Brunel University student wins design innovation in plastics competition

Product Design student, Alex Roquero, impressed the competition judges with 'Hook'

A student from Brunel University has won the top prize in the annual Design Innovation in Plastics (DIP) competition with a shelf which can fit on a balcony railing and accommodate anything from a plant to a bottle of wine.

Product Design student, Alex Roquero, impressed the competition judges with his ‘Hook’, a portable shelf which is integrated with a flowerbox, and fits to any kind of railing.

In this year's competition, students were given the brief of ‘branching out – design for garden innovation’.

They were asked to come up with an innovative product, primarily from plastics, which could be used in a garden and better connect people with nature.

Commenting on the product, chairman of judges, Richard Brown said the Hook could become a “marketable item” as living spaces become smaller, and more ‘Juliet’ balconies are integrated into new builds, especially in Europe.

Established in 1985, DIP is now the longest running student plastics design award in Europe.

The event is organised by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IoM3) and the Worshipful Company of Horners, and is headline sponsored by Covestro.

Roquero wins a trip to Germany to visit the Covestro headquarters in Leverkusen and also wins placements with competition sponsors, RJG Technology, which provides injection moulding industry support, training and advisory services, and PDD, the product and service design and innovation consultancy.