Design in Action: Sixth Formers Showcase Ingenuity and Creativity

Our Sixth-Form Design and Technology pupils have been diligently working on their major projects, culminating in creating physical artefacts that represent a personal response to a theme of their choosing. The diverse themes explored this year include ‘Sustainability’, ‘Modular Design’, ‘Biophilic Design’, and ‘Electronics’, showcasing the pupils’ wide-ranging interests and concerns.

This challenging project has seen pupils fully engage with the entire design process, from initial research and concept generation through CAD modelling and prototyping to rigorous material testing and the final realisation of their unique artefact. Crucially, the process has also demanded strong problem-solving skills as pupils navigated the challenges of bringing their ideas to life. Each artefact is accompanied by a detailed portfolio documenting their progress throughout this exciting design journey, and the level of detail and commitment evident in these portfolios is truly impressive.

We spoke with one pupil, George A. Sixth, about his captivating project, “Coral”. George’s passion for his work is evident, and his insightful commentary provides a fascinating glimpse into his design process.

This is the ‘Coral’ shelf that I designed for my C1 DT portfolio. It is inspired by biomimicry, a design based off of nature,’ and more specifically, coral. Similar to coral, it is modular, allowing users to customise the arrangement of the shelves, and as well as this, it can create these organic shapes when put next to each other. Behind the scenes, there was a lot of work that went into the making of it. I used two different types of flexiply (plywood that can bend in one direction) and layered them on top of one another with glue. To finish the wood, I added mineral oil. This is to protect the exterior as well as create an aesthetic look, as it makes the wood appear a little darker.

George’s “Coral” shelf exemplifies the creativity and technical skills demonstrated by all the Sixth Form DT pupils this year. We look forward to showcasing the full range of projects at the upcoming Design & Technology exhibition.

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