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Students get stamp of approval in hotel design competition

20/05/2021

Two University of Wolverhampton students received a stamp of approval recently when they created winning designs in a live competition. 

Rebecca Lewis-Knight and Rebecca Shaw, third year Interior Design students in the Wolverhampton School of Art, bagged first place prizes for the design project held in partnership with Lee Stamps, Director of Elemental Design Refined - an Interior Design studio in Manchester, specialising in residential and commercial interior design. 

    

The live competition brief was to redesign The George Hotel situated in Brecon just outside the Brecon Beacons National Park.  The hotel is a Grade II listed property in the Houses of Breconshire and was built towards the end of the 17th Century.  

Rebecca Lewis-Knight took first place for the Design Concept Category and Rebecca Shaw bagged first place for 3D CAD Visualisation. 

The winners were offered one-to-one mentoring throughout their Final Major project with Lee Stamps, who shared knowledge on the commercial and domestic Interior Design industry.  

Jason Fernandes, 3D Design Lecturer in the School of Art, said: “The brief required developing a scheme for the existing George Hotel with a new client focus. The site required refurbishment and careful layout considerations to create a functional restaurant and bar spanning over the ground floor. Careful consideration had to be given to Covid-19 restrictions. 

“Being mentored by one of the country’s leading Interior Designers is a priceless opportunity for these two talented designers. The live projects that the department carries out is essential to providing students with key skills by learning from industry experts. The experience that the students gain from presenting and working closely with clients like Lee, has really built their confidence and has helped prepare them for their design careers.  

“All the work produced during these live projects help build a strong portfolio of work. Winning the competitions hold a much greater value for their CV and will help in their efforts to secure jobs in some of the top design companies in the country after they graduate. This past year has been no different, despite the restrictions of the pandemic, the department has worked closely with various companies and institutions to provide live competition projects for our students. The 3D department prides itself on constantly engaging with industry experts to help our students grow into strong designers.” 

 

Lee said: “Working with the Product & Interior Design team and students at the University was an absolute pleasure. The students were given a challenging brief developing an existing Grade II listed building and they were asked to consider a full ground floor redesign presented using various mediums. Students were also asked to consider Covid-19 restrictions within their design concepts. This is new territory for all design professionals and therefore complicates the process further. 

“Working from home comes with its complications and for the students having to prepare and present couldn't have been easy. Despite all these challenges, the students performed admirably. The quality of the final presentations was superb. I was particularly impressed with their engagement, the hunger and curiosity to ask questions as well as seek and take on board any feedback I was providing. Their continued awareness demonstrated throughout the programme in evolving their ideas was very much evidenced in their final submissions. 

“I'm very proud to have been a part of the process and I hope the students got as much out of this project as I did myself.” 

Rebecca Lewis-Knight has showcased her talent in transforming spaces into complete experiences for the client.  She said: “The reimagined interior of The George is greatly inspired by the local environment of the Brecon Beacons National Park, in which the Hotel is located.  

“Carved into the landscape over 470 million years, ice, frozen rivers, wind and rain have worked their artistry into the layers of rocks and mountains, moorlands, meadows and woods all over the beacons.  

“The immersive opportunity to marvel at the natural beauty of the Welsh countryside makes this 17th Century Inn a reprieve from the British weather and an experience not to be missed.”  

Rebecca Shaw used the latest 3D software to not only transform an historic hotel but brought it to life in a virtual setting, showcasing the new trends of Interior Design Delivery. 

She said: “‘The Secret Gardens Cafe’ was designed to create an environment that is reminiscent of the rise in popularity of greenhouse architecture during the late 19th Century. The medicinal value of the greenhouse and spas in Victorian Britain inspired the use of several different plants that are attributed to better air quality, a factor that remains important due to the recent Coronavirus pandemic.   

“Breconshire was a popular destination for wealthy Victorians and continues to be a popular holiday destination. The use of trellis creates partitions, and the outside garden seating is useful in current Covid-19 restrictions.” 

Anyone interested in studying in the University’s Wolverhampton School of Art should register for one of the University’s forthcoming Virtual Open Days. 

ENDS 

For more information please contact the Corporate Communications Team.

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