Three Product Design students from Barton Peveril swept the board in a design hack competition run by Southampton Solent University in partnership with Ikea.
Hazel Crosland, Emily Braybrook and Emma Chiddle designed and built sustainable furniture by combining existing Ikea products – a process known as upcycling.
Their work was displayed in the Southampton store and captured the imagination of customers, many of whom asked if they could buy the items! The pieces will also feature on the IkeaHackers.net website for hackers interested in modifying and repurposing Ikea products.
Hazel Crosland won the £100 Ikea voucher first prize for a bedside table lamp and was also awarded third prize for a second, freestanding lamp design.
Second prize went to Emily Braybrook for an innovative children’s art table and fourth place was awarded to Emma Chiddle’s dining table hack.
Commenting on her win, Hazel said: “I am hoping to go into architecture and these skills are bound to be relevant to my studies in the future.
“The bedside table lamp is made from an old laundry basket and the free-standing table lamp was originally a glass vase, which I filled with fairy lights.”
Dave Horwood, subject leader for Product Design at Barton Peveril added: “For me, the best thing about our success in the competition is that the winners are all girls and are multi-art students.
“Southampton Solent and Ikea have given us a great opportunity to promote how well girls do on the Product Design course and show how the creativity fostered here at Barton Peveril is recognised by universities and industry.”
Hazel, Emily and Emma are studying A Level Product Design and other Art subjects alongside a range of science and humanities courses. Their furniture was made with support and technical instruction from Southampton Solent’s Product Design 3D workshop.
Southampton Solent University’s partnership with Ikea is part of a Partner Affiliation Network (PAN) which encourages professional input and work placement opportunities for students.
