Universal Design Grand Challenge Student Awards 2014: Winner Announced
Tactile watch design, 20:20 scoops both the "Judge's Award" and the "People's Award"!
Christopher Wallace from Dublin Institute of Technology is this years winner of the Universal Design Grand Challenge Student Awards 2014 for his tactile wristwatch design called 20:20.
20:20 Tactile watch
On Thursday, 29 May 2014, students from third-level colleges across Ireland presented their design projects at the inaugural Universal Design Grand Challenge Student Awards ceremony in the Westin Hotel, Dublin. The awards are an initiative of the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design at the National Disability Authority.
Students from the final two years of study in third-level and from post-graduate courses entered their best student project. The designs showcased how, with a little innovation and consideration for the needs of people with a wide variety of abilities, everyday products, technologies and building environments can be made easier and better to use.
Winner Christopher Wallace with Andrew Bradley,President of Institute of Designers in Ireland.
See more about the winners and runners up on the night.
Announcing the winners, President of Institute of Designers in Ireland, Andrew Bradley, said:
“Universal design makes designers stop and ask the question: Is my design as inclusive as it can be? Universal design highlights the need to design for all of us in society, making sure everyone’s needs are catered for”
The National Disability Authority’s Director, Siobhán Barron added:
“We were delighted to see such innovation and creativity among the entrants for these inaugural awards. Our Centre for Excellence in Universal Design has been working with a wide range of professional and third-level bodies to ensure that universal design is built into a range of curricula for designers of the future and for Continuing Professional Development training. It is wonderful to see the entrants demonstrate how the universal design approach has delivered such wonderful products and services.”
Images from the night
Judging panel
From left to right: Sean McNulty, CEO at Dolmen; Ali Grehan, City Architect at Dublin City Council, Bernadette McGahon, Science, Technology & Innovation Manager at Intertrade Ireland; Eddie Commins, Associate Director at The Circa Group Europe LTD; Niamh Scannell. Health Business Innovator at Intel
Runners up
Read more about all the shortlisted entries.
From left to right: Tadgh Deeney, Michael Murphy, Sean McCooey, Nicholas Murray, Keith Byrne.Dundalk IT
Conor McGinn, Trinity College Dublin
Erika Morocz, Dublin Institute of Technology
Clive Hennessey, University College Dublin
Christopher Fitzgerald, Cork Centre for Architectural Education
Andrew McCreanor, Institute of Technology Carlow