NDA Open Day July 2011

Prospective students came to the National Design Academy on Saturday to gain an insight into how distance learning works, as well as the great flexibility our courses provide which enable people to work and have other commitments alongside studying, without the fear of missing deadlines. 

We're also the first further and higher education provider in the UK to launch three new Interior Design degrees in Retail Design, Outdoor Living and Heritage Design, starting on 1st August which is very exciting!

Above, Director of Studies Anthony Rayworth, gives an energetic talk about what skills and knowledge students will learn throughout their course and the many exciting career paths interior design can offer. As he always says, "I've worked in interior design for over 30 years and no two days have been the same!" Anthony is an established member of the British Institution of Interior Design has recently been appointed Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers.

All of our courses here at the NDA are accredited by Staffordshire University so each qualification is nationally and internationally recognised. This is great if you want to move abroad like our former student Joanna Ford, who has set up her own successful interior design practice in her home town of Melbourne - very nice! You can read all about Joanna's journey and how she has made her business a great success in an interview with NDA Interior Design News.

Everyone looks forward to the tour of the River Crescent apartments and National Design Academy house which give prospective students an idea of what they can achieve and how and why a particular design scheme is used for that specific room.

Visitors also have the opportunity to have a browse through the many examples of student work and see for themselves how others have presented their design ideas. As well as meet and greet members of our tutor team, Academy Director, Pauline Riley and Director of Quality and Business, Helen Keighley, who will answer every question thrown at them.

We would like to thank everyone who attended the open day, it was brilliant to meet everyone. If you feel like you want to nurture your creative talents and get sucked into the colourful world of Interior Design, you can book a place on the next open day 20th August by phone 0155 91234 12 or visit our website for more information www.nda.ac.uk

Walk of honour

You may think we're going graduation potty this year, but the success of those who proudly walked along the ceremonial stage last Friday needs boasting about!

Here is a video of those National Design Academy graduates who proudly walked the walk. Can you can spot yourself!

Graduation Ceremony 2011

Well, what a fantastic day! The sun was shining and everyone looked fantastic in their gowns. Held at the picturesque Trentham Gardens in the Staffordshire countryside, this years graduation was a huge success. 

The atmosphere was buzzing and smiles filled the marque, especially when the champagne bar opened! Academy Director, Pauline Riley delivered a moving speech to the graduates saying, "You've all worked extremely hard, this is your day and you deserve it, congratulations."

Then it was time for pictures! The graduates all squeezed in together and posed for the camera, lifting their glasses and shouting cheers with excitement.

The ceremony followed, where graduates did the walk of honour across the stage and shook the hand of Staffordshire University's Chancellor, Lord Bill Morris of Handsworth. Friends, family and NDA staff made a huge roar for every graduate in celebration of their success.

Former Vice Chancellor of Staffordshire University, Christine King came along to the event, showing her support for NDA graduates. Christine will be the first chair person of the new NDA Foundation, a "not for profit" organisation.

Academy Director Pauline Riley and Christine King

Here is the official National Design Academy Graduation of 2011 video for all those who want to re-live that wonderful day.

You can also go onto our Facebook page to see more pictures from the days event and visit our website to download the Graduation 2011 newsletter and honour roll.


Congratulations to you all and we can't wait for next year!

New Designers on the block!

Widely renowned as the place to be if you're a young designer wanting that lucky break, New Designers was back for another year and unleashed an array of talent at London's Business Design Centre. Students from universities and colleges across the country, flocked to the event to exhibit their work and win over the New Designers Awards judging panel.

The high standard of craftsmanship and innovation shown at the event was impressive. Students were keen to speak to visitors and the media about their designs, demonstrate use, functions and originality. Although it was noticeable that some designs were based heavily on past iconic pieces, in the most part, students had really broken the mould and developed some revolutionary products.

Luke Diaz from Bucks New University, scooped the New Designers Habitat Innovation Award for his storage cabinet which was held together without using a nail, screw or drop of glue. The judges "admired his innovative construction and use of material ...this is a product with soul." Luke used hemp twine to hold the cabinet  together and taught himself how to weave it over small bars to create the doors. 

Michael Carroll from Plymouth University also designed products without the use of glue or nails. He used melted down metal from 24 pewter tankards, to hold a wooden chair together and two metal bars bent to look like a mouse trap, for the table. A popular trend could be developing here.

The creativity didn't stop there, a quirky children's stool designed by Taiwanese born Product and Furniture Designer Jo-Yun Wang, took visitors by surprise with a hidden feature. When a child sat on the chair and swivelled around, out plays a delicate tune.  Wang said she wanted to create a product which had and output function like playing music as well as an input.

The upper level of the event was home to the One Year Onhall curated by Jethro Macey. It housed 25 specially selected designers who had set up their own business with the last year. Amongst them all, was textile designer Imogen Heath who attracted lots of attention with her mid-century feminine fabrics and prints, inspired by her love of geometric composition, art deco and contemporary art.

One of this years big winners was Oskana Akishyna from the American InterContinental University, London. She picked up the New Designers InteriorDesign Association Award for spatial design with her urban music hall design. Oskana wanted create something which made classical music more accessible, informal and popular. To emphasise this, she created a public passage in the middle of the building.  The judges said her "portfolio showed refreshing clarity, mesmerising presentation that was refined and at a professional level.

Across the way from Oskana was another talented Interior Designer, Henry Parker from De Montfort University. He devised an apartment which is flexible and adapts to any lifestyle and perfect for the renting tenant. Roughly the size of a two bedroom apartment, Adaptaflat has manoeuvrable partition walls which run on circuits attached to the ceiling. This allows a tenant to change the layout of the apartment to suit their needs such as adding an extra bedroom or adjusting the size of a room.

The time and effort spent students spent on their projects, press packs, and branding was faultless. This combined with inventive, colourful and attractive stands really made this event a success. It was clear the students and visitors alike, really felt the charismatic atmosphere of the event and thoroughly enjoyed showing off their talents.

New Designers certainly upheld it's reputation as the design market for the future and the propeller of budding careers in all disciplines of design.

Images: New Designers, Imogen Heath, National Design Academy

National Design Academy Director of Studies is appointed Liveryman status

The National Design Academy are delighted to announce that our Director of Studies, Anthony Rayworth, has been appointed as a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers (WFCFM).

Having been a Freeman of the WFCM for almost two years and been fairly active within the Company, Anthony was approached at a reception at Furniture Makers Hall in London and invited to become a Liveryman. This means that he now has a stronger ‘voice’ and more influence within the Company. 

The ceremony took place at the Furniture Makers Hall, a Queen Anne building in Austin Friars – a small, elegant street in the centre of the City of London (the ‘Square Mile’) on the 23rd June.  The ceremony itself happened behind closed doors with the entire Court of the Livery present. It's both formal and welcoming at the same time and followed by a delicious lunch to welcome the new Liverymen.

Liverymen are recruited whenever there is a vacancy within the 300 limit imposed by the Court of Aldermen. To be invited to become a Liveryman implies that a person must be ‘engaged in or with the Furniture Industry in the United Kingdom’, in addition to become a Liveryman it is first necessary to be granted the Freedom of the City of London.  Liverymen can vote in Common Hall, to elect the Lord Mayor of London and the Sheriffs.

The Company is particularly keen to recruit Liverymen from those Freemen who have firm ideas on the direction that the furniture industry and related areas such as interior design should take in terms of national policy, student training, standards of craftsmanship and manufacture and Anthony definitely have ideas on all of these things!

Anthony shaking hands with The Company Master Hugh Garford-Bless

As a Liveryman, Anthony can now sit on the WCFM student training committee. This ensures that there is a serious dedication to the benefit of the Company and the industry as a whole.  The student training company is particularly fortunate in that it includes both the Master and Past Master of the Company as well as established craftsmen and committed academics.

Signing of the official records

The committee is involved in establishing relationships between students and industry, influencing policy on design education and investigating the most effective ways of assisting graduates within the wider furniture industry.

Anthony is thrilled to progress within the company, "I feel a combination of being very proud, very humble and very honoured to be a part of such an illustrious Company. If one looks back at previous Liverymen it is a veritable who’s who of British furniture. There is a real sense of history and responsibility associated with the position."

Being a Liveryman is more about what you can do to better the industry and move it forward rather than personal gain. That said; there is indeed access to privy information and greater knowledge of the industry through acquaintance with other Liverymen.

A certain ‘stature’ within the industry is almost assumed to have been achieved by Liverymen so it is really a meeting of equals working together to hopefully ensure a bright future for the furniture industry.

Congratulations Anthony!

We'd like to say a huge welcome to 15 year-old Gemma Rendall from Hermitage Academy in Chester-le-Street, who is spending the week at the National Design Academy on a work experience placement. We hope you learn lots of new skills and enjoy your week here!

The NDA team

Let the creative Juices flow!

Students studying the National Design Academy's Professional Interior Design Diploma studio course are at the end of their first week in the studio at the Academy. Tutor Liam Kerrigan guides the students through a Spatial Planning class, a skill which is the fundamental starting point of an interior designers design scheme.

As well as an interesting concept, the design needs to functional, practical and relate to the client brief.

Student were given a scaling exercise where they had to draw one furniture arrangement in three different scales.

This course is a fast track to the Foundation Degree (FdA) course in Interior Design, that is level one and two of a full degree qualification. One week in spent at the NDA followed by four weeks studying at home and then a final week back in the studio.

The distance learning route is fantastic for all ages, capabilities and anyone who wants to change careers or develop a hobby. Plus, all our courses are fully accredited by Staffordshire University and recognised internationally.

Listen to one student's experience on the Diploma course and how she found this flexible way of learning.

If you'd like to get your creative juices flowing and want to enrol on the course you'll have to be quick before the higher education fees increase kick-in and will apply from 1st August 2011. The deadline to enrol to beat the increase is the 22nd July 2011! You will still be able to enrol on the course after this date but at a higher cost.

For lots more information about the National Design Academy, our courses and how distance learning works, you can visit our website www.nda.ac.uk or give us a call on 0115 91234 12.

We look forward to seeing you!