Skip to main content

Brunel students design winning sculptures for Coca-Cola European headquarters

Social Work MSc frequently asked questions

Three designs by students from Brunel University's School of Engineering and Design have been commissioned by Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd (CCE) as installations for their offices in the UK.

CCE, which manufactures, sells and distributes soft drinks, commissioned postgraduate design students to create an installation for the forecourt of their new British and European headquarters in Bakers Road, Uxbridge, that reflected the company’s values.

On receiving designs by three teams of Master's degree students who had made it to the final shortlist, the CCE judging panel felt unable to choose the best of the proposed installations - instead, they accepted all three, with plans to erect one in Uxbridge and two at other CCE locations in the UK.

Brunel course leader Stephen Green, said: “We’ve been massively impressed with CCE’s commitment to sustainable design and working with the next generation of designers. Working in a professional context has been an invaluable learning experience for our students.”

The three designs are:

  • an abstract ribbon-shaped stainless steel sculpture, The Happiness Tree, shaped to echo CCE’s logo and covered in Boston ivy, a plant whose leaves change colour in different seasons;
  • a sustainable timber tree-shaped installation, Mutation, that looks different from various angles;
  • a tempered glass and acrylic tree-shaped design, Bubbles, that visually imitates bubbles rising from a bottle. Solar panels on top of the sculpture will mean that the installation will light up at night.

Julian Hunt, Vice President Public Affairs and Communications for CCE GB, said: “This design project brings together two key focus areas for CCE – sustainability, and supporting young people. The judging panel were overwhelmed by the students’ quality of work, the considerations around the use of materials and the way that each team reflected our values and vision. It was clear that all three shortlisted creations should be brought to life, and we are looking forward to continuing to work with the Brunel team to turn this into a reality.”