Yuko Tsurumaru's exhibits

The Helen Hamlyn Research Associates 2000

show & symposium

Exactly 12 months ago, ten new design graduates of the Royal College of Art embarked on a pioneer programme initiated by the Helen Hamlyn Research Centre. They were teamed with ten industry partners to undertake a range of collaborative research & development projects which respond to user needs arising from social change.

One year on, a show & symposium at the Royal College of Art (12-19 October 2000) presented the results of their work. More than 150 people attended the symposium on 11 October and around 1,000 visited the exhibition.

At the symposium RCA Rector Christopher Frayling heralded the first ever presentation of post-MA research by College. Research partner, Raymond Turner, design director of BAA Terminal 5, said his organisation became involved in the Helen Hamlyn Research Associates Programme, 'not because it was the politically correct thing to do but because it was the commercially sensible thing to do'.

Lotta Vaananen's Carousel

The projects shown here investigate the new design challenges that arise when populations age, patterns of work change, demand for greater mobility intensifies, and care needs become more acute. The underlying message is one of social inclusion through the development of new products and services for a wider range of age and ability.

Many groups of people in society are currently excluded from the mainstream design process - older and disabled people, for example, and those marginalised by changing technologies and work practices.

By working closely with users across a spectrum of social need, the Helen Hamlyn Research Associates Show & Symposium 2000 demonstrated the potential to bring people from the margins to the mainstream through inclusive design.

see the list of projects...