This project aimed to identify factors which encourage and/or dissuade students and staff within the School of Engineering to engage in community-related design work, and to help set up a pilot exercise to facilitate and monitor the interaction.

Project Outline

The project initially worked with the panel of REMAP in Brighton and Hove. REMAP is a nation-wide charity who designs and makes one-off aids for the physically disabled where their needs cannot be met from commercial sources.

The findings provided the Product Design course team with information that they can use to increase the opportunities for students and teaching staff to work with local communities on design projects, as well as providing a model for this type of work within the School of Engineering.

In addition to REMAP projects, the Product Design course received a number of ad hoc enquiries for support with community based projects. Examples include a communications device specifically designed for communities in rural Africa and a portable stage for a Children’s theatrical charity. This project provided strategic and operational guidance as to how to improve and manage this process more effectively, giving the knowledge to enable a better service and a more effective relationship between students and local community groups.

Project partners

REMAP

REMAP is a nation-wide charity composed of approximately 100 panels (groups) made up mainly of volunteer Engineers, Technicians, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists who design and make one-off aids for the physically disabled where their needs cannot be met from commercial sources. The prime aim is to restore independence to the individual. There is no charge made for the service. The panels take referrals from any source and always visit the client to discuss in depth the need, taking medical and carer advice as appropriate.

The Brighton and District Panel was initially set up by teaching and technician staff from the (then) Brighton Polytechnic in 1975, and continues to hold the six-weekly management group meetings in the (now) University of Brighton. The range of devices produced locally extends from simple door openers to complex mechanisms such as a single-handed knitting machine.

School of Engineering (now: School of Environment and Technology), University of Brighton

The School of Engineering (now: School of Environment and Technology) provides a balanced portfolio of design and engineering courses from foundation to masters level. The courses emphasise the interaction of practice and theory in order to provide graduates with professional skills for employment. Their national and international research and strong interaction with industry and commerce gives their courses relevance as well as providing opportunities for further study at doctorate level.

Product Design is for people who love to know how things work, who love to create things and who want to influence the world around us. The BSc (Hons) Product Design at the University of Brighton sets out to educate a new generation of product designers. It is a four year course that brings together the expertise of two faculties – Science and Engineering, and Art and Architecture – to achieve the vital dialogue between the technical forces in engineering and the creative infuences of the arts.