British craft, design and manufacturing excellence has once again taken centre stage with the announcement of the Furniture Markers’ annual awards, the Design Guild Marks.
A charity dedicated to the British furnishing industry, The Furniture Makers is a livery company established as a guild in 1952 to provide support and direction to manufacturers and craftsmen. Now in its eighth edition, the company’s Design Guild Marks have been created to celebrate the finest designers working in Britain as well as British designers working abroad on volume-produced furniture.
Over 50 entries were submitted ranging from classic furniture to brand new creations, varying in purpose from hospitality to workplace and residential. As is tradition, each designer was invited to present their project to the jury during a day-long session, allowing the judges to experience, test and analyse each piece while hearing more about inspirations, techniques and anecdotes.
The 21 award winners included Samuel Chan’s clever range of minimalist wooden furniture for Channels, Terence Conran’s asymmetric coffee table and Mark Gabbertas’ versatile seating range for Oasiq. Some older, legendary pieces were also recognised by the Marks, such as Rodney Kinsman’s seating for OMK Design, a Robin Day chair and Ernest Race’s iconic 1964 chair.
The wide range of works awarded offer a panoramic view of British design, representing both a refined creativity and great manufacturing standards, as well as affirming the importance of the accolades.
‘The quality of the designs was extremely high and the work of designers and manufacturers is positively lauded through the Design Guild Marks,’ said twentytwentyone founder Simon Alderson, one of the eight judges at the helm. ‘The awards reflect the enduring pedigree of British design.’
Terence Conran’s Balance coffee table for Content by Terence Conran
Timba Table by Pearson Lloyd
Edge Table by Pearson Lloyd for Modus Furniture
Kerning Bookcase Collection by Samuel Chan for Channels
Cross Leg chair by Magnus Long for the Conran Shop, which was also awarded with the Jonathan Hindle Prize
HenRay office system by Henry Gurney for Ocee Design
Pollyfox Bench by Henry Swanzey, whose matching glass-top table also won a Mark
Svelto Round stacking stool by Lisa Sandall for Ercol
Flite seating by Rodney Kinsman for OMK Design
Also among the awarded pieces was Rodney Kinsman's Omkstak chair
The roster of designs receiving the Marks also included some legendary pieces such as Robin Day's 675 chair edited by Case Furniture...
...and the BA3 chair by Ernest Race, from 1964
Loki sofa by Charlie Fowler for John Lewis
Poon desk by Tony Portus and Simon Pirie for Makers' Eye, designed to use in Universities' dorm rooms