We are extremely proud that two students from Billy Blue College of Design at Torrens University Australia have been awarded honourable mentions in the ‘Cumulus Green 2020: For a New Circular Economy’ competition. Stine Marie Damsgaard, an international student from Denmark, and Britney Williames, a local student based in Melbourne, were among 50 honourable mentions in the world-class design competition, out of a total of 683 submissions from 163 universities across 44 countries.
Program Director, Mark O’Dwyer stated, “This is an incredible achievement for these students, and for Torrens University Australia. It is living proof of our students making waves on a global level, and setting out to make a positive impact before they even graduate. It truly demonstrates what is possible when we integrate Here For Good into our curriculum, and what can happen when we empower our students to push the boundaries.”
The international competition invited students to address solutions for Sustainable Development Goal 12: to ensure sustainable consumption. Entries needed to convey a transformative vision for a better world, showing judges the possibilities a circular economy can unleash.
Stine Marie Damsgaard’s project, Amazebalz, seeks to solve the problem of single-use plastics by replacing plastic shampoo bottles with dissolvable shampoo balls.
World-class design competition winners
“As plastic pollution continues to ruin our planet, it is important for every one of us to do our part to help the environment. By starting small and changing our habits in one small area of our everyday life, we can begin to make a difference. As designers in this environment, we have a certain responsibility to find new ways to eliminate plastic usage and by coming up with innovative ideas, we may change the way people shop. Amazebalz is my suggestion to how we can eliminate plastic shampoo bottles. We got to start somewhere, why not here?” – Stine Damsgaard
The entry by Britney Williames aims to provide a fair go for youth ‘aging out’ of state care, with a cross-compensation model social enterprise called the We Build Foundation.
“This project was so different from any others I had worked on previously. Starting with a cause that is a passion of mine, and an area that I personally volunteer in gave me a deep drive and real connection with the ‘idea’, We Build Foundation as it started to develop and evolve through the design process. Having that work recognised by design thinkers such as ‘Dr. Sam Bucolo’ and ‘Elsebeth Nielsen’ still blows my mind. Not only that but looking at all the submissions is evidence of my belief that design can change the world!” – Britney Williames
These students now stand alongside award winning students and alumni from top design institutions, including the Iceland University of the Arts, Oslo School of Architecture and Design, Parsons School of Design USA, Delft University of Technology, and more.
Billy Blue College of Design at Torrens University Australia aims to empower students to take risks, to challenge the status quo and not be intimidated by the enormity of a task. By adopting an integrative thinking approach, embedding the values of innovation and sustainability into the curriculum, students envision how their projects can make a positive impact on society and communities from the outset. As students build their creative confidence, they demonstrate that creativity is a mindset, a way of thinking and a proactive approach to finding new solutions. It inspires them to combine breakthrough ideas with real action.
A huge thank you to Dr Mieke Leppens, Dean of Design and Creative Technology Vertical, for her support and encouragement; and to faculty members Nigel Bailey and David McInnes, our Learning Facilitators, who were instrumental in guiding our students’ participation and success in this competition.
Related articles
