Birmingham has become the latest city to join a global network of design and digital consultancies set up to solve real-world challenges through effective problem solving. Design Factory Birmingham will be based at Aston University, one of just two hubs in the UK outside of London.
The city officially joined the Design Factory Global Network on 14 February and as a result, Aston University will open the doors to its state-of-the-art facilities to other organisations.
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Shared understanding and common ways of working enable the Design Factories to collaborate efficiently across cultures, time zones and organisational boundaries, with the aim of fostering radical innovations. There are currently 39 innovation hubs in 25 countries based in universities and research organisations.
Businesses, industry partners, entrepreneurs, staff and students will be able to collaborate on projects that will involve technologies such as 3D printers and design software. The university will be sharing its expertise in artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing, data science and web, app and graphic design to boost the local economy.
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The Birmingham Design Factory will include a space named after the late Dame Margaret Weston, former director of the Science Museum. Dame Margaret had studied electrical engineering at one of Aston University’s predecessor institutions and went on to be the first woman appointed to lead a national museum. She left a generous gift to Aston University in her will, which will be commemorated in the Birmingham Design Factory in honour of her engineering background.
‘The Design Factory Birmingham is another key milestone in our ambition to be a leader in science, technology, and innovation, driving socio-economic transformation in our city and region,’ said the vice-chancellor and chief executive of Aston University, Professor Aleks Subic. ‘It is important to the Midlands because it will make a direct contribution to innovation-led growth in partnership with industry and businesses. However, this is not only a local launch but also a global launch as Design Factory Birmingham is a global innovation hub, and an integral part of the Design Factory Global Network, involving 39 innovation hubs around the world.’
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‘I am delighted to welcome Aston University as our latest member,’ said the head of the Design Factory Global Network, Felipe Gárate from Aalto University in Helsinki, Finland. ‘We are on a mission to create change in the world of learning and research through passion-based culture and effective problem solving.’
The launch event was used to showcase design projects that are already running and companies attending were given the chance to meet placement students who could boost their existing expertise.
‘This unique space on campus will bring together multi-disciplinary teams of hands-on innovators, collaborative thinkers and creators,’ said associate pro-vice-chancellor and deputy head of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences Professor Tony Clarke. ‘We will be delivering a wide range of services, including software application development, product design, creating protypes using a variety of technologies including laser and water cutting, and digital and design training courses, and helping companies obtain innovation grants for projects.’
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As a member of the global network, the Birmingham Design Factory at Aston University will participate in two global design challenges – one run by McDonalds and the other run by the Ford Motor Company.