07/10/03
Design students from Kingston University have swapped their books for coloured building bricks in a project commissioned by Legoland.
International toy giant Lego invited second-year students on the University’s Product and Furniture Design course to work on a number of design briefs at its Windsor theme park.
The students had six weeks to come up with solutions to challenges outlined by Legoland’s Art and Design Director Justin East, a Kingston Product Design graduate. Around 20 students were invited to present their ideas to a panel of judges, including the Head of All Legoland Parks, Mads Ryder. Petranella Storrs and Sarah Lloyd were joint winners of the £500 prize. The pair, both 21, were tasked with finding ways to entertain families queuing for the park’s rides.
Among their creations was a Lego-man model for children to have their photograph taken with, a giant flower waterwork feature and propeller hats built from Lego. “We remember Lego as being magical and we really wanted to capture the children’s imagination,†Petranella said. “We suggested attaching pieces of Lego to the surrounding trees at Legoland and then getting children to ask their parents questions like, does Lego really grow on trees?â€
Sarah added that along with a traffic light system designed to control the queue to the park’s helicopter ride, children could build propeller hats to keep them busy. “The children would buy a pack of Lego from a nearby vendor and make their hats while queuing,†she said. “Not only would this build up anticipation for the ride, it would also keep the sun off their heads on hot summer days.â€
Senior Lecturer Jakki Dehn said that industrial-based projects were invaluable experience for her students. “These projects really give students the chance to find their specialist niche,†she said. “Presenting their work to real clients is great preparation for life after university.â€
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