Students take on health and wellbeing to exhibit at New Designers awards

Coventry designers have taken on health issues including Alzheimer’s and natural birthing methods to be selected for this year’s New Designers exhibition.

Over 100 students from Coventry University will exhibit a range of work from product design, interior design and graphic design and illustration at this year’s show dedicated to showcasing emerging designers.

The final year students were chosen after impressing at their final year Degree Shows with innovative solutions to tackle environmental, health and lifestyle issues.

Among those exhibiting is product design student Francis Carruthers, 23 whose multi-sensory therapy device, Essense, targets people with Alzheimer’s by reducing anxiety through aromatherapy and light and sound therapy. 

Fellow product designer Marty Hogan, 22, will exhibit the Grow Your Home initiative to encourage more people to grow their own vegetables; and 19-year-old Yuen Yu Lam’s semi-automatic domestic espresso machine hopes to tackle the 500,000 tonnes of coffee waste produced in the UK year.

Katie Hitrova, 26 who lives in Coventry will use the exhibition to showcase her Plexus School design which outlines plans to convert a 100-year-old building into an engaging primary school space.

Fellow interior design student, Justyna Wozniak, 21, has been chosen to exhibit her Calm Beginning Birth Centre concept which mixes organic elements with naturalistic technology – just weeks after finishing her interior design course at Coventry.

Justyna said:

“Pregnant women go through numerous emotional phases during the birthing process such as stress, anxiety, even depression. I wanted to create a healthier environment that focuses on natural birth.” 

Other projects on display include the Tadpole insulin injector, a new aircraft lifejacket and fully-customisable sports shoes.

The chosen students will showcase their work at New Designers Part 2 in London from 5 to 8 July.