When budding designers find their voice
Situated in the picturesque foothills of the Western Ghats - FLAME University feels more like a creative refuge, and less like a campus. In a world, where design schools are mushrooming faster than Gen Z’s Instagram reels, the design department at FLAME isn’t about flimsy trends - it’s a well-thought-out curriculum that equips students to solve real-world problems with depth and lasting impact.
Their admission process for aspiring designers is equally distinctive. Twice a year, the design department hosts a “Creative-Crossover” week, inviting prospective students to campus for hands-on activities that challenge thinking and build connections. This process helps students discover if the program fits their aspirations while giving faculty a glimpse into their potential - a two-way journey of discovery.
During the “Creative-Crossover” week, I’m always summoned to facilitate LSP workshops. When I first asked about the objectives of the workshops, they never defined one. The brief was refreshingly simple - they believe in the inherent power of LEGO® and trust that the students would enjoy and gain something meaningful from the experience. So, for a facilitator, it’s an open playground to experiment. With Gen Z’s love for instant gratification and LSP’s snap, build, and share - it’s a match made in heaven! Each workshop consists of 20–22 participants and lasts for 2.5 hours, but if the group is large, I split them into two smaller groups and run two separate 2.5-hour sessions.
These young minds mostly have grown up with LEGO®. They are familiar with the bricks, but to them, LEGO® is simply a block for ‘seeing and building’. They never envisioned it as a channel for expression or a window into their goals.
The Roadmap
I design each workshop differently aligned with LSP’s purpose: nurturing reflection and letting participants uncover their own answers. Open-ended building challenges and reflective questions using models as a mirror for thoughts, dreams, and fears resonate with this generation, who are all about self-expression. They naturally slide into a flow state.
My goals are to understand — what brings these students here. Are they genuinely passionate about design or simply jumping on the bandwagon, thinking it’s the “cool” thing to study? What does design mean to them — what excites them about the process? What kind of impact do they hope to make as designers? As a facilitator, my aim is also to create a safe space where they can express themselves.
The Headway
I typically start with the duck challenge — the first breakthrough always happens during this challenge. Many are nervous, freshly out of school, and have traveled far from home for the first time — the fear of judgment is palpable. And let’s not forget Gen Z’s competitive streak — I can practically see them side-eyeing each other’s ducks, trying to out-duck the next person. I tell them, “There’s no such thing as a perfect duck — it’s your duck, you own it. Every duck is unique, just like you.” Once they realize it’s all about owning your creation, they overcome the fear of judgment and the pressure to be perfect. The magic starts to unfold.
As we move through skill-building, everyone builds, everyone shares, and during the individual builds, the stories evolve.
Building dreams, Breaking walls
Each workshop is unique.
In one workshop, I asked — “build a model to tell the story of what led you to travel to FLAME University for this cross-cultural week.”
One participant created a robot-like model (fig.1) in dark colors and shared, “For years, I felt like a robot at school — just following orders, with no room for color in my life.” Then, she added wheels to its legs and said, “Finally, I’m free to move and explore.”
Another participant created a vertical structure,(fig.2) “The door on top symbolizes the opportunities even if there are uncertainties beyond it. The figure symbolizes me — excited, hopeful, and eager to connect with people from different cultures — while the tyres reflect my readiness to move forward.”
Another one explained her model ( fig 3) “This white figure is me — a blank slate, stepping through the arch of endless possibilities. The fire’s lit represents FLAME and I’m ready to grow, glow, and design my life.”
Wanting to know whether they study design out of genuine curiosity or trend appeal, I often ask, “Build a model to tell a story about what design means to you?” And true to LSP, every answer has been a unique masterpiece.
One participant built a pink heart (fig.4 ) and said, “Design is love. I love designing, so I made a heart!” Another built a model with many eyes(fig.5 ), “Design is all about giving and adding life to something.” Another participant’s model (fig.6 ) had a circle of green bricks with propellers in the center, explaining, “Design is like nature, constantly evolving” pointing to the propellers. Yet another model (fig.7 ) broke stereotypes, with the creator saying, “Design is about breaking stereotypes and building new beliefs for new people”.
Each perspective made me, as a designer, pause and reflect.
In the recent workshop, I decided to tap into Gen Z’s entrepreneurial spirit while challenging their love for working independently. Each participant began by building a model of their ideal design agency with all the hallmarks of their startup-savvy, AI-obsessed, and sustainability-driven minds. Then came the twist; they had to merge their agencies with others to create one shared model, where everyone is a stakeholder in the final agency. Each participant was asked to place a red brick on the most critical attribute of their agency — the one element they wished to preserve in the shared vision.
As they placed it carefully in their models, I could see the struggle on their faces. I explained “The red brick represents the idea or concept that remains non-negotiable for you. In return, you commit to the red bricks of others, making everyone a stakeholder in the unified agency.” Though they had expected their solo agency to stay intact, they realized this art of collaboration. The exercise was about balancing personal ambition with the necessity of teamwork. They learned that it’s not about reaching a consensus — it’s about commitment.
To effectively engage Gen Z in workshops, facilitators must exhibit high energy, awareness, and empathy. This generation prioritizes safety, inclusivity, and trust, so creating a supportive environment is crucial. LSP is known for building such safe spaces, but the facilitators need to be sensitive to their needs and build a rapport to encourage open sharing.
Every workshop with these young minds has made me feel wholesome. Some kids may pursue design, while others may venture elsewhere, but I’m certain they all leave with something meaningful. In a world of TikTok trends, perfect selfies, and constant validations, they find a rare space to just be themselves - sharing their thoughts, letting go of burdens, and reconnecting with self. After the workshop, when they come to me and say, “I never thought LEGO® could be so liberating,” or simply, “It helped,” it’s like a small, unspoken victory.
For me, these kids are not just future designers; they’re young souls learning to design a future that is authentically theirs’ and not defined by any trends.
Manali Mitra is the Founder and Chief Facilitator of BlockstoUnblock Studio LLP
Connect with her on LinkedIn
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