Josh Flowers wins SFA student design competition

Josh Flowers, a second-year student in bachelor of industrial design at UNSW, is the winner of the 2013 Sense of Place design competition.

The competition is a collaboration between Street Furniture Australia and the university’s industrial design program.

The Sense of Place brief challenged the students to consider the theory of ‘placemaking’ in urban design, says Dr Mariano Ramirez, a senior lecturer in industrial design at UNSW

“This is essentially about giving people a reason to stop and become involved in a public space,” he says.

Flowers will now undertake an internship with Street Furniture Australia to bring his design, the Flower Chair, from sketch to commercialisation.

Flowers says, “The design work of Street Furniture Australia has helped shape the environment I grew up in. To be acknowledged by them for my work is an absolute honour and I’m thrilled at the potential to work with them further.”

Street Furniture Australia Director Darrel Conybeare says, ‘We take the responsibility of designing in the public domain very seriously. As this year’s winning concept for the Sense of Place Award, the Flower Chair stands out as a product worthy of further development.’

Director Bill Morrison adds: ‘The winning design introduces some fresh thinking in line with current social trends. We look forward to working with Josh to develop the technical side and engage him in the rigours of the manufacturing process.”