National award wins for graduate designers

Graduate product designers from Northumbria University have been recognised with national awards supported by household brand names at a prestigious annual showcase event in London.

New Designers brings together the most innovative emerging design talent from across the UK. Since its inception 40 years ago, the two-week event has provided a platform for over 3,000 graduates every year to present their visionary ideas to industry professionals and the public. The disciplines highlighted include fashion, textiles, furniture, product design and illustration. 

This year, New Designers took place in July, and recent graduates from Northumbria’s Design for Industry programme collected an impressive four major awards at the event. A further 12 highly commended accolades or places on the awards shortlist were secured by the team from Northumbria.

Ian Hewitt, Assistant Professor and Programme Leader for Product Design at Northumbria University, said: “We take immense pride in the outstanding accomplishments of our graduates this year. Their projects encompass a diverse array of service, product, system and digital design.

“Their work addresses exciting and captivating challenges such as innovations in healthcare products and systems, alongside explorations into novel materials poised to reshape and redefine product experiences. This year group did particularly well at the annual New Designers Exhibition in Islington, London where they successfully collected four of the major awards.”

A love of the outdoors inspired Amelia Cook to create ‘Savour’, a food dehydrator designed to enhance the outdoor dining experience by allowing users to prepare gourmet meals at home which can then be transported and reheated in scenic surroundings. The product dehydrates food by circulating warm air through it which removes moisture and preserves the food for up to a month. To rehydrate and heat the food, the user can either add cold water and heat it on a camping stove or use hot water from a flask.

Amelia lives near York and won the PriestmanGoode New Designers award, which includes a three-month placement with the leading London-based design agency. Amelia said: “New Designers was a fantastic experience for me, and I really enjoyed discussing my project with industry professionals as well as members of the public. I have been exploring different career opportunities with professionals I connected with at the event.

“Studying at Northumbria University has really helped kick-start my career as a young designer. Through the strong industry connections of the course, I have had the opportunity to improve my skills and become more employable through two work placements and multiple live briefs over the past four years.”

As a keen baker with a growing awareness of the impact ultra-processed foods have on health, Cosima Fawcett created the ‘Sourpro’ collection. The Sourpro kit consists of two unique baking devices, a wireless charging base, two baking accessories and an app. Designed to educate and encourage beginner home bakers, the Sourpro collection takes away the guesswork involved in making sourdough. 

Cosima, who lives in East Yorkshire and won the Kenwood Appliances New Designers award, said: “I am so grateful to have been selected to receive the Kenwood Appliance Award at New Designers. It meant so much to me for my project to be recognised by such a huge brand that I truly admire with such an exceptional team of designers. 

“After exploring more of the food industry as part of my project I am now looking into a career path that can combine my love for food and cooking alongside my passion for design. I had an unforgettable time at Northumbria. I am so grateful to have had such a positive experience on my course which I put down to the fantastic tutors and technicians who have gone above and beyond to help me reach my potential as a student and as a designer.”

A determination to support parents and young children with the management of challenging health conditions, James Paulson developed 'Bu', a playful, educational kit for children aged between three and six with Type 1 diabetes. Interactive products and engaging characters make learning enjoyable for kids and adults.

The book Bu's Big Adventure teaches users how to use the products and understand diabetes management. A hoodie with a badge is used to track injection sites and features concealed zip pockets for discreet insulin injections, reducing embarrassment. A frog-themed pot with a stamper pen and sand timer helps alternate pricking fingers and learn insulin timing, creating an engaging experience for parents and children.

James, who is from Macclesfield and won the Design Innovation in Plastics New Designers award, said: “I was incredibly pleased to hear I had won an award at the 2024 exhibition. This reaffirms the decisions I took during my design project and also recognises that other designers and creatives appreciate my design approach and solution to my design challenge.

“I began my project looking into the medical and health and wellbeing area. After speaking to a wide range of nurses, doctors and other medical professional I was surprised at how challenging managing medical conditions can be for young children. As well speaking to a wide range of diabetics and diabetes experts showed me how demanding the condition can be on a day-to-day basis and particularly how overwhelming managing the condition can be for young children and parents.” 

A device which helps combat the gender disparity within safety in the motor industry won praise for Megan McArdle. 'Laplock' is designed to address statistics which suggest women are 19 per cent more likely to be killed and 73 per cent more likely to sustain serious injury than their male counterparts in comparable crashes.

Women and other people with smaller pelvises than the car is designed for face the risk of the belt slipping up off their hips to the wrong position across their stomachs, placing vital organs at risk. Laplock’s feedback and awareness campaign are designed to educate and remind users of proper belt positioning. The product is intended to be clicked onto any seatbelt of any car. Its base is recycled tyre rubber, creating traction between it and the user. Working to ensure the belt is in the proper position.

Megan, who is from Northern Ireland and won the Creative Impact New Designers award, said: “Winning an award for the impact my design has had on the world meant so much to me. Knowing that half of my project was about raising awareness of the issue made the recognition even more special.

“Part of the prize for this award is a three-month course involving workshops with experts and personal coaching sessions to help get your idea off the ground. I'll be undertaking that in the coming months, so I'm really excited to see how that goes. Honestly, I couldn't have done this without Northumbria, not only the project itself, which wouldn't be anything without the help and guidance of my tutors and the workshop technicians, but also the opportunity to attend the New Designers show.”

Also shortlisted or highly commended were:

• Kenwood Loves This: Amelia Cook

• DCA Like It!: Amelia Cook

• Joseph Joseph Loves it: James Paulson

• Design Bridge and Partners: James Paulson

• PriestmanGoode Approved: Brooke Place for a modular football boot called ‘Impact’.

• Landor Loves it: Brooke Place

• Unilever Keep Beauty Real: Erin Cox for a makeup product called ‘TACT Beauty’ which is accessible to those with visual and mobility impairments

• Stannah: Erin Cox

• DCA Like it!: Jude Finn Sobie for a therapeutic music device called ‘Poco’ helping children with autism to connect with their parents.

• Made Loves: Jude Finn Sobie

• Disney Home Loves this Storyteller: Jude Finn Sobie

• Creative Conscious, Creatives for the Future: Louis Martlew for a sustainable cycling helment called ‘Myco’.

Visit www.newdesigners.com to discover more about the work exhibited by Northumbria graduates. Explore study options at Northumbria University by visiting www.northumbria.ac.uk.study

 

* Main image shows New Designers 2024 at London's Business Design Centre. Photo by Sam Frost