STUDENTS from a Twyford school have seen their hard work go on sale in London after winning a competition
The Design Museum and Deutsche Bank teamed up for a design and enterprise challenge for pupils aged 13-16.
The brief – set by South London-based textile designer Kangan Arora – asked students to design a new product for the Design Museum Shop, inspired by the theme of Colour and Community. Ten ideas were shortlisted, and The Piggott School came top with its Colour Countdown cards.
The portable game for families takes Eye Spy as its inspiration, and aimed to encourage youngsters to explore the world around them, rather than looking at a screen.
The quartet behind the contest said: “You can play anywhere at all. You draw cards of different colours – red, blue, orange, green – and you have to look around and find objects in that colour.
The cards have coloured windows to allow for a combination or blend of colours, and are made from FSC-certified card with cellophane windows from wood pulp.
The judging panel – Christoph Woermann, CMO Corporate Bank at Deutsche Bank and founder of the prize; Max Fraser, Editorial Director of Dezeen; designer Kangan Arora, who is also the brief setter for this year; and Preena Patel, the Design Museum’s Senior Buying Manager – were thrilled with the team’s innovative idea.
In a statement, they said: “The Piggott’s design was chosen as it responded clearly responded to the brief in a way which was creative, fun and appealing to a range of audiences.
“We didn’t want to put the product down and we knew that customers in the design museum would feel the same.”
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Oli, a 14-year-old Piggott student on the team, said: “It still feels quite surreal. I didn’t think we’d come last but I didn’t expect to come first. We are so, so happy.”
Matt Smith, DT Teacher, The Piggott School, was thrilled for the youngsters who won, saying it was an amazing achievement.
“We take part in Design Ventura as part of the curriculum,” he said.
“At the end of the project, we get the students to pitch their ideas as groups and pick the winning team we will submit to the competition.
“They come in at break and lunch to develop their idea and bring it forward.
“They’ve really invested the time in it and it’s paid off.”
A two-month display of shortlisted and winning entries at the Design Museum now follows, and the pupil’s game will be sold in the Design Museum Shop.
For more details, log on to: ventura.designmuseum.org
