Design makes a difference
< Back to university newsGiven one week to generate innovative and sustainable solutions to some of the daily problems faced by a township in South Africa, product design students Max Frommeld (pictured) and Maki Okawara from Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication fought off tough competition to take two of the top three spots at the Audi Designs of Substance competition.
Max's highly efficient laundry system, known as 'Dolly', was designed to reduce the physical impact and minimise the energy used while doing the daily laundry, a task mostly undertaken by women and children, many suffering physical problems and exhaustion.
Maki chose to tackle the problem of home security. Working within a timber frame, she set tin cans in cement making an impromptu screen to be placed over windows. Her flexible 'can be safe' solution won praise from the judges as it allows for individual and personalised design for each household.
Both Max and Maki have now visited the township of Mdantsane to introduce their designs to local dignitaries, businesses, councillors and the local community. One completely unexpected outcome was that the men of the village were beginning to take an interest in doing the laundry. With a machine involved, it became a more attractive option!
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Posted: Tuesday 9 February 2010