Designs on the future at Wynyard Quarter

A hubless wheelchair designed for use in cars, an auto-balancing quad bike, a tween-focused social media site and an allergy awareness campaign are just some of the design ideas on display at the Silo-6 pack in Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter from November 16-25. 

The exhibition, Design Exposure 2012, showcases the work of graduating students from Massey University’s Auckland School of Design, which is part of the College of Creative Arts. It forms the Auckland contribution to the annual Blow Creative Arts Festival, which for the last six years has provided a forum for creative practitioners and supported emerging design and artistic talent.

Regional director for the School of Design Sue McLaren says many of the works have ideas with huge potential for manufacturers, and shows the students as innovators of the future.

“The atmosphere of the silos with their original concrete walls and enormous height is an awe-inspiring space absolutely befitting the innovative design products created by the students.”

When designing the hubless wheelchair, Alex Styants worked with CCS Disability Action and a disabled user to create a wheelchair that enables a range of body movements for users in different situations. “The Easy Link Transfer system allows wheelchair-bound individuals to move into a vehicle using the wheelchair as the vehicle seat,” he says. “It is intended for people with permanent injuries or illness, as well as the elderly, and helps prevent unnecessary strain by the user or a carer.”

Torbay student Nick Marks researched the number of farming accidents on uneven terrain to create a quad bike that uses auto-balancing to prevent lateral rolls, tips or flips. This auto-balancing technology could also be used in tractors and lawnmowers. Earlier this year Mr Marks was a runner-up in the 2012 James Dyson Awards with his PressureAID waterproof ear device for the hearing impaired.

The exhibition is open until Sunday November 25 with a late night on November 23 to coincide with Waterfront Auckland’s night market and the first outdoor cinema screening of the year. It is free to attend.

The BLOW Creative Arts Festival runs from November 10-25 with events in Auckland and Wellington. For full details of dates, times, venues and costs (where applicable), go to: http://www.blowfestival.co.nz