A bee house design, by a De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) Nigerian graduate, has won a British Council competition in Korea.
The work of Product Design graduate Balikis Abale was displayed as part of a Digital Gallery event for three weeks online, with members of the public voting for a winner on social media.
Balikis, whose design was in response to the importance of bees for food pollination and biodiversity, said: “It feels incredible and an honour to be voted as the winner.”
For the competition entry, Balikis created an eco-friendly bee-house with red cedar nesting trays, designed to home solitary bees in an urban environment, by recreating their natural environment.
Talking about where her idea for the bee house came from, she said: “The name and aesthetic lines used for the Pagoda Bee House are inspired by the famous temples.”
Allowing users to observe, count and monitor bees, Balikis added: “My aim was not to only design a product that would look good.
“In fact, the roof allows the daylight to shine to the back of the house, where a light sensor is located. And a LCD screen on the side wall of the house displays the number of bees that are occupying the cavities.”
About her time at DMU, she said: “DMU was a brilliant journey with many great opportunities through the course.
“It is a great multicultural university and I feel fortunate I have studied here in Leicester. The tutors were easy to contact, to talk with and always open to discuss your ideas.”
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Continuing, Balikis said: “I was interested in completing my degree in a highly influential university that has a great network and many collaborations with companies.”
When asked what she would say to a student thinking of studying at DMU, she said: “De Montfort University will exceed your expectations. There will be great opportunities along your journey, the staff are helpful for every project and there are great facilities.
“If I would go back in time I would choose DMU again.”
Echoing the truly global outlook which DMU is proud of, Balikis was born in Nigeria, grew up in Italy and then came to the UK to continue her studies.
In her DMU bio, Balikis describes how her own international experience has influenced her: “My work is inspired by my African heritage mixed with Italian style influences, art, architecture, engineering and nature.”
Planning on opening her own design studio in a few years’ time, she said: “I was determined to become a product designer. I wanted to study in an English university where I would meet many people from different countries and exchange knowledge and experiences.”
Posted on Tuesday 12 July 2016