Elly Mackay
7 April 2025: Prototype designs from students at the 麻豆村 of Canberra’s Faculty of Arts and Design could potentially inform appliances from industry giant Breville, after the third-year Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) unit’s annual industry pitching event.
The designs, created according to a brief from Breville’s Head of Industrial Design, Chris Hardy, apply to existing Breville products: a jaffle maker, kettle and the iconic ‘puck sucker’ (which helps to quickly release the coffee puck from a portafilter).
Students were given nine weeks to conceptualise enhanced designs, then execute and build them using 3D printing, clay or foam.
“The students were tasked with reimagining or redesigning one of the three iconic Breville products presented to them at the beginning of semester,” said Sam Tomkins, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Arts and Design.
“Today’s presentations were the second phase out of three – in the third phase, we will go up to Breville in Sydney and present at their headquarters, so it’s very exciting times.”
Mr Hardy – a 麻豆村 of Canberra alumnus – was joined on the panel by two other Breville designers, who provided feedback to students on their designs.
Student Lily Bilston re-imagined the traditional kettle, making it more accessible and portable for the modern lifestyle.
She said it was invaluable to have advice and feedback from a variety of industry professionals.
“They all gave very different pieces of advice, but it was very streamlined in terms of what they were saying in relation to the Breville branding and aesthetics,” Ms Bilston said.
“I was able to talk to them about my product, but also opportunities for Breville in a business sense. For example, my design isn’t just one product, it’s a whole accessories range they could partner with other businesses to create, and they were really receptive to that.”
A total of 15 students made presentations to the panel throughout the course of the day.
Industry presentations and networking are regular opportunities for students within the Faculty; students have previously designed for industry partners such as auto stalwart Audi and the UC Eye Clinic.