Product design students shortlisted for Royal College of Art Awards

Two of Ravensbourne’s BA (Hons) Product Design students have been shortlisted for the Royal College of Art Helen Hamlyn Fixperts Awards for their saucepan attachment designed to improve accessibility in the kitchen. 

Calum Gambrill and Jamie Johnson were shortlisted for the design they created for Clive Mellor, who following a stroke, has been unable to use one of his arms resulting in difficulty stirring saucepans and draining water.

Having met with Clive, Calum and Jamie conducted extensive research and empathy testing, developing a solution to these challenges. The saucepan attachment they created is able to clip to a kitchen hob stand making it possible to stir one handed. They also developed a strainer which clips to the side of the saucepan meaning pasta and other foods can be drained one handed.

Commenting, Calum said: “It's a huge honour to be nominated for this award. It was a really interesting project to engage in as we got to tackle someones problem first hand, making his life a little easier which is the goal of all good product design. We're very proud of our product.”

Daniel Charny, Creative Director at Fixperts added: “It was great to have Ravensbourne projects on the shortlist this year! BA (Hons) Product Design Course Leader, Nadine Bennett has developed an inspiring and unique Fixperts format at Ravensbourne. It has been delightful to see the ingenuity and skill with which the students have responded to create real solutions to improve daily life.”

The award is run by Fixperts, an educational programme that ‘challenges young people to use their imagination to create ingenious solutions to everyday problems for a real person’, as well as the prestigious Helen Hamlyn for Design. 

The winner will be announced on Monday 1 July, having been selected by a jury at the Royal College of Art Hamlyn Centre for Design. Find the full shortlist at FixEd.