Dezeen School Shows: a bag that aids fruit pickers' physical wellbeing when harvesting is included in Dezeen's latest school show by the University of New South Wales.

Also included is a medical device worn as an item of headwear that soothes symptoms in people with eye conditions and a scheme that creates beneficial community zones along the Georges River in Sydney.

University of New South Wales

Institution: University of New South Wales
School: School of the Built Environment
Courses: Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, Master of Landscape Architecture, Bachelor of Design (Computational Design) and Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours)
Tutors: Dr Sara Padgett Kjaersgaard, Dr Nicole Gardner and Dr Mariano Ramirez

School statement:

"At UNSW Built Environment, we focus on the challenges of cities at every scale, from industrial-designed products to the architectural design of buildings and landscapes, as well as urban and regional policy and planning.

"We design high-performing built environments that contribute to tackling the climate crisis, while our social-impact design ethos responds to the needs of both the individual, as well as society as a whole.

"Many of our student projects engage with 'country', which associate professor Bernadette Hardy, a traditional owner of Dharug and Gamilaraay descent, redefines for First Nations people as a profound union of the physical and spiritual, deeply connected to the world's oldest living culture.

"Country is a living entity spanning land, sky, water, sun, moon, a life-sustaining teacher which shapes belonging, custodianship and reciprocity.

"Overall, at UNSW Built Environment we seek to develop skilled and enquiring graduates, with a conscience, who can positively engage, adapt and shape our cities for the benefit of all people and life on earth, with the environment firmly in mind."

Alternative Environmental Offset: Shorebird Habitat Protection and Acquisition by Sze Wah Chan

"This project addresses how shoreline bird habitat can act as alternative ecosystem services offset amidst the development of large-scale infrastructures and sea-level rise in the Rockdale Wetland Corridor (RWC), Sydney.

"The RWC is constituted by a diversity of ecosystems – coastal, wetland, salt marsh, mudflat and forest – each providing ecosystem services such as the provisioning of habitats and regulating temperature.

"Their ecosystems and their services are, however, under threat with increasing urbanisation, infrastructure development and projected sea level rise.

"This design proposal investigates more nuanced landscape alternatives to secure the stability of shoreline bird ecosystems and their services."

Student: Sze Wah Chan
Course: Master Landscape Architecture
Tutors: Sara Padgett Kjaersgaard and Patrick Franklyn
Email: channaomi16[at]gmail.com

Cultural Educational Landscape: Instituting Environmental Restorative Carbon Sequestration at Sans Souci by Hiu Lam Haylie Shum

"This project harnesses the education potential of the Rockdale Wetlands Corridor (RWC) for the public, by facilitating immersive learning in situ.

"The site features wetlands and salt marsh areas, providing a diverse habitat for various species.

"Furthermore, the site contains federally listed Threatened Ecological Communities, which operate as a significant carbon sink and therefore need to be protected and expanded whenever possible.

"By connecting the existing creek and playground to the shoreline, children and their guardians will be drawn to understand more about the surroundings."

Student: Hiu Lam Haylie Shum
Course: Master of Landscape Architecture
Tutors: Sara Padgett Kjaersgaard and Patrick Franklyn
Email: haylieshum[at]gmail.com

Look and Listen by Julia Shreeve

"This project asks how can we redesign Haigh Park and Lake Moore in Liverpool, Sydney, to promote habitats for Green and Golden Bell Frogs.

"This species of frog was once commonly widespread along Australia's East Coast but now exists only in isolated populations.

"In Liverpool, this is namely due to an extensive history of land clearing, heavy industrial and sand mining occupation.

"The project site has been designed to be developed as a key habitat link along the Georges River and target existing local populations as potential inhabitants."

Student: Julia Shreeve
Course: Bachelor of Landscape Architecture
Tutors: Mike Harris, Simon Lloyd and Linden Crane
Email: jshreeve01[at]gmail.com

Phyla: an algae bioplastic stool for the domestic living environment by Jasmine Stein

"Phyla addresses material toxicity and furniture waste by replacing petrochemical components with biomaterials and circular processes.

"This environmentally conscious stool is made from algae, PLA composite base and a recycled HDPE seat top.

"Its form is inspired by the movement of seaweed in the ocean and the shape of algae under a microscope. Once it has reached the end of its use, the stool can be disassembled and recycled into a new stool or product.

"Available as a low stool, a counter stool and a bar stool, Phyla creates a dialogue for designers to introduce biomaterials in future furniture and product designs."

Student: Jasmine Stein
Course: Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours)
Tutors: Danielah Martinez, Oya Demirbilek and Christian Tietz
Email: jasmine[at]scottstein.com.au

Fruitfull: fruit picking bag by Marcus Kelly

"Fruitfull is a game-changing fruit-picking bag designed to mitigate food loss and enhance worker safety in harvest operations.

"The top component features a unique catch-and-release system that slows down the descent of fruits as they enter the bag, thus preventing damage.

"A neoprene compression funnel regulates the speed of exiting fruit when unloading into pallet bins.

"Comprehensive back supports redistribute the weight of the bag to the waist, such that the load is carried through the legs and not by the back, greatly reducing the risk of orchard injuries.

"Fruitfull proves a smart investment for farmers throughout its lifecycle, as it boosts average crop yields, ensuring more fruit can be sold rather than wasted and improving financial stability in a volatile agricultural industry."

Student: Marcus Kelly
Course: Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours)
Tutors: Mariano Ramirez and Oya Demirbilek
Email: marcuskelly00[at]gmail.com

Computational Design I (Building) by Tristan Luong, Jayden Tran and William Boge

"This project is a collaboration between UNSW and Habitat for Humanity Cambodia (HFHC) to computationally automate the iterative 3D modelling process to improve the effectiveness of affordable house designs.

"The project uses a parametric design tool to generate variations of a house design based on local context, culture, user's needs and resources.

"The house designs are optimised to minimise costs and carbon emissions; maximize sunlight hours indoors (minimising the use of artificial light); ensure indoor temperature is within the comfort range (minimising the use of cooling systems); and maximise the capture of solar energy for electricity supply."

Students: Tristan Luong, Jayden Tran and William Boge
Course: Bachelor of Design (Computational Design)
Tutors: Cristina Ramos Jaime, Scarlett Rogers and Eva Lloyd

Emerging Digital Technologies by Anthony Shin, Grace Chen, Ruby Lu Chen, Sidney Mendez and Zhixiang Zhang

"This project investigates robotic fabrication for design and architecture using computational design modelling, robotic programming and fabrication methods to achieve environmentally conscious designs for manufacture and assembly.

"The project explores the realisation of non-standard forms and complex curves. It has been programmed using Grasshopper for a UR5 robot six-axis arm.

"Prototype fabrication involved creating repeating foam block moulds to cast the forms in a range of materials."

Students: Anthony Shin, Grace Chen, Ruby Lu Chen, Sidney Mendez and Zhixiang Zhang
Course: Bachelor of Design (Computational Design)
Tutor: Charlotte Firth

Human-Machine Interaction by Louis Lamont

"This project explores the design of a sensor-driven and autonomously-operated responsive architectural facade. It aims to carefully integrate interaction technology into an architectural context to create a movement that is both effective and seamless.

"The design features six columns, arranged in a pattern that rotate 520 degrees to create a visually arresting spiral effect, even while static.

"The prototype is constructed from laser-cut plywood and uses an Arduino microcontroller, servo motor and infrared sensor."

Student: Louis Lamont
Course: Bachelor of Design (Computational Design)
Tutor: Belinda Dunstan
Email: louis.lamont[at]student.unsw.edu.au

Sooze: a modular eye care device for keratoconus patients by Maoxin Yuan

"Sooze offers comfort and advanced vision support to keratoconus patients, mitigating their limited activity options, impaired mobility and eye discomfort experienced after removal of rigid contact lenses.

"A neural-stimulating headband and a detachable visor module work together to capture and deliver clear images directly to the retinas of patients, irrespective of cornea shape.

"An electrode on the headband administers low-intensity electrical stimulation via a conductive textile strap to the upper eye and forehead area, boosting tear production and easing eye pain during wakefulness and sleep.

"Its light engine emits red light at night when the visor is off, further enhancing the sleep quality of keratoconus patients."

Student: Maoxin Yuan
Course: Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours)
Tutors: Gonzalo Portas, Oya Demirbilek and Christian Tietz
Email: maoxindesign[at]outlook.com

In the Wandering by Hannah Kohler

"This project asks how regular community engagement along the Georges River can reveal the beauty of rich ecological systems fostering stewardship and improving wellbeing.

"In our growing urban centres, time spent within green space has been linked to the ability to recover from mental fatigue, psychological stress and depression.

"This project explores interactions between humans and the beauty of rich ecological systems as active and passive recreation stops along an accessible walking journey.

"Guided by existing site conditions and proposed restoration of endemic vegetation communities, the stops are designed to be integrated into everyday life."

Student: Hannah Kohler
Course: Bachelor of Landscape Architecture
Tutors: Mike Harris, Simon Lloyd and Linden Crane
Email: hannahrk2001[at]gmail.com

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and the University of New South Wales. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.