Living Lab Highlights

What is a Living Lab?

For a university, a Living Lab brings an opportunity for students, academic staff, professional staff and external bodies to collaborate on projects looking at real-life sustainability problems.

By using our campuses as a tester site, we provide value in professional experience, but also the chance for innovations to improve our environmental performance.  Whether it is a research-led campus design adapting to climate change, trialling new engagement methods, improving wellbeing or enhancing our natural habitats, we encourage everyone to get involved with the Living Lab.

Visit our main Living Lab page for more information on how to get involved.

This page highlights some specific living lab projects in more detail and alongside any created content or research that resulted from that project.

School of Design Showcase

Students in the School of Design merged environmental issues into their animated project during 2020, led by Programme Leader Emmanouil Kanellos and supported by the Sustainability Team to set a number of environmental briefs for all second year students to create animated pieces. The end results can be found below.

Global Warming Animation by Harol S Almeida. BA Animation – 2020
A Cartoon Animation for Kids with an ecological message. 3D Designer and Animator: Erica Cardona – 2019
Short 3D Animation with an ecological message. A project by a small group of BA Animation Students – 2019

These initial pieces, without any brief inspired our team to make contact with the School of Design and Programme Leaders to establish whether something more permanent could be implemented. In 2020-21, a series of environmental summaries were given to students, providing core themes but allowing their creativity to flourish.

These pieces are below; it is hoped that optional briefs will be included in future years for students to use their knowledge to continue in bringing environmental issues into a visual and emotive reality.

A 3D animation with an ecological message by Sorin, BA Animation – 2021
A 3D animation with an ecological message by Clio, BA Animation – 2021
A 3D animation with an ecological message by Sid, BA Animation – 2021
A 3D animation with an ecological message by Maria-Ioana, BA Animation – 2021
A 3D animation with an ecological message by Aryan, BA Animation – 2021
A 2D/3D animation with an ecological message by Gabby, BA Animation, BA Animation – 2021
A 2D Animation with an ecological message by Sara, Graphic Design – 2021
A 2D Animation with an ecological message by Oliwia, Graphic Design – 2021
A 2D Animation with an ecological message by Crystal, Graphic Design – 2021
Ecological; traditional hand-drawn animation by Eden. Reflecting the destruction and visual pollution of our landscapes – 2021
A 2D Animation with an ecological message by Adam, Graphic Design – 2021
A 2D Animation with an ecological message by Anastasia, Graphic Design
– 2021
Cigarette butts are the top plastic polluters of our rivers, lakes and oceans. Here’s a quick and simple animation addressing this huge issue. 2D Animation by Sherif – 2021

What do you think about these animations? Which one is your favourite, and which one conveys the most emotion in bringing awareness to environmental issues?

Remember that we can all make a positive difference, no matter how small the action.

What are you studying, and how can you illustrate these topics into your own university projects? How can you influence your future career?

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