News

Vehicles of a Possible Future

28 February 2017

Last November, thirteen Year 13 engineering students from local schools visited the museum to take inspiration from the collections on display and to create designs for their own ‘vehicles of a possible future’. This was an opportunity to explore creative approaches to problem solving and work with a professional artist, Jasleen Kaur. These new ideas and experiences have complemented their school project brief from Tata motors, (which is to redesign the front of a car to incorporate a new type of headlight).

a group of students around a table of craft items

During the first day the students discussed problems that affect us locally (in our street) and globally (as a country or race) and then worked in collage (using Argos catalogues) to design a vehicle that might solve or alleviate one of these problems. They explored the museum's galleries to consider examples of innovative design and how the vehicles met social needs. On day two the students collaboratively developed their designs and built prototypes. The day finished with 'Dragon's Den' style presentations of their prototypes to the rest of the group.

a prototype made from cardboard, tape and pipecleaners prototype made from sponge and scoop and pipecleaners

Student feedback at the end of the project reflects their enjoyment of the project:

‘It has broadened my mind in terms of designing’
‘I enjoyed working on something new, I enjoyed working on different ideas and how I developed them into a final product’
‘Really liked trying to think creatively without being prevented by practicality’
‘I feel that when I am generating ideas I’m not constricted by the first thing I came up with. And I feel that this feels less constricted than normal ideas generation.’

The project culminated in a celebration in February at WMG Academy of Young Engineers, attended by students, parents, teachers and the V&A (the museum partner to Coventry Transport Museum for the project).