‘Aqua Tower’ wins Hiscox design competition

A SUSTAINABLE ‘aquaponic’ meeting point designed by a York St John University product design graduate has been named as the winner of the Hiscox ‘Tomorrow’s Workplace’ design competition and earned a place in the new Hiscox office building in York.

Tomorrow’s Workplace gave ten York St John University design students and five psychology students the opportunity to pitch product or environment design ideas that could be displayed or used in Hiscox’s new landmark building in the city, which will open in 2015.

The ‘Aqua Tower’ concept, designed by Andrew Cannon, was announced as competition winner by Robert Hiscox, honorary president of Hiscox, at a celebration event last week.

Aqua Tower is a 5ft aquaponic planting tower incorporating individual tiers of plants and vegetables along with a fish tank which is instrumental in sustaining the plant growth.

Cannon, who graduated this month, said: “The Aqua Tower aims to bring nature indoors to give a focal point where staff can meet and cultivate the plants whilst sharing business thoughts and ideas. The system works by pumping nutrients from the fish waste up from the bottom tier to feed the plants in the upper tiers.

“I used principles from my dissertation about how design of the future will bring outside elements inside to create better indoor environments. I am very excited to have won and am really looking forward to working with the Hiscox team to develop the product.”

Concepts were judged against strict criteria by the Hiscox Design Team, which included representatives from Make architects, Vitra furniture designers, York St John University, Hiscox, PTS Consultancy, Chapman BDSP, Arup, The Brand Experience consultant, City of York Council and CBRE.

Cannon will now work with Hiscox’s design partners to develop the concept that will be utilised in the new Hiscox office building.