UAE’s largest student design competition goes global

Project Design Space, the UAE’s largest student design competition organised by the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI), the region’s first university exclusively dedicated to design and innovation, has gone global for the first time for its fifth edition.

The 2020-2021 programme has been optimised for a digital-only experience, and features competitive design briefs set by big names including Dettol Arabia, Landor & Fitch and Eltizam. High-school students from across the globe will need to solve real-world design challenges facing those leading companies.

The competition has attracted participation from more than 100 schools from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Egypt, Jordan and the U.S.

“This year’s design briefs are exciting, creative and far from simplistic; solving them will require critical thinking, collaboration and complex problem solving – skills young people must develop if they are to thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” says Mohammad Abdullah, president of DIDI.

“DIDI is committed to future-proofing talent, and with Project Design Space going global, we see great potential to encourage young people from around the world to raise the bar for creativity and innovation,” he adds.

Unlike other innovation programmes, DIDI’s Project Design Space, which is designed solely for high school students, offers students an opportunity to work on real design projects for real clients, including government bodies and non-profit organisations.

Landor & Fitch, for example, are challenging students to design the most sustainable brand in a key sector of the GCC economy. It is up to students to select the sector in which they would like to work.

“With a 20-year history of brand transformation in the Middle East, we know that a wide diversity of talent is essential to impactful and innovative design. This competition offers a unique platform for a wide range of schools and students to come together, showcase their skills, present bold ideas and change perceptions,” says Mariagrazia Deangelis, managing director at Landor & Fitch Dubai.

Global Village’s brief revolves around creating an iconic structure of the leading family destination, a structure that can become a symbol of the Park in future years.

“Here at Global Village we believe that the world’s diversity is a limitless source of creativity and our talented teams strive to ensure that every season is an exciting hub of new ideas, concepts, design, art and crafts. We jumped at the chance to partner with the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation in support of their mission to encourage youth to develop their creativity,” says Jaky Ellenby, executive director of marketing and events at Global Village.

The key programme concepts of DIDI Project Design Space include Defining Design, Designer’s Journey and Design Modes and Methods. It will take students through the entire design journey – from concept, team creation, picking a design brief, and learning about the challenge, to discovery, with students required to conduct research and develop new perspectives about the challenge.