Nationwide Degree Show: The Design Bridge Curation
The Nationwide Degree Show is a collection of work from art & design students, who's final year shows have been cancelled due to COVID19. What started as an initiative by Fresh Meet to plaster billboards across the UK with student work, has now resulted in an online collection of over 1000 submissions from over 100 universities and 17 creative disciplines. The Curation Series is a programme of student work selected by industry leaders, creative pioneers and trendsetters. Below you will find a selection of student work curated by Design Bridge, the highly awarded brand design agency.
Design Bridge is a global branding and design agency with offices in London, Amsterdam, Singapore, New York and Shanghai. The team at Design Bridge are known for their original thinking, brand storytelling and dedication to their craft. They've won 240 different design awards, on a myriad of clients, from Guiness to Hellmans, and Tanqueray to TNT.
We asked Claire Robertshaw (ECD) and Chloe Templeman (CD) to take a look over the student work, and with the help and expertise of their London office they've put together this final curation.
#1 - Reanne McArthur
The first selected piece in this curation is a graphic design collage by graduate Reanne McArthur.
Chloe Templeman writes "Beautiful composition and placement of elements, the colour palette & imagery stood out and loved the hidden message within."
Reanne McArthur, HND Graphic Design, Glasgow Clyde College.
Reanne writes, "Poster 1 of a set of 2 based on the theme of Silence. After researching I found out about the 'Cichociemni', who were Polish paratroopers who fought in WW2. The name literally translates to 'silent and unseen'. They were special agents, trained in a variety of highly skilled techniques, such as: silent killing, cryptography, and guerrilla tactics. The arrangement of the type is designed to represent a cipher, with the words 'silent' and 'unseen' as the hidden message."
#2 - Oskar Walin
The piece selected second in this curation is a design statement by graduate Oskar Walin.
Chloe Templeman writes "A visually stunning piece that has a great cause behind it. Something done by a student to try a make a change through using his craft. Beautiful!"
Oskar Walin, Manchester School of Art.
Oskar explains, "This project was made in support of the Save Ryebank Fields campaign. Ryebank is a plot of land owned by my university that they now want to sell to property devopers. Each of the trees represent a tree at risk at Ryebank and I got staff and students to help me assemble them and sign the petition. The trees are made out of recycled greyboard and screenprinted with existing petitions."
#3 - Imi Gash
The third piece for this curation is a sign design by graduate Imi Gash.
Chloe Templeman writes "A fun and relatable being of graphic design that brings a smile to all and emotionally connects with it audience."
Imi Gash, Graphic Design, Kingston School of Art.
Imi says, "And no you cannot nip in and get milk'. What if the authoritative dialect that surrounds us had a voice. As humans we are conditioned to trust all things that conform to a certain visual language. Designed to make us question the lawful language we are surrounded by, the sign exploit the truths of parking using passive aggressive language."
#4 - Owen Mountfield
The next piece for this curation exploration of sound through design by graduate Owen Mountfield.
Chloe Templeman writes "A clever concept of visually articulating sound and has produced a beautiful and intriguing art piece."
Owen Mountfield, Graphic Design, De Montfort University.
Owen says, "Found Sound is an abstract music score designed to be heard through visuals. Taking the concept from the pattern of rhythm and the visuals that come from individual notes. Rather than robots making music, what if we made music for robots? All shape seen in prints were found in the recycle/scrap pile in a laser cutting lab."
#5 - Molly Redmond
The fifth piece for this curation is a typograph design by graduate Molly Redmond.
Chloe Templeman writes "This sums up our current situation perfectly through typography. The solid TOGETHER type representing us all pulling together in these times yet woven and laced with loneliness."
Molly Redmond, Robert Gordon University.
Molly writes "My work is about bringing as much colour and positivity into the world as I can. This particular piece is about the world being in lockdown; together but alone".
#6 - Becky Sidwell
The sixth piece for this curation is a typeface design by graduate Becky Sidwell.
Chloe Templeman writes "A clever approach to sustainability but making a typeface 50% less than we need reducing ink yet still functioning and legible as a clean and beautiful font."
Becky Sidwell, Staffordshire University.
Becky exlpains "Gaia is a new sustainable typeface. Each character has a reduced amount of pixels (half the normal amount) therefore when printing, electricity and ink is being saved. The name Gaia derives from Dr James Lovelock. The Gaia theory deposits that the organic and inorganic components of plant earth have evolved as a sustainable system. Gaia’s pixel amount is 50% smaller than a normal typeface. Therefore, the amount of electricity and ink is around 50% less too. With this in mind it means that each ink cartridge will last twice as long due to the reduced amount of ink being used."
#7 - Georgia Latham
The next piece for this curation is a ficticious campaign design by graduate Georgia Latham.
Chloe Templeman writes "A lovely idea that resonated with us in a time when we are reflecting more about our loved ones. Fun, and with a human truth it made us want to call our grandparents – the poster simply works."
Georgia Latham, Graphic Design, Shillington College.
Georgia writes, "Even before lockdown, I was acutely aware how rubbish I was about calling my grandparents and I felt that this was a common guilt among my generation. Grand Tales is a fictitious campaign for Age UK (although I haven't included their logo for copyright reasons) encouraging us to see our grandparents as fun-loving humans who have led rich lives and have stories to tell. Give them a call!"
#8 - Ella Flood and Erin Ruane
The next piece for this curation is a joint branding piece by graduates Ella Flood and Erin Ruane.
Chloe Templeman writes "A lovely idea that perfectly suits the fun of a sea side town like Brighton. Clever copy lines peppered throughout and everything from clothes to apps unites this campaign."
Ella Flood and Erin Ruane, Graphic Design, Norwich University of the Arts.
Ella explains "We created an identity for the invented Brighton-based 'Bright Hire'. Bike hire schemes are often dull and uninspiring. Bright Hire was created with the intention that it couldn't be overlooked. Brighton is a quirky, colourful and unapologetically different coastal treasure. To honour this individuality, our scheme draws on the distinct visual aesthetic of the iconic Brighton stick of rock. Throughout the identity, rocky textures and stripes fill the illustrations, Pride-inspired wavy rainbows flood the posters and playful copy related to 'rock', 'roll' and 'bright' create a happy and confident tone of voice. The identity spreads across uniquely Brighton touchpoints, such as a photo stand-in on the pier; Bright Hire also has it's own rock-inspired route system. In collaboration with Lucy & Yak, Bright Hire would produce limited edition rock-striped apparel. Our identity is a celebration of the quirky, colourful and anything-goes attitude of Brighton. Bright Hire is as vibrant as the city, because Brighton rocks!"
#9 - Erin Ruane
The ninth piece for this curation is a branding piece by graduate Erin Ruane.
Chloe Templeman writes "Bold use of graphics and quirky match box structure make this stand out. A great use of illustrations, fun logo & pleasing colour palette come together to like a strong contemporary brand that is relevant and fun."
Erin Ruane, Graphic Design, Norwich University of the Arts.
Erin adds, "In the heat of the moment, it’s important to stay protected. HEAT aims to encourage greater protection for those unexpected intimate moments with its discreet design. Inspired by the invention of the safety match, the collection includes a series of unique custom match boxes containing condoms for when you find your ‘perfect match’".
#10 - Natasha Crudgington
The tenth piece for this curation is a branding piece by graduate Natasha Crudgington.
Chloe Templeman writes "Clever idea in the 3D structure & a name that feels like it comes from good research and finding a truth in the story behind the brand."
Natasha Crudgington, Graphic Design, Norwich University of the Arts.
Natasha explains "Bellywash is a charcoal shot created for the health drink sector. Charcoal energises and restores the body. Inspired by coal and the mining community, Bellywash is a term used by miners for a non-alcoholic drink."
#11 - Isobel Thomas
The eleventh piece for this curation is an exploration in to craft and tourism by graduate Isobel Thomas.
Chloe Templeman writes "Really smart rebrand of a place. The colour scheme reflects the landscape of The Faroe Islands and some lovely touches of hand craft that comes in. Very professional overall look and feel."
Isobel Thomas, Graphic Communication with Typography at the University of Plymouth.
Isobel says "This project is a rebrand of the Faroe Islands. It focuses on their self sufficiency and traditional craft, encouraging a unique form of 'craft tourism' to the Islands."
#12 - Ethan Brown, Ben Chamberlain and Ella Flood
The next piece for this curation is a joint project by graduates Ethan Brown, Ben Chamberlain and Ella Flood.
Chloe Templeman writes "Eye catching colours that will pop on shelf and interactivity that allows a child’s imagination to run wild while encouraging them to drink something a bit healthier. This pack is a modern take on healthy waters."
Ethan Brown, Ben Chamberlain and Ella Flood, Norwich University of the Arts.
Ethan and ben write, "Pure is a conceptual juiced water for kids which encourages them to be creative by spelling with cans and doodling on printed letters. Pure promotes recycling, healthy drinking and creativity – one can at a time."
#13 - Caludia Melton
The next piece for this curation is an animation by graduate Claudia Melton.
The film and animation department at Design Bridge wrote "What’s great about Nowt Queer as Folk is not only is the theme of the film strong, about what it’s like to be an outsider, the visual story is really clever with the 1st person point of view, the finger prints on the lens when someone touches it and how Claudia uses the cleaning of the lens as a transition into the next scene. The simple monochrome treatment is perfect, it doesn’t overshadow the message but has just enough detail in it to give context which compliments well the strong sound piece used and it submerges you into a busy overwhelming family making the final scene with the kind gesture that doesn’t have any dialogue, really stand out."
Claudia's film can be watched here.
Claudia Melton, Illustration and Animation, Anglia Ruskin University.
Claudia explains, "Nowt Queer as Folk is an animated short about a northern family being documented, and a cameraman struggling to break through. It explores being an outsider, and fearing judgement from outsiders".
#14 - Jessica Murray and Adam Watts
The next piece for this curation is a game design by graduates Jessica and Adam.
The film and animation department at Design Bridge wrote "The design thinking for the narrative of the game is what made it stand out, where two sides of society clash over a difference in culture. The game has potential to teach us about power of compassion and human connection, wrapped in an abstract yet very understandable metaphor."
Jessica and Adam, University of Southampton.
Jess writes, "Jazz and Azul is a single-player story-driven adventure game set within a world segregated by jazz and blues music. Players embark on an adventure in which they are able to relive an important chapter in both Jazz and Azul’s lives; the day these two young friends went on a journey to destroy a wall that divided them. With the powerful combination of both puzzle-solving and music, players must overcome the challenges of this cruel, diverse world. Jazz and Azul inspires conversation and cooperation to encourage players to reflect on real-world issues, as it’s fundamental core is heavily influenced by the music, history and culture of jazz and blues. This coming-of-age adventure exposes players to the harsh realities caused by segregation and discrimination, whilst also emphasising how cooperation, determination and friendship can break that vicious cycle."
You can find more talent from all of our submissions at the Nationwide Degree Show or through the Fresh Meet profile.
You can also visit the artists of this curation in the project credits below.
Project Tags
Companies
Design Bridge and Partners
- Design
Fresh Meet
- Design