FIRA student receives 1st class honours.
Adrian Hodder, a Product Design degree student from Knebworth, who spent his placement year working with Stevenage-based FIRA International, has received first-class honours for his studies, as well as a collection of prestigious awards for his final project.
Adrian, who completed his degree at Brunel University, spent a year working at FIRA International, assisting FIRA Ergonomics expert Levent Çaglar.
His award-winning final project involved the design of a school chair designed to adjust quickly and easily to fit students with different heights. Adrian was awarded the Graham Hawkes Prize for Best Final Year Project within the design area and the Undergraduate University Prize for Best Project.
Speaking of his design, Adrian said, "Following the work already undertaken by Levent on the 'Safe Seats for Learning' campaign , I was made more aware of how students grow at different speeds and how the current 'one size fits all' chairs used in schools resulted in an uncomfortable learning environment, with negative health impacts for students. My project involved a solution that allows student to quickly adjust the chair by moving the key dimensions in one smooth motion."
Although Adrian's chair was designed with secondary school students in mind, it is hoped that the chair can also be developed as an office chair.
Commenting, Levent Çaglar, Chief of Ergonomics at FIRA International said, "The simplicity of Adrian's design is the beauty of it. I believe this design fulfils a need in the school furniture market by providing a full adjustability chair at an affordable price. It is feasible to turn this design into a product which is fit-for-purpose and is not very expensive for schools and colleges to purchase. This design is suitable for commercialisation and has been designed to meet the requirements of the British Standard for school furniture at the FIRA furniture testing centre."
Recently, Adrian presented his chair design to Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Furniture Group and MP for Stevenage, Stephen McPartland. Commenting on the chair, Stephen McPartland MP said, "Adrian's achievements show how well a good work placement can bring out the very best in students. I am sure that Adrian has a very bright future ahead of him and I wish him well and hope to hear more about how the product can be taken to market."
Adrian has returned to work with the FIRA Ergonomics department whilst he searches for a full-time role in product design.
