UEL Students Shortlisted for Design Awards
UEL Students Shortlisted for Design Awards
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UEL Students Shortlisted for Design Awards
Published
09 July 2024
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Two University of East London (UEL) students have been shortlisted for the prestigious Interior Educators National Student Awards. Tonisha Lee-Harvey, an interior design student, has been nominated for the Craft and Making Award, while Thomas Manley, an interior architecture student, is in the running for the Interior Futures Award. Before their nominations, a total of seven visual arts students from the University were longlisted for various awards.
Dr Keith Winter, Visual Arts Cluster Leader and course leader for both interior design and interior architecture, expressed his pride in the students’ achievements. He said,
The prize nominations are a testament to the great work we have invested into having a careers-led course that sparkles and shines through hand-making prototypes, high-definition visualisations, dream-like collaging, and rigorous technical drawing skillsets. Our graduates are confident and competent designers ready for the fast-paced world of industry."
The competition, open to more than 50 higher education institutions, is organised by Interior Educators, an academic organisation representing well-established interior design and interior architecture courses across the UK. The awards aim to recognise excellence in a wide variety of categories, including writing, craft and making, collaboration and interdisciplinary practice, climate emergency and sustainability, interior futures, and social justice.
Tonisha Lee-Harvey's shortlisted project, X Babe, is an upcycled side table that showcases intricate artistry and meticulous handcrafting. The project emphasises sustainability, incorporating at least 60 per cent recycled or upcycled materials. Ms Lee-Harvey expressed her surprise and excitement at the nomination, saying, "I definitely see myself as a crafter, so being in the craft and making category feels like the perfect fit. UEL has helped me become unapologetically myself. I took full advantage of my third year, especially utilising the workshops, which I thoroughly enjoyed. This experience helped me discover my passion."
Thomas Manley was shortlisted for the Interior Futures Award for his project Armonija, which means harmony in Maltese. The project reimagines the military fortress St. Julian’s Tower in Malta, transforming it from a relic of war into a symbol of peace and unity. Armonija fosters bodily, inner, social, and natural harmony for the community and visitors to the tower.
Reflecting on the recognition, Mr Manley said, "Being in the interior futures category helps me to showcase one of my best projects to the industry. Thanks to UEL, I've been able to fast-track my skills from a foundation level to feel ready for professional practice. The tutors, IT facilities, and fabrication workshops are great, especially if you're willing to put in the time to get the most out of them. In the future, I'm planning to keep training as a maker as well as a designer to bring interior and residential projects to life."
Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Visual Arts Susan Ginsburgh, who supported the students’ submissions, expressed her delight at their achievements. She said, "This is the third consecutive year that UEL Interior students have been shortlisted in this national competition, which is judged by academic and industry professionals. The UEL Interiors Department is passionate about building networks with the design industry and promoting employability."
The longlisted students for Interior Design were:
- Joseph Pearce and Lana Russo for the Interior Futures Category
- Amy Miah and Prince Garcia (team project) for the Collaboration Category
- Hafiza Sultana and Millie Lawrence for the Social Justice Category
- Alfred Storey and Prince Garcia for Climate Emergency and Sustainability
- Joseph Pearce for the Writing Award
Pol Gallagher, lecturer in Interior Design and Architecture, was delighted about students being recognised on a national stage for interior design. He said, “This is a testament to where the interiors course at UEL is headed. Our students have pushed boundaries in the last year to produce exceptional work. This accolade is a deserved reward for the hard work of our long-listed and shortlisted students. We look forward to celebrating with them on the opening night at the drum labs in Shoreditch this summer.”
The Visual Arts courses at UEL continue to expand and gain a high reputation among students and the industry alike. Next year, UEL will welcome its largest cohort to date, starting in September 2024. For the fourth consecutive year, the BA Interior Design course has achieved over 95 per cent in nearly every category related to student satisfaction, consistently ranking near the top in the higher education sector.