Ad Gefrin design challenge

Overview

Rural Design Centre's design challenges focus on creating opportunities for artists, creatives, and artisan businesses to work with commissioning companies in a structured, supportive, and positive way.

It all starts with a brief that outlines the needs of the commissioning company or sponsor. They are typically looking for creative solutions that bring an innovative offering that they would have not yet considered.

The design challenge methodology lasts approximately six months and follows this process:

Establishment of an agreed brief.
Launch, registration, and briefing sessions.
Three face-to-face workshops with participants following a 'discover, define, develop' framework.

Visit Rural Design Centre

Our offer

The Rural Design Centre and Ad Gefrin partnered to support Northumberland's creative businesses in developing innovative products. They were provided with business insights, grants, and the opportunity to pitch products for sale at Ad Gefrin's new visitor destination. The goal was to showcase Northumberland's creative talent and promote the region's unique identity.

Ad Gefrin is a new visitor attraction and distillery that opened in autumn 2022 in Wooler, Northumberland. This state-of-the-art facility offers an immersive historical experience, exploring the Golden Age of Northumbria. Visitors can delve into the region's rich history, culture, and craftsmanship.

The distillery produces England's first Northumbrian whisky in over 200 years. The whisky, along with other local products, are available for purchase at the on-site shop.

The project aimed to support local businesses and showcase the region's creativity and innovation. A design challenge was launched to find talented designers to create unique giftware inspired by Northumbrian culture to sell in the shop.

Eileen Ferguson, Co-Founder of Ad Gefrin, said:

“The creative design challenge has more than fulfilled expectations and this is far from the end. Discovering the strength and diversity of the creative businesses we have in Northumberland has been a revelation. Ad Gefrin will be a destination like no other and at every step we will celebrate the best of Northumberland, and the work of all these artists does just that. We have formed strong relationships with all involved and we very much look forward to working with them.”

Key challenges

Ad Gefrin was an emerging project, with the distillery being built as the design challenge was happening. They were developing their customer proposition in parallel which meant the design challenge participants were part of that process – the brief was developing in flight.

Key successes

19 companies came forward and RDC ran held workshops to help the applicants generate ideas, test different concepts, and bring them to fruition. The quality standard was very high, and three outstanding proposals were selected to take forward – Ravn Clay, Whistlebare Yarns and Joseph Hillier.

Key partners involved

Our USP

The methodology is versatile, nurturing, and intensive however RDC's design thinking team can deploy and adapt the method as needed, highlighting the value of combined skills in design, coaching, and project management.

Top tips

Buy in from main stakeholder
Clear brief
Structure

Future plans

Find out more about the process and winner

https://adgefrin.co.uk/news/creative-design-challenge-winners-announced

https://adgefrin.co.uk/news/ad-gefrin-design-challenge-aimed-at-creative-northumberland-businesses

Contact details:

nick.devitt@ruraldesigncentre.com