A new exciting exhibition opens this week at Hull’s Streetlife Museum, in partnership with the V&A South Kensington and local schools.
DesignLab Nation is a funded national programme which brings together secondary schools and creative industries to inspire the next generation of designers, makers and innovators through hands-on design projects.
In Hull, students from Sirius Academy West, Sirius Academy North and The Boulevard Academy were tasked with designing comfortable public seating that welcomes people to the city of Hull and at the same time tells visitors something about Hull as a place.
The exhibition comprises of a display of their sketchbooks including drawings and designs they came up with, along with prototype chair models that the young people produced.
Cllr Jackie Dad, deputy leader and portfolio holder for culture and leisure said: “This project has been a fantastic opportunity for some of our schools to gain new skills and experience, alongside working with a brilliant partner in the V&A.
“It is a great addition to the museum’s quarter summer offer and I’m sure it will prove very popular.”
The project began at Streetlife Museum, where students explored Hull’s transport heritage and considered how design can communicate a sense of place. Followed by a visit to the V&A in London, which introduced examples of how designers from around the world tell stories of place through design. The students developed their concepts with the support of local Hull Makerspace, exploring new techniques and processes to bring their ideas to life.
During the year, students worked with artist–designer Adrian Riley on the design challenge. Across four project days, they developed skills in storytelling through design, rapid prototyping, sketching, creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork.
DesignLab Nation was made possible through the support of the Adobe Foundation and Sarah Nichols.
The exhibition is free to view and open now (16 July) until Sunday 6 September.
Find out more here.