The shape of my cushion can correct users’ posture, and the airbags help to relieve fatigue. During the making process, I cast silicone and used a pump to test the inflatable structure. I evaluated four different models, selecting the most comfortable.
Tom Eynon: The Milk Maker The Milk Maker is a product for restaurants and Coffee shops for making plant-based milks, in house. Grains, seeds and nuts can be ground through the two stones so that the dust drops down into the hopper below. The stones can then be removed and up to three litres of water added. The mixture then diffuses through a strainer into a milk churn below. The milk can be stored in a fridge for up to three days. This system of alternative milk production will remove Tetrapaks from many catering outlets, which are very difficult to recycle. It also allows for bespoke, nutritious milks to be produced using sustainable crops such as oats and hemp. The process of grinding and straining milk from raw materials would become a complementary ritual alongside coffee making and food preparation in cafés, where the staff and customers are concerned about intensive farming and waste issues.
Jiabin Fan: Tangram
My design is inspired by Chinese tangram puzzles. I designed seven pieces of furniture with different functions that can be combined into a 170 x 170 x 75 cm cube. I modelled this at 1:10 scale. The furniture includes a folding bed, shoe cabinets, bookshelves, corner cabinets, etc. My idea is to make it easy to move home. When buyers decide to move, they need only re-combine these seven pieces of furniture and pack them in a large box which can be shipped directly.
Sam Feltham: Serendipity Within Craft
A range of Japanese inspired cups, a coffee filter, and gyuto knife. A twist on Japanese tea culture and western coffee culture, designed to question the fast-paced throw away culture of contemporary living. The cracks in the ceramics highlight the Japanese ideologies of wabi-sabi and kintsugi. The vessel is made ofslip cast ceramic. The knife is handforged VG-10 steel with a rosewood handle. I used celadon and tenmoku glazes. My products are designed for the home and hospitality venues.
Sijeh Fongho Transformative Design
I designed a coffee table that extends to become a dining table. I wanted to design something long-lasting; its simplicity allows it to be timeless and versatile, not for short-term use. Its transformative nature means there will always be a use for it somewhere in the home. The extending feature makes it unique, as solutions to lack of space are usually miniaturised or collapsible, whereas this allows the user to transform their space to give it another purpose, allowing it to feel bigger.
Yangyi Fu: Water Timer
Visualisation of time is the main purpose of my project. I started the project by observing the changes of time in nature. My outcome is a water timer inspired by the shapes of trees. The changing of a tree is one of nature’s most common symbols of the passage of time. Water flows through the tree trunk to the bottom, and we can judge the remaining time by observing how much water is left, encouraging us to be productive.
Alisha Howard: Encouraging a Sustainable Lifestyle
I have created a repair material from rose petals which acts as a filler and adhesive. I looked into the concept of fixing items visibly, breaking the link between perfection and beauty. As well as having properties similar to regular clay, the flower ‘clay’ acts as a very fine aggregate, giving volume, stability, and durable resistance to wear. It enables the user to repair items rather than replacing them, encouraging a sustainable lifestyle. It is an eco-friendly alternative to petrolchemical based epoxies.
Colin Huxham
My product uses a combination of textured ceramics and floral forms to convey the feeling of nature to the user. Bars of soap, like nature, have had a close relationship with humans and are intertwined with the circular economy, my product promotes better usage of soap by making and more pleasant to use. The ceramic ‘claw’ allows the user to make use of the stigmatised ‘sludge’ associated with soap, the claw can be removed from the frame and used anywhere in the bathroom.
Freda Igiogbe: Shadows of Time
My project explores the representation of time and its fragility. The outcome, which resembles a folded sundial, allows the user to effortlessly move and rearrange its shape to achieve their desired aesthetic. My goal with this project was to create an abstract form, using sunlight as a source of energy. When the sun shines brightly, shadows and reflections are cast from the aluminium sheets onto nearby surfaces, visualising time.
Ben Jeffrey: Illuminating Sustainability
I explored the concept of sustainability in relation to lighting, with a heavy focus on material experimentation. My final outcome is a hanging pendant light made using biodegradable materials to highlight the beauty of natural resources, and their potential applications in design. The material is made from dried orange slices, held together with a gelatine bioplastic. The idea was to take a common household material and transform it into a work of art, showcasing its natural colour and patterns, and how they can be enhanced using light.
Arishta Kehar: Packaging
In this project, I started by researching the circular economy, which is a systematic approach to economic development to benefit business, society and the environment. I wanted to make a product using plastic alternatives. Packaging is one of the industries in which plastics are used the most. I decided to focus on food packaging, specifically tea bags.
Saskia Keogh: Unconventional Materials Furniture is a substantial contributor to landfill waste today. I looked into mycelium as a potential material as it is natural and biodegradable. Using mycelium as an alternative means that we could put unwanted furniture at the end of our gardens and leave it to decompose in a few weeks. I grew mycelium from waste coffee grounds, solving two huge landfill waste problems, lowering material cost without using finite resources. My product is for children of ages 4+ and is environmentally friendly. It could also be used as a prototype for all furniture in the future.
Arianna Kilachand: Less is More
My project is based on the theme ‘less is more’. I have designed a product that focuses on space- saving design and small-space living. My product is a multifunctional kitchen set designed for students living in accommodation with limited kitchen space. I have used plywood as my primary material. My product contains a chopping board that divides the two sections of the box, the upper half is used as a cutlery and vessel stand, while the bottom section serves as storage. It is designed it to be stored either on a kitchen counter or in a kitchen cupboard.
Doha Kim: Lighting for the Elderly
I have designed a light for older users. Modern society is ageing, so we have to listen to the voices of our elders. As humans get older, physical labour becomes harder, and even simple tasks become harder to handle alone. After interviewing users, I decided to focus on working at height in the home. This lighting was developed to make changing light bulbs easier, without the need for chairs or ladders. Adjusting the height also changes the atmosphere of lighting in the room.
Chaemin Lee: Bluetooth Speaker My Bluetooth speaker can be experienced and used differently through various functions. It is a design that combines the interior design using sound reflection and the exterior design containing the appearance of nature. Growing plants to avoid wasting water permeates efforts to protect the environment. Through this, I want people to save water in their daily lives and listen to music in a more comfortable and natural state when they use Bluetooth speakers.
Athina Li: Echoes
Echoing voices, echoing memories. Inspired by the ritual of ringing the dinner bell, my product illuminates the eating space and produces a soft chime as it is switched on/off with a gentle push. The sound of the bell initiates and concluded the process of human connection. The brass shade has been hammered by hand, preserving traditional bell craft methods. Brass solder runs through the seams of the pieces, which are suspended from a steel and wood stand.
Zhehao Li: OD[System]
OD[System] is a service and interactive system designed that takes an open-source, decentralised design approach. In OD[System], the role of a professional designer is changed to a ‘rule-maker’ who formulates frameworks, logic, and algorithms under the OD[AnchorSystem]. An untrained customer now has the ability to influence the design. Products are now shaped both by designers and customers, and ideas are shared mutually with an opensource community. To represent this design approach and process, I present an installation that includes a laptop and the OD[1]; a visualisation editor developed in Arduino IDE and an interface, screen printed on paper with conductive ink.
Gula Lin: Snow Mountain Challenger My project is concerned with winter sports design. I started by analysing a lot of existing equipment. My final product is a protective mask that can be worn by skiers for a long time, keeping them dry and comfortable. This product is designed for mountain skiers. The main material groups used were plastics and composites for performance reasons. I digitally modelled the final design after confirming the draft drawings and physically testing on mannequins and models.
I-I Liu: Extinction
Extinction is a global emergency we have to deal with now. With urban development, wildlife habitats have been destroyed and the natural system has become unbalanced. My project aims to connect humans and bees in the urban environment, as the number of bees has declined with urban development. The form is inspired by the cashew apple, which is organic and natural, and has been prototyped in MDF and resin.
Jasmine: The Tea Tale This box is designed to house cups, tea, biscuits, sugar, teaspoons, and an electric tea kettle. A bin for used tea bags is also included. It converts into a table and provides extra surface area when its flaps are opened. It can be carried easily to any corner of the house. This is designed for users whose blood type is Tea Positive! Instead of making tea alone in the kitchen, we can enjoy making tea with our loved ones.
Mingyang Ma:
An interaction device which protects older users from anxiety and monitors issues surrounding dementia. The device records the user’s voice, analysing fluctuations and assessing their status. It communicates with family members, who can connect and send real-time messages to the user.
Yasemin Olivia Manisali: Emergenza Emergenza is an NGO project that aims to make refugees’ lives slightly easier. The bag contains everything that a person might need when fleeing their home in an emergency. This bag will provide asylum seekers with the comfort of knowing that they have the things they need in case of any emergency; this includes medication and thermal gear. The bag is waterproof and can withstand any weather. It has a shelf life of at least three years and has also been designed to act as a protest piece.
Pranchalee Ngammekchay: Compact Living Space
The theme of my project is compact living space, and my aim is to design a home product that maximises users’ living space and increase ease of use. I prototyped of my flat-pack armchair in laser-cut plywood. The armchair is intended to be transportable and user-friendly. The joints were designed to be as simple as possible. It has only six components, designed to intuitively work together, so no instructions are necessary.
Karolina Olszta: Table Switch
My project addresses issues surrounding mass production, consumption ad waste in the furniture industry. My outcome was co-designed with a 6-year-old child, resulting in an interchangeable (open for personalisation), flat-pack bedside table. As the product is modular, the assembly varies with preference. Throughout the design process, issues of aesthetics, ergonomics, anthropometrics, safety, and sustainability were carefully considered.
Qingyu Ouyang: BAO Sofa
My project aims to use space to visualise people’s relationships. The final outcome is a domestic sofa which can be used as a private or open space. According to user’s needs, they can form an appropriate and comfortable social environment while interacting with different people. The model consists of a metal frame and a leather cover. The design of the textured surfaces offers different tactile and visual experiences, expressing and evoking users’ emotions.
Avina Panwar: Kiss ‘n’ Go
Kiss ‘n’ Go, is a playful solution to overcoming the inconvenience of applying lipstick on the go or in a rush. With a new and unique application method, I aimed to combine sustainability with the aesthetics of luxury expected from beauty products, while also solving functional and practical problems. My outcome is made from upcycled leather offcuts and a bioplastic made from red seaweed powder, ensuring the consumable films are biodegradable.
Pinto Poonapirat: The Shift in Working Spaces My project explores the effects of shifts in working practices due to Covid-19. Many people find it hard to separate work and home life when switching between working from home and the office. ‘My Productive Space’ is a toolbox to help manage time and tasks so users can work more effectively, knowing when to take a break, and increasing positivity in their own working space. I chose to use plywood for the structure of the box with leather, felt and cork additions. The box is lightweight and portable, suitable for office workers and students to carry anywhere.
Zhifan Qian: The World at Your Fingertips
When visiting museums and exhibitions, I found that the organisers were very strict about the works of art, and it is often necessary to appreciate the work from a safe distance. I hope that this headset can bring a brand-new experience to audiences. It makes use of virtual reality technologies to bring pieces towards us, facilitating a more immediate and impressive experience.
Kaashvi Rajgarhia: Home Away from Home
Living in student accommodation and coming into contact with students daily, I realised the most common issue faced is shortage of space. What plays the most vital role in organising your room is the furniture. Some pieces of furniture might take up more space without being multifunctional. I designed a multi-purpose hanger in the form of a tree, depicting growth as a student. I prototyped it in steel and laminated plywood.
Kanchita Rattanaprateepthong: Art for a Positive Mindset
My product is a flower petal watercolour making kit. Every part of the product was made from wood offcuts, joining small pieces together to create usable sections. The product is made for children in developing areas in Lao, encouraging them to be creative, to explore their natural environment, and experience positive interactions with their friends and family.
Amy Roxburgh: The Magic of Mushrooms for Sustainability My research led me to discover the incredible characteristics of fungi, and how applying these in the design world could make significant global change. Oyster mushrooms can biodegrade plastic waste in a matter of weeks (as opposed to 200 – 1,000 years in landfill). As an extension of the research done by Katharina Unger, my product aims to demonstrate this process for the purpose of education. Plastic waste is placed in the glass vessel with a few drops of diluted mycelium cultures. The fungi will feed off of the plastic, leaving an inert, edible residue.
Donghwan Seo: Pet Desk
I designed a piece of furniture that allows pets and owners to interact more equally. Pets always want to be with their owners, even when they are working or eating. I added access for pets to visit their owners at their desks. Owners can keep an eye on their pets and vice versa.
Lily BadianiShah: Temporary
I have designed a biodegradable packaging solution for dog food. Using gelatine powder and glycerine I created sheets of bioplastic, heatsealing the edges to create a pouch. Each packet contains one portion of dry food. Designed to hang off the lead and aimed at dogs who need meals or snacks on the go, once used, the packaging can be disposed of without guilt.
Rachel Slagel: Experiencing Health
A modern re-design of the standard diabetes blood sugar level device. After exploring 21st century living with Diabetes, I was made aware of the painfully dated devices for people with this condition. 3D printed from ABS, the device has a sleek, modern appearance with a storage solution in the back for the test strips, reducing the amount the user has to carry. Focusing on the role of technology in society, I created a functional app linked with my device for more efficient data transfer and recording.
Jacob Smith: Exercise Bike
This project started off by looking at ways to transform gym equipment to be less intimidating and more approachable. This led me to look at furniture for inspiration. Wood was chosen as it exudes warmth and positivity. The flowing curves of the bike were inspired by birds and sharks. The 1:5 model was carved by hand.
Alice Stauss: Passing Time
This project questions how we relate to time in our modern lives, with the constant pressure for us to use our time ‘productively’. The lampshade is made from ice, and melts in approximately 20 minutes, each time slightly differently. The product includes a light, which can be used with and without the lampshade, and a mould for the shade that users can continually refill and freeze.
Chaoran Wang: Belonging
In this busy era, we live with flesh and blood. It is common for us to leave our hometown and separate the yin and yang. Maybe countless people are heartbroken because of this. Do you want to smell the aroma of home-cooked food again, do you want to hold your beloved pet again? Will these bring back your confidence in life? I would like to use this to commemorate those who can’t return to the past and those who can never see each other again, to commemorate those strong thoughts.
Junbo Wang: Survival Tool
I have designed a survival tool for use in the wild. It’s a multi-functional device with a blade, saw and short sickle. The tool is 225mm in length and about three kilograms in weight. The tool could be used to collect branches, twine from plants, animal skins and any other useful materials in the forest. For protection, I have designed a leather sheath, so users can hang the tool on their belt or put it in their pocket.
Yuksau Wong: Rocking Chair
This chair is designed for people who are working from home. The biggest difference between working at home and in the office is posture, so I designed the chair to move – it can be rocked back and forth. The design of the table is inspired by high chairs – it wraps around the user. Because being alone for a long time can affect mental health, I designed the overall shape to mimic the bathtub – a place of safety and security. I hope the duck can be your good friend when you are alone.
Zhaobang Xiong: Scale Bracers
This is an exoskeleton product, a wrist brace, which is mainly used for people after sports injuries. It can reduce the pain caused by people’s injuries and reduce the possibility of edema. Wearing it will not affect the normal life of the user. It can also be used as an auxiliary product. The design is inspired by the scales on animals, including snakes and pangolins.
Xinqin Xu: Nature in Life
The theme of my project is biomimicry. I wanted to bring natural characteristics into people’s daily lives. The finished outcome is a lampshade inspired by whales jumping out of the sea. It is a decorative product that people can put in their home. The shape of the lampshade is suitable for slimmer lightbulbs. I used canes to construct the main skeleton, finishing with voile to diffuse the light. The making method is inspired by the traditional fish lanterns used to celebrate the Chinese Lantern Festival.
Huaijun Yang: Free Stitch Speaker
The Free Stitch Speaker is an example of democratic design practice, in which I hope to give the user a larger influence on either the function or appearance of a product. As its name suggests, the user can freely customise the control panel of the speaker using the materials provided (or their own), using a simple Japanese folk embroidery technique – Sashiko. Users can create the graphics for controlling the speaker based on their habits, logic, and preference.
Shiyi Zhang: Blind Box Set
A blind box is a type of packaging that keeps its contents hidden. This is a set of educational blind boxes including six dolls designed based on endangered species. The dolls are made of natural sustainable materials including wood and cotton. When collecting the blind boxes, people can learn more about these species by reading identity cards, making them more aware of wildlife and environment issues.
Xiangzhi Zhao: 2182 Vessel
These designs are intended to enhance the drinking experience. Two drinking glasses with significantly different volumes are sold at the same price, providing different opportunities for consumption, reflection, and attention to taste.
Chuhao Zhou (Kevin): Sports Trainer
This product was inspired by my high school memories. I needed to switch shoes every day for PE lessons because I had no clue what sports we were going to do, and I need to wear formal shoes during other classes. Therefore, what kind of shoes I wore everyday became a problem. This shoe sole is attached with thick rubber in order to play any sports on any environment, while the upper is inspired by the Air Jordan 11, which is suitable for formal occasions such as lessons and student meetings.
Bangbo Zhu:
The reason why a lot of people exhibit green behaviour is not necessarily because they care about the environment, it is often out of guilt. Many behaviours have no substantial effect on the environment. This refuse bin will cause people to think. People throw away sorted litter, but see all the litter being put together... What does the future of environmental protection look like?