Brunel University student wins Design Innovation in Plastics competition with balcony shelf product

Alex Roquero Product Design student, from Brunel University has won the annual Design Innovation in Plastics (DIP) competition with a cleverly designed shelf which can fit on a balcony railing and accommodate anything from a plant to a bottle of wine.

His product, ‘Hook’, a portable shelf which is integrated with a flowerbox, is ideal for people who have no garden or reduced space. 

Richard Brown, Chairman of judges, said: “It was evident that this product could become a marketable item, as living spaces become smaller, and more ‘Juliet’ balconies are integrated into new builds, especially in Europe.  Alex tackled a problem that he was familiar with from the environment in his home country of Spain, and took a holistic approach to provide a multi-purpose solution." 

Organised by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and the Worshipful Company of Horners, and is headline sponsored by Covestro, The DIP Award is the longest running student plastics design competition in Europe.

This year DIP gave students the brief of ‘Branching Out – Design For Garden Innovation’.

The brief asked students to come up with an innovative product, primarily from plastics, which could be used in a garden, that would better connect people with nature, enhance the pleasure of gardening or leisure activities within the garden.

Roquero wins a trip to Germany to visit Covestro, the global polymers manufacturer, and a placement with competition sponsors, RJG Technology.

In second place was William Oughton, an Integrated Product Design student, also from Brunel University.  William created ‘Bulb Garden Furniture’, a concept set of garden accessories which fit to any type of panel, wire or post built fences, and can be used as bird feeders, planters, bird houses or solar outdoor light.

Olivia Alexander, a Product Design student from De Montfort University, took third place with Buzz, a bee-friendly planter which administers an anti-mite substance directly to the bees to protect them from the Varroa mite.