Otago Polytechnic College of Creative Practice and Enterprise head Prof Federico Freschi said the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards were an annual showcase of excellence in graphic, spatial, product, interactive and motion design.
"To have the work of so many of our talented designers acknowledged by the judges is an outstanding achievement.
"Previous best awards finalists and winners have built on their success to launch their design careers in New Zealand and overseas."
He said the polytechnic’s finalists were in categories including product, architecture, communication and fashion design, and were designed by present students, graduates, staff and partnerships outside of Otago Polytechnic.
"For example, the public good finals category features staff members Andrew Wallace and William Early and their amazing collaboration with South Med to create a ventilator hood to help patients with Covid-19.
"This project, which has benefited many children, shows the power of cross-disciplinary thinking."
Those were just two examples, he said.
"The depth of thinking, allied to the technical and creative execution, and the teamwork required to bring projects to fruition, is evident throughout all the finalists’ work," he said.
The finalists are: Mila Makasini and Lauren Arthur (architecture design category); Ella Sanderson and Angus Lewry, Andrew Wallace and William Early, and Mary Butler, Alex Gilks, Curtis Stent and Machiko Niimi (product design); Courtney Forbes and Cameron Tillotson (communication design); and Dr Margo Barton and Otago Museum (fashion design).
The winners will be announced online tomorrow night.
