Huddersfield student wins top prize in design competition
Art, Design and Architecture
IPP Ref: 00000217, 00006379 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 09:56:00 GMT
Judges at the Northern Design Competition have presented a Huddersfield student with one of their most prestigious awards.
Reuben Houfe, 22, won the Thompson Real World Prize at the event held in Leeds.
His modern piece ‘Design Out Crime’ was judged most likely to change the world if it was made a reality.
“It’s essentially how designers and businesses and big thinkers can incorporate elements into their product or service to deter crime. I really wanted to create something that got people thinking about how they can change a few small things and make a big difference.”
After originally entering in the Film and Animation Category, Reuben was surprised to be selected from a group of talented finalists to win the esteemed award.
“I was really shocked; I wasn’t expecting it at all. When they read my name out I couldn’t believe it.”
Reuben, originally from Nether Edge in Sheffield, believes the social implications of his short animation may have given him the edge in the competition.
“Obviously crime rates are in the news at the moment and the piece was originally in response to an idea by the Design Council. I wanted the information to be easy to understand instead of just lots of facts and figures to make it more accessible.”
Reuben has recently finished a Multimedia Design course at the University of Huddersfield and was delighted to receive a First Class Honours.
