Through collaboration between RADO, BlackBerry and the Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCADU), third-year Industrial Design students were invited to explore the concepts of time and communication by two future-orientated and iconic brands. Results of a semester-long course, mentored by marketing experts from RADO and designers from BlackBerry, were showcased at the RADO Exhibit at the Interior Design Show 2012.
RADO and BlackBerry joined forces in this initiative as a result of their shared commitment to supporting young design talent through education and real-world experience. Participants designed and developed a concept for future products (excluding watches and smartphones), service, item of packaging, constructed environment or other medium, which reflects an innovative spirit, and the unique expression of both brands combined. The students were encouraged to push the boundaries of time, communication, mobility and luxury. The project presented an excellent opportunity to design for a global audience, guided and coached by design experts from RADO and BlackBerry.
This opportunity provided by BlackBerry and RADO exemplifies the drive in OCADU to give industrial design students the opportunity to work with “real world” clients, to imagine what the future might look like, and to demonstrate what the next generation of great Canadian designers can do” says Julian Goss, assistant professor at OCADU.
Todd Wood, senior VP of Design at Research In Motion, adds, “We’re incredibly proud of the results the students were able to achieve, and our collaboration with RADO has been a rewarding experience. Supporting design education is extremely important and is mutually beneficial for our designers as well as the students involved.”