Ravensbourne Product design students recognised on world stage
awards-and-nominations
Ravensbourne BA (Hons) Product Design students have received international acclaim for their innovative ideas in 2020 and 2021, flourishing and succeeding on the world stage to overcome a year of the toughest challenges.
Three Ravensbourne students have been recognised this year by international and national competitions. Their award-winning creations represent a range of product designs, from sneakers to smart wearable devices and food storage solutions.
Their success comes after a tough academic year, one where the Covid-19 pandemic hugely impacted students. Their achievements in the face of these challenges speak to their resilience and resourcefulness.
A core tenet of Ravensbourne’s philosophy is building close ties with industry. This year, our Product Design students received support from designers working at Glen Dimplex, Google, Spectral/RIDI lighting, the Hexcite group, Zwift, Forpeople, Barclays, Joseph and Joseph, Burgopak and many more.
Gurjit Choda has been selected as a semi-finalist in the London Mayor’s Entrepreneur Awards. The annual design awards are extremely competitive, with students from 27 institutions taking part. Gurjit impressed the judges with ‘Wax cap’, an ingenious device to preserve the life of fruit in the hopes of tackling unnecessary food waste.
Gurjit also recently won the industry-renowned POPAI Student Design Award 2020 for ‘Simple Support’, a pop-up store concept for the skincare brand Simple.
Gurjit commented: “It feels great to be shortlisted, I didn’t expect it especially being a Product Design student opposed to a business student. Product Design is a very versatile course to take and allows you to venture into different avenues of design, so it’s definitely worth exploring.”
Student Glodi Libondje won multiple prizes across five categories in the Global Footwear Awards, recognising him as one of the most promising emerging young designers in the world. His winning luxury sneaker design is inspired by Congolese La Sape culture, a movement renowned for its focus on elegance, extravagance and exuberant fashion expression.
Glodi said: “Winning this award will really help me bring recognition to a new footwear brand I am developing. The endorsement of the award has really motivated me to drive forward with my project.”
Anvam Nagpal was named as one of eight winners in the Silver Linings awards, a competition that seeks smart solutions to problems facing care for older generations. He won for his idea ‘Prescient’, a wearable device that helps manage incontinence in the elderly to make them, their family and their carers feel more confident about managing the condition.
Anvam said: “Being shortlisted was incredible. To go on and win is a feeling I can’t really put into words. This project, in particular, will always hold a special place in my heart as I designed it, during lockdown, for my grandfather and my aunt, who is disabled.
“BA (Hons) Product Design is a course unlike any other. You learn so much across multiple design disciplines, giving you the necessary skills for a range of different fields and jobs. You feel prepared and ready to tackle the design world once you graduate.”
