08.08.2006
Transforming Ikea's two best selling products into new designs, won three-dimensional design student Kieren Jones, a British Council competition for the most talented UK designers.
Kieren (pictured below), who graduated this summer, took Ikea's 'Bummerang' coat hanger and changed it into a decorative stag's head with antlers and a rifle. He also turned the store's popular 'Poang' chair into a sledge.
Kieren was selected by the British Council to join 12 top designers to exhibit at the Milan Furniture Fair and the Council will also take Kieren to the Tokyo Design Festival in September.
Kieren's exhibition - 'Flat-packed re-arranged' - takes familiar objects and materials, like coat hangers and in true DIY style, creates new forms and structures. He hopes that this will build a greater understanding of how these objects are produced and help get people back into the lost art of DIY.
Earlier this month Kieren joined other students from the university to showcase his products at New Designers exhibition and also be exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Village Fete.
Commenting about his time at Brighton Kieren said: "It was a great experience and I thoroughly enjoyed the course. Students came from so many different backgrounds which meant that they had many different influences and produced a hugely diverse range of designs. As well as learning from the tutors, who were inspirational we also learnt from each other."
Contact: Marketing and Communications, University of Brighton, 01273 643022
