New Design Britain, organised in partnership with May Design Series, has revealed its 2015 finalists. Shortlisted across 6 categories – Furniture, Accessories (in partnership with ACHICA), Surfaces, Fabrics, Architecture and Interior Design – 30 of the most talented student and graduate designers in the UK will now be invited to showcase their work at the entrance to one of the UK’s definitive interiors exhibitions this spring.
Hundreds of entries were whittled down by an expert panel of judges including Daniel Hopwood (President, BIID), Katy Ghahremani (MAKE Architects) and Dan Ziglam (DeadGood), to leave five finalists in each category. In order to bridge the gap between design and industry, the entrants were judged on the commercial viability of their designs, as well as aesthetics, functionality, and product development.
The six winners will be judged and announced on the New Design Britain stand at May Design Series on Monday 18th May. Each will each receive a valuable industry placement, as well as expert career coaching and a complimentary stand at May Design Series the following year.
The shortlisted finalists are:
Furniture
· Charles Parford-Plant from Kingston University, with Tension
· Daniel Lau from Nottingham Trent University, with Kai
· Heena Patel, BA Product and Furniture Design, with Transforma
· Joe McAlonan from Nottingham Trent University, with Jake chair
· Simon Taylor, Camberwell College of Arts (UAL), with Randonneur Chair
Surfaces
· Alicia Cox, Staffordshire University, with Perfectly Imperfect
· Sophie Rowley, Central Saint Martins/UAL, with Material Illusions
· Olly Mason, University of Leeds, with Concrete
· Jenna Brown, Duncan of Jordanstone (DJCAD), with Botanical Allure
· Amy Bartlett, Leeds College of Art, with Form and Structure
Fabrics
· Hannah Lois Sangwin, Birmingham City University, with Monochromatic Modifications
· Ailsa Lishman, Manchester Metropolitan University, with Nature Abstracts
· Zohreh Adle-Ghadjar, University of Brighton, with Exploration of the Loom: From Past to Present
· Catherine MacGruer, The Glasgow School of Art, with Tiles Collection
· Anastazia Hadjiyiakoumi, Loughborough University, with Eden
Interior Design
· Marinella Vronti, De Montfort University, with The Social Hub: The Community Library of Limassol
· Karina Fisun, Interior Design Diploma, with Fashion Boutique Caramello
· Laura-Anne Robinson, Sheffield Hallam University, with Collaborative Care Centre
· Cathrine Dal, Inchbald School Of Design, with Bathyal
· Emily Davies, Falmouth University, with Life Stream
Architecture
· Catherine Sparkes, Nottingham Trent University with A New Era of Defence
· Georgi Diliyanov Arnaudov, The University of Greenwich, with Homogeneous Architectural & Landscape Organisms (HALO2) Arena
· Amelia Hunter, The Royal College of Art, with Nuntius de Navibus
· Eva Ciocyte, University of Westminster, with Re-arrangeable Wall System
· Phil Parkin, Nottingham Trent University, with Off the radar
Accessories
· Alison Smith, Nottingham Trent, with Geometric Pendants
· Camilla Lee Lambert, University of Brighton, with Organic iPhone Amplifiers
· Joseph Kennedy, Plymouth University, with 3888.7
· Samuel Bellamy, Nottingham Trent University, with Moroccan Lamps
· Wael Seaiby, University of Edinburgh, with PLAG
Speaking at last week’s shortlist judging event, Giles Miller of Giles Miller Studio said: “The standard of work was extremely competitive and we genuinely found that there were many more winners than we had space to select. I am delighted to see this emerging area of design being so fully addressed by young talent, and I wish all the designers who submitted work every success in their future surface endeavours!”
Liam Butler from Achica, sponsors of the Accessories category, said: “The final five finalists demonstrated a strong industry and commercial awareness and presented five products that could easily sit within a retail assortment. It was interesting that our five finalists’ products covered a broad range of materials from natural stone to plastic, recycled elements to wood and that they all contained on trend elements for 2015.”
Equally impressed with the standard of entries, Rob Scarlett of Rob Scarlett Design UK said: “I’m always amazed at the enthusiasm and dedication in which the entrants approach their designs. Unencumbered by retail conservatism they produce products which are a joy to see. Sometimes I wish I could be as ‘free’ in my designing. There were some really strong entries this year and it’s great to see New Design Britain going from strength to strength.”
See the New Design Britain finalists at May Design Series 2015, held at London’s ExCeL from 17-19 May. Registration for the show is now open – to claim a complimentary pass, visit the website.
