Time capsule design winner announced

21 March 2017

The Scottish school pupil who will design a new time capsule for the grounds of V&A Museum of Design Dundee has been announced today (Tuesday 21 March).

Luisa Geddes from The Community School of Auchterarder was selected by an expert panel chaired by Ian Callum, Jaguar’s Director of Design, and will receive a week’s work experience at Jaguar where she will see her design adapted for manufacture.

The competition was open to all Scottish secondary school pupils studying the Scottish Qualifications Authority’s Higher Design and Manufacture course.

Luisa Geddes said shortly after receiving the news: “It’s amazing, I can’t quite believe it. I wanted to design something the public could interact with in the day and night.

“I’m so excited to see how my design will be manufactured by Jaguar, and to spend a week with Jaguar, to see all the cars and how they work.”

Ian Callum, Jaguar Director of Design, said: “What struck us all about Luisa was her sense of professional presentation and clarity in explanation. She had a clear understanding of what she was trying to do, and the message she was trying to create in the sculpture she’d designed.

“I have no doubt whatsoever that the end result would be appealing to us as a team of judges, and also to the public.

“The overall standard of the pupils’ submissions was extremely high. That made judging very difficult and it took us a long time to get down to the final decision. All of the pupils we’ve met today certainly have the aptitude and ability to become professional designers one day. I’m very impressed.”

Ian Callum was born in Dumfries and studied at Gray's School of Art in Aberdeen and the Glasgow School of Art before studying a postgraduate degree at the Royal College of Art in London.

Ian is highly decorated as a designer and received the Royal Designer for Industry Award from the RSA. He also has five honorary degrees, including from Abertay University in Dundee, one of V&A Dundee’s founding partners.

Philip Long, Director of V&A Dundee, said: “The standard of designs we’ve seen today for the new time capsule to be built in the grounds of V&A Dundee has been exceptional.

“All of the pupils excelled themselves and should feel incredibly proud of reaching the final stages of this major national competition.

“Particular congratulations go to Luisa whose design stood out as the strongest response to the brief, showcasing her own creativity, meeting the strict criteria for a time capsule that must last for 50 years, and engaging with the design excellence of Jaguar and V&A Dundee.”

Dr Gill Stewart, Director of Qualifications Development at SQA, said: “I’d like to offer my congratulations to Luisa. Her time capsule design was fantastic, and fully met the requirements of the brief, capturing the required elements of the V&A Dundee and Jaguar, while ensuring the safety of the artefacts it is holding.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the finished time capsule come to life, and I wish Luisa all the very best for their work experience placement with Jaguar.”

The other shortlisted pupils were:

Reuben Hann, Grove Academy, Dundee (teacher - Mairi Harper)
Phoebe Simpson, Woodmill High School, Fife (teacher - Kirsty McDermid)
William Chan, Liberton High School, Edinburgh (teacher - Jim Henneghan)
Ruaridh Smith, St Columba's High School, Gourock (teacher - Greg Starling)

Area awards have also been given to:

Cammie Ross, Woodmill High School, Fife
Scott Millar, Dalbeattie High School, Dumfries & Galloway
Tiegan Brunton, St David's RC High School, Edinburgh
Ewan Keir, Eastwood High School, East Renfrewshire
Grove Academy in Dundee was also awarded the prize of Most Creative School following the shortlisting by SQA and V&A Dundee.

The design brief specified the design and engineering requirements for the time capsule, including being weatherproof for 50 years, guaranteeing consistent environment conditions for the objects placed inside the capsule, occupying a space of no more than 1.5 cubic metres, and being a creative design inspired by Jaguar and the V&A Dundee building.

The final time capsule will be unveiled in 2018, ahead of V&A Dundee opening to the public later that same year.