University News Last updated 07 April 2011
Inspiration, collaboration and innovation were key in Birmingham City University’s Trends 2011 project.
Based on a long term partnership with UBM Live, Global Color Research™ and Mix Publications and international digital wall covering manufacturer Tektura, the annual project engaged with designs generated by Birmingham Institute of Art & Design students and fabricated into a range of tangible products by leading furniture manufacturers. The final products are testimony to the future colour trends developed and forecasted by Global Color Research™ and Mix Publications.
An exhibition highlighting the outcomes of the project and featuring four concept driven pavilions was shown at Interiors Birmingham in January this year. Retrospectively the show stopper and the piece that everyone was talking about was the s200 Lotus Chair designed and fabricated by MRF and upholstered in a design by final year BA Textile Design student Rebecca Church. Now this chair will go on to be exhibited by the University at New Designers 2011 at the Business Design Centre in the summer. It is also generating a lot of interest and new custom for MRF whose spokesman Steve Reynolds said: “Rebecca has harnessed and enhanced the creativity of the lotus chair with her design and the application of printed textiles which adds a new dimension to the product."
Lecturer in textiles at Birmingham City University, Jean Ensell said: “The technique of creating a design for the s200 Lotus was challenging and an undertaking synonymous with a history of bespoke textile design for furniture. Early examples of needlepoint and the creation of pattern and image for specific product are akin to the processes in generating the final design.
“In contrast to the traditional values and thinking, state of the art digital design and print processes were used to create the final print. Particular attention was paid to the curves of the chair and the bodily nature of the design is very much in keeping with the sensuous forms of the product. The sections of fabric were individual printed and upholstered by a skilled team to create the final product.”
Birmingham Institute of Art and Design is an international centre for excellence in art, design and subjects supporting the creative industries. One of the largest institutes for art, architecture and design in the country – the largest outside London – its students, graduates and staff practitioners form a substantial creative community. Impressive links with industry include Cartier, Betty Jackson, Burberry, Goldsmiths, Harvey Nichols, Marks and Spencer, TBWA and Saatchi and Saatchi. With a global reputation for research, ranked 10th in the UK, it is the UK’s most successful recruiter for art and design in China and Malaysia.
Birmingham City University is running a major awareness campaign in the Midlands to demonstrate how it is upgrading the future of individuals and companies. To find out more visit www.bcu.ac.uk.