Drum roll please … Winner announced for the Royal College of Art Helen Hamlyn Fixperts Awards 2020.

The awards are now in their eighth year and this year we saw a brilliant set of entries from universities across 11 countries and from a shortlist of just 19 inspiring films the RCA Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design Jury, chaired by their Director Rama Gheerawo, selected the winning projects. This year the Helen Hamlyn Judges also presented ‘Designing in a pandemic’ – an award which celebrates the problem solvers who have created an ingenious project whilst in lockdown.

The winner for the RCA Helen Hamlyn Fixperts Award is Luggage Alternative for Ben from Joe Arrowsmith, Harvey Badcock, Ben Biddell, Teresa Georgantzi, Ben Hughes and Max Younossi at Brunel University, England.

The winner of Designing in a Pandemic is Folding Work Area for Children from Yuval Bar-Shalom and Amit Fisher at Holon Institute of Technology, Israel.

Congratulations to all of the Fixperts, the Fix Partners and Tutors who worked on the projects! Watch the winning Fixperts projects and runners up below and view the entire shortlist here.

Winner! Luggage Alternative for Ben

Ben is a student at Brunel University and a member of three basketball teams. As a wheelchair user transporting luggage and other items can be difficult as he needs someone to carry the bag on his behalf. To gain more independence Fixperts at Brunel design and make an attachable device allowing him to carry his bags.

Judges’ comments: “A holistically considered solution that empowers and enables. Genuine problem, co-design and great execution that looks great as well.”

Fixperts: Ben Biddell, Ben Hughes, Max Younossi, Harvey Badcock, Joe Arrowsmith, Teresa Georgantzi
Fix Partner: Ben
Master Fixperts: Mike Kann
Education Institute: Brunel University
Country: England

Runners Up: Knife Knob for Gil

Gil Meltzer has difficulty using a knife in his right hand which makes preparing food a demanding process. Fixperts at HIT, Holon Institute of Technology use their design skills to create a handle that Gil can grip more easily.

Judges’ comments: “Seemed a great solution for Gil. Good prototyping and testing, made sure that the design was robust in a potentially hazardous scenario.”

Fixperts: Dor Eli, Dave Miller and Tom Samuel
Fix Partner: Gil Meltzer
Master Fixperts: Prof. Gad Charny and Dana Yichye Shwachman
Education Institute: HIT Holon Institute of Technology
Country: Israel

Runners Up: Hammer it Johan

Johan, 64 years of age, is a pensioner and a few months ago he was diagnosed with Distal Muscular Dystrophy which effects his forearms and hands. He enjoys woodworking but needed something to assist him to get better grip of screws and nails whilst making frames. Fixperts at Tshwane University of Technology solve the problem by producing a tool to help him work.

Judges’ comments: “It’s a solution that aims to empower and enable. Good prototyping, exploration of different ideas, testing and iteration. Nice simple design.”

Fixperts: Henk Blankestijn, Denzill Bothma, Onkgopotse Mothibe and Tyler Shibambo
Fix Partner: Johan Heunis
Master Fixperts: Jan Hendrik Dubery
Education Institute: Tshwane University of Technology
Country: South Africa

Winner of ‘Designing in a Pandemic’! Folding Work Area for Children

During the Coronavirus pandemic Fixperts at HIT, Holon Institute of Technology create a folding work area for a child who needs privacy and a place to concentrate whilst doing school work from home.

Judges’ comments: “An easy-to-replicate, low-tech that was a fantastic demonstration in how to capture children’s needs and prototype remotely yet collaboratively”

Fixperts: Yuval and Amit
Fix Partner: Ian
Master Fixperts: Prof. Gad Charny and Dana Yichye Shwachman
Education Institute: HIT Holon Institute of Technology
Country: Israel

Runners Up of ‘Designing in a Pandemic’: The Holding Hands Machine – Der Händchenhaltautomat by Emma

Emma, a Fixperts from Universität der Künste Berlin, created a machine which would allow her to interact with people safely during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Judges’ comments: “Design provocation project, attention grabbing and fun piece of communication to reconsider intimacy, levels of comfort, and togetherness in a socially distant world.”

Fixperts: Emma Mende
Fix Partner: Emma Mende
Master Fixperts: Robert Scheipner
Education Institute: Universität der Künste Berlin / University of Art Berlin
Country: Germany

Runners Up of ‘Designing in a Pandemic’: Airpecker by Dennis

Dennis from Universität der Künste Berlin finds the air quality in his apartment very poor which gives him headaches. As he is restricted to being inside during the Coronavirus pandemic he designs and makes a device which reminds him to open the windows whilst he is working.

Judges’ comments: “A whole new product category, good use of metaphors, effective and interesting solution that apart from solving a personally felt need, would have provided focus and a creative.”

Fixperts: Dennis Loebach
Fix Partner: Dennis Loebach
Master Fixperts: Robert Scheipner
Education Institute: Universität der Künste Berlin / University of Art Berlin
Country: Germany