GEMS Dubai American Academy

Inspired by Industry at GEMS Dubai American Academy

Pertagram Context
Two geometric trophy prototypes, one 3D printed in blue and one digital render in white, showing triangular forms and structural design

Using an Inspired by Industry Context

At GEMS Dubai American Academy, a Year 9 3D Modelling elective has brought design thinking to life through a project inspired by the context, Celebrating Success. Drawing on Pentagram’s design of the UEFA Europa Conference League trophy, the project challenged students to rethink what a trophy can represent, moving beyond decoration to create meaningful, user-centred outcomes.

Laptop displaying a 3D CAD model of a modern abstract trophy design with angular forms

A Real Brief with Purpose

Building on this industry context, students were set a purposeful and locally relevant brief. They were asked to design and prototype a sustainable trophy for the school’s Middle School Sports Awards, with the winning design selected for batch production and presented at the end-of-year ceremony. This real-world outcome gave the project immediate significance, encouraging students to design with a clear audience and purpose in mind.

3D rendered trophy design featuring a curved metallic form mounted on a wooden base, showing a contemporary geometric structure

Starting with Empathy

The project began with an emphasis on empathy and understanding. Rather than jumping straight into design work, students explored what makes a trophy meaningful and how it communicates values such as perseverance, teamwork and identity. They considered the needs and perspectives of different stakeholders, including athletes, staff and the wider school community. This informed the development of individual design briefs, where students identified key constraints such as size, weight, manufacturability and sustainability. A focus on recycled pallet wood for the base introduced ideas of circular design from the outset.

Rows of student-designed 3D printed trophies in black and blue displayed on wooden bases in a classroom workshop setting

Concept to Outcome

Final designs were presented to a panel of staff and students, with the winning concept selected based on its narrative clarity, feasibility, sustainability and overall impact. The chosen design was then batch produced and presented at the Middle School Sports Awards, giving students the valuable experience of seeing their work move from concept to a finished product used in a real setting.