Finnish Graphic Design Student wins RSA Design Directions Competition

  • Image: Esa Matinvesi

    Esa Matinvesi's winning entry combines supermarket car parks, movies and the youth.

    Esa Matinvesi, a Graphic Design student from Central Saint Martins in London, has won the RSA 'Design Directions 2009/10' competition. The winning entry was an innovative idea for supermarket car park usage.

    Whilst searching for an apartment in East London, Matinvesi observed that one of the biggest problems in his community was boredom. As there were not enough activities for young people, kids were forced to hang out outside with nothing to do. He looked into the center of many communities, the local supermarket, to find a solution. The idea of 'P MOVIES' - movie screenings organised by supermarkets for youths in their car parks - was born.

    Each year, a series of industry and trust-sponsored briefs ask design students and recent graduates to propose solutions to social and service issues in contemporary life in the Design Directions competition. Matinvesi took part in the Resourceful Supermarket brief and won the first prize.

    • The basis of my idea was to focus on aspects outside the conventional vision of a supermarket and its products. It was also important for me to address a clear problem and try to find the solution to it. Winning the competition was really a nice surprise considering that I was competing also against postgraduate students, says Esa Matinvesi, first year student on BA Graphic Design at the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London.

    His award, an internship worth £2,500, will give him the chance to work with Springetts brand design consultancy. His work will also be displayed in the RSA Design Directions Online Exhibition.

    The annual design competition is hosted by The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerse (RSA). Over 800 students entered this year's competition and previous winners include Jonathan Ive, designer of the iPod and fashion designer Betty Jackson.

    More info:
    Design Directions
    RSA
    Cenral Saint Martins
    Springetts