Having launched the British Airways i360 Christmas Design Competition back in September to Design Students from the University of Brighton and Greater Brighton Metropolitan College (MET) BA i360 are delighted to have whittled down applicants from over 20 students to a shortlist of 5.
Working to a brief of creating a decorative festive design with its foundations in sustainability for the British Airways i360 Viewing Tower, the students have been preparing their designs since the start of their academic year. Working to a strict brief with time and budget constraints has been challenging but rewarding for the students. In particular many have enjoyed incorporating BA i360’s dedication to sustainability into the heart of their designs, Damien Pye from The University of Brighton states;
‘In an age where our environment is at breaking point and there are mass protests going on around the world, I feel the timing of creating a sustainable installation is more relevant than ever’
This morning we were delighted to invite our shortlisted students back to BA i360. Taking the final measurements for their designs, the students had the opportunity to see the Pod one last time before their presentation to our panel of expert judges.
The judging panel consists of Julia Barfield, MBE RIBA FSA, who created the London Eye together with husband partner David Marks. Julia designed British Airways i360 Viewing Tower together with her late husband David and is now our chairwoman. She is passionate about sustainability and keeping the view from the BA i360 our focal point.
Joining Julia on the judging panel is the General Manager of BA i360, Ian Hart. Ian is excited to see how students have combined the design and values of BA i360 within a Christmas theme. Alongside Ian and Julia, our final judge is local designer, Oliver Heath. An industry recognised expert in the field of sustainable architectural and interior design, Oliver has appeared on numerous television shows, including BBC’s DIY SOS where his show was BAFTA nominated. A Brighton local, Oliver is excited to meet all our shortlisted students and the design talent of the future.
The winning student’s design will be on the BA i360 Pod from the 28th November 2019 and available to all visitors taking a flight until the end of December.
We can’t wait to see the final design released, and create a magical Christmas experience for all our visitors this festive period.