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Art students design the coffins of the future

Date: 11th April 2011
  • Coffins designs One of the many coffin designs
  • Coffin designs One of the many coffin designs
  • Coffin design Some of the many coffin designs
  • Coffin design One of the many coffin designs
  • Coffin design One of the many coffin designs
  • Coffin design One of the many coffin designs
  • Coffin design The winning coffin design
  • Jordan Brown Overall winner, Jordan Brown
  • The winner and runners up From left to right: Jordan Brown, Rowena Bay, Stevie Ferrett and Sam Downie
  • Coffin design winners The winners with Funeral Director, Martin Fumagall and Carol and Rachel from NCFE

Petroc’s Extended Diploma in Art and Design students were given an unusual creative brief when they were asked by Youings Funeral Directors of Barnstaple to create a design for a coffin.

Martin Fumagall from Youings approached the College with the idea, after it was successfully trialled in Bridgewater six months earlier.

“We are part of the Co-Operative so it’s in our ethos to help the youth and we were really pleased that the College were interested in the project as the youngsters often get forgotten about,” said Martin.

The students’ enthusiasm for the unusual project led them to approach awarding body NCFE, who, after hearing their pitch, arranged for the work created through the project to go towards an NCFE Certificate in Creative Craft Art and Design Level 3. As such, the students benefited from gaining a further qualification within their Extended Diploma.

The 50 students all invested a lot of time and thought into their design to ensure it met the brief of being compassionate and yet able to appeal to the commercial market. They constructed miniature models of their designs, resulting in some incredibly innovative and unusual designs including Where’s Wally, a tub of pick and mix and the yellow brick road from the film The Wizard of Oz.

The variation and skill put into the designs made it an extremely difficult task for the five judges, who included representatives from Petroc as well as Funeral Director, Martin.

The designs were judged against five criteria including originality and commercial viability and the winner and runners-up were announced at Youings Funeral Directors on Wednesday 6 April.

The runners-up were Sam Downie, 16; Jordan Brown, 19; Rowena Bay, 17; and Stevie Ferrett, 16.

Jordan Brown gave a humble acceptance speech after his entry was unveiled as the overall winning design.

“It’s really great to have won because of how good everyone’s design was and how much effort had been put in,” said Jordon.

Jordan’s design symbolised the coffin being posted to heaven and even included a stamp and address.

“I hand drew the label and ripped it to make it look worn and then tied string around it. I would like to go into this sort of commercial design after I’ve finished at College.”

Jordan was presented with an iPod from Youings and the runners-up received iTunes vouchers.

“We have been really impressed with the students and the designs have been excellent,” said Martin. “I have approached a coffin manufacturing company about the possibility of making the winning design into a life size coffin.”

A number of the designs will now be used in a window display at Youings Funeral Directors in Bear Street, Barnstaple.

If you are interested in art and design courses at Petroc, contact our Guidance Centre on 01271 338125.

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