Berlin Design & Technology students explore design through history and innovation 

During October half term, pupils from Years 11–13 travelled to Berlin for a three-day exploration of design and technology in one of Europe’s most progressive cities. 

A guided walking tour set the historical context for the visit, tracing Berlin’s remarkable transformation across the last century. Later, pupils took in panoramic views from the Fernsehturm (TV Tower) and began to appreciate how modern Berlin fuses function with form, a theme that ran through the trip. At the Braun Design Museum, they examined how minimalist, user-centred designs shaped many of the twentieth century’s most influential products. 

A day trip to Wolfsburg provided a different perspective: at Volkswagen’s Autostadt, engineers explained how materials are modified to improve their properties and how just-in-time manufacturing techniques maximise efficiency and minimise waste. The nearby Phaeno Science Centre, designed by Zaha Hadid, offered interactive experiments demonstrating key physical phenomena, while the German Museum of Technology in Berlin showed how those same scientific principles have evolved over two centuries of transport innovation — from early boats to modern jet aircraft. 

The group also found time to enjoy Berlin’s street-food culture and unwind together in the evenings. A spirited bowling competition brought proceedings to a close, with Miss Kurth proving unbeatable and claiming a well-deserved victory to end an inspiring and memorable trip.