Student’s award-nominated air tank design could breathe new life into scuba diving
Innovative new product design takes London South Bank University student to the final of prestigious plastics award schemeA student from London South Bank University (LSBU) has reached the finals of the longest established student plastics design award scheme in Europe, thanks to his ingenuity with high-tech polymers.
Panayiotis Vrizas, a final year Product Design student, is one of seven shortlisted finalists from 118 entries submitted by students from all around the UK in the annual Design Innovation in Plastics (DIP) competition.
Students were asked to identify a traditional metal product and replace it with the next generation of product using polymers. Panayiotis impressed with his scuba diving air tank moulded in glass-reinforced polypropylene, and will now go forward to the final round of judging to be held on May 22 at the British Plastics Federation.
The award, sponsored by Bayer MaterialScience and other market leaders in the fields of design and innovation, is organised by the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining, and the Worshipful Company of Horners and seeks bright young designers of the future.
Panayiotis and the other six students will present their designs and have their creations scrutinised by a panel of industry experts. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in London on July 3, and will go on to enjoy a placement with Bayer MaterialScience, in Leverkusen, Germany, one of the world's largest producers of polymers and high-performance plastics.
In addition to a cash prize of £1,000 the winner will also have a work placement at PriestmanGoode, the leading global design and brand experience agency specialising in aviation, transport and product design.