One of the consequences of environmentally conscious design is an increased move by designers to think public not just domestic. Super Contemporary, a new exhibition at the Design Museum, has tackled this head-on by commissioning 15 of London’s leading creatives to design something that improves life in the city, inspired by the city.
See more of the design proposals
Some have chosen ubiquitous icons of the cityscape and given them a makeover: David Adjaye has designed a bus stop, Industrial Facility a post box kiosk and Thomas Heatherwick a lamppost ‘chandelier’. Others have created concepts that address perennial London nuisances: Paul Smith has designed a rabbit-shaped litterbin whose ears light up when you chuck in your chewing gum, Paul Cocksedge
has created a rain shield and BarberOsgerby a ‘listening station’.
There are more specific location-based creations too taking some of the city’s landmarks, reinterpreting them to make us see them in a fresh light: Ron Arad has created a film about the Hayward’s Neon Tower, Nigel Coates has created a proposal for the much-attempted reimagining of Battersea Power Station and El Ultimo Grito, together with Urban Salon, have tackled Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square.
The 15 commissions are supplemented by a collection of maps showing how various creative communities are spread across the capital: Nick Roope has charted the digital community, B Store have mapped young fashion designers and David Rosen together with Neville Brody have plotted studio locations.
At the very least the collection of 15 proposals, all on display at the Design Museum, show the strength and breadth of London’s home grown creative talent. At best the more practical designs provide realistic, commercially viable, improvements to everyday life in London. What you’re left with is a sense of the sheer number of creatives working to their own agenda and the only thing they all have in common is the identity of their urban umbrella.
As an exhibition, guest curated by the indomitably imaginative Daniel Charny, it serves as an interesting study for designers and visitors alike to reconsider the way we live and negotiate this particular urban environment with the contemporary concerns we face. Real value could now be added not just by manufacturing the more practical creations but by hosting similar exhibitions in other cities around the globe.
ADDRESS
Design Museum
Shad Thames
London SE1 2YD
-
Debris Block House in India’s Bengaluru nestles into its leafy landscapeDebris Block House by Collective Project intertwines contemporary architecture, flora and roof gardens, as it nestles within its native landscape
-
Sabato De Sarno’s tenure at Gucci begins with a debut collection of real clothes
Italian designer Sabato De Sarno presented his debut collection for Gucci at the house’s Milan hub, which was inspired by what the Italian designer called ‘the joy of life’
-
'Emerging Ecologies' at MoMA explores the history of the 'green’ movement
'Emerging Ecologies' opens at MoMA in New York, curated by Ambasz Institute director Carson Chan and seeking the meaning of building 'green'
-
‘R for Repair’ at London Design Festival displays broken objects, re-formed
In the second half of a two-part exhibition and as part of London Design Festival 2022, ‘R for Repair’ at the V&A displays broken objects, re-formed
-
‘Finding quality through the act of making’: Pearson Lloyd celebrates 25 years of design
Pearson Lloyd’s show ‘Change Making’ reflects on past designs from its archives, showcasing the influences on and evolution of the studio, from furniture design to the NHS
-
Tom Dixon marks his studio's 20 years with a show of design experiments
Mushroom, cork, steel coral and more: Tom Dixon showcases an overview of his design experiments as he celebrates his practice's 20 years
-
Porro unveils new London showroom at Coal Office
London Design Festival 2022: industrial architecture meets pure geometries in the new Porro showroom, taking over a space within Tom Dixon’s Coal Office to showcase the brand’s systems and furniture
-
Vitra unveils new London home in the Tramshed, Shoreditch
London Design Festival 2022: after a year-long renovation, Vitra opens the door to its new showroom in the heart of Shoreditch
-
Mudlarking beside the River Thames inspires The New Craftsmen’s makers
London Design Festival 2022: The New Craftsmen’s new collection, ‘Claylarks’, features work from a group of creatives inspired by a River Thames mudlarking expedition
-
One tree, ten designers: SCP presents The One Tree Project at London Design Festival
London Design Festival 2022: SCP enlisted ten British designers to create furniture and objects from a felled ash tree from founder Sheridan Coakley's Hampshire garden
-
London Design Medals 2022
London Design Medals 2022 are awarded to costume designer Sandy Powell, architect Indy Johar, researcher Joycelyn Longdon and photographer Sir Don McCullin
