More than 600 students studying design at QUT are this week working with industry partners on campus, including Orange Sky and Headspace, to investigate how great design can make positive social change.
The QUT Design Intensive event is part of their first year of study across a range of Bachelor of Design majors, including industrial design, visual communication, interaction design, fashion, architecture, landscape architecture, and interior architecture.
Representatives from eight organisations have visited Gardens Point campus (in person and virtually) to present challenges to students and hear their solutions.
The organisations are:
- Orange Sky (mobile laundry and conversation support for people experiencing homelessness)
- Headspace (youth mental health foundation)
- The Good Box (social enterprise providing gift boxes & conversation for people experiencing homelessness)
- SevGen Indigenous Social Enterprise (Indigenous-led community development initiative)
- Her Platform (Centre for Women & Co social enterprise)
- Women in Film and Television (a not-for-profit dedicated to achieving gender equity in the industry)
- A Brave Life (charity for young women and mothers)
- Talk Revolution (health and life education for young people)
Design lecturer Dr Claire Brophy from the School of Design said working with community partners during Design Intensive week was one of the highlights of the Bachelor of Design degree.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to engage with clients from the real world and unpack a problem and come up with a design solution,” she said.
“They are very practical challenges – for example, the Orange Sky challenge is to design a new orange chair for use when the vans are on location.
“These chairs are a really important part of the experience because clients sit on the chairs while waiting for their washing – it’s where the conversations and connections happen!”
Orange Sky co-founder Nic Marchesi and Headspace community development and engagement officer Phoebe Escott-Kenny are two of the people who took time to visit students this week.
Orange Sky’s Magnus Murray-Douglass (a QUT industrial design graduate) and James Keele also came along.
The orange trio’s visit coincided with day one of the organisation’s Sudsy Challenge – which they are all taking part in – and involves people keeping the same kit on for three days to raise funds through sponsors.
Dr Brophy said the university and its students were very grateful for the support of all the organisations and visitors.
“We love engaging with industry on real-world projects but it only happens through the support of great organisations and companies like these,” she said.
“We all want to help this next generation to maximise their learning and skills and go on to really contribute to society.”
QUT Media contacts:
- Mechelle McMahon, media@qut.edu.au
- Rose Trapnell, media@qut.edu.au or 0407 585 901