The Royal Society of Arts Student Design Awards are in full swing again, and it’s time for us futurists to put our finely attuned senses to good use for society.
The RSA is a global charity committed to finding innovative, practical solutions to social problems. Each year they host a competition that challenges students to think differently about design by providing real-world briefs that highlight real-world problems. Below are a few of the 8 challenges this year:
- Tomorrow’s Workplace– Develop a vision and business case for the future workplace that addresses the challenges of changing work patterns.
- Everyday Well-Being – Design a way for people to increase everyday behaviors that build mental well-being.
- Re-Invent the Toilet – Re-design the toilet using a people-centered design philosophy considering long-term sanitation issues and what will improve people’s lives.
- Collaborative Consumption – Design a product or service that gets better or more useful the more people use it so that sharing becomes more attractive and viable.
Prizes include internships, cash awards, and RSA fellowships.
A few key dates to keep in mind:
- 6 January 2014 – Registration and submission window opens
- 10 March 2014 – Deadline for online registration and submission
- 17 March 2014- Judging begins
- 15 May 2014- Winners announced
Interested in applying? Check out the RSA website for full details. Good luck fellow futurist!
