London is blown away by UCL Festival of Stuff

There was something in the air at this year’s UCL Festival of Stuff as visitors explored the theme of wind from every direction. Whether riding in a hovercraft or learning about hot air balloons, visitors were blown away by airy activities including everything from propellers and pan pipes to whistling, stencilling, printing and pizza dough.

The free Saturday Extravaganza event, hosted on our UCL East campus for a second year by the UCL Institute of Making, took audiences by storm with its breathtaking combination of curiosity in the science of materials and the sheer joy of simply making stuff. There was even a chance to create that swept look for the catwalk with some wind assisted photography.

The tsunami of experiences included toasting a tasty treat with a propane burner blow torch.

Refreshing flavours were available to inhale and explore in the form of Atomizer Spritz Lemonade.

Ropemaking was a real twister.

Wind of a very different kind springs to mind with The Big Toilet Project – serious research aiming to reduce the 300,000 disposable nappies sent to landfill or incineration every minute on Earth.

With an opportunity for even bigger, better things to follow next year as UCL celebrates its 200^th birthday and looks to the future of making and stuff into the next century, make sure you join the UCL Institute of Making's mailing list and be first to hear about all of its events.