The Durban University of Technology’s Department of Interior Design is celebrating a decade since the commencement of the Durban Art Deco Society (DADS) annual programme.

The exhibition is taking place today (Thursday, 28 July 2018) at the fifth DUT Art and Design Digifest. This year (2018), Interior Design students worked with MakerSpace Durban to manufacture scaled design prototypes, and made thirty second reflective videos documenting their process and learning experiences. They were instructed to design Art Deco inspired furniture pieces.

DUT Interior Design lecturer, Michelle Reynolds said the exhibition is open to everyone and attendees should look forward to the big reveal especially from the students.

“Guests should look forward to the videos from the students, they had to create thirty second reflective video documenting their process and learning experience and the manufacturing their prototypes using laser equipment,” said Reynolds.

Third year Interior Design student, Thabiso Nkonyeni, said she found the experience challenging as it was her first time working with furniture pieces but it was exhilarating to see the end results.

“It was very challenging as it was my first time working with furniture pieces, trying to make everything work from just these furniture pieces and trying not to lose any of them in the process. Speaking for all the third years, I know we had a difficult time gluing everything together, having it not work out then starting over and redesigning products but it was all worth it in the end. The presentation was the best part of it all, reflecting on how we were inspired, developing the idea and bringing it to life,” she said.

Pictured: Some of the designs from the exhibition that is taking place today at the DUT’s City Campus.

Tina Shabalala