INDUSTRY SETS CRITERIA

DUT Interior Design Students display projects at DUT Art Gallery.

Interior design students at Durban University of Technology (DUT) showcase their furniture at the DUT Art Gallery in an exhibition titled: Industry Sets Criteria: Interior Design Students’ furniture on display.

For interior designers in training at Durban University of Technology (DUT), product development is part of the interior design programme. Product design develops a greater understanding of materials and the vocabulary to create contemporary designs. A strong emphasis is placed on material and environmental consideration as basic design principles. The emphasis of design and the inclusion of product design in partnership with industry contribute to the uniqueness of DUT’s interior design academic programme.

Recently amalgamated with the Architectural Technology, interior design is one of DUT’s smaller academic programmes that nurture creative talent that has been known to set design trends in industry. Ms Carolanda du Toit, lecturer and programme coordinator, and student Matthew de Beyer have just returned from the 2009 Milan Furniture Faire after winning first prize for National 2008 PG Bison Interior Design Competition. Firsthand international exposure to current trends assists the programme in keeping abreast of the latest trends and technology.

Second-year interior design students worked in partnership with Zinza: Inspired African Interiors who assisted in setting the design criteria for the design and manufacture of mirrors. The third year industry partner was IN8: Custom Made Contemporary Furniture who participated in assisting students with the design criteria and manufacture of ‘flat pack’ tables.

Opening on June 4 as part of the Faculty of Arts and Design conference, the interior design programme launches its furniture exhibition consisting of mirrors and side tables. The exhibition is a culmination of the 2009 product design briefs and furniture manufactured in partnership with industry. The strong relationship the programme has nurtured with industry over the years is one of the programme’s strengths. Working in partnerships with industry as part of work integrated learning (WIL) in an academic setting strengthens the experiential component of the interior design programme.

The side tables as part of the exhibition have been designed and manufactured by 3rd year students using ideas and construction methods based on the design principles of clean lines, and flat pack for easy storage and self assembly. Ready to assemble furniture has been criticised for being ‘lower quality’, and the challenge to the students was to take a fresh innovative approach to ‘knock down’ furniture to come up with a design that was aesthetically pleasing, easy to assemble and that could be easily placed in a flat pack (Du Toit C:, student brief 2009).

The mirrors designed and manufactured by the 2nd year students could be mirrors used in bedrooms, bathrooms, lounge or dining areas that could be wall mounted, freestanding or self supporting. In addition, the criteria of sustainability, choosing appropriate glass (truth to material), and shape (form follows function) formed part of the brief. Explained in the brief; ‘Sustainable design’ is becoming the new vocabulary of Architects and Designers worldwide. This project is geared to getting you to creatively use materials, and to consider the impact these have on the environment…,’ (Hankinson M & Barrett. S: student brief; 2009).

Industry Sets Criteria: Interior Design Students’ furniture on display will remain on after the conference and can be viewed during gallery hours until July 10. Entrance is free and the public is welcome to come and view the exhibition. For more information contact the art gallery on 031 373 2207 or 078 190 1221 or email nontobeko@dut.ac.za