Summer Links and Ideas…

It won’t be long before the start of the new school year so below are some interesting links I have recently found that may start up and fire the enthusiasm of your DP2 students before they get mired in their Major Project:-

• The Stirling Prize Architectural shortlist has been announced which is a competition in the UK to decide what is the best architecture that has been designed and built in the past year. It can be dominated by the big and the brash often e.g the Olympic Stadium(although this design is very sustainable and interesting). I usually have a number of students who would like to study architecture so beginning with a discussion on the Stirling prize can be a good starter.
• 20 Abandoned payphones – what an excellent way to discuss technologies role in “planned” or maybe “unplanned” obsolescence?
• Electric Car Batteries could get lighter – an interesting spotlight into the amount of research and innovation that is going into new material development and how this will continue to affect design at a rapid pace.
• I always think getting students involved in competitions is an excellent way into understanding the design world – and even if the students do not enter the “School of the Future Design Competition” or “Virtual Ventura” (now open to schools around the world!!!) they will still get a great deal out of discussing the brief and delving further into the criteria and specifications.