A Tea Party with no Mad Hatter in sight!

Students from the Design Courses at University College Falmouth threw an unusual tea party last week at the Tremough Campus – with not a mad hatter in sight!

As part of a new approach to the Learning and Teaching of Histories and Theories at University College Falmouth, 166 first year students from BA(Hons) Contemporary Crafts, BA(Hons) Fashion Design, BA(Hons) Garden Design, BA(Hons) Performance Sportswear Design, BA(Hons) Spatial Design, BA(Hons) Textile Design and BA(Hons) 3D Design have been working together for the first fifteen weeks of their courses to learn about the cultural influences on the arts and craft movement to modernism with the final few weeks being dedicated to a more contemporary context through researching influential designers who work in all the courses different areas of design.

The students were split into twelve groups, each group incorporating students from each area of design study, who randomly selected a designer’s name from a hat. They then had to design and present a tea party in the style of their chosen designer, and were encouraged to be as imaginative and creative as possible whilst drawing on their designer’s influences. The students entered into the spirit of the project with gusto, creating the most eclectic tea party to ever be held in Cornwall, including everything from food shaped into body parts, specially designed object, costumes, head gear, games and music.

“The whole fifteen weeks have been very rewarding for everyone involved,” commented Principal Lecturer in Design, Simon Thompson. “The development of each group’s design had highs and lows as they expanded their ideas, which has enabled both students and staff to gain enormously from the experience,” he added. “This fun but informative event has also formed a solid base on which we can build for next year.”

Three staff members assessed and judged each group, and all the student groups judged each other, taking into account design, interpretation, invention and general engagement with the group activity. Both staff and student groups reached the same conclusion on the winners which proves how rigorous the students were in their assessment, and demonstrated the hard work and dedication each group put into the project.

In joint first place was Group Two with designer, Susie Freeman as their inspiration and Group Ten with Freddie Robins as theirs; second place went to Group Five having chosen Thomas Heatherwick, and Third place was Group Nine with their tea party in the style of Tricia Gould. Other tea parties were inspired by Grayson Perry, Helle Jonquens, Marc Newson, Frank Gehry, Miccia Prada, Tejo Remy, Dale Chihuly and Roberto Burle Marx.

Design at Falmouth has an enviable reputation for producing the industry stars of the future and combines live project briefs; opportunities for work to be showcased nationally and internationally; exceptional facilities, and high-level professional expertise to ensure that graduates hit the ground running in the fast-paced design industry. Design at Falmouth also attracts world-class speakers, such as Ed Barber, Jay Osgerby and Tomoko Azumi.

University College Falmouth is a founding partner in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC), a unique initiative to promote regional economic regeneration through Higher Education. The CUC is funded mainly by the European Union (Objective One), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall County Council.

Ends

For further information about this press release, please contact: Jilly Easterby, Head of Public Affairs, University College Falmouth, Woodlane, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 4RH, Telephone: 01326 213792, or email: jilly.easterby@falmouth.ac.uk

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