Port Chalmers Design Store and the polytech have joined forces, for the fourth time, to offer students real life experience in design, marketing and client relationships.
Six students worked in two teams to create five products which will be launched at the store tomorrow. They were given 12 weeks and $400 to design, manufacture, brand and deliver their products, which had to retail for less than $80.
The second-year design students came up with a plywood photo album, non-rip paper wallet, perspex magazine rack with a cut-out image of an art deco house, glass coasters printed with nostalgic New Zealand holiday images, and magnets.
Student Hedwig Keek said the experience was worthwhile, although a lot of "blood, sweat and tears" went into it. Sharon Cunningham enjoyed working with local manufacturers to create products.
Lecturer Machiko Niimi said the project was the only one of its kind in the country which let students experience being design professionals.
"The students work in a real pressure-cooker environment. We start from assessing both product and price gaps in the market, and then put the challenge of meeting that gap to the student," she said.
Design Store owner Becs Wilson said the project was a "great success".
"We provide somewhere safe where the students learn about dealing with clients and how to get the product to fit with the market need. If the products do well, we then offer to distribute them to design stores around the country."
