Dezeen School Shows: an interactive poster that calls attention to heart health concerns is included in Dezeen’s latest school show by the RSA Student Design Awards.
Also included are tiles made from recycled eggshell waste designed as a sustainable alternative to ceramic tiles and an animation with a juxtaposing message to its playful visuals, prompting viewers to reflect on the past.
Competition: RSA Student Design Awards
School statement:
“The RSA Student Design Awards is the world’s oldest and most innovative student design competition.
“In response to nine briefs, young designers and students from across the globe are invited to apply their skills and creativity to tackle today’s most pressing social and environmental challenges through design briefs that focus on social impact.
“The 2023 RSA Student Design Award winners demonstrate the potential of design to unravel complex problems, from portable wave energy for women in coastal communities to immersive sports technology uniting people and tiles created from eggshell waste.
“Join us next year as a partner, collaborator or participant as we launch the 100th year of RSA Student Design Awards.”
Health in Hands by Jack Norris
“Health in Hands places posters that have been embedded with technology into public spaces, designed to enable members of the public to check their heart health.
“These posters make an impact on society by becoming a part of users’ lives.
“They remind multiple generations to take care and control of their health, relieving pressure on larger public health resources.”
Student: Jack Norris
Institution: Sheffield Hallam University
Award: Brief 1 Winner of £2,000 Frog Award
ShellStyles by Satchitanand Kulangara
“ShellStyles is an innovative proposal that produces sustainable tiles within a system of circular economy principles and a strong consideration of life cycle analysis to achieve zero waste.
“The tiles are made from eggshell waste – this impactful proposal aims to channel change in the construction industry by replacing ceramic tiles and eliminating the accompanying waste and emissions that come from its production.”
Student: Satchitanand Kulangara
Institution: Leeds Beckett University
Award: Brief 6 Winner of £2,000 Aviva Award
Fishing For Power by Sagufta Janif
“Fishing For Power is an innovative proposal that harnesses energy using multiple wave energy harvesting buoys.
“These buoys are attached to a battery unit on a fishing boat that collects and transfers the energy to a battery bank owned by a community cooperative.
“The collected energy will be sold and used by the community to improve post-harvest storage for fish, enabling a sustainable source of income and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.”
Student: Sagufta Janif
Institution: Brunel University
Award: Brief 2 Winner of £2,000 RSA Fellows Award
Travelling the Maze of Concrete Injustice by Daire Powell
“Travelling the Maze is an animated piece that discusses the oppression and social injustice that is still hidden in the world today.
“It personifies past and present buildings to reflect the long-term evidence of systems that were used to exploit and degrade individuals of racial differences and other minority groups.”
Student: Daire Powell
Institution: National College of Art and Design, Dublin
Award: Brief 9 Winner of £2,000 Marketing Trust Award
Grab a Plant by Jai Mistry
“Grab a Plant encourages social responsibility from a young age by providing primary school children with the opportunity to develop community gardens at local rail stations.
“This proposal, using New Pudsey station as an example, brings local schools together to grow food for members of the public to take freely, providing the conditions necessary for local gardeners to make a bigger impact on the public.
“Utilising a cost and carbon-friendly approach, this project forms a sense of social responsibility and pride in young communities.”
Student: Jai Mistry
Institution: Northumbria University
Award: Brief 3 Winner of £2,000 Network Rail Award
Toast to Roast by Josie Field
“Toast to Roast encourages neighbourhood friendships to develop through cooking and sharing resources.
“Beginning with low-commitment toast to eventually cooking a roast dinner as a group once community trust has been built, this project promotes sharing food and energy resources.
“With 62 per cent of the UK population worried about the rising cost-of-living crisis impacting their social life, this design proposal advocates sharing resources to help people and planetary health.”
Student: Josie Field
Institution: Arts University Bournemouth
Award: Brief 4 Winner of £2,000 Intergenerational Action for Planetary Health Award
Sky Unite by David Hawkins, Harry James, Robert McKinna and Taha Yousaf
“Sky Unite is an immersive experience where you can watch live sports virtually using production, haptics and 3D technology.
“This engaging and innovative solution brings people together through the shared experience of sport, recreating the feeling of watching a sports game in a stadium with others.
“Sky Unite aims to connect those who feel lonely with local community groups to form new connections and a lasting social impact.”
Students: David Hawkins, Harry James, Robert McKinna and Taha Yousaf
Institution: Loughborough University
Award: Brief 5 Winner of £2,000 Sky Award
Learn How to Question by Tudor Dragomir
“Learn How to Question is an impactful collage animation that weaves history together and poses questions for the viewer to reflect on.
“The animation is crafted with collated images that build and grow with the narrative of historical power and change.”
Student: Tudor Dragomir
Institution: Birmingham City University
Award: Brief 9 Winner of £500 RSA Events Staff Choice Award
Neighbourhood Patch by Helen Wat
“Neighbourhood Patch is a futuristic work and lifestyle platform connected to an illuminating device, which pairs remote workers with local garden space to promote gardening breaks within their work day.
“Focusing on gardening reduces stress and improves work-life balance. The paired lights provide a physical mode of communication between each paired partner.
“This proposal aims to improve work-life balance when working remotely, nurture collaborative relationships and share native plants to support local ecosystems.”
Student: Helen Wat
Institution: Northumbria University
Award: Brief 7 Winner of £2,000 Spotify Award
Mycopod by Aaron Clark, Jordan Davies, Sebastian Hale and Reuben Parry
“Mycopod creates a communication, protection and transport network.
“One of the many benefits of this innovative project includes a reduced need for fertiliser. This is achieved by programming mycelium to move nutrients from nutrient banks and biodiverse areas into crops.
“Mycopods will impact society by restoring the natural balance in ecosystems and increasing local biodiversity.”
Students: Aaron Clark, Jordan Davies, Sebastian Hale and Reuben Parry
Institution: Loughborough University
Award: Brief 8 Winner of £2,000 Future Food Award
Rebooting The System by Valentin Ivanov
“Rebooting The System is a bold animation that utilises glowing colourful shapes – it aims to inspire action and collective change.
“The animation uses playful imagery of a virus taking over a computer to show destructive paradigms and urges viewers to reprogram for a regenerative future.”
Student: Valentin Ivanov
Institution: Edinburgh Napier University
Award: Brief 9 Winner of £2,000 Natracare Award
Partnership content
This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and RSA. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
