London Canal Museum played host to this year's Interior Design final project – giving our Year 3 students space to explore how they, as designers, might navigate and adapt to the transient world around them – becoming choreographers of change themselves.
Under the theme 'Urban Alchemists', students speculated on possible exciting, inventive and provocative futures, questioning what role museums should take in our communities, while transforming and invigorating the spaces.
BA (Hons) Interior Design Course Leader Laoura Englezou said, 'we were extremely proud to watch the cohort launch their journey as industry professionals at the show, and we hope you will also enjoy exploring some of their work.'
Take a look at some of the students' work below.
Saida Kybartaite, ‘The Botanical Distillery’
To revive the history and the past of the London canal museum's location, the gin distillery project focuses on the restoration of manufacturing and man made goods where the production of gin is more dependant on people rather than factories and innovative machinery. By creating a more open space and including voids between different levels, visitors are more exposed to the whole experience.
Keeping in mind the waste produced from the gin infrastructure during the process of distillation, various sustainability factors have been considered allowing to re-use as much waste inside the building as possible. Using excess heat produced to heat up the botanical garden will help certain plants to grow which will later on be used in the gin production creating an interesting experience for visitors as the plants will travel between the floors through a see-through pneumatic tube from the garden to the distillery.
Received 3D Making Award for a project which demonstrates exploration of materials, physical artefacts and model making as means of communication or design development.
Maha Saeed, ‘The House Of Confection’
The proposed programme is designed in response to transform the existing site, The London canal museum that was known for its ice trade and ice cream production into a candy factory while keeping the history of confectionary alive within the site. The functions serve educational and social purpose such as sculpture making which helps with exploring art and creativity, exhibition area that educates individuals on the history of the canal and tasting area to provide an insight of how different candies taste. The space welcomes children, families, and adults.
Obesity is one of the most common challenges faced in the UK among children and adults with the main cause being the amount of sugar Intake. The House of Confection proposes a healthier alternative to these problems without the need to cut off sugar by introducing a candy production system using healthier raw materials such as birch sugar, honey, corn syrup and water in hopes of providing a better and healthier lifestyle around us and with an increase in multiple ethnic cultures in the Uk today, my proposal also focuses on cultural diversity by celebrating and producing candies eaten in differ.
Received Exhibition Display Award for a project showcasing best overall display, design communication skills and formatting techniques.
Nathalie Alyssa Huber, ‘Luminous Acoustics’
Luminous Acoustics explores the symbiosis of Light and Sound therapy in response to increased levels of anxiety, depression and loneliness post pandemic and on a daily basis, as well as seasonal mental health issues, to create an experience that will ultimately benefit society. The program aims to use as little energy as possible during the day and revert to sustainable methods of energy use during the night. During the day, natural light and natural sound inhabit the space and during the night, artificial light and sound will illuminate the space.
The industrial originality, story and exhibition of the given site: London Canal Museum, located on 12/13 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RT, will be partially maintained and co-exist with the proposed experience. The audience that will be addressed are young adults (+18) and adults suffering from a mental health problem or facing momentums of stress or loneliness. Additionally, regular museum visitors will have the opportunity to benefit from a relaxing and mind-calming experience while looking at the exhibition, which may lead to increased profits for the museum.
Received Drawing Award for a project which demonstrates admirable care and skill, across mediums such as drawing, digital modelling and visualisation as means of communication or design development.
