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Victoria University of Wellington
Masters Roadshow 2020
The School of Design Innovation aims to enable students to imagine, challenge, create and participate in the creation of new ways and new futures. This body of work illustrates student work from the three Masters’ programs offered - Masters of Design Innovation, Masters of User Experience and Masters of Design Technology*. The body work we have gathered is a limited representation of work done by our 2019 and 2020 graduates, some still to complete. Their work approaches design criticality, with experimentation and research at the heart of their ambitions.
Thanks to: Nan O’Sullivan, Liisa Tervinen
Participating Students
- Brittany Mark
- Conner Allen
- liu yanxiao
- Maddy Hazelton
- Mallika Sathe
- Pramod Mani
- Steven Almond
- Wendy Ooi
Brittany Mark
Brittany Mark is an Industrial Design Masters student at Victoria University of Wellington. Her current Thesis research, in the MADE Lab at Victoria focuses on digitally translating Metamaterials into parametric models through generative software, to enable 4D Multimaterial printing and experimentation. Her smart materials interest began through a Research Scholarship with NZ Crown entity, Callaghan Innovation in the Advanced Materials Team. In May 2019 she presented her summers work at the New Zealand Manufacturing and Design Entrepreneurship (MADE) Conference in Auckland.
In October she won first prize in the Image and Video Synthesis Workshop at the International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV) with a piece titled 'Elite Species', which explored what a morphed future could look like for the animal kingdom through Machine Learning.
In Fall 2020 she will begin her MFA in the Products of Design program at SVA, NYC.
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topographical membranes
tensile membranes based upon rural topography, to encourage star gazing
kinetic auxetics
radial auxetics activated via elasticity
digital physiology
the emotion in the machine, digital human anatomy discovery
elite species
zoology hybrids
geometric gans
machine learning environments, digital and physical
Brittany Mark
Brittany Mark is an Industrial Design Masters student at Victoria University of Wellington. Her current Thesis research, in the MADE Lab at Victoria focuses on digitally translating Metamaterials into parametric models through generative software, to enable 4D Multimaterial printing and experimentation. Her smart materials interest began through a Research Scholarship with NZ Crown entity, Callaghan Innovation in the Advanced Materials Team. In May 2019 she presented her summers work at the New Zealand Manufacturing and Design Entrepreneurship (MADE) Conference in Auckland.
In October she won first prize in the Image and Video Synthesis Workshop at the International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV) with a piece titled 'Elite Species', which explored what a morphed future could look like for the animal kingdom through Machine Learning.
In Fall 2020 she will begin her MFA in the Products of Design program at SVA, NYC.
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Conner Allen
Conner Allen is a Masters of Design Technology Victoria University of Wellington scholarship recipient and 2020 graduate. His main focus during studies was effects and simulation and the power of proceduralism using Houdini as well as compositing in Nuke for feature film and TV.
During the studies Conner created a large body of work covering a few of the different disciplines of the visual effects industry, but found special interest in effects and simulation. Throughout the one-year Design Technology Masters program he was challenged to think of creative and efficient ways to solve problems, and how to combine his artistic and technical knowledge to create simulations that conveyed correct motion and logic.
In his final trimester Conner was the sole simulation artist in a short film called Norman Loafsby. This role was an accumulation of all the skills learnt throughout the year and challenged him to critically analyse problems and create solutions as well as strengthen communication skills in a team environment.
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The Iceberg
Iceberg was an exploration into interactivity between multiple simulations in a scene. After being given a list of verbs to choose from that we would base our simulation around I chose "Of Gravity. I liked the idea of gravity being the contributing factor to what triggers the effect and found icebergs to be great representations of that.
Norman Loafsby
A short film I worked on with a group as the simulations artist. This scene is an introduction to the main character, Norman Loafsby, who is haunted by manifestations of his anxieties and OCD. I was incharge of creating the visual look for the flames throughout this sequence to further emphasize the dramatic events that plague Normans everyday life.
Golden Visage
The task of this project was to create a simulation that filled an object in a natural or organic way. I found this model of a statues head and decided to stick to the original material of the statue. Since It was made from marble I created a slate type growth effect where it would look like slabs of stone or marble. To create some narrative to the simulation i presented it as if it looked like an award or a mantle piece, keeping the shapes looking like stone but the growth like molten gold.
Flare
Flare was my first approach to pyro simulations in Houdini. Having to replicate real life references to create a simulation was difficult but a good challenge in studying motion and understanding the effects of forces on smoke.
Stormy Seas
This image of a ship in a storm seemed to have a sense of motion to it, so I simulated what motion I saw with particles. I replicated the impact of the barrel by making the particles splash outwards, first at a fast pace and then it slows down. I wanted it to feel like you were witnessing a moment in time in slow motion. I repeated the same for the clouds but this time used a high wind force to force the particles to drift over the image creating a sense of high winds and chaos in the image.
The Summit
This was a project I worked on with 3 other students and this was the section I got to work on. The goal was to create a commercial, so we decided to create a brand of vodka. The concept was how to make the product feel 'cool' and have an element of class and sophistication to the entire commercial.
Conner Allen
Conner Allen is a Masters of Design Technology Victoria University of Wellington scholarship recipient and 2020 graduate. His main focus during studies was effects and simulation and the power of proceduralism using Houdini as well as compositing in Nuke for feature film and TV.
During the studies Conner created a large body of work covering a few of the different disciplines of the visual effects industry, but found special interest in effects and simulation. Throughout the one-year Design Technology Masters program he was challenged to think of creative and efficient ways to solve problems, and how to combine his artistic and technical knowledge to create simulations that conveyed correct motion and logic.
In his final trimester Conner was the sole simulation artist in a short film called Norman Loafsby. This role was an accumulation of all the skills learnt throughout the year and challenged him to critically analyse problems and create solutions as well as strengthen communication skills in a team environment.
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liu yanxiao
Contrary to the contemporary views on the function and complex mastery skills of an object, the Eastern world put more emphasis on the value of the object is in its inner spirit. This view is based on Shinto beliefs where everything is spiritual and valuable. My project undertakes a case study of the relationship between humans and things. This is done by building on the uses of Shinto beliefs to design an object that initiates a narrative. More specifically dolls. Thus, invites a relationship and engages the belief that objects have souls.
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liu yanxiao
Contrary to the contemporary views on the function and complex mastery skills of an object, the Eastern world put more emphasis on the value of the object is in its inner spirit. This view is based on Shinto beliefs where everything is spiritual and valuable. My project undertakes a case study of the relationship between humans and things. This is done by building on the uses of Shinto beliefs to design an object that initiates a narrative. More specifically dolls. Thus, invites a relationship and engages the belief that objects have souls.
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Maddy Hazelton
Adolescents with type 1 diabetes are faced with a challenging task of managing and regulating their blood glucose levels, which can draw attention in public spaces. This project explored adolescents' varying self-management experiences and preferences regarding conspicuity and developed semantic strategies to inform the design of medical devices. Four final prototypes were created with the adolescents which aim to enhance the traditional medical devices, personalise the medical device for the user, disguise the medical device as a non-medical item, and conceal the medical device.
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Maddy Hazelton
Adolescents with type 1 diabetes are faced with a challenging task of managing and regulating their blood glucose levels, which can draw attention in public spaces. This project explored adolescents' varying self-management experiences and preferences regarding conspicuity and developed semantic strategies to inform the design of medical devices. Four final prototypes were created with the adolescents which aim to enhance the traditional medical devices, personalise the medical device for the user, disguise the medical device as a non-medical item, and conceal the medical device.
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Mallika Sathe
Mallika Sathe has worked in a UX and Graphic Designer for the past 5 years. She holds a Bachelor's degree in communication design (specialised in graphic design) and currently studies Master's in User Experience design at Victoria University of Wellington.
Mallika strongly believes that design needs to be not only beautiful but also functional. User centricity and problem-solving nature of UX design play a major interest to her and this is one of the reasons why she is progressing from graphics to UX.
https://moredesignnz.com/
https://mallikasathe.wordpress.com/
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Mallika Sathe
Mallika Sathe has worked in a UX and Graphic Designer for the past 5 years. She holds a Bachelor's degree in communication design (specialised in graphic design) and currently studies Master's in User Experience design at Victoria University of Wellington.
Mallika strongly believes that design needs to be not only beautiful but also functional. User centricity and problem-solving nature of UX design play a major interest to her and this is one of the reasons why she is progressing from graphics to UX.
https://moredesignnz.com/
https://mallikasathe.wordpress.com/
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Pramod Mani
Pramod Mani is an Experience Designer with over 17 years of experience in solving design problems working for start-ups and MNCs across India.
He is currently undergoing his Master's degree in UX Design from Victoria University of Wellington, completing this June. Along with studying, he's also working remotely as a UX Designer for Webgility, a SaaS firm based out of Arizona, US.
Pramod is a self-taught learner, whose career has evolved from Web Designer to Experience Designer through multidisciplinary roles like 3D modeller, Flash programmer and UI developer. He's currently learning Python to design and build interactive data visualisations.
Throughout Pramod's career as a UX Designer, he had specialised in translating rough concepts into a refined design solution. However, he kept realising an important ingredient missing - user research. That realisation prompted Pramod to take up the Masters' program at Victoria University of Wellington. Now, he's more confident in calling himself a full-fledged Experience Designer who can understand users, their needs and manifest design solutions backed by insights, not assumptions.
Pramod is an expert user of Axure prototyping software. He has conducted numerous training sessions on Axure from basics to advanced interaction concepts. He also runs a website, axuretipsntricks.com, to share his learnings.
Pramod is a hard-working and meritorious student who has scored an overall A grade in all streams of the Master of UX Design program. As per his faculty's feedback, two of his product concepts have the innovative potential to be translated into actual products.
During Pramod's 7-year stint with EY, he was a 5-star rated for 4 consecutive years. He was awarded Highest Performing Team, Excellence in Team Management and Best of EY on multiple occasions. He led the UX team to build the experience of a SharePoint based inter-competency job site which was adjudged Americas Region Winner under Better Begins With You global recognition program. Pramod was also instrumental in reviving a big-budget global analytics project by executing a design strategy that led to winning the pitch for building end-to-end solutions by EY. His team received a CSAT 5 rating for exemplary performance.
When not designing, Pramod can be found doing farming, practising photography or being on the road to meet new people and try different cuisines. He practices hydroponics and believes in self-sustenance by Growing Your Own Food.
Pramod is currently based in Wellington, New Zealand with his wife and two boys.
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Pramod Mani
Pramod Mani is an Experience Designer with over 17 years of experience in solving design problems working for start-ups and MNCs across India.
He is currently undergoing his Master's degree in UX Design from Victoria University of Wellington, completing this June. Along with studying, he's also working remotely as a UX Designer for Webgility, a SaaS firm based out of Arizona, US.
Pramod is a self-taught learner, whose career has evolved from Web Designer to Experience Designer through multidisciplinary roles like 3D modeller, Flash programmer and UI developer. He's currently learning Python to design and build interactive data visualisations.
Throughout Pramod's career as a UX Designer, he had specialised in translating rough concepts into a refined design solution. However, he kept realising an important ingredient missing - user research. That realisation prompted Pramod to take up the Masters' program at Victoria University of Wellington. Now, he's more confident in calling himself a full-fledged Experience Designer who can understand users, their needs and manifest design solutions backed by insights, not assumptions.
Pramod is an expert user of Axure prototyping software. He has conducted numerous training sessions on Axure from basics to advanced interaction concepts. He also runs a website, axuretipsntricks.com, to share his learnings.
Pramod is a hard-working and meritorious student who has scored an overall A grade in all streams of the Master of UX Design program. As per his faculty's feedback, two of his product concepts have the innovative potential to be translated into actual products.
During Pramod's 7-year stint with EY, he was a 5-star rated for 4 consecutive years. He was awarded Highest Performing Team, Excellence in Team Management and Best of EY on multiple occasions. He led the UX team to build the experience of a SharePoint based inter-competency job site which was adjudged Americas Region Winner under Better Begins With You global recognition program. Pramod was also instrumental in reviving a big-budget global analytics project by executing a design strategy that led to winning the pitch for building end-to-end solutions by EY. His team received a CSAT 5 rating for exemplary performance.
When not designing, Pramod can be found doing farming, practising photography or being on the road to meet new people and try different cuisines. He practices hydroponics and believes in self-sustenance by Growing Your Own Food.
Pramod is currently based in Wellington, New Zealand with his wife and two boys.
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Steven Almond
Originally from Liverpool in the UK, Steven studied Design Products and Furniture Design at De Montfort University, graduating in 2005.
After graduation, Steven took up a position as an artist's assistant to Andrew Small at Form Art and Design, working on a wide range of public art installations across the UK. This involved taking projects from concept to installation, including the fabrication of a wide range of materials.
In 2009 Steven and Andrew were jointly commissioned by the NHS to create the interactive sculpture 'Anyone Who has a Heart' at the new Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. This interactive artwork, conceived as the "heart and lungs" of the hospital, 'breathes' at the average breath rate of a human being at rest, and on interaction the sculpture measures and then projects the heart rate of the individual. See the sculpture here: www.vimeo.com/30159229
Steven has also launched several of his own products, including 'Cliff', a humorous child'scoat hook which was featured in the Guardian in 2012 as part of a 'Best of British Design' showcase.
Since moving to New Zealand in 2012 Steven has not only continued professional design commissions, but also turned his hand to sharing his love of design with students of all ages. Steven delivered 'Mini Makers', a series of making workshops for ages 5 – 11, and has tutored at Victoria University of Wellington's School of Design for the last five years, giving several guest lectures on his work and research in sustainable design.
In 2020 Steven received his Master of Design (with Distinction), from Victoria University of Wellington. This research was focussed on the application of circular design methodologies to sofa manufacturing. This approach maximised the durability, repairability, adaptability, and recyclability of parts at end-of-life. His research showed this approach could decrease the product's carbon footprint by 70%, and waste to landfill by 90%+ over thirty years. This project is shown in the graduate exhibition here.
The 'Circular Economy Sofa' project won the L'affare Innovation in Sustainability Award at the ECC NZ Student Design / Craft Awards, and was a finalist in the DINZ Best Awards Product Design category.
Alongside design, Steven has also completed the Entrepreneur Bootcamp at the School of Business, and launched his own design business – Marzipan Design. Marzipan's focus is the application of circular design to commercial projects, having completed projects for electricity company Powershop and Garage Project brewery.
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Steven Almond
Originally from Liverpool in the UK, Steven studied Design Products and Furniture Design at De Montfort University, graduating in 2005.
After graduation, Steven took up a position as an artist's assistant to Andrew Small at Form Art and Design, working on a wide range of public art installations across the UK. This involved taking projects from concept to installation, including the fabrication of a wide range of materials.
In 2009 Steven and Andrew were jointly commissioned by the NHS to create the interactive sculpture 'Anyone Who has a Heart' at the new Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. This interactive artwork, conceived as the "heart and lungs" of the hospital, 'breathes' at the average breath rate of a human being at rest, and on interaction the sculpture measures and then projects the heart rate of the individual. See the sculpture here: www.vimeo.com/30159229
Steven has also launched several of his own products, including 'Cliff', a humorous child'scoat hook which was featured in the Guardian in 2012 as part of a 'Best of British Design' showcase.
Since moving to New Zealand in 2012 Steven has not only continued professional design commissions, but also turned his hand to sharing his love of design with students of all ages. Steven delivered 'Mini Makers', a series of making workshops for ages 5 – 11, and has tutored at Victoria University of Wellington's School of Design for the last five years, giving several guest lectures on his work and research in sustainable design.
In 2020 Steven received his Master of Design (with Distinction), from Victoria University of Wellington. This research was focussed on the application of circular design methodologies to sofa manufacturing. This approach maximised the durability, repairability, adaptability, and recyclability of parts at end-of-life. His research showed this approach could decrease the product's carbon footprint by 70%, and waste to landfill by 90%+ over thirty years. This project is shown in the graduate exhibition here.
The 'Circular Economy Sofa' project won the L'affare Innovation in Sustainability Award at the ECC NZ Student Design / Craft Awards, and was a finalist in the DINZ Best Awards Product Design category.
Alongside design, Steven has also completed the Entrepreneur Bootcamp at the School of Business, and launched his own design business – Marzipan Design. Marzipan's focus is the application of circular design to commercial projects, having completed projects for electricity company Powershop and Garage Project brewery.
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Wendy Ooi
Wendy is a User Experience Designer from Singapore and currently undertaking her Masters in User Experience Design in Wellington, New Zealand. Her curiosity on how application work has led to her discovery of User Experience Design.
Being in the industry for more than 2 years now, with working experiences in tech start-ups and consultancy with a focus on digital government transformation projects, had broaden her horizon and perspective towards human-centred design. She is committed in creating intuitive and beautiful experiences that combines empathy, creativity and rationality by connecting the dots between business and its customers.
When she has some free time, she is always eager to learn more tricks from anyone!
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Matauranga Design - Rebuilding Kaikoura
A digital platform: Rebuilding our homeland through crowd funding.
A multi-currency wallet designed to help travellers experience a fuss-free mode of payment while jet setting.
Fun, mess and a zine
Blackboard Redesign
Building a better learning management system (LMS) for Victoria University of Wellington students.
CITANZ
Designing the CITANZ membership hub for a holistic member experience in New Zealand.
Wendy Ooi
Wendy is a User Experience Designer from Singapore and currently undertaking her Masters in User Experience Design in Wellington, New Zealand. Her curiosity on how application work has led to her discovery of User Experience Design.
Being in the industry for more than 2 years now, with working experiences in tech start-ups and consultancy with a focus on digital government transformation projects, had broaden her horizon and perspective towards human-centred design. She is committed in creating intuitive and beautiful experiences that combines empathy, creativity and rationality by connecting the dots between business and its customers.
When she has some free time, she is always eager to learn more tricks from anyone!
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