Glasgow School of Art Highland Campus Summer Show showcases collaborations between students and Moray organisations
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STUDENTS based on the Altyre Estate partnered with local organisations in displaying their work in an exhibition before the end of the academic term.
The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) Highland Campus Summer Show showcased collaborations with Moray businesses and charities including Moray Waste Busters, SurfABLE Scotland and Forres Heritage Trust.
Forres resident Henrietta Grant-Peterkin was treated to a preview because she was unable to make the Friday evening event.
She said: “I was very interested and had met some of the students before. The Master’s students’ Summer Show was absolutely fascinating. I was very impressed by the calibre of the students and their genuine interest and engagement in their different research topics/areas.
“The students were so bright, engaging and polite. Their exhibits were very interesting, both the range of issues and how thoroughly their work was prepared. They were on hand to explain their projects and answer questions.”
The Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre is a collaboration between GSA and the University of Strathclyde.
Jay Bradley, a Research Fellow who works full-time at the Highlands and Islands Campus, presented centre work at the Summer Show with her colleagues.
She said: “We’ve worked on lot of projects over the years across several areas of health and care across Scotland.
“Some of the DHI staff employed at the art school are based in Moray at the campus and some of our projects have been run with partners in Moray and/or with NHS Grampian.
“The GSA staff within DHI are responsible for using design methods such as participatory design and prototyping to design innovative health and care services that specifically meet citizens’ needs.
“The vast majority of the GSA’s DHI research work is running participatory design workshops with citizens to learn about their unmet health and care needs and to co-design future services built around their preferences.
“For example, the Backpack project was on display at the Summer Show and run in Moray. We had several posters on display with insight provided by citizens or healthcare professionals which led to innovative change.
“The project we talked about most at the event was our work on the Scottish Government’s Test and Protect programme.
“The DHI led the co-design of three public health services that were used to support Scotland during the pandemic.”
Suraj P Suresh was part of a group of students introduced to SurfABLE – the first fully adaptive and inclusive surf school in Scotland, who provide surfing and swimming lessons for children with or without additional support needs.
He said: “We noticed that a majority of the student surfers were diagnosed within the neurodiversity spectrum. On listing key findings, after talking to various people in the surfing community including surfers, their families, volunteers and coaches, we noticed recurring themes such as communication, personal development, equipment transfers (carrying surfboards from the car park to the beach) and personalisation.
“The intervention we designed consists of a graphic organiser, surfboard bags and rewards.
“This inclusive system has been designed for people diagnosed within the neurodiversity spectrum. Planned surf sessions help them gain independence.
“By refining the surfing system and enabling them to carry their surfboard we can promote independence which in turn offers a better surfing experience.”
He added: “As interaction design students at GSA, we are taught to consider not only the opportunities that designed products or systems provide, but also the space and relationships with people who are affected. It is more like working towards creating an experience that enhances and/or augments the way people work, communicate and interact.”
Many of the students featured live at The Royal Hotel on Tytler Street in Forres during term time.
They are out and about in town but have been spending most of their time up on the GSA campus.
Henrietta said: “I met a super group of three students.
“One completed high school and university in Canada and another did her BA in Montreal, while the third completed high school and his first degree in China.
“We discussed mobility issues and limitations for the elderly.
“There could be much more engagement between the community and these incredibly clever, enterprising, delightful students who are in our midst for a whole year.
“They are leaving Forres at the end of the month for Glasgow student accommodation because further renovation work is due to start at The Royal.
“That will get it ready for the next cohort arriving at the end of August for the 2023-24 academic year.”
