Werkhouse

A weekend design studio experience for young creatives, Werkhouse is now in its fourth year. Set up and run by representatives from some of the South West’s top design agencies, the aim is to question the standard ‘University to placement’ start to a creative career, and give participants a taste of working in a real studio environment.

Held at Bristol’s Taxi Studio, any young designers are free to apply, with a final roster of around 25 being selected. An intensive, frenetic weekend kicks off with a client brief (the last from Microsoft’s brilliant Tafi Makamure) with participants then put into groups and given two days under the guidance of a roving set of design professionals to prepare a presentation of their collective concept. I’ve been involved in helping with the last 2 Werkhouse weekends, and it’s been a blast. Last year’s edition was based around the theme of diversity, with an extra drive to take on more BAME graduates and young designers which led to some insightful group discussions about gender and diversity in the design industry.

…

"My University course didn't give me an idea of what working on a real studio brief would be like”

Maria Centola, Werkhouse 2017 participant

…

Isolating a load of design professionals together with a group of graduates in a bubble of creativity for 48 hours is a fascinating and hugely rewarding experience - for the CD’s as much as the students. The work is done almost entirely using scamps and post-its stuck to the walls, with a screen free, ideas focussed work process. A brilliant initiative to be involved in, the fourth Werkhouse 2020 will be running in June. More about werkhouse can be found here.

‘Team Pink’ smashing it - Werkhouse #2