Students on the BA Product Design course at arts and design college Central Saint Martins in London have been tasked with coming up with ideas for pieces of street furniture that will provide value to local communities and regenerate high streets.

Clear Channel has tasked 25 second-year students to consider how their designs could address a genuine concern or ‘pain point’ for the public, improve a citizen’s experience of the high street and tackle issues that many communities face in the UK.

Chief investment officer Will Ramage says: “Clear Channel has a long and well established history of building and maintaining ad-funded public infrastructure – we have a huge responsibility to the public and communities up and down the UK. As our world changes, so does our responsibility.

“I’m excited to see how the students approach the challenge and the unique ideas that they conceive, as well as helping to launch the careers of the product designers of tomorrow.”

Students are not restricted to designing pieces around a screen or advertising panel, instead designers have free reign to create a product that best serves the public.

Clear Channel will decide which of the designs is most viable, affordable and scalable, with the potential of the product being brought to life and being offered to local authorities as part of future contracts.

BA Product Design course leader Paul De’Ath comments: “This brief is a reflection upon the changing landscape affecting design and designers. With the rapid development of technology and the shifting relationship between the environment, people and the things around them, a focus upon the concerns and the needs of communities requires rigorous design for valuable social impact.

“This is an exciting and challenging opportunity for the emerging generation of actively engaged students to have a positive influence upon our future communities”.

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