July 2012 For immediate release

International spotlight for design class of 2012

Ten top interior design students from Leeds Metropolitan University have been selected to showcase their final year projects at an international exhibition in London. Free Range the UKs largest art, design and fashion show - will exhibit their work from 12-16 July at the Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane, London. The show is considered the countrys number one platform and launch pad for creatives looking to make an impact on their chosen art discipline.

This is the third year that Leeds Metropolitan has taken part in the exhibition.

Andrew Herbert, graduating from Leeds Met this summer in Interior Design and winner of the Deans Prize for Academic Achievement, said he was looking forward to seeing what opportunities the Free Range exhibition would bring.

The idea for his design project, Northern Light - Memorial to societies forgotten - which will be on display next week, came to him after he discovered Section 46 of the Public Health (Control of Diseases) Act 1984 during his research. That legislation deals with the process of what happens to people who die and have no friends and family, explained Andrew. I found the whole thing very sad, particularly that human life can be so disposable. So I came up with the design of a site of two halves. One half provides sensitive funerals for

those who otherwise would have required a paupers funeral under the 1984 Act. The second half provides a memorial to finally celebrate the lives of those forgotten by society and inspire those who visit to reconsider ways in which they can live a better life and include those at the periphery of society.

Andrew will also be giving a presentation during Intervene - an event hosted by Pecha Kucha Leeds at Free Range between 7-9pm on Monday 16 July and organised by Leeds Metropolitan University BA Hons Interior Architecture Design lecturer, Peter Dixon.

Course Leader, Julie MacDermott, said that all ten students are due to graduate later this month with first class honours and will be exhibiting under the banner of Interior Educators at Free Range. We are very proud of our students the standard of their work is extremely high, she commented. For the last two years Leeds Met students have won prizes at the event and other graduates have been key speakers alongside some of our alumni and other well-known architects and designers. We are delighted to be exhibiting at Free Range again and are confident that our students have what it takes to scoop awards and make it a hat trick for Leeds Metropolitan. The exhibition truly is a platform like no other for our soon-to-be graduates to make their mark and be noticed by the industry people that matter the most.

There will be 438 students from 28 UK Interiors degree courses are exhibiting next week at Free Range. Following a review of the students work by a number of high profile judges the prize-giving will take place at the Pecha Kucha event at 8pm on 16 July.

The Interior Educators exhibition will run from 12-16 July. Opening hours will be Friday - Sunday 10am -7pm and Monday 10am - 9pm.

Ends

For further details please contact Julia Williams in the Communications team at Leeds Met on 0113 8125978 or email j.t.williams@leedsmet.ac.uk

Notes for editors: Leeds Metropolitan University has over 25,000 students and around 3,000 staff. The Vice Chancellor of Leeds Metropolitan University is Professor Susan Price and the Chair of the Board is Lord Woolmer of Leeds. Leeds Metropolitans four faculties are: Arts, Environment and Technology, Business & Law, Health and Social Sciences, and Carnegie. Leeds Metropolitans heritage can be traced back to the founding of the Mechanics Institute in Leeds in 1824. International students rated the University top in the UK for language support, accommodation quality and learning spaces in the 2010 Autumn Wave of the International Student Barometer and sixth in the world for the quality of its lectures. We have over 1,500 international students from 122 countries around the globe. The Universitys award-winning learning environments include

Broadcasting Place, which was voted the best tall building in the world in 2010 by the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) and also winner of the 2010 Leeds Architecture Awards New Building category.