School pupils from two city schools have visited Robert Gordon University (RGU) this week to test playable structures being designed for the upcoming Look Again Visual Art and Design Festival.
The team behind the popular Look Again festival have partnered with the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Build Environment, where 12 students are designing prototype playable structures.
These structures are being produced by digital technologies and are in fitting with this year’s Look Again theme of ‘Serious Play’ for Scotland’s Year of Young People.
Pupils from Kaimhill Primary and Bridge of Don Academy have been spending time with the architecture students to share their ideas throughout the process and test the playability of each prototype.
Theo Dounas, learning excellence leader at the Scott Sutherland School, said: “We have welcomed the opportunity Look Again has offered to collaborate with Kaimhill Primary and Bridge of Don Academy.
“Our final year students have shown flair and creativity in designing for such demanding clients as children. We look forward to constructing our prototype, which has been designed and tested using state of the art digital technologies, and releasing it as a space for play in the city of Aberdeen.”
Once a final model has been selected, it will be fully produced and shown in the city centre as part of Look Again, as well as being displayed on RGU’s campus as part of the Festival of Museums in May.
This is the fourth annual Look Again Festival, which is delivered through a close-knit partnership between Robert Gordon University and SMART art agency. Its aim is to make the familiar unfamiliar and to reinvigorate the creative economy in the North-east.
Hilary Nicoll, associate director of the Look Again Festival, said: “Once again, we have an amazing line up for Look Again this year and the ‘Serious Play’ theme has really brought out the best of people’s creativity.
“Supporting emerging creative talent and helping them stay and work in the north-east is a founding principle of the festival, so it has been fantastic to work with the students in the Scott Sutherland School as part of this playable structures elective.
“Having the input of young people from Kaimhill and Bridge of Don was a great added bonus, which helped us really tie into the Year of Young People aspect. I’d like to thank Creative Learning at Aberdeen City Council for all of their support working with ourselves and the schools.”