LSBU students exhibit at UK’s leading graduate design event
LSBU students showcased their creativity at New Designers, the UK’s leading graduate design event, held at the Business Design Centre in Angel - just a 15-minute tube journey from our Southbank campus. The event brought together graduating designers from across the country, giving them the opportunity to present their work to industry professionals, the press and the public.
Visitors to LSBU’s stand saw projects made by students across BSc (Hons) Product Design, BSc (Hons) Engineering Product Design and BSc (Hons) Product Design and Development Engineering programs, each bringing a distinct perspective shaped by their research and personal interests.
Becoming a designer
For example, Sofia Diakantoni’s (BSc Engineering Product Design) project ‘Climo’, a portable heating and cooling flask, was inspired by her love for the outdoors and camping. She shared this passion with some of her tutors, helping her feel understood and supported as she developed her project, giving her the confidence to explore an idea that mattered to her. Through this project, as well as an industry placement during her studies, Sofia has begun to define the kind of designer she wants to become, using these experiences to guide where her path lies beyond graduation.
"Never stop learning"
Many students highlighted the support they received from lecturers and technicians when tackling new challenges during their projects. Owen Jones (BSc Engineering Product Design) noted that the last time he had sewn was in Year 8, and his final project, ‘Stack’d’, featured extensive high-level sewing for his protective streetwear project, designed to reduce the risk of knee injuries amongst skaters. Encouraged to ‘give it a go’ and to ‘never stop learning’, Owen developed an innovative new design for fellow inline skaters.
The space and support to succeed
Students also praised LSBU’s small class sizes and specialist facilities, which gave then the space to develop and grow their projects, which provided creative solutions to challenges in sectors including construction, healthcare, air travel and the home.
Milena Shabani (BSc Product Design) commuted to campus and valued having her own dedicated workspace in LSBU's design studio, where she could complete most of her project work onsite. Spending time in the studio helped her build strong relationships with her classmates, making it easier to collaborate on creative projects, share ideas and learn from her peers.
Industry connections that shape award winning ideas
LSBU's strong industry links helped Milena and Gabriel Barnett (BSc Engineering Product Design) develop innovative solutions to real-world challenges, earning both students an Award of Excellence from the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED) Annual Prize Awards for Best Final Year Project.
For her award-winning project, ‘Armadillo’, Milena set out to improve personal protective equipment (PPE) for women working in the emergency services. With support from her lecturer, she was introduced to a first responder who shared first-hand experiences of the challenges posed by ill-fitting body armour. These industry insights informed her development of an adaptive body armour designed to improve comfort, fit and protection.
Gabriel also used industry engagement to shape his award-winning project, ‘ecoPUCK’, a household device designed to improve the recycling of soft plastics. After identifying the problem during the research phase of his project, Gabriel visited a material recovery facility on the recommendation of his lecturer and spoke with professionals working in the recycling sector. These experiences helped him refine a solution that processes soft plastics into compact pucks compatible with household recycling systems.
By working closely with industry professionals and tackling genuine societal challenges, both students were able to create impactful designs that gained national recognition and demonstrated the real-world value of their LSBU experience.
Designing the future in London
Being based in the heart of London means opportunities like New Designers aren’t a rare field trip for LSBU students, they’re part of everyday student life. With major industry events, cultural spaces and business partnerships right on our doorstep it means inspiration is everywhere.
Congratulations to our student exhibitors, we can’t wait to see what our next generation of talent does next!