Two Auckland University of Technology graphic design students have become the first university students to win the prestigious Graphic Design Ambassador Award. Two Auckland University of Technology graphic design students have become the first university students to win the prestigious Graphic Design Ambassador Award.Renee Savidan and Richard Price are celebrating their success as Graphic Design Ambassadors of the year. The pair will represent the New Zealand design profession while visiting the United Kingdom as part of their prize.

Winning one of the most prestigious awards for young designers in the industry has left Renee and Richard still in shock. "We didn't expect to win at all. We were just pleased to be two of the four finalists," says Renee.

The award, offered by the British Council New Zealand, the Designers Institute of New Zealand and ProDesign offers great prizes including a return trip to the UK for a design related programme, NZ$3,000 towards accommodation, and the opportunity to visit a number of top British design houses. The winners are also included on the D&AD Getty Images Bloodbank database of the very best new creative talent from around the globe.

For Renee it feels like she has won a career. The pair worked really hard on their three-year degree and Richard says, "Holidays were few and far between! But we've learned from this experience that when you work really hard and stay focused, in the end, it's all worth it".

Renee and Richard, who will graduate with a Bachelor of Graphic Design from the University in April this year, decided to send their portfolios while they were still studying after their tutors at AUT heard about the competition and encouraged them to enter. Their winning entry was a joint graduate project titled "N-Said: Writing the New Zealand Dialect" in which the students created a new typeface for the kiwi dialect.

The graduate brief was to create a research project that offers the industry new knowledge and to spend a minimum of 600 hours each on developing the idea. Renee and Richard spent a lot more.

Delighted tutor, Peter Gilderdale, is very happy for his students. "It is quite an achievement as entries for the competition also come from those who have been working for up to five years in the industry," he says.

Both Renee and Richard now work for Metromedia as graphic designers and are thoroughly enjoying their work in the industry.

"We are both looking for ways to be innovative, because when you do something that the world hasn't seen before, like N-Said, not only do you gain recognition from others in the industry (which is great when your trying to break in), you also re-establish your love for your chosen career," says Renee.

For more information please contact:
Peter Gilderdale
Programme Leader and Principal Lecturer -
School of Art and Design
Phone: (09) 917 9999 ext. 8017.
Photos available.