An industry-led design training weekend to give young designers an insight into life in a design studio, working with a live brief from a local charity.

We recently completed our 5th werkhouse weekend. Little did we think when we first started in 2017 that it would still be going so many years later. This year we had over 21 design professionals working with 35 young designers, working on a creative brief set by Penny Brohn UK.

Run by volunteers from the local creative community, including creative directors, agency owners, designers, project managers, writers and illustrators to name just a few, it is a deep dive into working as a team to develop and share ideas. It’s intensive, inspiring and great fun.

While it was originally set up to help younger designers and those going into the creative industry, it’s also an opportunity for the professionals to work alongside and learn from one another.

So, how does it work?

Werkhouse 2022 - Intensive, Inspiring and Great Fun

Before the weekend

With anything like this, being organised makes a big difference. Six months before the weekend, the planning starts. Booking in the studio and the date, starting conversations with volunteers and sounding out potential clients for the brief. The last few years we’ve been fortunate to find a local charity to work with us.

As many participants are from university, a weekend in June or November seems to work well. But we are always keen to involve people from different backgrounds and from across the country. Bringing everyone together is important and this year a What’s App group helped participants get to know one another before we started. A series of instagram live interviews, with various professionals taking part, helped everyone get to know one another, making it much easier when we all finally arrived for the weekend.

A large studio space with plenty of space for each team and group gatherings makes a big difference and all the little touches make everything go smoothly – from colour-coded lanyards to posters around the studio showing what happens when on each day. Food and drink is provided throughout both days. The only thing we ask of the participants is to organise accommodation and turn up ready for getting stuck in to the weekend.

Day 1

Saturday morning, 8.30am breakfast, then introductions and the briefing from the client. After the team leaders have had time to settle with their team, the client is taken around each team for them to ask more questions – much easier when not in front of such a large group.

In a few short hours the team leaders work with their team to question the brief, generate ideas and start editing down to a single core idea or approach by the end of the day, supported by the creative directors who take it in turns to spend 30 minutes with each team. Throughout the weekend we all check-in with one another to see how the teams were doing. As with any design project there are ups and downs – this check-in helps ensure each team is on track and everyone in each group is OK.

At 4.30pm we have a group discussion, each year on a different topic. This year, in light of the brief, it was on health and wellbeing in the design workplace. An opportunity for us to share our thoughts and ideas for a better work/life balance.

Day two

Sunday morning. After a quick check in at 9am the teams gather again for reviewing the ideas. After a good nights sleep, it’s about checking everyone is still happy with the idea and then seeing how it could develop across different channels. What’s the elevator pitch? Does it still fit the brief? How can we present it? As the morning progresses, after much drawing and writing, the presentations take shape. This is not about detailed typography – it’s all about key messages and hand drawn visuals – the simplest way to get across the idea.

At 2pm we get everyone back together to share another side of running a design studio and the importance of project managers and account handlers. This year we were also able to discuss the support of specialist recruitment firms. All things many young designers are not aware of – potential careers and support.

Sunday afternoon. 2.30pm. Time for presentations. To the whole group. I’m always surprised at how well the teams deliver not only great ideas, but present them to a crowd of 50+ people. Maybe it’s because we spend the weekend together and start getting to know one another and feel more comfortable? Six great presentations, full of ideas. The client was delighted.

Once we had cleared up, had a few beers and said our goodbyes it was 6pm and time to go. The end of another wonderful werkhouse weekend.

With massive thanks for creating such a great 2022 werkhouse…

To the Designers and Creative Directors for their professionalism and encouragement: Jamie Quantrill at Taxi Studio; James Giles and David Beavis at Sunhouse Creative; Nathan Crosby at Mr B and Friends; Sarah Clackson at Home; Phil Jansseune at Walker Jansseune; Tara Parashar at Enviral; Kesia Hemming at Halo; Stuart O’Neill and Tom Price at Diva; and Tim Miness and Leah Davis at Osborne Pike

For their fantastic copy skills: Kendra Futcher at Writing &Thinking and Sam Davies at Proctor + Stevenson.

To Julian Love and Nick Smith for the photography.

For helping pull it together and make it go so smoothly: Kate Strudwick, Hannah Lee, Jess Knights and Karen Cording.

To fellow co-founders and amazing organisers: Lynne Elvins and Kate Lenton – as ever, a real pleasure working alongside you bringing this idea to life once again.

To Penny Brohn UK for giving us a great brief to work with and such fantastic feedback at the presentations.

For giving us the space and support for the weekend: Taxi Studio – Tilly Rose Scott, Lydia Eddings and the Taxi team.

Tim Duncan and Yana Mmiladinova at TDC PR for raising the workhouse profile.

Mark Trist for his recruitment advice.

And Bristol Wing for the accommodation.

You can watch a film and find out more about werkhouse here.