Design Council

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Sir Kenneth Grange, a titan of industrial design. Sir Kenneth's pioneering work, from the Kenwood Chef food mixer to the InterCity 125 train, revolutionised everyday products with a focus on functionality and user experience. His designs, which have won ten Design Council Awards and the Prince Philip Designers Prize for the Anglepoise lamp as well as other honours, continue to influence and inspire. Sir Kenneth's legacy embodies the very essence of innovation and British design excellence. We honour his extraordinary contributions and the lasting impact he has made on the design world.

We were excited to announce our Homes Taskforce this week. The taskforce is dedicated to addressing the UK’s housing challenges through innovative design solutions. By bringing together experts from various fields, we are working to ensure that everyone has access to high-quality, sustainable, and beautifully designed homes. 🏠✨ Thank you to Architects’ Journal and Gino Spocchia for recognising our efforts in their recent article on the new Government's housing initiatives. Read the full article here: https://ow.ly/aemu50SFSok 📸 Pete Humphrey #HomesTaskforce #InnovativeDesign #SustainableHousing

We have launched the Design Council Homes Taskforce to support the new UK government in building 1.5 million high-quality, well-designed, and sustainable homes within climate commitments. 🌍🏡 Comprised of eight design leaders like Sadie Morgan OBE, Sunand Prasad OBE, and Hanif Kara OBE, the Taskforce aims to be a trusted partner, helping to navigate this critical design challenge. We welcome the Government's aspiration for high quality infrastructure and housing. Good design is critical in delivering that, especially given the overarching need for genuinely sustainable growth. 🔗Learn more here: https://ow.ly/J0Z350SEelh #DesignCouncil #HousingCrisis #SustainableDesign #ClimateAction #UKHousing

🌟 Unlock the Power of Systemic Design 🌟 Have you ever wondered how we can address complex challenges in a holistic and sustainable way? The answer lies in systemic design. Hear from Cat Drew, Design Council’s Chief Design Officer, and Nat Hunter, Director at Other Today, as they discuss the transformative approach of our Systemic Design Framework and Toolkit. Systemic design acknowledges complexity and interconnectedness throughout the design thinking and doing process. It is both a mindset and a methodology, essential for creating sustainable and impactful solutions. Explore the Systemic Design Framework and brand new toolkit here: https://ow.ly/GxmB50Sy7nc #SystemicDesign #Sustainability #DesignThinking #SustainableDesign #FutureOfDesign #SystemsThinking

Dear Prime Minister,    Designers turn ideas into action. In the face of challenges, like the climate and ecological crisis, we can harness the skills and creativity of designers to find solutions.    The Design Council stands ready to help you unlock the power of design.    We welcome the new Government’s commitment to the creative industries and climate action. Here are four ways to act in partnership with the design economy to drive the green transition.    First, growth by design.    Design contributes 4.9% of UK GVA and is growing at twice the rate of the economy. To kickstart economic growth and unlock an extra £24billion towards UK GVA in the next 5 years, we call on you to:  ◾ Harness design as an asset in the new industrial strategy.  ◾ Back a 2025 Year of Design and World Design Congress to kickstart a decade of national renewal.  ◾ Create pro-innovation green regulation to shape a market for a regenerative design economy.  ◾ Invest in a network of regional Net Zero Design Innovation Clusters and embed design capabilities in the nationwide R&D.    Second, jobs by design.    You have committed to creating 650,000 green jobs. Design can fill skills shortages and power our industries of the future.  ◾ Upskill 1 million designers for the green transition by 2030 with a transformative intervention package.  ◾ Implement the recommendations of our Blueprint for Renewal to address the decline in D&T GCSE by prioritising design in the curriculum review and recruiting 2,000 new teachers. ◾ Partner with industry to deliver high-impact workplace upskilling. Third, homes by design. Your pledge to create 1.5 million homes must be sustainable and fulfil our legal climate commitments under the Paris Agreement. ◾ Give design leaders clear roles in addressing the challenge of creating 1.5million homes within our carbon budget. ◾ Prioritise reuse and retrofit of existing buildings as a housing solution, and place legal limits on embodied carbon in new buildings. ◾ Ensure use of Design Codes, Local Development Orders and strategic planning. ◾ Upgrade quality commitments by appointing a Design Champion on the New Towns Commission. And forth, net zero by design. To restore the UK’s global climate leadership, we need to redesign everything, as 80% of a product’s environmental impact is determined at the design stage. ◾ Create a role for design within the UK’s net zero and industrial strategies, prioritising design for decarbonisation and waste prevention within DESNZ and DEFRA. ◾ Tilt the regulatory playing field so green design isn’t undercut by climate laggards. ◾ Strengthen the civil service design profession and appoint Chief Design Officers to government departments to equip the nation for complex, mission-driven work. As we enter this new era, we hope your government will take action to maximise the design industry's contribution to national renewal. Yours sincerely, Minnie Moll, Chief Executive of the Design Council 📸 Sergeant Tom Robinson

🎉 We are thrilled to announce Louis Jacques Wright as the winner of the Design Council Design for Planet Prize, presented at New Designers, for his groundbreaking project, 'Organic Opulence'! 🎉 'Organic Opulence' is a visionary project, redefining jewellery to blend aesthetics, functionality, and societal roles with environmental sustainability. This initiative breaks new ground by integrating living materials into costume jewellery, merging advanced technology with organic elements for a sustainable, slow design approach. Louis’s innovative use of slime mould as a biomaterial allows for customisable pieces that evolve with the wearer, emphasising the transient beauty of nature and deepening the wearer’s connection to their jewellery. Each piece grows and evolves over time, encouraging wearers to nurture their jewellery and fostering a mindful, contemplative lifestyle. This project stands in stark contrast to traditional costume jewellery, promoting a future where beauty and sustainability coexist. Congratulations to Louis for his visionary work! #DesignForPlanet #SustainableDesign #JewelleryInnovation #SlowDesign #OrganicOpulence

At last month’s Blueprint for Renewal: Design and Technology Education report launch, Jo Johnson emphasised the need to address the fundamental issues within our current design education system underscoring the critical need for comprehensive change. Thank you to Max Fraser and Dezeen for the latest article highlighting the need for urgent reform in design education. Find the full article here: https://ow.ly/LHcs50SuquV Read the report here: https://ow.ly/iBRN50SuquW #DesignEducation #EducationReform #FutureOfDesign

We were thrilled to share our ambitious pledge to upskill 1 million designers in green design skills by 2030 last week. This initiative is a crucial step towards creating a sustainable future, equipping designers with the knowledge and skills to make a positive impact on our environment. A big thank you to Max Fraser and Dezeen for brilliantly capturing the essence of our mission and the importance of green design in today's world. Read the full article here: https://ow.ly/im3750SpUHZ #GreenDesign #Sustainability #DesignForPlanet #Upskilling #Innovation #UpskillOneMill

We’re proud to launch the "Blueprint for Renewal: Design and Technology Education" as a guide for the next government. This collaborative paper outlines crucial recommendations to overhaul the current GCSE D&T course, which has seen a 67% decline in England since 2010. This Blueprint marks the first step in our ambitious plan to upskill 1 million designers and the talent pipeline for the green transition by 2030. By revitalising design education in schools, we aim to equip the next generation with the skills needed to drive a sustainable future. Read the full report to learn more about our vision and how we plan to achieve this goal: https://bit.ly/4bboEoQ Thank you for hosting us yesterday Victoria and Albert Museum and Havas. And a huge thank you to all our partners AQA, CHEAD CLEAPSS Crafts Council, Design Business Association (DBA), The Design & Technology Association, EdgeFoundation.org, The University of Edinburgh, EngineeringUK, Forth CiC, Edinburgh Napier University, Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), Kingston University, MATT FIONA, The Manchester Metropolitan University Nottingham Trent University, National Society for Education in Art and Design (NSEAD), OCR, Pearson, University of the Arts London, RIBA, Textiles Skills Centre. #DesignForPlanet #EducationReform #GreenSkills #DesignCouncil #Sustainability #FutureDesigners #WorldDesignCongress2025

Designers, are you ready to drive the green transition? Today we are announcing a landmark mission to upskill 1 million British designers in green design skills by 2030! With the World Design Congress 2025 as our catalyst, we aim to leave a lasting legacy by bridging the green skills gap. Currently, only 43% of designers feel equipped to tackle environmental projects, despite the growing demand, it’s time we fix this. From the classroom to the C-suite we will work with government, business and education partners to co-design what these essential green skills are and what the upskilling programme needs to look like. Learn more about our ambition here: https://bit.ly/4bboEoQ #DesignForPlanet #Sustainability #GreenSkills #WorldDesignCongress2025 #DesignCouncil