Design Week
Retail

Softroom and BuroCreative work on Wahaca shipping crate restaurant

Mon, 21 May 2012

The restaurant will be decorated with Mexican street art.

John Lewis beauty hall reopens after multi-million-pound GP Studio redesign

Fri, 18 May 2012

The new design is based around the concept of a ‘town square’.

News in brief round-up

Fri, 11 May 2012

A round-up of this week’s news in brief.

Mother London create refreshed look for Boots pharmacies

Tue, 8 May 2012

The new look reflects the new ‘condition-led’ services at the pharmacies.

What is your favourite example of punning in branding?

Thu, 3 May 2012

Marmite has unveiled special-edition Ma’amite to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. What is your favourite example of punning in branding?

What will the next Mayor of London do for design?

Mon, 30 Apr 2012

We look at what the four main candidates are promising for the design industry.

Designs unveiled in bid to tackle dementia

Fri, 27 Apr 2012

Appetite-stimulating clocks and ‘guide dogs for the mind’ developed.

What design can bring to policy-making

Fri, 20 Apr 2012

Corporate Edge’s Ronan Harrington looks at what design can bring to policy-making.

The design Yellow Pencils

Fri, 20 Apr 2012

There were some great winners but also some notable absentees in this year’s D&AD Yellow Pencils.

Six things I know (and one I don't)

Wed, 18 Apr 2012

Spencer du Bois creative director John Spencer shares his experience.

The refreshed Design Week website

Tue, 17 Apr 2012

Welcome to the newly refreshed Design Week website, providing up-to-the minute news, analysis, opinion and inspiration.

Support organisation Design Initiative closes due to a lack of funding

Mon, 16 Apr 2012

Support organisation Design Initiative, which ran events including the Liverpool Design Festival and the Manchester Design Symposium, has closed due to a loss of funding.

Which gameshow would you like to redesign?

Fri, 13 Apr 2012

The Apprentice? The Generation Game? Funhouse…?

John Lewis to roll out Futurebrand's London 2012 shop design

Wed, 11 Apr 2012

The Futurebrand-designed London 2012 shop is to roll out across all John Lewis stores, the retailer has announced.

What next for the Design Council?

Tue, 10 Apr 2012

What direction will the organisation take after chief executive David Kester leaves?

Which album cover would you like to update?

Thu, 5 Apr 2012

Sir Peter Blake updated his Sgt Pepper designs - which album would you change?

Outdoor retailers Blacks and Millets look to rebrand

Mon, 2 Apr 2012

Blacks Leisure Group is understood to be looking to rebrand its Blacks and Millets brands.

Evolve creates ‘boutique’ housing development marketing suite

Mon, 2 Apr 2012

Evolve has created a ‘boutique’ marketing suite for an upmarket Linden Homes housing development in Hertfordshire.

News in brief round-up

Fri, 23 Mar 2012

A round-up of this week’s news in brief.

Harriman Steel creates Casio flagship store

Fri, 16 Mar 2012

Harriman Steel has designed a new flagship store for Casio, which will open in London’s Covent Garden next month.

Voxpop - What can designers bring to organisations?

Thu, 15 Mar 2012

Our recent guest blog from Sidekick Studios looks at the skills designers can bring to start-up companies. What do you think is the most important thing designers can bring to organisations?

HMKM works on Galeries Lafayette outpost in Beijing

Mon, 12 Mar 2012

Retail design consultancy HMKM is working on interior designs for department store Galeries Lafayette’s Beijing branch, which is set to open in spring next year.

Max Fraser appointed London Design Festival deputy director

Tue, 6 Mar 2012

Max Fraser has been appointed as deputy director for London Design Festival, which is in its tenth year.

GP Studio works on multi-million-pound John Lewis overhaul

Mon, 5 Mar 2012

GP Studio is working on a multi-million-pound makeover of the beauty hall at John Lewis’ Oxford Street store in London.

Boxpark space is ‘the future of Nike retail’

Fri, 2 Mar 2012

Nike is opening its first-ever Nike+ Fuelstation outlet at east London retail development Boxpark.

Marina Willer to become new Pentagram partner

Thu, 1 Mar 2012

Wolff Olins creative director Marina Willer is set to join Pentagram as a partner in its London office.

Thorntons develops new interiors and identity designs

Thu, 23 Feb 2012

Chocolate brand Thorntons is rolling out new interiors concepts, the first of which are being designed by consultancy Inspire; with the brand also saying it may launch a new visual identity in the near future.

Dalziel & Pow works on Adidas NEO store concept and brand development

Mon, 20 Feb 2012

Dalziel & Pow has created an interiors concept and developed the branding for Adidas NEO, the sports brand’s youth range, which will initially be shown in Germany.

JHP works on Swarovski's new youth brand lola & grace

Wed, 15 Feb 2012

JHP has developed the branding and retail concept for jeweller Swarovski’s new lola & grace youth sub-brand, working with the in-house team on the project.

News Analysis - Online brands are coming to a high street near you

Fri, 10 Feb 2012

This week it was announced that online retailer Amazon is to open its first physical retail store in Seattle, selling tablets and e-readers with a more ‘hands-on experience’, following moves by other online brands such as eBay into the physical realm.

The Design Solution works on St Petersburg airport terminal

Fri, 20 Jan 2012

The Design Solution is working on a 13500m2 retail concept for a new international terminal at Pulkovo airport in St Petersburg, Russia.

Air Design works on Chinese retail destination branding

Thu, 19 Jan 2012

Air Design has been appointed to work on branding, wayfinding and digital strategy for the Wuhan Tiandi Riverview Plaza retail destination on the east coast of China.

This week's news in brief round-up

Fri, 6 Jan 2012

A round-up of this week’s news in brief.

Design industry predictions for 2012 - Part two

Wed, 4 Jan 2012

In the second part of our series of design industry predictions for 2012, leading industry figures tell us what they think will happen in product design, retail, furniture design, editorial design and exhibition design.

Review of the year - Pop-ups

Wed, 21 Dec 2011

In her insight piece for us in January 2011, Julie Oxberry, managing director of Household Design, pointed to the pop-up concept as one of this year’s retail ‘must haves’, and it seems she was making a very prescient claim.

B Store opens new London flagship store

Fri, 16 Dec 2011

Fashion brand B Store has opened a new flagship store in London, featuring interior designs by Tom Finch and Pablo Limon.

News analysis - The Portas Review of the High Street

Tue, 13 Dec 2011

The key message from the Portas Review of the UK high street, conducted by TV star and retail expert Mary Portas, is, in the words of Portas, that ‘high streets of the future must be the hub of the community’.

Mystery designs Britain’s biggest restaurant

Fri, 2 Dec 2011

Consultancy Mystery has created the concept, branding, website and interiors for Za Za Bazaar, a new venue in Bristol which is reported to be Britain’s largest restaurant.

Fiasco creates designs for Twitter-fuelled sandwich shop

Wed, 30 Nov 2011

Fiasco Design has created the branding, visual identity and screen interfaces for Nom Nom, a Bristol-based sandwich shop that uses social media to allow customers to pre-order food and drinks.

Innovare Design works on stores for royal lingerie supplier Rigby & Peller

Mon, 28 Nov 2011

Retail and interiors specialist Innovare is working on new interior designs for lingerie company Rigby & Peller’s stores stores in Knightsbridge and Mayfair, central London.The exterior of Rigby&Peller’s Knightsbridge store

Voxpop - What is your favourite example of a Great British product?

Thu, 24 Nov 2011

The Science Museum is hosting the Make it in Great Britain exhibition next summer, which aims to highlight British manufacturing. Which example of a Great British product, made in the UK, do you think should be in the show?

Luxury jeweller Fabergé launches first London store since 1915

Wed, 23 Nov 2011

Luxury jewellery company Fabergé has opened its first London shop since 1915 in central London, with interiors designed in-house by managing and creative director Katharina Flohr.

eBay to open pop-up store in London

Mon, 21 Nov 2011

Online auction site eBay is opening a Christmas pop-up retail store in London’s Soho next week, with interiors and experiential elements designed by consultancy Push UK.

This week's news in brief round-up

Fri, 18 Nov 2011

Liverpool-based consultancy Black and Ginger has been appointed to create an integrated campaign for the John Moores Painting Prize, for the 2012 and future prizes. The work will launch next year, shown on posters, banners, merchandise and online formats.

Former HSBC design head Richard Newland leaves the company

Mon, 14 Nov 2011

Richard Newland, formerly global head of retail network development and design at HSBC, has left the group.

£100,000 grants for projects to help older people live independently

Fri, 11 Nov 2011

The Design Council and the Technology Strategy Board have awarded £100,000 grants to three service design projects which will help older adults live independently for longer, by offering better approaches to nutrition.

The Design Trust support organisation set to relaunch

Thu, 10 Nov 2011

The Design Trust, which provides business training and support to designers and craftspeople, is relaunching as a privately-run social enterprise.

H&M to launch standalone Cheap Monday and Monki stores in UK

Wed, 9 Nov 2011

H&M-owned Swedish fashion brands Cheap Monday and Monki are to launch their first stand-alone UK stores in London, with Cheap Monday’s interiors designed by Uglycute and Monki’s designed by its in-house team.

Irrigation system wins 2011 James Dyson Award

Tue, 8 Nov 2011

Australian industrial design student Edward Linacre has won the 2011 international James Dyson Award for his system to irrigate crops in arid areas.

CSD cleared to set up register of chartered designers

Mon, 7 Nov 2011

The Chartered Society of Designers has cleared the final hurdle in its plans to set up a register of chartered designers.

Patrick Bell joins Sector Design as director

Fri, 4 Nov 2011

Patrick Bell, a former chief executive of Coutts Retail and one of the founders of Writtle Holdings, has joined Leicester-based retail design consultancy Sector Design as a director.

New consultancy Keen and Able launches

Tue, 1 Nov 2011

New consultancy Keen and Able is launching.

WPP like-for-like revenue growth slows

Fri, 28 Oct 2011

WPP has reported a like-for-like revenue growth of 4.7 per cent in the third quarter of 2011, down from 6.7 per cent in the first quarter and 5.6 per cent in the second quarter.

Labour attacks Government for treating creative industries like ‘a second-rate sector’

Thu, 27 Oct 2011

New Shadow Culture Minister Dan Jarvis has attacked the Coalition Government for treating the creative industries like a ‘second-rate sector’ as he outlined plans for his new role.

Applications for art and design courses drop by more than a quarter

Tue, 25 Oct 2011

The number of applications to creative arts and design university courses starting next September have dropped by 27.1 per cent.

Iris forms strategic alliance with US group Meredith

Fri, 21 Oct 2011

Consultancy Iris, which specialises in advertising, marketing and experiential work, is setting up a strategic alliance with US media and marketing group Meredith.

Voxpop - which country do you think has the best-designed flag?

Thu, 20 Oct 2011

Virgin Media is using the UK’s Union Flag in its new identity. Which country do you think has the best national flag design?

News Analysis - Highlights from The British Invention Show

Wed, 19 Oct 2011

The British Invention Show, which kicks off today in London, is a beguiling mix of the serious, the potentially life-changing and the novelty.

Sheridan & Co appoints new head of design

Tue, 18 Oct 2011

Retail design consultancy Sheridan & Co has appointed Steve Thomas to the newly-created role of head of design, following a number of recent appointments for brands including Elemis and Jane Iredale cosmetics brand.

Number of art and design students grows by a quarter - report shows

Mon, 17 Oct 2011

The number of UK creative art and design students has grown by nearly a quarter since 2003/04, according to a new report.

Voxpop – Which regions could benefit from community focussed design?

Fri, 14 Oct 2011

Studio DB recently created a 3D installation as part of the We Love Brixton scheme. Which regions do you know of that could do with some community focussed design?

Harry Pearce and Nat Hunter turn up the sustainability for D&AD annual

Fri, 7 Oct 2011

This year’s D&AD annual has been designed by Pentagram partner Harry Pearce and founding director of Airside Nat Hunter with a focus on sustainability.

News analysis - Steve Jobs’s impact on design

Thu, 6 Oct 2011

Steve Jobs probably had more impact on the way design is perceived than anyone else - and certainly more than any other non-designer.

Design Museum seeks permission to transform interior of new home

Thu, 29 Sep 2011

The Design Museum is seeking permission to alter the interiors of the Grade II*-listed Commonwealth Institute ahead of its planned move to the Kensington building in 2014.

Schawk buys Brandimage - Desgrippes & Laga

Wed, 28 Sep 2011

International brand and marketing group Schawk has acquired consultancy Brandimage - Desgrippes & Laga, which has offices around the world and a turnover of £20.5 million.

Jenner Studio uses historical influences for New York Diptyque store

Tue, 27 Sep 2011

UK consultancy Jenner Studio has created the interior designs for French perfumer Diptyque’s flagship New York store.

Prince Philip Designers Prize shortlist announced

Fri, 23 Sep 2011

Ideo chief executive Tim Brown, exhibition designer Dinah Casson and Onedotzero co-founder Shane Walter have all been shortlisted for the 2011 Prince Philip Designers Prize.

Voxpop - What is your favourite real-life story behind a brand?

Thu, 22 Sep 2011

Brand Matters and Morning have created a new identity for brewer Greene King, based around the story of Christian martyr St Edmund. What is your favourite example of a real-life story behind a brand?

Branding and design sector sees a rise in company incomes, report shows

Tue, 20 Sep 2011

The branding and design sector has seen a 4 per cent rise in company incomes over the last six months, according to a report from accountant Kingston Smith W1.

M&S rolls out ‘segmented’ store designs at Westfield Stratford

Tue, 13 Sep 2011

Marks & Spencer has redesigned its High Street Kensington store as one of two pilots to debut a more ‘segmented’ offer, with the second opening in Stratford’s Westfield shopping centre today.

RCA appoints architecture and fine art deans in school structure overhaul

Tue, 13 Sep 2011

The Royal College of Art has appointed Alex de Rijke as its dean of architecture and Ute Mata Bauer as its dean of fine art as it prepares to implement its new academic structure.

Design Council challenge aims to keep older people connected

Fri, 9 Sep 2011

The Design Council and the Technology Strategy Board have launched a £495 000 challenge which is seeking designs to keep older people better connected.

Labour accuses Government of ‘damaging the foundations’ of UK’s creative industries

Thu, 8 Sep 2011

The Labour Party has launched a national Creative Industries Network of businesses, trade bodies and other organisations and attacked the Coalition Government for its ‘damaging’ education and arts policies.

The Other Media works on Ben Sherman website in brand overhaul

Wed, 7 Sep 2011

The Other Media is working on a new digital presence for fashion label Ben Sherman, which is revamping all elements of its branding.

Dalziel & Pow creates new Timberland retail designs

Mon, 5 Sep 2011

Dalziel & Pow is working on new retail designs for US-based outdoor company Timberland.

Voxpop - Which book has inspired you most as a designer?

Fri, 2 Sep 2011

An exhibition at the Kemistry Gallery is marking 10 years since the publication of Alan Fletcher’s book the Art of Looking Sideways. Which book has inspired you most as a designer?

Q&A - Sir John Sorrell talks to Design Week ahead of the London Design Festival

Wed, 31 Aug 2011

This year’s London Design Festival is just over a fortnight away, and the 2011 event will be bigger than ever before. More than 300 events will take place, including what promises to be a spectacular installation in St Paul’s cathedral by architect John Pawson, and David Chipperfield’s laminated glass and metal-finished structures on the South Bank.

Barber works on Robbie Williams retail space

Tue, 30 Aug 2011

Barber Design has created the store environment for Farrell, the menswear brand created by Robbie Williams, which will launch as a concession in ten House of Fraser branches.

Branded at WMH offer brings together two Loewy agencies

Fri, 26 Aug 2011

Loewy Group consultancies Branded and Williams Murray Hamm have launched collaborative offer Branded at WMH, which will see the agencies work together on specific projects.

WPP profits up by 37 per cent

Wed, 24 Aug 2011

WPP has reported a 37 per cent rise in pre-tax profits for the first half of the year, compared with the first half of 2010.

Brinkworth and Yellowdoor work on Mary Portas retail designs

Thu, 18 Aug 2011

Retail guru Mary Portas is launched a womenswear concession in the London branch of House of Fraser, with store design by Brinkworth and branding and other design by Portas’ consultancy Yellowdoor.

Design Council launches dementia challenge

Tue, 16 Aug 2011

The Design Council and the Department of Health have launched a £360 000 competition to develop designs to help improve the lives of people with dementia and their carers.

Dalziel & Pow works with South African retailer Mr Price

Mon, 15 Aug 2011

Dalziel & Pow is working on a new brand identity and store concepts for South African retail group Mr Price.

Imagination creates display for Jaguar and Coutts

Mon, 15 Aug 2011

Imagination has created an ‘Andy Warhol-inspired’ display for the headquarters of private bank Coutts & Co in London to mark 50 years of the Jaguar E-Type car.

Voxpop - Which overseas retail brand would you like to see come to the UK?

Thu, 11 Aug 2011

US fashion brand Forever 21 has opened its first British stores. Which overseas retail brand would you like to see brought to the UK?

BBC executive creative director Marcelo Marer joins Intel

Tue, 9 Aug 2011

Former BBC executive creative director Marcelo Marer is joining the Intel Digital Home Group as chief creative director.

News analysis – IP reforms accepted by government

Wed, 3 Aug 2011

A host of intellectual property reforms announced by government this morning appear to have been met with cautious acceptance by the design industry.

Forever 21 fashion brand launches flagship London store

Wed, 27 Jul 2011

The London flagship branch of US fashion brand Forever 21 is opening today, with designs by US-based architect JT Nakaoka and the store’s in-house team.

Lloyd Northover and Holmes & Marchant brought together in new structure

Fri, 22 Jul 2011

Media Square is bringing together its design consultancies Lloyd Northover, Holmes & Marchant UK and Holmes & Marchant Asia Pacific to form the new Holmes & Marchant Group.

Writtle Holdings acquires Loewy Group

Tue, 19 Jul 2011

Media sector investment company Writtle Holdings has acquired the Loewy Group, which operates consultancies including Seymour Powell, Epoch Design,  The Team and Williams Murray Hamm.

RSA takes spinal cord injury programme to the next step

Mon, 18 Jul 2011

The Royal Society of Arts has received funding to take forward its Design & Rehabilitation initiative, which aims to educate people with spinal cord injuries in design principles to increase their resourcefulness and self-reliance.

Voxpop - what is your favourite piece of data visualisation?

Thu, 14 Jul 2011

Poke is developing dynamic graphics for the Huffington Post’s new UK website,  which will be based on live data such as Twitter feeds and pollresults. What is your favourite example of online data visualisation and why?

Fitch creates new local stores for Morrisons

Mon, 11 Jul 2011

Fitch has developed a brand and interior design for new Morrisons concept store M Local, which will do away with the traditional format of hanging signage over parallel aisles.

Robot Food creates interiors for sunglasses retailer

Mon, 11 Jul 2011

Harrogate-based consultancy Robot Food is designing the interiors for the Leeds flagship store of sunglasses and accessories retailer Shade Station.

Government launches Creative Choice procurement framework

Wed, 6 Jul 2011

A new framework which will supply creative services, including design, to all Government departments and public sector organisations, has been launched by the Department for Education.

53K works with artist on widows project

Mon, 4 Jul 2011

53K, the consultancy launched by former Applied Information Group senior staff Kasper de Graaf and Malcolm Garrett alongside others, has worked with British Indian artist Reeta Sarkar on an exhibition in New York.

Sir Terence Conran gifts £18m for Design Museum move

Thu, 30 Jun 2011

Sir Terence Conran has made a donation that could total nearly £18 million to help fund the Design Museum’s planned move to the former Commonwealth Institute in Kensington in 2014.

Design team to stay in Habitat sale

Wed, 29 Jun 2011

United Creatives and Urbed work on Walsall signage

Wed, 29 Jun 2011

Former Selfridges boss Vittorio Radice joins Conran

Mon, 27 Jun 2011

Former Selfridges chief executive Vittorio Radice is joining Conran Holdings as a non-executive director.

Design LSM creates Rhubarb interiors

Mon, 27 Jun 2011

Design LSM has designed the interiors for the soon-to-open Rhubarb restaurant at Heathrow’s Terminal 3.

Government says design is ‘integral’ to growth plans

Thu, 23 Jun 2011

Universities and Science Minister David Willetts says design is ‘an integral part of the Government’s plans for innovation and growth’, adding that it will form a ‘prominent feature’ in the upcoming research and innovation strategy.

Dublin, Cape Town and Bilbao vie for World Design Capital title

Thu, 23 Jun 2011

Bilbao, Cape Town and Dublin have been shortlisted in the bid to become World Design Capital 2014.

Parliament of Owls online masterclass forum to go live

23 June 2011

Williams Murray Hamm restructures for integrated focus

Wed, 22 Jun 2011

BDP works on Fritz Hansen furniture store

Mon, 20 Jun 2011

Architect BDP is working on interior designs for a new flagship store for Danish furniture brand Fritz Hansen, which is set to open in London in September.

Patricia Urquiola creates ‘flagship venue’ for Scholtès

Thu, 16 Jun 2011

Patricia Urquiola is creating a new retail space for kitchen brand Scholtès, which is set to open in London in September.

Pearson Lloyd project battles violence in A&E departments

Wed, 15 Jun 2011

Thomas Bene to set up own consultancy

Mon, 13 Jun 2011

Thomas Bene, of the Bene furniture company, is to launch his own branding and design consultancy.

Leeds loops the Loop as new arts fair promotes creativity

9 June 2011

The Loop Arts Fair, which is launching in Leeds this month, will see a host of illustrators, designers and artists transform a city-centre mill into working studios, print shops, publishing houses and workshops.

Dragons’ Den’s Deborah Meaden among Design Council trustees

Tue, 7 Jun 2011

The Design Council has announced its new board of trustees, which features Simon Waterfall of Fray alongside Wayne Hemingway and businesswoman Deborah Meaden of BBC TV’s Dragons’ Den fame.

DBA works with GLA to promote procurement best-practice

Thu, 2 Jun 2011

The Design Business Association says it is to work with the Greater London Authority to develop best practice design procurement case studies.

Creative Choice consortium bags central Government contract

Tue, 31 May 2011

The Creative Choice consortium, which features design consultancies Bell, Bentley Holland and the Domarn Group alongside integrated groups Brass and Kindred, among others, has been appointed as the Department for Education’s creative services supplier.

US group works up London Disney store design

Fri, 27 May 2011

New York-based consultancy Pompei AD has designed a new Disney concept store for London’s Oxford Street.

Loewy launches Loewy Unlimited collaborative offer

Thu, 26 May 2011

Group Loewy, which operates consultancies including Seymour Powell, Williams Murray Hamm and The Team, has formalised its cross-consultancy collaborative offer with the launch of new agency Loewy Unlimited.

High street dreams

26 May 2011

Shopping guru Mary Portas has been appointed by the Government to lead an independent review of the future of the British high street. Design Week asks retail design experts to outline their vision of what high streets might look like in ten years’ time

Cass Arts set to expand and launch own-brand range

Wed, 25 May 2011

Cass Art artist materials shop is set to expand nationally, as well as launching a range of own-brand products, designed with Pentagram, and a new online creative portal.

SHH develops designs for Teaspoon teashop chain

Wed, 25 May 2011

Media Square is back to revenue growth

Tue, 24 May 2011

Media Square has reported a 15 per cent rise in revenues from last year, compared with the 23 per cent year-on-year drop it experienced in 2010.

Design Management Institute appoints new president

Mon, 23 May 2011

Karen Reuther has been appointed as the next president of US-based industry body the Design Management Institute.

Hargreaves review makes IP recommendations

Thu, 19 May 2011

A Government-initiated review into intellectual property has been delivered by Professor Ian Hargreaves, concluding that ten adjustments need to be made to current IP laws, which he sees as obstructive to innovation and economic growth.

RCA to bring in new schools structure

Wed, 18 May 2011

Neville Brody is to become dean of the Royal College of Art’s School of Communication as part of a new academic structure being implemented at the RCA.

Mary Portas leads Government review into the high street

Tue, 17 May 2011

Retail expert Mary Portas has been appointed to lead an independent review into the future of British high street retail.

Industry Design interiors and branding for new confectionery retail chain A Sweet Thought

12 May 2011

RIBA installations go into Regent Street shops

Mon, 9 May 2011

The Royal Institute of British Architects has unveiled the finished window installations that have been designed in collaboration with architects for selected shops on London’s Regent Street.

Stuart Naysmith joins GP Studio as shareholder partner

5 May 2011

Chris Poulton, Stuart Naysmith and Gregor Jackson

Blue Marlin breakaway group Aesop launches

Wed, 4 May 2011

From left: Ed Woodcock, Roger Hart, Martin Grimer, Jim Paterson

HMKM creates ‘beauty playground’ for Manchester Selfridges

Thu, 28 Apr 2011

HMKM has designed a ‘beauty playground’ for Selfridges city-centre Manchester store.

Hello and Simple Simon work on Tinc stationery brand

Wed, 27 Apr 2011

V&A appoints new director and head for Dundee project

Thu, 21 Apr 2011

Professor Martin Roth, director general of the Dresden State Art Collections, has been named as the new director of the Victoria & Albert Museum, replacing current director Sir Mark Jones.

JHP on 'journey of discovery' with luxury Russian retailer

21 April 2011

JHP is designing the new store concept for the Moscow flagship outlet of Russian chain Dom Farfora, which specialises in luxury gifts and homeware.

Cada to open Indian office

Wed, 20 Apr 2011

Marketing spend down by 5%, report shows

Mon, 18 Apr 2011

Marketing spend fell by 5.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2011, according to the latest Bellwether survey compiled by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising and BDO and authored by financial information group Markit.

The Yard Creative develops new Clinton Cards format

Fri, 15 Apr 2011

The Yard Creative has created a new store format for Clinton Cards as part of a rebrand of the company led by Branded.

A funny old game

14 April 2011

Football clubs are increasingly on the ball in developing brand identities and marketing themselves. Tom Banks discovers that branding a football club in the 21st century is as much about what happens off the pitch as on it

Brand Union and Lambie-Nairn work on Cannes Also show

Fri, 8 Apr 2011

WPP consultancies The Brand Union and Lambie-Nairn are working on the selection and exhibition designs for the Cannes Also exhibition at this year’s Cannes Lions festival in June.

Creative & Cultural Skills launches Business Survival Toolkit

Thu, 7 Apr 2011

Creative & Cultural Skills has launched an online Business Survival Toolkit, which it says aims to ‘help people in the creative industries survive and prosper during the hard times ahead’.

2011 James Dyson Award open for entries

Tue, 5 Apr 2011

Entries are being sought for the 2011 James Dyson Award, which challenges young designers and engineers to develop problem-solving inventions.

Design Council examines future of design review

Fri, 1 Apr 2011

The Design Council is launching a consultation on the future of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment’s design review, on the day the Design Council and Cabe officially merge and assume charitable status.

United voice

31 March 2011

The merger of the Design Council with the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment marks huge changes. Lynda Relph-Knight reflects on the new charity’s broader remit and implications for the design community

Design industry greets Budget with cautious optimism

Wed, 30 Mar 2011

Budget promises economy-boosting measures

Thu, 24 Mar 2011

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne has delivered the Budget 2011 with an emphasis on boosting the economy through reducing Corporation Tax, simplifying the tax system and exempting start-ups from domestic regulation.

Government in plan to launch Creative Industry Council

Wed, 23 Mar 2011

The Government is planning to launch a Creative Industry Council, allowing it to more efficiently address issues affecting the creative sectors, Design Week understands.

Designing Demand continues with Government backing

Mon, 21 Mar 2011

The Government says it will continue to provide financial support for the Designing Demand programme, set up by the Design Council.

Government funding cut for arts institutions

Thu, 17 Mar 2011

The University for the Creative Arts has had its annual central Government funding slashed by 7.8 per cent in the latest round of grant allocations from the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Lounge wizards

17 March 2011

High-end airport lounges offer international travellers a haven where they can escape from the stresses of air travel. Tom Banks looks at some of the latest developments and considers the future of lounge design

D&AD launches Graduate Academy

Tue, 15 Mar 2011

D&AD is launching the Graduate Academy initiative, which aims to help design graduates find work and gain industry experience.

Deborah Dawton takes over as president of Beda

Mon, 14 Mar 2011

Design Business Association chief executive Deborah Dawton has taken the helm as president of the Bureau of European Design Associations.

Design Commission launches education investigation

Thu, 10 Mar 2011

The Design Commission is launching an investigation into design education, which will examine its importance to economic growth, public-service renewal and wellbeing.

Apple's 'game-changer' iPad clinches top honour in the Design Week Awards

10 March 2011

Method and CSM partner to drive ideas to market

10 March 2011

Luke Miles to join Virgin Atlantic as head of design

Wed, 9 Mar 2011

New Ideo consultancy to use design to tackle poverty

Tue, 8 Mar 2011

Ideo has launched a new social innovation consultancy which aims to address poverty through design projects.

WPP reports ‘remarkable’ recovery as profits jump

Fri, 4 Mar 2011

WPP has reported a 28.5 per cent rise in profits before tax in 2010, which it describes as ‘a year of significant recovery’.

Web trends

3 March 2011

The world of online fashion retailing is changing and innovating at a rapid pace. Emily Gosling looks at how etailers are successfully using design to harness these developments in order to increase their Web presence

Brit Insurance category award winners unveiled

Mon, 28 Feb 2011

The seven category winners of the Brit Insurance Design Awards have been announced. They include London’s Barclays Cycle Hire, winner in the Transport category, and personalised magazine app Flipboard, by Mike McCue and Evan Doll, which won in the Interactive category.

Sustainability in focus at Somerset design conference

24 February 2011

Four groups join National Grid design roster

Wed, 23 Feb 2011

Crest showroom to host top design brands

Mon, 21 Feb 2011

International design brands including Thonet, Artifort and Pallucco will be brought together at Crest Living’s first showroom, which opens in London in April.

Waitrose picks up DBA Grand Prix award

Fri, 18 Feb 2011

The Waitrose graphic design and packaging team has picked up the Grand Prix at the Design Business Association 2011 Design Effectiveness Awards.

Helen Hamlyn Centre to berenamed reflecting its dedicated focus on design

17 February 2011

Starbucks aims to fit in with its Covent Garden neighbours

17 February 2011

Starbucks is to open a new branch in London’s Neal Street in Covent Garden, with in-house designed interiors that aim to ’create a local feel’.

Sheridan & Co’s pop-up shop for Clarins

Mon, 14 Feb 2011

Sheridan & Co design consultancy has created a pop-up shop for Clarins cosmetics brand, which opens this week in London’s West End.

Government to scrap PQQ stage in procurement

Fri, 11 Feb 2011

The Government is understood to be set to scrap pre-qualification questionnaires to make it easier for small and medium-sized companies to apply for Government contracts.

Black Dog retains the Christmas cheer with Tesco task win

10 February 2011

Black Dog has been appointed to design point-of-sale materials for Tesco’s Christmas campaign.

Loyal supporters

10 February 2011

Membership organisations provide designers and designer-makers with valuable business advice, as well as offering opportunities for networking. Angus Montgomery considers the value of the groups

D&AD to merge student and professional awards ceremonies

Wed, 9 Feb 2011

Industrial Design Day to explore how design improves life

Thu, 3 Feb 2011

The fourth World Industrial Design Day - to be held on 29 June - will take the theme of Industrial Design: How Does it Improve Your Life?

DBA launches 'outward-facing' focus

Wed, 2 Feb 2011

The Design Business Association is launching a new strategy to focus on facing out to clients and business rather than facing inwards to design consultancies.

Wiltshire Design Network launches

Mon, 31 Jan 2011

The Wiltshire Design Network is looking to put a management and organisational structure in place following its launch.

Baroness Wilcox says Cabe announcement is ‘imminent’

Thu, 27 Jan 2011

Baroness Wilcox, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Business, Innovation and Skills, says an announcement on the future of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, which is expected to merge with the Design Council, is ‘imminent’.

Branding with spirit

27 January 2011

Within the drinks industry visitors’ centres are gaining a higher profile and renewed investment. Laura Snoad discovers that they can tell a brand’s story authentically, while creating a closer bond between the product and customer

World Economic Forum puts design issues in spotlight

27 January 2011

Issues of design and its wider importance will be under debate at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting at Davos, Switzerland, which runs from today until 30 January.

Designers dish the dirt for Wellcome Collection show

Wed, 26 Jan 2011

London gallery the Wellcome Collection’s new blockbuster exhibition Dirt: the Filthy Reality of Everyday Life, has led to a raft of design briefs being initiated as it prepares for a five-month run and a presence at this summer’s festivals.

Design Week publishes Hot 50

Tue, 25 Jan 2011

Tomorrow sees the publication of Design Week’s 2011 Hot 50 – the latest round-up of people, movements and organisations that went beyond the distance for design during the previous 12 months.

Design Week Top 100 open for entries

Mon, 24 Jan 2011

Applications are now open for the 2011 Design Week Top 100 Consultancy Survey.

Design Week Top 100 open for entries

Thu, 20 Jan 2011

Applications are now open for the 2011 Design Week Top 100 Consultancy Survey.

Dalziel and Pow to style Shanghai flagship store for Chinese fashion brand Asobio

20 January 2011

Dalziel and Pow has been appointed to design the flagship store for Chinese fashion brand Asobio in Shanghai’s main commercial thoroughfare, West Nanjing Road.

Universally speaking

20 January 2011

With inclusive design’s processes of workshops, user interviews and role play becoming more widely accepted, Angus Montgomery finds practitioners looking to extend the scope and impact of the field

Vintage festival to be held on South Bank

Wed, 19 Jan 2011

Wayne Hemingway’s cultural festival, Vintage, is to take place in July this year as part of celebrations at London’s Southbank Centre to mark the 60th anniversary of the Festival of Britain.

Think Public works on Barnet prototyping system

Thu, 13 Jan 2011

Think Public has been working with Barnet Council to develop a new prototyping system that can be used to build new public services.

Eggs before bacon

13 January 2011

Public institutions looking for alternative revenues are revamping their catering offers to compete with mainstream restaurants, exploiting their unique interiors to encourage social as well as educational visits. Emily Gosling investigates

Inclusive design challenge launches as 24-hour initiative

Wed, 12 Jan 2011

Gregor Muir appointed as ICA executive director

Tue, 11 Jan 2011

The Institute of Contemporary Arts has appointed Gregor Muir as its executive director.

Dubai Lynx launches design category

Fri, 7 Jan 2011

The Dubai Lynx international advertising festival is launching a design category this year, with the jury to be chaired by Rodney Fitch.

Callum Lumsden sets up on his own after leaving Small Back Room

Thu, 6 Jan 2011

Majority of designers expect no increase in fee-income in 2011, according to latest DW poll

6 January 2011

Less than half of respondents to a Design Week poll think their fee-income will increase in 2011.

Design Council set to launch anti-bike theft initiative

Wed, 22 Dec 2010

The Design Council, on behalf of the Home Office, is set to launch an initiative to tackle residential bicycle theft.

Government sets out higher education and science budgets

Tue, 21 Dec 2010

The Government has set out its allocation to higher education and its ring-fenced funding for science and research.

IP review calls for evidence

Mon, 20 Dec 2010

The Government-initiated independent review into intellectual property and growth has today issued a call for evidence.

Labour calls for cross-Government creative industries group

Thu, 16 Dec 2010

Shadow Culture Secretary Ivan Lewis has called on the coalition Government to set up a cross-Government group of ministers and industry figures to produce a creative industries action plan.

Heartlands scheme to turn mine site into heritage centre

16 December 2010

An arts commissioning programme is set to bring work by a host of international artists and designers to a multi-million-pound community-led development in Cornwall.

Design Council secures Government funding for next four years

Wed, 15 Dec 2010

Universal Design Studio works on Mulberry store

Fri, 10 Dec 2010

Universal Design Studio has created the interiors for fashion brand Mulberry’s new flagship store in London’s Bond Street.

More than half of design employees want to change jobs next year, report shows

Thu, 9 Dec 2010

Nearly 56 per cent of employees in the design and digital industries intend to change jobs within a year, a new report shows, compared to 38 per cent in 2009.

Design Council in exploratory partnership talks with Cabe

9th December 2010

The Design Council and the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment have been in ’exploratory’ discussions about a potential partnership between the two organisations.

Management moves at Lambie-Nairn signal global shifts

9th December 2010

Lewis Moberly and JHP collaborate in Mexico

Wed, 8 Dec 2010

UK consultancies Lewis Moberly and JHP have been appointed as design partners for El Puerto de Liverpool department store chain in Mexico.

Caulder Moore creates flagship perfume store

Tue, 7 Dec 2010

Caulder Moore has designed the interiors for the flagship store of exclusive perfumer Ormonde Jayne in London’s Sloane Square.

Jonathan Clark creates Tinderbox coffee shop

Mon, 6 Dec 2010

Jonathan Clark Architects has created London’s second Tinderbox espresso bar in the City area.

Designed in Devon launches regional chapters

Fri, 3 Dec 2010

Designed in Devon, which is part of the South West Design Forum, has set up three local chapters and is seeking to establish more.

Building on future plan

2nd December 2010

As the director of the Victoria & Albert Museum, Sir Mark Jones, steps down, where next for the South Kensington treasure trove that he helped transform? Emily Gosling looks back at his achievements - and ahead to the future

Top consultancy profits down 50%, says Kingston Smith W1

2nd December 2010

The operating profits of the top 30 design consultancies fell by 50 per cent through 2009, according to a report from accountant Kingston Smith W1.

Richard Clayton joins Coley Porter Bell as design director

Tue, 30 Nov 2010

Coley Porter Bell has appointed Richard Clayton as design director.

New Manchester cultural centre planned

Mon, 29 Nov 2010

A new arts and cultural centre is planned for central Manchester to house the Library Theatre and international centre for contemporary visual arts and film Cornerhouse.

Report calls for more Government support of multi-disciplinary design education

Thu, 25 Nov 2010

The multi-disciplinary Design Network – a network of academics from universities across the country – is calling for greater Government support for multi-disciplinary design education, including closer integration of design to science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects.

Design Council and TSB launch first stage of £2m Independence Matters initiative for the elderly

25 November 2010

UK winners of Arjowiggins Creative Papers global 'curious story' contest announced

25 November 2010

The One Off works on Kickers retail concept

Wed, 24 Nov 2010

Harrison Design Company works on TGI Friday’s in US

Mon, 22 Nov 2010

London- and Birmingham-based Harrison Design Company is working on brand repositioning and a refit for TGI Friday’s restaurant in New York state’s Westbury, in Long Island, to give it a more ‘sophisticated edge’.

Jerwood Makers Open programme launches

Mon, 22 Nov 2010

Jerwood Visual Arts is launching the Jerwood Makers Open initiative, an annual exhibition series that aims to support and showcase new work by emerging artists in the applied arts.

Paul Smith joins Landor as creative director

Fri, 19 Nov 2010

Landor London has appointed Paul Smith, former design director at Interbrand, as creative director.

Furniture designer Robin Day dies

Thu, 18 Nov 2010

Furniture designer Robin Day has died at the age of 95.

Design Museum to go ahead with move as Government grant slashed

Thu, 18 Nov 2010

The Design Museum says its future is secure and it will go ahead with its planned move to the Commonwealth Institute in 2014, despite the Government cutting the grant it gives to the organisation.

Simon Bailey rejoins Interbrand as European chief executive

Wed, 17 Nov 2010

Simon Bailey has been appointed as chief executive officer of Interbrand Europe.

Intellectual property law shake-up welcomed

Wed, 17 Nov 2010

Dids Macdonald

Design Wales innovation report is accepted for review by Welsh Assembly petitions committee

18 November 2010

Creative graduates face long-term recession effects, report shows

Tue, 16 Nov 2010

While many recent graduates from creative courses are using flexible freelance work to ride out the effects of the recession, the long-term impact of this could be career stagnation, a new survey finds.

Neville Brody plans name change for Royal College of Art department

Mon, 15 Nov 2010

Neville Brody, incoming head of the Royal College of Art’s Department of Communication Art and Design, has announced plans to rename it the Department of Visual Communications and Moving Image.

Dalziel & Pow opens office in Mumbai

Thu, 11 Nov 2010

Dalziel & Pow has set up an office in India which the consultancy says will grow ‘organically’ in the same way the China office has.

Barber blueprint for Apricot store renewal

11 November 2010

Barber Design has created a new retail concept for fashion store Apricot, which opens its new flagship store at Westfield White City this week.

Identica appoints Sam Stone to 'raise creative standards

11 November 2010

Identica has appointed Sam Stone to the newly created role of creative director.

Bill Moggridge honoured with Prince Philip Designers Prize

Wed, 10 Nov 2010

Cities sought for World Design Capital 2014 title

Mon, 8 Nov 2010

The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design is seeking applications from cities that want to be World Design Capital 2014.

Government plans return of guilds and new craft award

Thu, 28 Oct 2010

Skills Minister John Hayes has signalled a re-emergence of guilds to promote skills and announced plans for a new award for excellence in crafts.

St Etienne Design Biennale to show vision of the future

27 October 2010

British designers are contributing to this year’s 2010 Saint Etienne International Design Biennale in France, where the pervading theme will be ’teleportation’.

Design Council prepares for new charity status

Wed, 20 Oct 2010

Design Council chief executive David Kester says the decision to turn the organisation into a charity means the way it carries out its functions will be ’very different’.

Marmite pop-up store to open in Selfridges

Wed, 20 Oct 2010

Sunhouse Creative has branded and created the interior of a Marmite pop-up shop for Selfridges based on an ’eccentric British kitchen’ theme.

Glasgow School of Art embarks on a Highland fling with new design centre

20 October 2010

The Glasgow School of Art and Highlands and Islands Enterprise have this month opened a Centre for Design Innovation at the Horizon Building at Forres in Moray, northern Scotland. The centre aims to use design innovation to benefit businesses and communities in the Highlands and Islands area.

David Godber to leave Design Council

Tue, 19 Oct 2010

David Godber, deputy chief executive of the Design Council, is to leave the organisation in December.

Four IV works on Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong

Mon, 18 Oct 2010

Interiors group Four IV has been appointed to work on a new Harvey Nichols flagship store at Pacific Place shopping centre in Hong Kong.

Design Week Awards entry deadline extended

Fri, 15 Oct 2010

The deadline for entries to the 2011 Design Week Awards has been extended until Thursday 28 October.

Work Foundation to research growth strategies for design

Thu, 14 Oct 2010

The Work Foundation is set to launch a research project which will aim to pinpoint how to create ’explosive growth’ in the UK creative industries, including design.

Adam Ellis joins Elmwood from Coley Porter Bell

Wed, 13 Oct 2010

Coley Porter Bell design director Adam Ellis (pictured) is set to join Elmwood’s London office in the newly created role of creative director.

Sir Philip Green recommends centralised Government procurement to cut spend

Tue, 12 Oct 2010

Arcadia boss Sir Philip Green has recommended that the Government centralises some procurement and ‘leverages its name, its credit rating and its buying power’ in his review of Government spending.

Naresh Ramchandani joins Pentagram’s London office as partner

Fri, 8 Oct 2010

Naresh Ramchandani has been appointed as the eighth partner in Pentagram’s London office, and is the first advertising and communications partner in the consultancy’s history.

DBA Design Effectiveness Awards shortlist unveiled

Thu, 7 Oct 2010

A total of 47 consultancies have won 2010 Design Business Association Design Effectiveness Awards.

Fact seeks interactive groups for new-build developments

7 October 2010

The director of the Foundation for Art and Creative Technology Mike Stubbs is set to announce his search for the commission of interactive interventions which will be integrated into new-build developments at sites adjacent to the organisation’s premises in Liverpool.

Seeing the light

Thu, 7 Oct 2010

Jason Bruges Studio, Speirs & Major and UVA are at the cutting edge of public lighting design. Here we show videos of their latest projects

Elmwood buys stake in packaging group Tin Horse

Wed, 6 Oct 2010

Elmwood has taken a 25 per cent stake in structural packaging consultancy Tin Horse, which is based in Marlborough, Wiltshire.

Science Museum could host LDF events

Tue, 5 Oct 2010

The Science Museum could be brought into the fold more directly at next year’s London Design Festival.

Guggenheim and BMW launch travelling design labs

Mon, 4 Oct 2010

The Guggenheim Foundation and BMW Group have announced their partnership in a global design initiative which will see ‘travelling laboratories’ tour major cities over a six-year period.

2011 Design Week Awards judges announced

Thu, 30 Sep 2010

Nina Jenkins, head of branding at Virgin Atlantic Airlines, has joined the line-up of judges for the 2011 Design Week Awards.

The Yard Creative designs City pop-up space

30 September 2010

The Yard Creative has designed a pop-up retail space for Land Securities’ new City of London shopping development One New Change, which opens at the end of October.

Blacksheep designs interiors of Jamie's Italian in Birmingham

Wed, 29 Sep 2010

Jamie’s Italian, the restaurant chain owned by chef Jamie Oliver, is set to open a new restaurant in Birmingham with interiors by Blacksheep, drawing on modern industrial and classic Italian design.

Liverpool Design Symposium rebrands as Design Symposium North

Wed, 29 Sep 2010

Liverpool Design Symposium is rebranding as Design Symposium North to become a regional event for the North West, held in both Liverpool and Manchester.

Ed Vaizey says Design Council review is ‘very positive’

Thu, 23 Sep 2010

Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and the Creative Industries, says the review of the future role and status of the Design Council is ’very positive’.

LDF deal with Beijing event set to boost Sino-UK design links

23 September 2010

With the London Design Festival in full swing, an announcement was made last night of a partnership between the capital’s main design event and China’s inaugural Beijing Design Week, which will be held from 27 September to 3 October next year.

Design salaries drop by 6 per cent, DBA survey shows

Wed, 22 Sep 2010

Average salaries in the design industry have fallen by 6 per cent over the past year, according to the Design Business Association’s Charge Out Rates and Salary Levels report for this year.

Judges unveiled for Design Week Awards

Tue, 21 Sep 2010

The judging panel has been named for this year’s Design Week Awards.

LDA launches investment consultation

Thu, 16 Sep 2010

The London Development Agency is launching a consultation on its investment strategy, despite the fact that it will cease to exist by 31 March 2012.

Onedotzero organisers adopt a utopian vision of the future

16 September 2010

This year’s edition of moving image festival Onedotzero Adventures in Motion will have a utopian theme that will attempt to bring about a more optimistic view of the sector’s future, the organisers say.

Dalziel & Pow redesigns Material Lab store

Wed, 15 Sep 2010

Dalziel & Pow has designed a new concept and set of graphic communications for the Material Lab tile showroom and designers’ resource centre in central London.

Design Council review in the hands of Government

Tue, 14 Sep 2010

The review of ‘the future role and status’ of the Design Council has been handed over to officials at the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills.

Dragon Rouge appoints new creative director

Tue, 14 Sep 2010

David Jenkins has been appointed as creative director in Dragon Rouge’s consumer brands team.

London Design Festival partners Beijing event

Fri, 10 Sep 2010

London Design Festival is to partner the inaugural Beijing Design Week in a deal that will see London become the official guest city when the Chinese event takes place next year.

Technology Strategy Board seeks ‘disruptive’ ideas

Thu, 9 Sep 2010

The Technology Strategy Board is launching a competition to find ‘disruptive’ solutions to challenges in the areas of energy, digital, healthcare and sustainability.

SCDF restructures to cope with cutbacks

9 September 2010

The South Coast Design Forum is introducing a new business model and seeking new premises as it aims to move from being reliant on funding to providing its own revenue.

Sanky outlines ambitions for D&AD presidency

Wed, 8 Sep 2010

Simon ’Sanky’ Sankarayya will provide the ’glue’ between advertising and design, he says, when he becomes D&AD president next Tuesday evening.

Multiple British Design Embassies to launch at LDF

Wed, 8 Sep 2010

The London Design Embassy is to be augmented and renamed as the British Design Embassy for this year’s London Design Festival, organiser UK Trade & Investment has confirmed.

SHH redesigns Barbican cafés

Wed, 8 Sep 2010

Interior design consultancy SHH has led the redesign of two cafés at the Barbican Centre in London, which are set to reopen as the Barbican Foodhall and the Barbican Lounge.

Media Square returns to profit

Mon, 6 Sep 2010

Media Square, which owns design consultancies Lloyd Northover and Holmes & Marchant, says it has returned to profit in the six months leading up to the end of August.

Method creates App Lounge identity

Fri, 3 Sep 2010

Method has created the visual identity, website and promotional material for The App Lounge, a pop-up digital showroom that will open during London Design Festival.

Independent touch

2 September 2010

As big, high street brands and smaller retailers alike are embracing more unconventional store design, cultivating that ’one-off’, local look for their latest outlets, Anna Richardson takes the measure of the creative vision of a range of innovative shops

Suffolk joins European driveto push C2C design thinking

2 September 2010

Suffolk County Council has linked up with engineering and environmental consultancy Royal Haskoning as part of a Europe-wide project that aims to promote cradle-to-cradle design.

RSA relaunches Student Design Awards

Wed, 1 Sep 2010

The Royal Society of Arts is relaunching its Design Directions awards under its former title of the RSA Student Design Awards.

Key industry figures attempt to define design

Tue, 31 Aug 2010

Leading industry figures will offer their definition of design in tomorrow’s issue of Design Week.

Red Bee Media head of design Jeff Conrad leaves

Wed, 25 Aug 2010

Jeff Conrad has left Red Bee Media, where he was head of design, as the consultancy prepares for reorganisation and expansion.

WPP pre-tax profits up 36 per cent

Tue, 24 Aug 2010

WPP has seen a 36 per cent increase in pre-tax profits in the first half of this year, compared with the first half of 2009.

Former Fitch Live managing director Paul Cowan joins Logistik

Tue, 24 Aug 2010

Paul Cowan, former managing director of Fitch Live, is joining design and communications consultancy Logistik as content and creative strategy director.

Number of empty shops in the UK at its lowest for 18 months

Mon, 23 Aug 2010

The number of empty shops on UK high streets has fallen to its lowest level for 18 months, according to a new survey by property agent Cushman & Wakefield.

Open City searches for Jane Priestman successor

Fri, 20 Aug 2010

Following Jane Priestman’s decision to step down as chairwoman of Open City after 18 years, the architecture organisation is now looking to appoint her successor.

Marksteen Adamson questions ‘creative director’ tag

Tue, 17 Aug 2010

Arthur Steen Horne Adamson’s creative director Marksteen Adamson questions his own job title in Design Week’s upcoming Insight feature.

Michael Grade and Wayne Hemingway to speak at Bristol Media event

Fri, 13 Aug 2010

Design luminaries Wayne Hemingway and Nicolas Roope will join business development consultant Blair Enns and broadcast executive Michael Grade as keynote speakers for design network Bristol Media’s conference Vision.

D&AD executive committee candidates stand for election

Thu, 12 Aug 2010

Voting on candidates for the D&AD executive committee closes at the end of the month.

Felt creates identity for frozen yoghurt start-up Bee Me

Wed, 11 Aug 2010

Felt is working on the website for start-up frozen yoghurt, smoothie and juice company Bee Me, having already named and branded the company and worked on retail designs.

Build to brand Gary Hustwit's feature film Urbanized

12 August 2010

Build has been appointed to create the identity and promotional materials for the new film Urbanized by director Gary Hustwit.

Zizzi’s Glasgow branch to be decorated by graduates

Mon, 9 Aug 2010

Italian restaurant Zizzi is opening a new branch in Glasgow that will be decorated by graduates from Glasgow School of Art and Edinburgh College of Art.

Busaba Eathai to open Old Street branch

Fri, 6 Aug 2010

Restaurant Busaba Eathai is set to open a new branch on London’s Old Street on 19 August, with interior design by Christian Liaigre and graphics work by North Design.

New Apple flagship set to open in Covent Garden

Thu, 5 Aug 2010

Apple has unveiled its new flagship UK store, in London’s Covent Garden Piazza.

Ideo and Jamie Oliver team up for fresh food challenge

Thu, 5 Aug 2010

Design and innovation company Ideo and chef Jamie Oliver have launched a competition to raise awareness among young people of the benefits of fresh food.

CM Design creates 'industrial' Aberdeen venue for Brewdog

5 August 2010

Scottish brewery Brewdog is opening its first bar, in Aberdeen, with interiors by CM Design Consultants. Brewdog is responsible for new super-strength beer The End of History, packaged in stuffed dead animals.

Olympian canvas

5 August 2010

London 2012 has so far emerged unscathed by Government cuts, with design briefs still being put out to tender and the concepts that have already made it past the commissioning stage approaching realisation. Tom Banks reports

Vonsung designs pop-up restaurant for Tent London

Tue, 3 Aug 2010

London-based design consultancy Vonsung has designed a pop-up restaurant and bar pavilion for Tent London.

BDI queries terms of Design Council review

Fri, 30 Jul 2010

British Design Innovation has raised concerns over the Government’s review of the Design Council, stating that it does not allow for public consultation and is chaired by a member of the Design Council’s board.

Pentagram and All of Us work on new Cass Art store

Thu, 29 Jul 2010

A new Cass Art store will open next week in Hampstead, north London, with interior design by Pentagram partner William Russell, and digital interactives by All of Us.

CBI aims to develop findings into policy recommendations

29 July 2010

Business lobbying group the Confederation of British Industry says its report Creating Growth: A Blueprint for the Creative Industries will be developed into detailed policy recommendations over the coming year.

GP Studio creates flexible HQ space for Magaschoni

29 July 2010

GP Studio is working on the interiors for the new London headquarters of US-based clothing brand Magaschoni.

COI spend down by £8m – before freeze imposed

Tue, 27 Jul 2010

The Government spent a total of £532m on advertising, marketing and consultancy through the Central Office of Information last year. This is down by nearly £8m from the previous year.

Further arts cuts as final university budgets unveiled

Thu, 22 Jul 2010

University of the Arts London faces an increased cut to its central Government funding, with the release of the finalised budgets from the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Rodney Fitch to head up new WPP group The Hub

Wed, 21 Jul 2010

Rodney Fitch has taken the helm of a new WPP consortium within a month of finally relinquishing the chairmanship of Fitch.

BBC re-tenders creative services roster

Wed, 21 Jul 2010

The BBC has published a pre-qualification questionnaire as it prepares to re-tender its creative services roster.

Milton Keynes forum holds first meeting

22 July 2010

The newly formed Milton Keynes Design Forum will have its first meeting tomorrow, which its founder says will set the agenda for the group.

Report sets out energy-saving challenges to design industry

22 July 2010

A cross-industry workshop has developed a series of proposals for making homes more energy efficient, and is calling on designers and others to take the ideas forward.

Neighbour works on clothing store for ex-Oasis singer Liam Gallagher

Tue, 20 Jul 2010

Former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher’s clothing label Pretty Green will open a pop-up store on London’s Carnaby Street with interior design and branded environment work carried out by Neighbour.

Future of Design Council under review

Mon, 19 Jul 2010

The Government has called a review of ‘the future role and status’ of the Design Council.

New creative apprenticeships scheme for Wales

Thu, 15 Jul 2010

Creative & Cultural Skills is launching a new programme of creative apprenticeships in Wales

Successful challenger brands share key values and methods

15 July 2010

You might not think of Jesus Christ as a ’challenger brand’, but, says Contagious magazine editorial director Paul Kemp-Robertson, he displayed all the traits.

Design is key to unlocking UK innovation, says Design Council chief

Tue, 13 Jul 2010

Design Council chief executive David Kester says the design sector can be ‘the key to unlocking UK innovation and future wealth creation’.

Made Thought and D Raw work on Bond Street restaurant

Mon, 12 Jul 2010

London retailer Fenwick Bond Street is launching a new in-store restaurant called Bond & Brook, with design by branding and graphics group Made Thought and architect D Raw.

A broader canvas

8 July 2010

Project Canvas could spark a revolution in the way we consume visual media, and digital designers are excited about its interactive potential. But they still foresee a role for conventional ’curated’ content, says Angus Montgomery

Dott Cornwall collaborates with University College Falmouth on sustainable transport project

8 July 2010

The second Designs of the Time Cornwall and the Isle of Scilly showcase project is a collaboration with University College Falmouth that will aim to develop a sustainable transport system for Falmouth.

Marcel Wanders works on Moooi's UK headquarters

Mon, 5 Jul 2010

Dutch design brand Moooi will open its first UK headquarters and showroom in London in September.

DBA brings The Edge back for 2010

Fri, 2 Jul 2010

The Design Business Association is running its The Edge event for the second time, with the theme this year being ‘for love or money’.

Gatwick puts together framework for architecture and design

Wed, 30 Jun 2010

Between three and six practices will be selected in August to form a new Gatwick Airport architecture framework, which will also cover retail environment design.

Students tackle airport brief in Cardiff Design Festival

Wed, 30 Jun 2010

Students will work on designs for Cardiff International Airport as part of this year’s Cardiff Design Festival, which is to be held in October.

Good for business?

1 July 2010

Only time will tell whether the tax cuts announced in last week’s Emergency Budget will offset the impact of the draconian spending restrictions also put in place by the Chancellor. Angus Montgomery assesses the design fallout

Service to be held in memory of Rupert Spurling

Tue, 29 Jun 2010

A service is to be held next week in memory of Rupert Spurling, creative director of B1 Creative, who died on 19 June.

Design Council Designing Demand scheme to continue after RDAs go

Fri, 25 Jun 2010

The Design Council says its Designing Demand programme will continue, despite the Government announcing it will scrap the regional development agencies that deliver the scheme.

UK groups bag Cannes Design Lions Awards

Thu, 24 Jun 2010

There were four UK winners in this year’s Cannes Design Lions Awards, and Belgian group Happiness Brussels picked up the Grand Prix for its IQ Font project for Toyota.

Concerns remain despite ‘small business-friendly’ Budget

Wed, 23 Jun 2010

A number of measures in the Government’s Emergency Budget have been highlighted as benefiting small businesses, including those in design, but there are concerns over some tax rises.

Forum for the Future to deliver CIKTN sustainability initiative

24 June 2010

A new project from the Creative Industries Knowledge Transfer Network aims to galvanise the creative industries into becoming more sustainable and help other sectors become more sustainable too.

Scott Corbett to head international design at Body Shop

24 June 2010

The Body Shop has promoted Scott Corbett to the new role of international design director.

Street Virus and James Plumb work on Hostem shop

Mon, 21 Jun 2010

US-based consultancy Street Virus is creating the website for a new menswear store in east London, which was designed by nascent consultancy James Plumb. The website will feature an e-store and a blog, with video content set to be introduced after its launch.

Benchmarks judging panel unveiled

Fri, 18 Jun 2010

The judges for the 2010 Design Week Benchmarks awards have been announced.

Hoffi brands Truly Scrummy Organic baby food

Thu, 17 Jun 2010

Brand consultancy Hoffi has designed branding, packaging and a website for baby food brand Truly Scrummy Organic.

Household works on Moss Bros rebrand

Wed, 16 Jun 2010

Men’s retailer Moss is undergoing a rebrand led by Household.

Household gives deli feel to Waitrose format

Tue, 15 Jun 2010

Waitrose will open a new-format convenience store in Cambridge on Thursday with wayfinding, in-store graphics and communications by Household and interiors by German consultancy Interstore Schweitzer.

Artists and designers recognised in Birthday Honours list

Mon, 14 Jun 2010

Artist Paula Rego, Jimmy Choo founder Tamara Mellon, Green buildings expert Bill Dunster and fashion photographer Nick Knight are among those recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Centre for Competitive Creative Design to reveal results

Mon, 14 Jun 2010

Results from the Centre for Competitive Creative Design will be presented on 28 June to show how London College of Communication and Cranfield University are producing ‘practical and conceptual’ research, according to institution directors.

Design Council offers £100 000 to promote design to business

Wed, 9 Jun 2010

The Design Council is launching a £100 000 fund that will be made available to not-for-profit organisations to help them promote the value of design to business.

Step into the past

10 June 2010

GF Smith is offering a glimpse of the goodies in its archive in a London show, and more and more design collections are opening their doors to the public. Laura Snoad looks at where to go to find inspiration from our rich heritage

Five Black Pencils go to four in D&AD Awards

Fri, 4 Jun 2010

Five Black Pencils have been awarded to four winners in this year’s D&AD Awards, with Sapient Nitro’s Brisbane office bagging two of the coveted prizes.

Judge Gill creates Harrods concession for giftware brands

Fri, 4 Jun 2010

Judge Gill is designing a retail concession in Harrods for Waterford Crystal Wedgewood and Royal Doulton. 

John Pawson to work on Design Museum’s new home

Thu, 3 Jun 2010

Architect John Pawson has been appointed to work on the transformation of the former Commonwealth Institute in west London, which will become the new home for the Design Museum.

Five consultancies dropped as BBC reviews roster

Wed, 2 Jun 2010

Elmwood, Love Creative, Designate, Inferno and Easy Tiger have all been dropped from the BBC’s marketing communications and design services roster.

Consultancies collaborate on mobile Puma 'pop out' shop

Fri, 28 May 2010

Consultancies Eat Sleep Work/Play, Inventory Studio and The Klassnik Corporation have worked together to create a travelling ‘pop out’ shop for Puma.

Media Square revenues fall by nearly a quarter

Thu, 27 May 2010

Media Square has unveiled its annual results, which show a like-for-like revenue drop of 23 per cent.

Gateway to East Asia

27 May 2010

China and India may grab the design limelight, but Singapore - midway between the two, but with a strong anglophone culture - is proving to be a very attractive location for UK groups servicing the Asian market. Angus Montgomery reports

Retail consultancies tackle independent stores in new series of BBC's Mary Queen of Shops

27 May 2010

The third series of BBC show Mary Queen of Shops is set for broadcast next month, with the involvement of a number of retail design consultancies.

Top 100 survey shows total fee-income fall

Tue, 25 May 2010

The total fee-income from all Design Week Top 100 consultancies is down by 13 per cent this year, to stand at £359m.

Coalition Government looks to Dyson Report

Fri, 21 May 2010

The coalition Government says it will consider the implementation of the Dyson Report, as it unveils its policies.

Figtree to open Hong Kong outpost to service South East Asia

Thu, 20 May 2010

Figtree will open a new office in Hong Kong at the beginning of September to meet increased client demand in South East Asia.

London Development Agency cuts design festival funding

Thu, 20 May 2010

The London Development Agency is continuing to support the London Design Festival, having pledged £270 000 for 2010-2011.

Bar design team working on Nitrogen Lab ice-cream shop

20 May 2010

Andrew Haythornthwaite and Shai Akram, the designers behind London bars The Book Club and the Queen of Hoxton, are working on the identity and interiors for new ice-cream bar The Nitrogen Lab.

Shelf starters

20 May 2010

Turning a ’mom and pop’ cottage industry product into a mainstream brand calls for genuine differentiation and serious long-term investment - and getting the packaging design right is crucial to success. Emily Pacey investigates

Benchmarks awards open for entries

Tue, 18 May 2010

The 2010 Design Week Benchmarks awards are now open for entries.

Japanese bathroom brand Toto to open UK store

Fri, 14 May 2010

Japanese luxury bathroom brand Toto will open its first UK concept store in London’s Clerkenwell, designed by Swiss architect Mach Architektur.

Coley Porter Bell decks out Cannes bar with whisky branding

Thu, 13 May 2010

Coley Porter Bell has created a Chivas Regal-branded interior for the bar of Cannes’ Martinez Hotel for this year’s film, advertising and design festivals.

Leading by design

13 May 2010

Pop-up stores, anechoic chambers and sustainable bags are just some of the initiatives being adopted by major brands repositioning themselves to cope with changing markets. Tom Banks investigates these design-led strategies

CSD delays bid for design certification

Wed, 12 May 2010

The Chartered Society of Designers is postponing its application to professionally certify designers, following a meeting with regulating body the Privy Council, Design Week understands.

Interior designer David Chaloner dies

Tue, 11 May 2010

Interior designer David Chaloner died yesterday, aged 66, after a long battle against cancer. Until recently, he was working mainly in Amsterdam at Chaloner Huisman Studio with Dutch writer and entrepreneur Joyce Huisman.

Digital event is reborn as Future Everything 'living lab'

6 May 2010

The Future Everything Festival, to be held in Manchester this month, will act as a ’living lab, to prototype design for a new world’, according to founder Drew Hemment.

University event proposes better links with industry

6 May 2010

The University of Huddersfield says it hopes its inaugural Brilliant Design event will lead to a more symbiotic relationship between Government, industry and education.

Stanley Picker Fellowships open for application

Tue, 4 May 2010

The faculty of art, design and architecture at Kingston University is seeking applications for the Stanley Picker Fellowships 2010.

Design Management Industry conference rescheduled after volcanic disruption

Fri, 30 Apr 2010

The Design Management Industry’s Transforming Design conference, which was postponed this month due to the flight ban caused by an Icelandic volcanic eruption, has been rescheduled for September.

Simon Waterfall resurfaces with new venture Fray

Wed, 28 Apr 2010

Poke co-founder Simon Waterfall says that his new consultancy Fray will serve to ’defend creativity’ above all else.

Good chemistry

29 April 2010

As several trade bodies are launching their own mentoring programmes, most recently Bristol Media with Bristol Media Mentors, Angus Montgomery considers the advantages of these schemes for both mentors and mentees

Moving Brands to feature at European Design Festival

Mon, 26 Apr 2010

The European Design Festival will take place in Rotterdam in the Netherlands this year, and will feature talks by French graphic designer Philippe Apeloig and UK consultancy Moving Brands founder James Bull.

Bristol Media launches creative mentoring service

22 April 2010

Creative network Bristol Media has launched a mentoring system, whereby leading creative entrepreneurs will be able to offer tailored advice both online and face-to-face.

Party poopers

22 April 2010

The election manifestos of the main political parties contain scant pickings for design, and commentators are also concerned about the collective failure to address the gaping hole in public finances. Angus Montgomery reports

Icelandic designers use volcanic resources

Tue, 20 Apr 2010

As Iceland’s volcanic activity continues to dominate headlines across Europe, Design Week is profiling the country’s young design talent, who use natural resources – including volcanic sand – in their designs.

Rare Breed to rebrand Gourmet Burger Kitchen

Thu, 15 Apr 2010

The Gourmet Burger Kitchen is undergoing a rebrand by consultancy Rare Breed following a three-way pitch.

Puma bags new packaging by Yves Béhar

Tue, 13 Apr 2010

Puma is ditching the shoebox in favour of reusable bags designed by Yves Béhar.

Stars to gather for Belgrade Design Week

Mon, 12 Apr 2010

Jaime Hayon, Arik Levy and Graphic Thought Facility will lecture at Belgrade Design Week, which takes place in the Serbian capital in June.

Pentagram alumni launch Dowling Duncan consultancy

Wed, 7 Apr 2010

Nottinghamshire-based consultancy Dowling Design & Art Direction has joined together with Rob Duncan Design, based in San Francisco in the US, to launch new consultancy Dowling Duncan.

Organza project launched to explore creativity in Europe

08 April 2010

Institutions across Europe will be asking what they can learn from each other’s creative industries with the launch of new research project Organza.

SCG designs retail offer for top Russian football team

Thu, 1 Apr 2010

SCG London has designed a new retail offer for Russian football team Zenit FC, which will roll out across up to 15 stores in St Petersburg over the next three years.

UK submissions down in European Design Awards

Thu, 1 Apr 2010

The number of UK entries to the European Design Awards is down, from 48 last year to 38 in 2010, with 11 entries shortlisted.

Concern over delays and lack of detail in CSD application to set up designer certification scheme

01 April 2010

The Privy Council says it still hasn’t received an application from the Chartered Society of Designers to professionally certify designers, three months after the CSD indicated to Design Week that it had been filed (News, DW 28 January).

Flexible procurement could reduce COI involvement

Tue, 30 Mar 2010

Government design buyers will be able to bypass the Central Office of Information from certain aspects of procurement under a new arrangement that comes into force this week.

Conference proposals to link universities with industry and business

Fri, 26 Mar 2010

Three ideas to stimulate innovation in the design and creative industries will be considered at a conference hosted by the University of Brighton today.

Clerkenwell Design Week line-up unveiled

Thu, 25 Mar 2010

Tom Dixon and Hitch Mylius will be among the exhibitors at a new three-day design festival in London’s Clerkenwell.

Dott event to work on agenda for Cornwall programme

25 March 2010

The think-tank event being run this week by Designs of the Time Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly will influence the direction of Dott’s programme over the next year, according to Dott programme director Andrea Siodmok.

Conran & Partners opens Delhi office

Wed, 24 Mar 2010

Conran & Partners is opening an office in Delhi to serve India’s hospitality and residential design markets.

Dementia care needs better design input

Wed, 24 Mar 2010

Mainstream designers are needed to create furniture, leisure activities and interiors for care homes for people with dementia, according to Kingston University’s Design Research Centre.

Acid steps up bid to foil copyright infringement at exhibitions

Mon, 22 Mar 2010

Anti Copying in Design has set up a new steering group that aims to provide on-site protection at exhibitions where intellectual property has been brought into question.

Arts institutions suffer in university budget cuts

Thu, 18 Mar 2010

University of the Arts London has had its central Government funding cut by 4.7 per cent and the Royal College of Art by 3.5 per cent in the latest round of grant allocations from the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Body Shop looks to recruit new global creative director after departure of Nikki Austen

18 March 2010

The Body Shop International is recruiting for the role of global creative director, in the wake of Nikki Austen’s departure in January.

Sowing the party line

18 March 2010

James Dyson’s Ingenious Britain report for the Conservative Party has thrown the spotlight firmly on the role of design in future Government policy thinking. Laura Snoad sounds out senior figures from the industry for their responses

Cinimod creates new Snog branch

Fri, 12 Mar 2010

Frozen yoghurt retailer Snog will open its fourth outlet next week, in London’s Covent Garden, with interior design by Cinimod Studios.

Plans emerge for multiple design embassies at LDF

Wed, 10 Mar 2010

The London Design Embassy may be renamed the British Design Embassy and appear at several locations across London in this year’s London Design Festival, Design Week understands.

Pop Store works on temporary stores for Whiteleys

Wed, 10 Mar 2010

Whiteleys shopping centre in west London has appointed temporary retailer and consultancy Pop Store to work on wayfinding, marketing and interiors projects, as it seeks to reposition itself as a historic, yet edgy retail destination.

Dalziel & Pow tweaks store branding for Indian retailer E Zone

11 March 2010

Dalziel & Pow is working on the brand environment for Indian electronics retailer E Zone, which is part of Future Group.

James Dyson calls for Design Council review in Tory party report

Tue, 9 Mar 2010

James Dyson has called for a review of the ‘funding, objectives and impact’ of the Design Council in a report commissioned by the Conservative Party.

WPP profits down after ‘brutal’ year

Fri, 5 Mar 2010

WPP’s profits before tax fell by 16.1 per cent to £812m following what the group describes as a ‘brutal’ 2009.

Steve Lidbury joins Imagination

Thu, 4 Mar 2010

Steve Lidbury, former design director at TP Bennett, has joined Imagination as creative director of automotive.

DBA to launch approved list of design suppliers

Wed, 3 Mar 2010

The Design Business Association is set to launch an approved list of design suppliers - the DBA Design Directory - which clients will be able to access for free.

The One Off works on Best Buy retail designs

Wed, 3 Mar 2010

The One Off is working on retail designs for Best Buy’s UK debut.

British Council rewards the young design entrepreneur

04 March 2010

Despite a wealth of awards up for grabs for the most talented designers, most celebrate creative work rather than acknowledging business acumen.

Buyers' guide

04 March 2010

The long-awaited report on public-sector design procurement from the Associate Parliamentary Design & Innovation Group has been released. Angus Montgomery assesses its implications for the design industry

Four vie to be UK City of Culture

Thu, 25 Feb 2010

Birmingham, Derry, Norwich and Sheffield will compete to become the UK’s first City of Culture in 2013.

Andrew Tanner wins British Council design entrepreneur award

Wed, 24 Feb 2010

Ceramicist Andrew Tanner has been named as the British Council’s UK Young Design Entrepreneur of the Year 2009.

DW all set for redesign and blog launch

25 February 2010

Design Week will unveil a redesign next week (DW 4 March), led by art director Sam Freeman.

Italian design brand Skitsch to open in UK

Mon, 22 Feb 2010

Italian contemporary design brand Skitsch is opening a UK store in March, with interior design by Italian architect Studio Blast Architetti.

Glasgow students win Audi Sustain Our Nation contest

Thu, 18 Feb 2010

Students from The Glasgow School of Art have won top prize in the Sustain Our Nation contest with a project to connect residents on Glasgow’s Wyndford estate by helping them to create interest groups across generations.

Uxus works on Tate Modern shops

Tue, 16 Feb 2010

Netherlands- and US-based consultancy Uxus is redesigning the retail offer at Tate Modern, including the store in the upcoming Herzog and de Meuron-designed extension.

Dusted Design overhauls Zilli restaurants

Thu, 11 Feb 2010

Dusted Design is overhauling all of celebrity chef Aldo Zilli’s restaurants in a renaming, rebranding and interiors exercise which sees new venture Zilli Green open on Sunday.

New Frontiers launches Green events and Web push

11 February 2010

Product and interior specialists seeking to create sustainable designs will soon have access to information, courtesy of start-up initiative New Frontiers. Based in Manchester, New Frontiers is poised to roll out a website, seminar programme, a major awards scheme and accompanying exhibition.

Membership rewards

04 February 2010

The CSD wants design to follow other professions and gain chartered status. Emily Pacey looks at how this might work

SMC fits out London spa with ‘snow room’

Fri, 29 Jan 2010

K West Hotel & Spa is opening its new £2m spa in London on Valentine’s Day, with interiors by SMC Designs.

Designer certification scheme up for Government approval

Wed, 27 Jan 2010

The Chartered Society of Designers has filed an application to the Government to approve a system of professional certification for designers.

A tool for humanity

28 January 2010

This year’s Davos summit offers an unprecedented opportunity for design to influence events on the world stage. Angus Montgomery reports

Designers called on to help Haiti

Mon, 25 Jan 2010

Designers are being called upon by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design to liaise with relief organisations and assess how design can help with rehabilitation projects in earthquake-stricken Haiti. 

Designers ‘need a union’, says DW poll

21 January 2010

More than 70 per cent of Design Week readers believe the design industry needs a trade union, according to a DW poll.

Doone stands down at Conran & Partners

21 January 2010

Conran & Partners’ managing director Richard Doone is leaving after 25 years.

BBC iPlayer and eco-underwear on Brit Insurance shortlist

Mon, 18 Jan 2010

The BBC’s iPlayer and Yves Béhar’s sustainable Pact underwear have been named on the shortlist for the 2010 Brit Insurance Designs of the Year awards.

Tories vow to slash advertising spend

Fri, 15 Jan 2010

The Conservatives would slash spending on Government advertising straight away if they won this year’s General Election, shadow chancellor George Osborne says.

Design group JPA teams up with property company McBains Cooper

Fri, 15 Jan 2010

James Park Associates is teaming up with property and construction company McBains Cooper to deliver designs for the hospitality and transport industries.

Tory MP questions need to outsource Government design

Wed, 13 Jan 2010

A Tory MP embroiled in a row about the value of identity design for Government clients has reiterated his opinion that some of the work should not be given to designers.

Development opportunities

14 January 2010

Museum residencies allow emerging designers to develop - artistically and commercially - in a sympathetic environment. Laura Snoad reports

Site selected and architect sought for V&A at Dundee

Mon, 11 Jan 2010

An international architectural competition is being launched to design a new building for the Victoria & Albert Museum in Dundee.

Most readers think 2010 will be better for design industry than 2009

Fri, 8 Jan 2010

Nearly 85 per cent of Design Week readers believe 2010 will be a better year for design businesses than 2009, according to a poll on www.designweek.co.uk.

Young Creative Network develops branding for Futurising event

07 January 2010

The Young Creative Network is developing an identity and website for Futurising, an event which aims to find employment for creative graduates and engage employers and educators.

Designer sought for pan-European Unicreds project

Tue, 5 Jan 2010

Cornwall County Council is seeking a consultancy to work on design projects as part of the pan-European Unicreds project.

Enigma to design oil firm trade stands

Wed, 23 Dec 2009

Norwegian energy company Statoil has appointed Windsor-based consultancy Enigma Creative Solutions to design its trade show stands for the next three years.

Path Design’s Natural History Museum restaurant opens

Mon, 21 Dec 2009

The Natural History Museum’s new restaurant has opened, completing a comprehensive remodelling of the museum’s catering and retail spaces by Path Design.

Vicky Richardson to head design for British Council

Thu, 17 Dec 2009

Blueprint editor Vicky Richardson is set to join the British Council as director of architecture, design and fashion.

Dott unveils plans to use children to power National Grid

Thu, 17 Dec 2009

Designs of the Time Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is unveiling one of its showcase projects, which Dott programme director Andrea Siodmok says will ‘take the kinetic energy of children to power the National Grid’. The project, set to take place next year, will see the design and construction of a new playground at a site in Redruth, Cornwall, which will be codesigned with children and the local community. The playground apparatus will be designed so that it ...

Games for everyone

17 December 2009

The stadiums for the London Paralympics will be designed for accessibility, but finding funds for Paralympic equipment can be hard, says Tom Banks

Sir John Sorrell appointed creative industries ambassador

Tue, 15 Dec 2009

Sir John Sorrell has been appointed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown as Business Ambassador to champion the UK’s creative industries abroad.

Creativity, risk and madness debated at The Edge

Fri, 11 Dec 2009

Designers Erik Spiekermann, Oliviero Toscani and Michael Wolff debated themes of risk and creativity at The Edge conference in London yesterday, while neuroscientist Baroness Susan Greenfield explored the link between madness and creativity.

Dyson opens Bluewater pop-up store

Thu, 10 Dec 2009

Dyson opens its first pop-up shop today, created by the product company’s in-house team. If Dyson deems the venture a success, it will consider opening a permanent store.

Number of UK designers increases by a quarter

Wed, 9 Dec 2009

The number of designers in the UK has grown by a quarter over the past five years, according to new research from the Design Council. Early analysis from the Design Industry Research survey, which is set to be released in full next year, shows that there are 232 000 designers in the UK, up from 185 500 when the research was last undertaken in 2005. However, the total number of consultancies in the UK has declined from 12 450 in 2005 to 10 800, and the proportion ...

Designers predict shop of the future: hi-tech, no logo

10 December 2009

A trip to the shops next year could see retailers locating passing consumers with GPS, before luring them into their debranded hi-tech stores using limited-period discount offers texted to the shopper’s phone.This is the vision of Britain’s high street envisaged in retail designers’ predictions for 2010. Consultancy Judge Gill has authored a trends report which picks out five key directions for next year: debranding; the growth of experiential design; dual branding (such ...

The value of British design

10 December 2009

The exchange rate might be favourable, but UK consultancies should be wary of treating the eurozone as theirs for the taking, says Emily Pacey

Nearly all creative businesses offer employee benefits, research shows

Tue, 8 Dec 2009

More than 90 per cent of companies in the creative sector offer benefits to staff over and above basic salary and holiday entitlement, according to new research from accountant Kingston Smith W1.

Useful Simple Trust founders outline business model

Tue, 8 Dec 2009

Two founders of design collective the Useful Simple Trust say their business sidesteps ‘one of the key succession challenges’, by removing the link between equity and leadership.

Harriman Steel creates Nike campaign

Fri, 4 Dec 2009

Harriman Steel has designed a campaign for Nike’s Court Force women’s shoe range.

Survey shows 43% of designers waiting for end of recession to change job

Thu, 3 Dec 2009

Once the UK’s recession comes to an end, up to 38 per cent of staff at UK design consultancies will flood the job market, according to new research.A survey of 567 clients of recruitment agency Gabriele Skelton reveals that 19 per cent of executive-level bosses, 36 per cent of directors, 53 per cent of managers and 47 per cent of co-ordinators and assistants intend to move to other companies when the recession ends.About 43 per cent of designers are planning ...

Rising above the competition

03 December 2009

The major airlines are innovating to maintain premium brand positioning and stay one step ahead of their budget rivals. Angus Montgomery reports

Boris Johnson adds Farrell and Parry to London design panel

Fri, 27 Nov 2009

London Mayor Boris Johnson has expanded his Design Advisory Panel to include architects Sir Terry Farrell and Eric Parry.

Miele opens try-before-you-buy London store

Fri, 27 Nov 2009

Domestic technology company Miele is opening a new experiential showroom in London’s Cavendish Place, with retail design by its in-house team.

Golley Slater triumphs in Cream Awards

Thu, 26 Nov 2009

Arthur Steen Horne Adamson, Taxi Studio and Golley Slater were all winners at last night’s Cream Awards.

Domenico Del Priore opens Glasgow eatery

Thu, 26 Nov 2009

Architect turned restaurateur Domenico Del Priore unveils his first restaurant, delicatessen and shop today in Glasgow.

Crucible theatre refurbishment set to complete

Thu, 26 Nov 2009

Sheffield’s Crucible theatre completes its £15.3m phased refurbishment next month, when it will unveil the remaining interiors by architect Burrell Foley Fischer.Sheffield Theatres appointed BFF in 2005, following a competitive pitch, and briefed the architect to complete a twophase refurbishment of the 1970s theatre. Alterations to the original interior design were kept to a minimum, but the box office has been moved from its sunken position on the central ‘street’ ...

Building a future for the RCA

26 November 2009

Paul Thompson faces difficult challenges in his new role as rector of the Royal College of Art. Lynda Relph-Knight talks to him about his plans

Faraday innovation report prompts pack designers to call for better collaboration

26 November 2009

Innovation within the packaging supply chain is being stifled by a lack of communication, collaboration and investment, according to a report commissioned by research consultancy Faraday. The report, ‘Understanding and promoting collaborative innovation across packaging supply chains of fast-moving consumer goods’, identified environmental concerns as presenting the greatest need to innovate.It concluded that, although businesses at all stages of the process were moderately ...

Rodney Fitch leaves Fitch

Tue, 24 Nov 2009

Fitch founder Rodney Fitch is stepping down as chairman of the consultancy.

Ron Arad’s Design Museum Holon set to open

Mon, 23 Nov 2009

The Design Museum Holon in Israel, designed by Ron Arad Architects, is set to open in January.

Design groups among top independent marcomms firms

Thu, 19 Nov 2009

Several design consultancies have been named among the most successful privately owned marketing and communications groups in the UK.

Academic boost for discipline of design anthropology

19 November 2009

The discipline of design anthropology, which will next year be the subject of an MSc course at the University of Aberdeen, is described by its practitioners as an emerging field, but one which has been emerging for some time.For some 20 years, the likes of Ideo, Intel and Nokia have been using arts and social science graduates to help them define and think about their customers in new ways. Key figures such as Genevieve Bell at Intel and Dori Tunstall, formerly of Arc Worldwide ...

Sorrell Foundation seeks Saturday arts and design club venues

Tue, 17 Nov 2009

The Sorrell Foundation is seeking partners for an initiative to run Saturday courses in art and design for youngsters.

Design Museum seeks architect to work with Koolhaas on its new home

Mon, 16 Nov 2009

The Design Museum has launched an international search for an architect to work on the Commonwealth Institute building in west London, which is set to become the new home of the museum

Vince Frost appointed Woolworths South Africa creative head

Mon, 16 Nov 2009

Woolworths South Africa has appointed Australian designer Vince Frost as its creative director.

Cultural ‘women to watch’ sought

Thu, 12 Nov 2009

The Cultural Leadership Programme is seeking nominations to its new Women to Watch list, which will celebrate the achievements of women in the creative and cultural industries.

European heads Ramshaw and Mamier leave Elmwood

Thu, 12 Nov 2009

Elmwood’s head of European operations Nick Ramshaw and European vice-president Nicolas Mamier are both leaving the consultancy.

Beyond the boom

12 November 2009

Where next for design in Dubai, after the emirate’s spectacular rise and fall? Angus Montgomery hears what some intrepid consultancies are up to

Designers say stress levels are on the up

12 November 2009

More than 72 per cent of designers say that their stress levels at work have risen over the past year.The poll, details of which are on www.designweek.co.uk, shows that 72.1 per cent of respondents say that their stress levels have risen over the past year, while 18 per cent say they have declined, and 9.8 per cent say they have stayed the same.Recent research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development shows that more than a quarter of UK workers ...

Frost French to open ‘girly’ womenswear store

Tue, 10 Nov 2009

Sadie Frost’s womenswear label Frost French is opening a new store in London’s Soho, with interiors designed by Frost and her partner Jemima French.

Peter Reid to replace Roger Parry as Media Square boss

Fri, 6 Nov 2009

Roger Parry is stepping down as executive chairman of Media Square, the group that owns consultancies Holmes & Marchant and Lloyd Northover.

Research reveals procurement ‘postcode lottery’

Fri, 6 Nov 2009

New research has revealed huge variations in the time taken by different councils to pay their suppliers.

Michael Wolff leads rebrand of Russian bank

Wed, 4 Nov 2009

Michael Wolff is leading the rebrand and refurbishment of a Russian bank, working with NB Studio on a new identity and Urban Salon on the interiors. A cartoon cat, Russian lace and hand-painted murals will all feature in the revamp, which Wolff says will see the bank’s name changed from Life Credit to Poidjom (logo pictured below), which translates as a friendly ‘let’s go’, or ‘let’s do this together’. ‘The name was partly inspired by my dad, who, when I didn’t ...

Phoenix Square digital centre set to open in Leicester

Wed, 4 Nov 2009

The Phoenix Square Digital Media Centre will open in Leicester on 17 November, the culmination of a £21m project that will give digital arts and independent cinema a home in the city. Delivered by Leicester City Council, De Montfort University and developer Blueprint in association with Leicester Arts Centre, it is funded by the council, DMU, Blueprint, the European Commission, the Arts Council and EM Media. Architect Marsh Grochowski, lead consultancy on the ...

Survey highlights lackof training on the job

05 November 2009

Only 9 per cent of designers take part in job-related training, according to new figures from the Office of National Statistics.The ONS’ Labour Force Survey shows that only 8.9 per cent of designers surveyed received job-related training in the three months leading up to June. This compares to 15.7 per cent of architects and 16.2 per cent of civil engineers, according to the same report.Research carried out by the Design Council in 2005 shows that 21 per cent ...

WPP revenues down but ‘less worse’ than previous quarter

Fri, 30 Oct 2009

WPP, which owns branding and design groups including Landor, Fitch and The Brand Union, has reported a like-for-like revenue drop of 8.7 per cent in the third quarter – an improvement on the second quarter’s 10.5 per cent fall.

Design teams hope to secure youth centre funding

Wed, 28 Oct 2009

Designers and architects in 15 teams are hoping to secure Lottery funding to build a series of youth centres across the country, in a project run by The Sorrell Foundation. The Joined Up Design for My Place project has seen The Sorrell Foundation match designers such as Interbrand with architects including Marks Barfield to work on youth centre projects aiming to secure funding as part of the £272m My Place initiative, which is administered by the Big Lottery Fund for the ...

Lambretta targets mall shoppers with new branding

29 October 2009

Consultancy Phaus has designed two new Lambretta stores set to open in Cardiff and Glasgow next month, which will feature a range of one-off graphics and in-store branding.Contracted by franchise-owner Peter Davis after a direct appointment in July, the consultancy took its cue from a visual brief Davis had provided through a basic sketch.Phaus’ response was to build a ‘glossy shell’ within the space, linking a translucent Lambretta ‘target’ logo from the window ...

Cabinet creative conference launches

Tue, 27 Oct 2009

World leaders from the creative and financial industries are gathering in the UK for Cabinet, the Government’s inaugural Creativity & Business International Network meeting.

Barcelona design festival opens

Mon, 26 Oct 2009

The BCN Design Week, which focuses on design in business, opens today in the Spanish city of Barcelona and runs until 30 October.

Cogapp creates Olympic art website

Thu, 22 Oct 2009

Cogapp has designed the branding, marketing materials and a website for London 2012’s art commissioning programme.

Parc Signs develops ‘eco pod’ for retail park

Thu, 22 Oct 2009

Parc Signs has created an ‘eco pod’ for Clarks Village in Street, Somerset, in a bid to show the retail park’s Green credentials.

New Royal Designers for Industry master aims to build bridges with RSA

Wed, 21 Oct 2009

When Robin Levien takes up his role as Master of the Royal Designers for Industry in November he aims to improve the soured relationship between the RDI faculty and parent body the Royal Society of Arts. Levien (pictured), founder of product design consultancy Studio Levien, is poised to replace Chris Wise, who has held the position of master since 2007. ‘I am a conciliatory character and that will be my approach to trying to talk around any issues that there ...

LFA reaches out beyond architecture

Wed, 21 Oct 2009

The London Festival of Architecture 2010 will involve more non-architectural designers than previously, hopes Tamsie Thomson, director of the Royal Institute of British Architects London.

Starck design show winner launches new product

Tue, 20 Oct 2009

Ilsa Parry, who was last night revealed as the winner of Philippe Starck’s BBC Two reality show Design for Life, is launching a new eco-light product.

Someone’s Olympics pictograms unveiled

Fri, 16 Oct 2009

Pictograms for the London 2012 Olympic Games launched today, designed by Someone.

Birmingham Library tender reignites free-pitching debate

Wed, 14 Oct 2009

Birmingham City Council is the latest public-sector client to come under fire for asking for unpaid creative work in a tender.

Think Public opens Cornish office

Wed, 14 Oct 2009

Public service design consultancy Think Public is opening a new office in Redruth, Cornwall. The London-based group, whose co-founder Deborah Szebeko is a ‘design producer’ for next year’s Designs of the Time in Cornwall (DW 16 September), is appointing two local designers to work at Think Public Southwest, which will be housed in the same building as Dott. The consultancy plans to run the studio remotely. Think Public Southwest’s first two projects will tackle ...

Straight from the heart

15 October 2009

Getting your pro-bono jobs to work out can be just as tricky as with paid-for projects. Angus Montgomery weighs up the pros and cons

Schoolchildren in Olympic design challenges

Mon, 12 Oct 2009

All secondary schoolchildren across the UK are being invited to take part in a series of science, technology and maths (Stem) challenges focusing on the design and delivery of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Fitchlive appointment to boost links with Fitch

Thu, 8 Oct 2009

Experiential, film and digital agency Fitchlive has appointed Ursula Morrish as project director. Part of her role will be to build an integrated offer with sister consultancy Fitch.

New COI roster framework set to address concerns

08 October 2009

The Central Office of Information has often been accused of over-complicating public procurement, but it is confident its three new design rosters will be welcomed by designers and clients alike.COI roster veteran Start Creative is one consultancy enthusiastic about the new rosters, including branding and brand identity, which launches on 22 October, to be followed by content and publishing, and design and related services (DW 23 September).‘We hope that this ...

Welsh design recognised at Cardiff Design Festival Awards

Tue, 6 Oct 2009

The winners of the Cardiff Design Festival Awards 2009 were honoured at a ceremony and awards dinner held in the Welsh capital last night.

Design Council archive images go live online

Mon, 5 Oct 2009

The Design Council has put thousands more images from its slide collection online.

The Chase is overall winner at the Fresh Awards

Thu, 1 Oct 2009

The Fresh Awards announced consultancy The Chase as overall winner at its ceremony in Manchester last night, when it handed out digital and creative honours across 44 categories.

Design Museum move welcomed by leading creatives

01 October 2009

The Design Museum’s proposed move to the former Commonwealth Institute in London’s Kensington will extend the reach of the ‘Albertopolis’ cultural quarter, says Paul Thompson, rector of the Royal College of Art.Thompson was speaking after Kensington and Chelsea Council and English Heritage approved plans drawn up by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas’ practice OMA to house the museum in a redeveloped Commonwealth Institute building. This would move the Design Museum 10km west ...

European Design Day to be celebrated

Mon, 28 Sep 2009

The Bureau of European Design Associations will celebrate its lobbying achievements on 1 October, which BEDA has named European Design Day.

UAE designer wins British Council entrepreneur prize

Fri, 25 Sep 2009

The British Council has crowned a designer from United Arab Emirates International Young Design Entrepreneur 2009.

Paul Smith awarded London Design Medal

Thu, 24 Sep 2009

Fashion designer Paul Smith has been awarded the 2009 London Design Medal.

Design Council to launch patient dignity competition

Wed, 23 Sep 2009

The Design Council and the Department of Health are set to launch a new project which will address issues around patient dignity and privacy in hospitals.The Design for Patient Dignity scheme will follow the same structure as the Design Bugs Out competition launched last year, which saw four designers create five new pieces of hospital furniture to combat the spread of infection. However, the new scheme will have a slightly broader format, potentially encompassing service ...

British design escapes shackles of a national

24th September 2009

British design is taking a bit of a beating at the moment. In The New York Times last month, British critic Alice Rawsthorn complained that it’s not what it used to be. Jonathan Glancey in The Guardian concurred, saying, ‘You have to shop around for it.’ And then on BBC Two last Monday, French design star Philippe Starck revealed that he would like to help us to ‘create English style’, as none currently exists.But in a new book commissioned by UK Trade & Investment, ...

Boris Johnson praises traditional design

Tue, 22 Sep 2009

London Mayor Boris Johnson has reinforced his position as an upholder of tradition in design, while acknowledging design’s importance to the capital’s economy

Designers sought to promote Cornwall

Tue, 22 Sep 2009

A design group is being sought to work on projects for the Cornwall Marketing project, being run by the Cornwall Development Company.

Design Museum move gets green light

Fri, 18 Sep 2009

The Design Museum’s plans to move from Shad Thames to a new home in the former Commonwealth Institute on Kensington High Street have won the thumbs up from the council.

Simon & John works on outsize women’s fashion store

Thu, 17 Sep 2009

Outsize womenswear label Ann Harvey’s Oxford Street flagship store opens today, with new interiors and branding by Simon & John.

Conran and Hamnett to address IP issues

Mon, 14 Sep 2009

Designer Sebastian Conran and fashion designer Katherine Hamnett will be advising entrepreneurs on intellectual property in a seminar next week as part of London Design Festival.

Design Museum picks 2009 Designers in Residence

Fri, 11 Sep 2009

The Design Museum has announced this year’s five young designers for its annual Designers in Residence programme.

D4R in point-of-sale lingerie work

Thu, 10 Sep 2009

Leicestershire-based retail design consultancy D4R has created new point-of-sale displays for lingerie brands Triumph and Sloggi.

US architect works on new Glasgow School of Art building

Tue, 8 Sep 2009

US architect Steven Holl Architects and Scotland-based JM Architects have been appointed to work on a new building opposite Glasgow School of Art’s Grade A-listed Mackintosh Building.

Mandelson dismisses attempt to criminalise IP infringement

Fri, 4 Sep 2009

The IP debate has gathered pace this week as inventor Trevor Baylis, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and now Innovation Minister David Lammy and designer Sebastian Conran have spoken out on the issue.

Elmwood and The Team top list of DBA award winners

Thu, 3 Sep 2009

Elmwood and The Team are leading the field in the Design Business Association’s Design Effectiveness Awards, with five wins each.The awards scheme seeks to measure the financial value that design adds to a particular product or service, rather than creativity or innovation.This year a total of 51 projects have been shortlisted, and are guaranteed either a gold, silver or bronze medal. These will be allocated on the night of the awards ceremony next month, as ...

Map of UK creative sector could inform Government policy

03rd September 2009

It comes as no surprise to hear that London and its surrounding counties are the UK’s creative epicentre. But a new mapping experiment - published last week by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts - also reveals which types of creative business cluster together and where.Nesta hopes that this fine-grained information could encourage the Government to tailor its creative industries policies to suit certain cluster types according to region.

LDA funds designer-maker collectives

Thu, 27 Aug 2009

London’s designer-makers could benefit from the London Development Agency’s latest £500 000 cash injection to ‘develop the creative skills of Londoners’ ahead of the 2012 Olympics.

Calls for code of practice on graduate internships

Wed, 26 Aug 2009

Creative & Cultural Skills has proposed that a code of practice on graduate placements in the creative industries be introduced, in a bid to end the practice of unpaid internships. The call comes after the organisation urged employers in the sector to do more to make it accessible to young people, by providing better information and guidance on finding work (www.designweek. co.uk, 21 August). C&CS also believes that it is up to employers to stamp out ...

Lighthouse goes into administration

Tue, 25 Aug 2009

The Lighthouse, Scotland’s centre of architecture, design and the city, has gone into administration.

New York’s Parsons appoints new director

Mon, 24 Aug 2009

Parsons The New School for Design has appointed Radhika Subramaniam as director and chief curator of the Sheila C Johnson Design Center.

Young people ‘need more information about creative industries’

Fri, 21 Aug 2009

Employers in the creative industries should do more to make sure the sector is accessible to young people who want to break into it, says organisation Creative & Cultural Skills.

Government move points to more open procurement

Thu, 20 Aug 2009

The Government’s decision to scrap the charge for online public contract portal Supply2.gov.uk is being hailed as the first step towards a more free and open public procurement system.Earlier this month the fee was dropped on searching for contracts worth under £100 000. This had previously cost businesses approximately £99-£180 a year. This may not seem much, but for business representation body the Forum of Private Business the decision is an important move towards allowing ...

Heatherwick to star at Irish Design Week

20th August 2009

Thomas Heatherwick will open this year’s Irish Design Week in Dublin on 2 November.After saying last year that he would ‘do anything to get [Heatherwick] over’, Barry Sheehan, immediate past president of the Institute of Designers of Ireland, one of the IDW’s key organisers, says he can ‘rest happy now’.The festival will also host the three-day Offset 2009 conference, taking place in Dublin from 6-8 October. Speakers at Offset will include graphic designers Leila ...

Art school head moves on

Tue, 18 Aug 2009

Gray’s School of Art’s search for a new head to replace Professor Stuart MacDonald is underway.

Sony Design Centre Europe announces new director

Mon, 17 Aug 2009

Takuya Kawagoi is the new director of Sony Design Centre Europe, based in London.

D&AD makes 12 job cuts as recession bite

Wed, 12 Aug 2009

D&AD has cut 12 jobs, a decision the organisation has put down to the economic downturn.Eight people, including two senior managers, are being laid off across D&AD’s operations, and four long-term vacancies will not be filled.Finance director Dara Lynch says the ‘restructuring’ was under discussion before Tim O’Kennedy joined as chief executive on 3 August, but that he was party to the decision ratified by the executive committee. She says ...

JHP appointed to Chinese rail work

Wed, 12 Aug 2009

Design group JHP has won a joint pitch with architect Aedas to design a Hong Kong rail terminus which will form part of a 16 000km-long high-speed Chinese rail link costing $39.5bn (£24bn).The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (map of Hong Kong section pictured) will link the three cities when it opens in 2015.JHP was approached in December 2008 by Aedas. A joint credentials proposal was put to Hong Kong-based rail company MTR Corporation in January, ...

Start’s Michael Dorrian moves to Hong Kong office

Tue, 11 Aug 2009

Michael Dorrian has been appointed creative director of Start Creative Hong Kong.

National Portrait Gallery to review roster

Wed, 5 Aug 2009

The National Portrait Gallery is reviewing its roster and will ask the groups on its existing list to repitch.The gallery’s marketing manager Jonathan Rowbotham says new groups will get a chance to compete against listed consultancies in ‘a fair and open process’.Rowbotham says he is unsure if the roster will be expanded, but says the gallery will approach some design groups that have carried out ‘admirable work’ with other museums. All groups will first be invited ...

Dyson Awards longlist unveiled

Tue, 4 Aug 2009

The longlist has been unveiled for this year’s Dyson Awards, sponsored by Sir James Dyson.

RCA celebrates ten years of Helen Hamlyn Centre work

Mon, 3 Aug 2009

The Royal College of Art is to host an exhibition celebrating ten years of European collaborative projects by Helen Hamlyn Centre research associates.

Christine Losecaat to unveil new venture at London Design Festival

August 2009 Online

London Design Embassy founder Christine Losecaat will unveil her new venture at the London Design Festival next month.The Elevator Lounge, to be hosted at 100% Design, will be a space for both exhibitors and visitors to do business and meet with experts specialising in business advice, international trade and intellectual property.Losecaat describes it as’a business-enabling space’, where people will be able to meet like-minded contacts and get advice from free ...

Sir Christopher Frayling talks about his RCA tenure

August 2009 Online

Christopher Frayling has left a worthy legacy for his successor at the RCA, Paul Thompson. Lynda Relph-Knight talks to him about his tenure

Salford City Council unveils design roster

Thu, 30 Jul 2009

Salford City Council has appointed six consultancies to its new creative design services roster.

UKTI launches Asian trade missions for designers

Tue, 28 Jul 2009

UK Trade & Investment is seeking British designers to attend a series of trade missions to Asia.

Rainmaker survey claims consultancies ‘oversell’ themselves

Fri, 24 Jul 2009

Most marketing and design groups sell themselves too hard, according to the results of a new survey by Rainmaker.

The Green Awards are calling for entries

Thu, 23 Jul 2009

The Green Awards 2009 are inviting entries from brands and design groups hoping for recognition for their ecological campaigns and packaging initiatives.

Path Design creates Natural History Museum retail spaces

Wed, 22 Jul 2009

The second of three new catering and retail spaces created by Path Design will open at London’s Natural History Museum on 27 July, and details are emerging about a third high-end restaurant space. Earth Shop and Deli Café (pictured) will open within the museum’s Red Zone, taking inspiration from the permanent exhibition Earth Galleries. This follows the June opening of the North Hall Café also designed by the group. Work will start on the highend ...

On a social mission

23rd July 2009

The Royal Society of Arts is becoming a real force for change, as borne out by its new Design & Society manifesto, says Lynda Relph-Knight

A Bathing Ape opts for Wonderwall interiors

Fri, 17 Jul 2009

Japanese streetwear brand A Bathing Ape is poised to relaunch its flagship European store in London, with a revamped interior by Wonderwall founder Masamichi Katayama.

Design Event 09 to focus on politics and play

Thu, 16 Jul 2009

Politics and Play will be the theme of this year’s Design Event 09, the annual North East festival celebrating regional graphics, illustration, fashion and architecture.

Transport for London to launch new river transport project

Wed, 15 Jul 2009

Transport for London is planning a tender to find designers to help it with a new river transport project. ‘We are working on a new programme to increase ridership of the London River Services,’ says TfL’s new head of design Jon Hunter, adding, ‘There is a whole package of work for this project, including wayfinding and looking at services.’

Guest curators get Greengaged going

16th July 2009

Greengaged will return to the London Design Festival this year with a new format, in which five guest curators will each put together a day of events.

Ideo targets schools in climate change initiative

Mon, 13 Jul 2009

Ideo and Oxfam are working together on a project to help young people to engage with reducing climate change.

Bristol Media wins SWRDA skills brief

Fri, 10 Jul 2009

Creative industry network Bristol Media has been appointed by the South West Regional Development Agency in a £1.7m investment to ensure skills and talent are retained in the area.

Gormley named most influential art and design figure

Thu, 9 Jul 2009

Artist Antony Gormley, whose One & Other commission for Trafalgar Square’s Fourth Plinth launched this week, has been named the most influential and powerful person in art and design in an industry poll.

Jason Bruges designs Sunderland Station lightwall

Wed, 8 Jul 2009

Jason Bruges Studio has designed a 144m-long lightwall artwork that will run along a platform at Sunderland Station.

AWL applies the beauty touch to Mori restaurant launch

09th July 2009

Fashion branding consultancy AWL is creating the identity and packaging for a new Japanese fast-food chain called Mori.

Design Council and British Chambers of Commerce in partnership

Tue, 7 Jul 2009

The Design Council and the British Chambers of Commerce have announced a new partnership to work together to promote the value of design to UK businesses.

Book design and mobile phone app scoop top D&AD Student Awards prize

Fri, 3 Jul 2009

Two teams have shared the Student of the Year prize at the D&AD Student Awards 2009.

Designwerk creates Ice Age theme park ride

Thu, 2 Jul 2009

Designwerk has created a visitor attraction for Chessington World of Adventures inspired by the new movie Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaur.

Acid petitions Number 10 on IP crime

July 2009 Online

Anti Copying In Design is launching two petitions destined for Number 10 Downing Street next week, in protest at what it calls a ‘scant attempt’ to recognise intellectual property crime in law.Acid chief executive Dids Macdonald explains that the action follows the Ministry of Justice’s ‘failure to satisfactorily address lack of deterrents within the existing damages regime for IP infringement’.The first petition will lobby for the introduction of criminal sanctions ...

GP Studio/Design House team bag Aftershock revamp work

02 July 2009

GP Studio and Design House, which recently announced a collaboration (DW 4 June), have been appointed to their first contract together, to work on store environments and branding for women’s fashion retailer Aftershock.

Number 10 hosts Design Council talks

02 July 2009

The Design Council is set to hold an extraordinary meeting at Number 10 Downing Street tomorrow.

Rebecca Edge stands down at Audi

July 2009 Online

Rebecca Edge is leaving the Audi Design Foundation after seven years as manager.She will be replaced by Rebecca Myrie, who is being promoted from her position as grants manager.Edge leaves at the end of this month, but will continue to work for the charity’s Sustain Our Nation initiative, which encourages new designers to set up sustainable design-led social enterprises. She will also offer her services to the foundation as a consultant.The foundation ...

Unilever plans inspiring design book ahead of roster review

July 2009 Online

Unilever is assembling a book of ‘inspiring design’, ahead of an expected roster review at the end of the year, according to sources close to the manufacturer.‘Unilever is writing a book about design that will be distributed around its portfolio of brand managers,’ claims an unnamed source involved with the project.‘The book will feature inspiring work by groups that it hopes will inform the future direction of its branding and packaging design,’ the source continues.

Government hints at change to IP laws

Fri, 26 Jun 2009

Higher Education and Intellectual Property Minister David Lammy has conceded that ‘it’s not clear all parliamentarians understand the importance of intellectual property’, when he addressed a conference on IP at the Houses of Parliament last night.

UK groups pick up gold awards at Cannes Design Lions

Thu, 25 Jun 2009

Williams Murray Hamm, The Partners and Pearlfisher all scooped gold awards at the Cannes Design Lions Awards last night.

BDI lobbies Mandelson over university design departments

Fri, 19 Jun 2009

British Design Innovation is calling on Lord Mandelson to stop university design departments competing with design groups for business.

Sir Peter Blake joins Art Car Boot Fair

Fri, 12 Jun 2009

Sir Peter Blake is among artists and designers creating works for this weekend’s Art Car Boot Fair in London, which will feature a collection of decorated Vauxhall cars.

Portland joins forces with Indian marketing agency

Tue, 9 Jun 2009

Portland is entering a joint venture with Indian marketing agency Mudra Group, to create a new Indian retail consultancy.

Mandelson’s new Government department to look after design

Mon, 8 Jun 2009

Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s Cabinet reshuffle has led to the creation of the new Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), which will be responsible for design policy at central Government level.

Origin Creative works on Henri Lloyd Brawn GP account

Mon, 8 Jun 2009

Cheshire-based consultancy Origin Creative is working on the launch marketing campaign for apparel company Henri Lloyd’s Brawn GP clothing range.

Innovation Secretary Denham likely to move in Cabinet reshuffle

Thu, 4 Jun 2009

Innovation Secretary John Denham looks likely to be promoted in the forthcoming Cabinet reshuffle.

Listen to the Design Week Top 100 podcast

Thu, 4 Jun 2009

The Design Week Top 100 podcast is now live and free to download.

Media Square announces profits surge and restructure

Tue, 2 Jun 2009

Marketing communications group Media Square has announced a huge jump in profits for the past 12 months.

Creatives have eight minutes to share their inspiration

Tue, 2 Jun 2009

Graphic designer Vaughan Oliver and Richard Hooker, designer and art director at Wieden & Kennedy, are among those taking part in the 8x8 London live design event next month.

Tayburn gets its teeth into Scottish meat work

Fri, 29 May 2009

Tayburn is working on a Scotch beef summer recipe booklet after being appointed to the Quality Meat Scotland design services roster.

Consumers are discovering the delights of authentic fare

Thu, 28 May 2009

Ethical retailers are coming into their own as consumers rediscover the delights of home-grown and authentic fare. Trish Lorenz reports

Designs ‘to improve human life’ shortlisted

Tue, 26 May 2009

The Index Award 2009 has announced its shortlist of 72 designs from 18 countries. A €500 000 (£440 000) prize will be split equally between five winners across five categories.

Leeds to host design activism festival

Thu, 21 May 2009

The Leeds Festival of Design Activism, which will focus on how design can affect environmental and social issues, will be held in July.

From rags to relevance

Retail Supplement

Fashion stores are in the vanguard of the trend to build awareness and relevancy through shop design. Lucy Johnston looks at how some forward-thinking retailers are using space to align their brands with consumers’ changing lifestyles

Going virtual

Retail Supplement

On-line shopping will never be quite the sameas the tactile experience of going into a store,but some e-tailers are starting to address this issue.Scott Billings looks at some initiatives that aimto make Internet shopping more enjoyable

Retail design

Retail Supplement

The retail sector is a major consumer of design services, as well as one of the most savvy. All parts of the market, from value to luxury, and across all aspects of the sector - be it interiors, packaging or point-of-sale - understand the value of design and how it can contribute to a brand’s success.

Taking a stand

Retail Supplement

More and more retailers are committed to reducing their carbon footprints, tackling the waste generated by point-of-sale activity as well as using environmentally friendly packaging. Matthew Valentine suggests that budgets for displays could actually rise as companies chase the Green pound

The Yard creates 'drastically different' Eurostar buffet cars

14 May 2009

The Yard Creative has designed new buffet cars for Eurostar’s fleet of 28 trains.

WPP warns on 2009 as revenue falls

Tue, 28 Apr 2009

WPP has warned of a ‘very difficult’ first half of 2009 as it reported a like-for-like revenue fall of 5.8 per cent in the first quarter of the year.

Time to enter Arts and Business awards

Fri, 24 Apr 2009

Arts and Business has launched its 2009 awards, inviting nominations from businesses that have partnerships with designers, artists and cultural organisations.

Co-design workshops show soci-eco design opportunities

23 April 2009

The co-design approach may not be new, but using it to increase skills and help realise eco-economic opportunities during a recession is, according to sustainable design consultant Alastair Fuad-Luke.

Mathers & Co designs new Wimbledon viewing platform

23 April 2009

Mather & Co is designing an interactive viewing platform for Wimbledon’s Centre Court, which will allow visitors to view it from angles including the umpire’s chair, and the commentary and royal boxes.

Wrap examines packaging waste in retail supply chain

Tue, 21 Apr 2009

Waste & Resources Action Programme is on the hunt for participants for a research project that will examine the amount of packaging waste produced by the UK retail sector and its supply chain.

Symposium to explore design’s links with science

16 April 2009

The links between design and science have been highlighted recently by the Design Council’s formal tie-up with the Technology Strategy Board and Royal College of Art rector Professor Sir Christopher Frayling’s campaign to have design education recategorised in funding terms to bring it closer to science subjects.These links are being further emphasised by an international symposium organised by Kingston University’s Design Research Centre, Design Plus at Kingston University ...

Gabriel Design creates Bermondsey hotel interiors

Thu, 9 Apr 2009

Gabriel Design has completed the interior design for the newly built Bermondsey Square Hotel in south London, which opens on 14 April.

Government considers New Deal of the Mind

9 April 2009

The New Deal of The Mind has a simple objective, but you could hardly accuse it of lacking ambition. Its aim is to boost employment in Britain’s creative sector - for the good of the entire nation.

Green-fingered creatives dig in for Brompton show

Mon, 6 Apr 2009

Artists, designers and gardeners will stage temporary exhibitions and create mini-gardens and new shop window displays as part of the Brompton Borders event in west London next month.

Nina Due is new Design Museum head of exhibitions

Thu, 2 Apr 2009

Nina Due has been appointed as the new head of exhibitions at the Design Museum.

BWP brands 'opulent' Soho boutique hotel

2 April 2009

Retail and leisure design specialist BWP Group is branding a new boutique hotel and retail development in London's Soho.The 'deliberately opulent' branding is intended to 'fly in the face of the recession', says a BWP spokeswoman.Property group Consolidated Property Corporation appointed BWP last week following a creative unpaid pitch against at least one other consultancy.BWP has named the 2470m2 development in Old Compton Street Soho Central. It will include a ...

The industry faces the university challenge

2 April 2009

A new report voices the design industry’s concern about universities encroaching on commercial territory. Gina Lovett investigates

Design stars feature in UKTI promotional film

Mon, 30 Mar 2009

UK Trade & Investment has commissioned a film to promote British design groups including Priestman Goode and Conran & Partners to design buyers around the world.

Belgian architect creates London chocolateria

Fri, 27 Mar 2009

Artisan du Chocolat is opening a new store and chocolateria in west London later this year, designed by Bart Lens of Belgium-based architect Lens Associates.

Keech Design completes Isles of Scilly work

Thu, 26 Mar 2009

Keech Design has overcome logistical hurdles to complete a retail interiors contract on the remote Isles of Scilly.

Government urged to invest in design graduates

Wed, 25 Mar 2009

Climate change innovation products face public vote

Mon, 23 Mar 2009

This is the final week for the public to vote for the winner of innovation competition FT Climate Change Challenge, organised by the sustainable development organisation Forum for the Future.

Watch company launches designer networking site

Mon, 23 Mar 2009

Swatch Group owner Rado Switzerland will launch a networking website for designers next month.

Design Week employment podcast is live

Fri, 20 Mar 2009

Ex-model launches lingerie store

19 March 2009

Lingerie concept store Apartment C is set to open on Marylebone High Street, London W1, with interior design by company founder Kenya Cretegny.Cretegny, a former model and TV presenter, says she came up with the idea for Apartment C, which opens on 26 March, about two years ago after studying multidisciplinary design at Central St Martins College of Art and Design.She says she decided to design the interiors herself because external designers 'kept coming back to French ...

100% Design recalibrates for recession

Wed, 18 Mar 2009

This year's 100% Design trade exhibition will feature a new floorplan, a 'festival spirit' - and possibly Designersblock.Designed by Jam, the new floorplan will feature spaces for live performances. It will also offer flexible display concepts to appeal to cash-strapped exhibitors.100% Design exhibition director Peter Massey says that while exhibitor numbers are roughly in line with previous years, 'people are taking smaller spaces or sharing stands to reduce costs'.100% ...

UK Trade and Investment launches Milan mission

Wed, 18 Mar 2009

UK Trade & Investment is to run its first design trade mission to Milan during the city's international furniture fair this year.

Michael Thomson steps down as Beda president

Mon, 16 Mar 2009

The managing director of the Norwegian Design Council, Jan R Stavik, takes the helm as president of the Bureau of European Design Associations, replacing Michael Thomson, who stepped down at the weekend.

Olympics body chooses designers at random

Thu, 12 Mar 2009

An organisation involved in the delivery of the London 2012 Olympics has admitted to selecting design consultancies at random for a tender.

Dott Cornwall can learn from the North East's festival

12 March 2009

The organisers of the second Designs of the Time can learn from the first programme in 2007. Angus Montgomery reports

Martin Sorrell says recession is key design issue

Wed, 11 Mar 2009

The only significant issue facing the design industry in the next two years will be 'recession, recession, recession', according to WPP chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell.Speaking exclusively to Design Week last Friday - the day that WPP released its preliminary results for 2008 - Sorrell sounded under pressure, the global advertising and communications giant having reported a 5.8 per cent fall in profits.Sorrell famously described the last downturn as 'bath-shaped', ...

DSDHA bags Waterloo City Square project

Tue, 10 Mar 2009

Architect DSDHA has been named as the winning design team for the Waterloo City Square scheme in London.

First Dott Cornwall projects out to tender

Mon, 9 Mar 2009

The Design Council and Cornwall County Council are seeking designers to help deliver four initiatives as part of Designs of the Times Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Manchester design students revamp Gallery of Costume

Fri, 6 Mar 2009

MA design students at Manchester Metropolitan University have teamed up with the city’s Gallery of Costume to help reinvent the space ahead of its reopening in 2010.

Funding cut for design and art universities

Thu, 5 Mar 2009

Top design universities are dismayed at the news that they are to have their research funding cut by The Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Caulder Moore gets the cut for MichaelJohn push

5 March 2009

Caulder Moore is redesigning the interiors of a Mayfair hair salon, ahead of a planned expansion of the brand to create a London-based hair and beauty chain.Michaeljohn, whose customers include Twiggy and Princess Anne, appointed Caulder Moore to revamp the salon about six months ago, following a non-competitive credentials pitch. It briefed the retail design consultancy to create a new interior that will 'put a stronger emphasis on the brand and its history', according to Caulder ...

Sainsbury’s picks roster groups

Tue, 3 Mar 2009

Sainsbury’s has appointed six design consultancies to its packaging design roster.

Consultancy launches free design website

Mon, 2 Mar 2009

Design, marketing and events company Photolink Creative Group is launching a website offering potential clients free branding advice.

Design helps councils tackle climate change

Fri, 27 Feb 2009

The results of a project that encourages local authorities to use design to deal with climate change issues are being unveiled today.

Fitch’s My brand launches for Tesco in Czech Republic

Thu, 26 Feb 2009

My’s first department store, branded and designed by Fitch for Tesco, opens today in Liberec in the Czech Republic.

Design course applications rise despite jobs gloom

26 February 2009

The number of applications to design courses has soared this year, despite the recession and a growing consensus in the design industry that positions for graduates are drying up.Figures released by university admissions organisation Ucas last week show that applications for undergraduate design courses have risen by 11.5 per cent since last year, with 40 732 people seeking to study.This compares to a rise in applications to all courses of just 7.8 per cent, while fine ...

Design community ‘slow to boost its skills’

Tue, 24 Feb 2009

The UK design community is apathetic about boosting its skills, according to research by Design Week and independent research group YouGov.

Design Indaba brings design community to South Africa

Tue, 24 Feb 2009

South Africa’s Design Indaba conference kicks off tomorrow at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

Creative industries ‘could outstrip financial sector’

Fri, 20 Feb 2009

Britain’s creative industries could soon employ more people than the financial sector, according to new figures.

2012 work continues for designers

19 February 2009

As plans for the physical legacy of the London 2012 Olympics go in front of the public, organisers are also promising a cultural legacy from the games, and say opportunities for designers will continue.Last week London Mayor Boris Johnson, Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell unveiled plans for the legacy of the Olympic Park after 2012.The proposals for the site, in Stratford in east London, drawn up by architects Allies and Morrison, EDAW ...

Plans for Cornish Dott take shape

Wed, 18 Feb 2009

Plans are being put together for next year’s Designs of the Time programme, which will take place in Cornwall.

Survey gives the lowdown on supermarket packaging

Tue, 17 Feb 2009

Waitrose has the heaviest packaging and Tesco the lightest of all the major UK supermarkets, according to research by the Local Government Association.

Digital networking group launches

Mon, 16 Feb 2009

A series of networking events for digital designers and artists begins this week, at locations in and around Carnaby Street, London W1.

Lois Jacobs moves to Fitch as global CEO

Thu, 12 Feb 2009

Lois Jacobs has been named as global chief executive of Fitch.

RSA’s Campbell speaks out for public contests

Tue, 10 Feb 2009

The Public Gallery closes before it opens

Fri, 6 Feb 2009

The Public Gallery has announced it is to cease trading and pull out of West Bromwich arts centre The Public.

Creative director Eric Scott leaves Saffron

5 February 2009

Saffron global creative director Eric Scott has left the branding group after a 'mutual agreement that the working relationship was incompatible', according to Saffron principal Ian Stephens.Scott arrived at Saffron about a year ago, after being fired as chief executive of Wolff Olins' US operation at the end of 2005, allegedly for refusing to make redundancies.His newly created role at Saffron involved overseeing projects at the consultancy's global locations, run by creative ...

Interbrand appoints Ward to push business opportunities

5 February 2009

Interbrand has appointed Simon Ward to the role of business development director, a new post on the board which will look at driving new business.Ward is former chief executive of Pleon UK, and was co-founder and managing director of consultancy Promodus.A spokeswoman for Interbrand said the move was not part of a restructure, but was an effort to focus on business opportunities from a board level. Interbrand London chief executive Rune Gustafson says, 'We see this as a ...

R&D&Co ceases trading

Wed, 4 Feb 2009

R&D&Co has this week closed its doors and ceased trading.

John Lewis tops retail survey

Fri, 30 Jan 2009

John Lewis has topped a Which? league table to find Britain’s best shops, winning plaudits for its store environment, staff and products.

Design Solution unveils Athens airport shops

29 January 2009

The Design Solution is creating two retail concessions at Athens International Airport for Hellenic Duty Free Shops, and will also be involved in a third space, to be built in line with a terminal expansion. The delicatessen Hellenic Gourmet (pictured right) and the duty free shop (pictured below) will replace existing outlets owned by the client when they open in April.Appointed to both projects in September, The Design Solution came through a three-way credentials pitch to land ...

Students urged to avoid design

Tue, 27 Jan 2009

Industry heavyweight Ian Cochrane is recommending design students to ‘get out’ of the sector, which ‘does not need you’, as the recession bites.

Anne Carlisle takes over at Falmouth

Tue, 27 Jan 2009

Professor Anne Carlisle is to replace University College Falmouth rector Alan Livingston.

Light show plays on London’s tallest block of flats

Thu, 22 Jan 2009

London’s tallest block of flats will celebrate its opening this evening with a light show created by Maurice Brill Lighting Design.

Two receive RCA’s Misha Black Medals

Mon, 19 Jan 2009

The 2009 Sir Misha Black Medal for Distinguished Services to Design Education will be presented to Judy Frater at a ceremony at the Royal College of Art on the 17 March. At the same time, the 2009 Sir Misha Black Medal for Innovation in Design Education will go to the RCA's head of design interactions, Anthony Dunne.

DJPA looks to expand following takeover by Schawk

15 January 2009

Anglo-Dutch group DJPA is looking to grow in the UK and Europe, following its acquisition yesterday by listed global network Schawk.The group joins strategic and design consultancy Anthem - which also acts as Nestlé's in-house design capability - within Schawk's creative portfolio, Anthem Worldwide group. Schawk's other divisions comprise brand point management, retail marketing and repro services.DJPA will retain its name, brand, management structure and staff, according ...

Arts Council appoints 16 groups to roster

Tue, 13 Jan 2009

Arts Council England has created a marketing and design roster featuring 16 consultancies.

‘Golden hello’ plan is ‘irresponsible’

Mon, 12 Jan 2009

The Government’s plan to give firms that recruit people who have been unemployed for more than six months ‘golden hellos’ of up to £2500 is ‘irresponsible’, say design recruitment experts.

Marrakesh brief for Jade Jagger

Fri, 9 Jan 2009

Call for design element in Capital of Culture plan

Thu, 8 Jan 2009

Bangalore the ‘design city’ of the future

8 January 2009

Asked to imagine the design city of the future, you might have visions of glittering, iconic towers, sleek hover bikes and elegantly minimal white uniforms.You probably wouldn't think of the busy flower market in Bangalore, India. Yet Bangalore was heralded as a future design city in Design Cities: Where Next?, a debate held at the Design Museum in London last month.The debate followed the Design Museum's current Design Cities 1851-2008 exhibition, which argues that seven ...

APFEL to create Hepworth Wakefield museum identity

Tue, 6 Jan 2009

Graphic design studio A Practice for Everyday Life has been appointed to design the visual identity for The Hepworth Wakefield, a new museum opening in 2010.

Barclays relaunches flagship

Fri, 19 Dec 2008

Barclays has opened the doors of its new, high-tech flagship branch on London’s Piccadilly Circus, designed by The One Off and architect Aukett Tytherleigh.

Bloom crafts fruit tea extension for Lipton

18 December 2008

Unilever's Lipton tea brand this week launches a fruit and herbal extension to its range, crafted by Bloom Design.The pack design for the European market, created by Paris consultancy CB'A Design about a year ago, had to be adapted especially for the UK market, according to Bloom managing director Jill Marshall.'Looking at the European design and the tea market in the UK, it wouldn't have cut through - it's too close to Twinings,' she says.Bloom was invited to work ...

Design Week talks to RCA rector-in-waiting Paul Thompson

18 December 2008

Emily Pacey talks to Royal College of Art rector-in-waiting Paul Thompson as he prepares to take the reins at a transitional time for the school

Experts to name design city of the future

Mon, 15 Dec 2008

An international panel of experts will battle it out to name the design city of the future in a debate at the Design Museum tonight.

Rawls adds glow to Pravins concept

Thu, 11 Dec 2008

Retail consultancy Rawls has created a concept store in Bristol for jeweller Pravins.

Portland masterplans retail space in 1km-tall Dubai tower

11 December 2008

Portland Design is masterplanning the 70 000m2 retail area in Dubai's proposed 1km-tall Nakheel Tower (concept image pictured).Property developer Nakheel, which is also responsible for Dubai's Palm Islands project, appointed the consultancy in July, six months after Portland approached the developer about the project.Portland reports that in the build-up to the tower's completion in 2012, Nakheel will be seeking lighting and wayfinding designers, among other design specialists.'We ...

Not all designers are happy about the British Standard draft on Web design

11 December 2008

A British Standard draft on Web design should improve online accessibility for the disabled, but not all designers are happy, says Tom Banks

Peter Mandelson is ‘design champion-in-waiting’

Tue, 9 Dec 2008

Business Secretary Peter Mandelson has been identified as the Government’s design champion-in-waiting by prominent activists in the industry.

Coley Porter Bell works on Abbey Well relaunch

Mon, 8 Dec 2008

Coley Porter Bell has created packaging for Abbey Well water as part of the brand’s relaunch next year .

HTC takes over US consultancy

Thu, 4 Dec 2008

Global product manufacturer HTC Corporation has acquired San Francisco design consultancy One & Co.

British consultancies pick up Eurobest awards

Thu, 4 Dec 2008

German group Nordpol & Hamburg scooped the inaugural Eurobest Design award at a ceremony held in Stockholm, Sweden, last night.

M Wordwide wins retail brief for Roman baths

4 December 2008

M Worldwide has won a £12 000 contract to redesign the retail outlet at the Roman baths complex in Bath, which is currently undergoing a £5m redevelopment by Event Communications.Bath & North East Somerset Council appointed M Worldwide last month, after inviting the group to compete in a three-way creative pitch. The previous revamp of the store was by Tilney Shane in 2001.'The shop features a Roman wall, which means we have to design very sensitively,' says M Worldwide ...

Boris Johnson’s SME support package will boost design

Tue, 2 Dec 2008

London Mayor Boris Johnson has announced a range of measures to help support small businesses in the capital through the current economic downturn, which include encouraging them to use design.

Boris Johnson unveils winning London carafe design

Mon, 1 Dec 2008

London Mayor Boris Johnson has unveiled the winner of the London on Tap carafe design competition.

Mumbai-based designers tell of terror attacks

Thu, 27 Nov 2008

Saffron, Fitch and Start Creative, which all have offices in Mumbai, have told Design Week that their staff are safe following terror attacks last night in which over 100 people were killed.

Five awarded Royal Designers for Industry accolade

Thu, 27 Nov 2008

Product designer Sam Hecht and design duo Pearson Lloyd are among the five designers chosen as this year’s Royal Designers for Industry.

20/20 creates new Everyman identity

Thu, 27 Nov 2008

20/20 has created a new identity and interiors for cinema group Everyman.The consultancy was appointed in March after being recommended for inclusion in a six-way creative pitch by Travelex chairman Lloyd Dorfman, a board member of Everyman and a long-term client of 20/20.20/20 was charged with creating an identity, interiors, graphics and the design concept for the first rebranded branch - Everyman Belsize Park in London, which is set to open on 12 December.Earlier ...

Digital show to mark opening of Metropolitan Works

27 November 2008

The new building for Metropolitan Works, London's first creative industries centre, is set to open next February with an exhibition featuring artists including Antony Gormley, Tord Boontje and Timorous Beasties.The £4.5m building on Commercial Road, E1, has been designed by Cartwright Pickard Architects and will feature fully equipped workshops, CAD desks and meeting rooms. It will house state-of-the-art digital design and production technology worth £2m, with water-jet cutting, ...

Pre-Budget report ‘will make no difference’

Tue, 25 Nov 2008

Financial experts say the effect of Chancellor Alistair Darling’s pre-Budget report on the design industry will be ‘negligible’.

Boris Johnson plan bolsters London’s creative sector

Mon, 24 Nov 2008

Thompson appointed RCA rector

Fri, 21 Nov 2008

Paul Thompson has been appointed as the new rector of the Royal College of Art in London.

CSD enters university consultancy debate

Thu, 20 Nov 2008

The Chartered Society of Designers is planning to host a conference in the new year to discuss the issue of universities offering design services.

Designers sought to improve public services

Thu, 20 Nov 2008

The Design Council is seeking consultancies to team up with public services providers, as part of a new Government-backed initiative to improve public service delivery.The Department for Innovation, Universities & Skills has put forward an initial £200 000 to support the Design Council's Public Services by Design scheme, with the goal of bringing a range of design skills to bear on the emergency services, prisons, healthcare, education and the workplace.Consultancies ...

Gray's centre to act as Scottish design broker

20 November 2008

C4DI, Aberdeen's new £1m Centre for Design and Innovation Management, is seeking Scottish design groups to work with local businesses to improve their products and services.Gray's School of Art has set up the centre, which aims to use its three-year Scottish government funding to help hundreds of small businesses.'We want to have as many Scottish design consultancies on our books as possible, covering many disciplines, from branding to product design,' says centre director ...

Boris Johnson names his design advisory panel

Mon, 17 Nov 2008

Boris Johnson set to unveil design advisory panel

Thu, 13 Nov 2008

London Mayor Boris Johnson is set to name architect Lord Rogers and Sunand Prasad, president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, on his design advisory panel, Design Week can reveal.But contrary to recent press reports, there will be no place for architect and urban designer Sir Terry Farrell.The Mayor's office is expected to unveil the panel at the end of this week, and confirmed Farrell would not be on it.The naming of the panel will be among Johnson's ...

Allies Design and Michaelis Boyd work on Kitchen Italia launch

Thu, 13 Nov 2008

Allies Design has created the identity and Michaelis Boyd the interiors for new restaurant chain Kitchen Italia.The consultancies were commissioned by Jamie Barber, who owns the Villandry and Hush restaurants. The first branch of Barber's Kitchen Italia venture opens in the Westfield London shopping centre tomorrow.The concept behind the restaurant, which Barber hopes to roll out to other UK sites, is for an all-day family cantina, serving fresh pasta made in-house. Allies ...

New face and faces at Lloyd Northover

13 November 2008

Brand strategy consultancy Lloyd Northover has rebranded and incorporated Singaporean design group Su Yeang into its operations.Lloyd Northover, owned by Media Square, has also made a number of key appointments.In London, Esther Miller-Comrie has been promoted to managing partner, and Jim Harvey joins as global business development director.In Singapore, Richard Stayte is to be creative director.A new identity has been developed, which the consultancy says ...

National Geographic to open London shop

Tue, 11 Nov 2008

National Geographic will tomorrow make its first foray into retail, using a concept developed by its franchisee Worldwide Retail Stores’ in-house design team.

Brand Office designs Loewe’s first UK stores

Mon, 10 Nov 2008

Audiovisual brand Loewe is poised to open its first three UK stores, designed by German design consultancy Brand Office, with lighting by Austrian group Zumtobel.

British designers win hotel awards

Fri, 7 Nov 2008

Priestman Goode and The Syntax Group were among UK designers honoured at the European Hotel Design Awards held last night in London.

Max Fordham wins Prince Philip Designers Prize

Thu, 6 Nov 2008

Engineer Max Fordham has won the 2008 Prince Philip Designers Prize.

Karen Cinnamon defines organic clothing brand

Thu, 6 Nov 2008

Designer Karen Cinnamon has created the complete brand identity for organic clothing brand Saf, an acronym for 'socially aware fashion'.London-based Cinnamon was appointed directly at the end of June to develop new packaging, graphics, logos and a website (www.safclothing.com) for Saf, which is moving from the wholesale market into retail, and is officially launching on 14 November.Saf's clothing is all produced in India, and ...

Red Bee Media wins top Design Effectiveness Award

6 November 2008

Red Bee Media has won the Grand Prix prize at the Design Business Association's DBA Design Effectiveness Awards for its campaign for digital TV channel Dave.Joe Ferry, head of design at Virgin Atlantic and a member of the judging panel, describes the campaign, which saw the channel's name changed from UKTV G2, as 'pure genius'.Before Red Bee Media took on the rebrand, the channel was recording just 2 per cent spontaneous awareness. It also had the highest misattribution ...

£1.6m for Designing Out Crime

Tue, 4 Nov 2008

The Design Council, the Home Office and the Design and Technology Alliance have unveiled a major expansion of the Designing Out Crime initiative.

The Lighthouse jobs at risk in funding shortfall

Mon, 3 Nov 2008

The Lighthouse, Scotland’s Centre for Architecture, Design and the City in Glasgow, could be forced to make up to ten redundancies as it seeks emergency council funding.

Deadgood to promote British designers

Mon, 3 Nov 2008

Newcastle-based design group Deadgood has won a £150 000 investment which it plans to use for developing an internationally recognised brand and commercialising the work of young British designers.

Design Museum considers move to Commonwealth Institute

Thu, 30 Oct 2008

The Design Museum is in the early stages of planning to move from its Shad Thames home to west London.

Mayor unveils support plan for London

30 October 2008

London Mayor Boris Johnson has announced plans to revamp the international promotion of London, as part of his Economic Recovery Action Plan for the capital.A spokesman for the mayor's office says Johnson was consulting business leaders about the proposals, and that more concrete plans are expected at the end of November. The announcement came as part of a package of measures unveiled by Johnson on Monday to help support Londoners through the expected economic hardships ahead.Other ...

Retail design to stay strong, despite downturn

30 October 2008

While retail design may be slowing, industry figures say the situation will not be as bad as the last recession, says Angus Montgomery

Welsh creative blueprint launched

Mon, 27 Oct 2008

Twelve apprenticeships are being offered as Creative & Cultural Skills launches the Creative Blueprint in Wales today, in a bid to address skills shortages and training gaps in creative and cultural industries in the principality

RCA gains more space in campus expansion

23 October 2008

Royal College of Art rector Sir Christopher Frayling says the college's expansion to a new Battersea campus will give the design school 'room to breathe'.The proposed £33m new campus (pictured) on Battersea Bridge Road, London SW11, which will house the schools of fine art and applied art, was granted planning permission by Wandsworth Council last week.Frayling told Design Week the move would free up space at the RCA's Kensington campus equal to 'about half of the Darwin ...

Excience creates Comet signage

23 October 2008

Brand consultancy Exience has completed a nationwide signage overhaul for electrical retailer Comet, which will instruct store layouts.Appointed to the project in June following the completion of a departmental signage section for the chain known as The Living Room in December 2007, Exience was briefed to address departmental zoning, perimeter signage and staff-consultation units.Mark Saunders, managing director of Exience, says, 'Rather than it being the aircraft hangar ...

RPA Vision helps Musto on to high street

Mon, 20 Oct 2008

Interior design specialist RPA Vision has devised a new retail concept for traditional sports brand Musto, ahead of its dramatic UK expansion plan.

Dave to create Hunter welly campaign

Fri, 17 Oct 2008

Wellington bootmaker Hunter has appointed branding consultancy Dave to create its next marketing campaign and refresh its retail concessions.

Designhouse promotes John-Paul Hunter

Thu, 16 Oct 2008

Designhouse has appointed John-Paul Hunter as creative director in a reshuffle and expansion drive that will see two new posts created at the Surrey-based consultancy.

Built on shaky foundations

16 October 2008

Client failures are starting to undermine the financial well-being of design consultancies. Gina Lovett looks at how they can protect themselves

Twinings plans rebrand

Wed, 15 Oct 2008

Speciality tea brand Twinings is thought to be mooting a bold restyle of branding and packaging across its tea ranges.The Associated British Foods-owned brand, led by Twinings marketing director Claire Hodge, is understood to be considering an off-roster consultancy for a branding and packaging brief, after Williams Murray Hamm abandoned the original project in June. WMH, which redesigned premium tea brand Jacksons of Piccadilly and is best known for its more off-the-wall designs ...

North East design festival kicks off

Fri, 10 Oct 2008

The fourth North East annual design festival, Design Event, continues this weekend, following yesterday’s launch and previews of product design and graphics exhibitions.

West End retail schemes face tough future, says Farrell

9 October 2008

Central London's West End shopping streets will face 'the toughest challenge of their lives' once the Westfield White City retail centre opens at the end of the month, says architect Sir Terry Farrell.Farrell was speaking last Thursday at the launch of his new plan for the West End's St Giles area, which runs from Tottenham Court Road Tube station to Covent Garden in the south and Berners Street in the west. Farrell adds that West End shopping areas are also under threat from the ...

Mandelson pressed to push design

Wed, 8 Oct 2008

Former Design Council chairman Sir George Cox is urging Peter Mandelson to encourage the public sector to 'use more design' and 'take action to rebuild the economy'.Cox, author of 2005's Cox Review of Creativity in Business, has welcomed Mandelson's surprise appointment as Business Secretary in last week's Cabinet reshuffle.'Few ministers have shown any passion for this job in the past, but Mandelson was enthusiastic when he held the post [of Trade Secretary in 1998]. He ...

The Yard designs Etincelle UK retail debut

Tue, 7 Oct 2008

The Yard Creative has designed French womenswear label Etincelle Couture, Paris’s first UK store, which opens at Westfield White City shopping mall in west London

Tottenham Court Road makeover takes shape

Fri, 3 Oct 2008

LDA reassures on design centre fears

2 October 2008

The London Development Agency is pouring cold water on rumours that the International Design Centre planned for London will be scrapped due to lack of funding.'We have no reason to assume this won't go ahead,' an LDA spokeswoman says. 'The IDX programme is going through our approvals process, and the next phase of the business case is being prepared.'A source close to the LDA told Design Week in August he suspected it would back out of funding the centre, and Boris Johnson's ...

Auto Windscreens to revamps centres

2 October 2008

Auto Windscreens is mid-way through a redesign programme that will probably see it appoint a retail consultancy to revamp its 120 service centres.The RAC-owned car windscreen fitting company is trying to distance itself from its parent company, which previously dominated its visual identity.Auto Windscreens hopes to create a stronger, more independent brand, which is better able to compete against the market leader, Autoglass.With this goal in sight, ...

Westfield launches fleet of flagships

Wed, 1 Oct 2008

Westfield London's White City shopping centre (pictured, during construction) is poised to reveal a crop of new flagship stores and concepts when it opens at the end of this month.Retail design consultancies Brinkworth, Dalziel & Pow and JHP Design have between them created more than 20 stores. Brinkworth's new look for women's eveningwear specialist Monsoon is to debut at the mall.Brinkworth director David Hurren explains that since the 400-outlet Monsoon chain was ...

William & Son unveils new luxury look

Tue, 30 Sep 2008

Luxury goods retailer William & Son has undergone a modern makeover, courtesy of interiors specialist Shed Design, to be unveiled on 13 October.

Award schemes set up in honour of Peta Levy

Thu, 25 Sep 2008

Design promoter Design-Nation is inviting designers to apply for two new awards set up in honour of its late founder Peta Levy, who died in April.

Szebeko wins British Council prize

25 September 2008

The British Council has awarded public service and communication design consultancy Think Public founding director Deborah Szebeko the inaugural UK Young Design Entrepreneur Award.Indian designer Siddhartha Das, director of Siddhartha and Spaced Out Productions, takes the International Young Design Entrepreneur Award, worth £7500, which will help fund a collaborative project with the council.Szebeko, who was presented with her award by Studio Conran managing director Sebastian ...

Bichard to lobby for design at Institute for Government

18 September 2008

Sir Michael Bichard is to become executive director of the Institute for Government, where he aims to lobby for solutions to Govern mental problems through inclusive design.

Asics opens first UK store

Tue, 23 Sep 2008

Sports giant Asics is to open its first UK store, on London’s Argyll Street, W1, on 3 October as part of a global roll out of flagship stores.

Seymour Powell expands in fmcg

Mon, 22 Sep 2008

Seymour Powell is forging ahead with expansion plans within the fmcg sector, and has made a raft of senior appointments.

Fresh look for Coolbrands site

Fri, 19 Sep 2008

Sustainability key concern for Chinese consumers

Thu, 18 Sep 2008

Ecodesign Centre Wales reports on sustainability drive

18 September 2008

Ecodesign Centre Wales this week reports back to the Welsh Assembly on its programme to embed sustainable design in business, with the ultimate aim of establishing Wales as an eco design-led nation.

BAA design director joins London 2012

Wed, 17 Sep 2008

BAA's design director David Bartlett is to join the London 2012 team as head of design for the Olympic Village. He is leaving BAA following the completion of his major project, Heathrow Terminal 5.In Design Week's Interaction Design supplement, published today, Bartlett reveals the planned interactive design elements for T5 yet to be realised. These include the Human Mosaic, an installation which allows passengers to send messages and pictures to people waiting in the arrivals ...

Apple reseller opens flagship

Thu, 11 Sep 2008

Europe’s largest Apple reseller, Humac, today unveils its new flagship in Reykjavik, Iceland, by London retail design specialists M Worldwide.

Government makes design central to manufacturing strategy

11 September 2008

The Government is looking to knowledge assets, including design, software and brand building to improve the global competitiveness of UK manufacturers.Its manufacturing strategy – New Challenges, New Opportunities – set out earlier this week by the Department for Business and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, outlines plans to improve perceptions of the manufacturing sector, and aims to place the UK as a forerunner in the development of low-carbon ...

Nestle reviews pack roster to bolster product development

Wed, 10 Sep 2008

Nestlé is thought to be reviewing its packaging design roster for the first time since 2003. The global food corporation is understood to be looking at rationalising a cross-divisional roster, which has grown from a strict list to a sprawling catalogue of consul tancies, based on the personal preferences of Nestlé marketers. Although, to date, there has been no formal communication between Nestlé and consultancies, groups were first contac - ted earlier this ...

Product design calls on universities to stop undermining them

Wed, 10 Sep 2008

The Design Council concurs with product designers that universities that offer commercial product design services must clearly define their offer if the reputation of design is not to suffer.In a letter published today in Design Week, product designers signal their growing impatience with higher education providers running consultancies.Signed by 19 designers from across the UK, the letter argues that some academic institutions are undercutting design professionals ...

YouGov panellist wins car

Fri, 5 Sep 2008

Research specialist YouGovCentaur LLP has named creative panel member Rob Spicer as the winner of its latest prize draw.

Brandpool joins Loewy Group

Thu, 4 Sep 2008

Hat Trick sketches new museum logo

4 September 2008

London's House of Illustration has a new identity, created by Hat Trick Design, ahead of its opening in 2011.The new centre, formerly known as the Museum of Illustration, will be located in an area of London's King's Cross that is undergoing regeneration. It is the brainchild of iconic British illustrator Quentin Blake, who has donated his life's work to the organisation's archives.Hat Trick, which clinched the project following a four-way credentials pitch, was given just ...

New nationalism

4 September 2008

There was a time when retail designers used predictable historic cues to evoke a sense of national identity. Things have moved on from bowler hats and red London buses, says John Stones, who finds current trends on a more contemporary tack

Rescue packaging for confused chocolate brand

28 August 2008

Brandopus has given luxury chocolate range Dr Indulgence emergency resuscitation, after its previous incarnation under the brand name 'Pharmacy' was pulled from the shelves.The client - Chocolate on Chocolate - will relaunch its medicinally inspired Dr Indulgence collection later this month, following branding issues with the name Pharmacy. In May, Chocolate on Chocolate was forced to pull the range from the shelves after a complaint from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society pointed ...

ICAD celebrates jubilee with eco book

Tue, 2 Sep 2008

Ireland’s Institute of Creative Advertising and Design kicks off its golden jubilee year celebrations this Thursday with the launch of a showcase book of the best of Irish design talent from the past five years.

LG expands London design team

Fri, 29 Aug 2008

South Korean electronics giant LG is expanding its London design team, ahead of the launch of its first fully European-designed mobile phone handset.

Harlequins kicks off branding drive

Thu, 28 Aug 2008

Rugby Football Union club Harlequins is to embark on a drive to increase its fan base ahead of a major game at Twickenham Stadium, and has appointed Minale Tattersfield Design Strategy to the project.

Baglee joins Navyblue in new creative role

Thu, 28 Aug 2008

Design consultancy Navyblue is creating a new role of director of creative strategy.

Suck and Chew sweet shop gives East End a taste of the past

28 August 2008

A sweet shop fashioned on tradition, service and nostalgia has opened on London’s Columbia Road, E2.Suck and Chew founder Vicki Maguire, a copywriter at advertising agency Hurrell Moseley Dawson Grimmer, came up with the idea after hankering after old-fashioned service and carefully crafted products.Typographic designer Andy Dymock has devised the logo and livery.Suck and Chew sells traditional sweets such as pear drops, as well as old records, books ...

Chip Shop Awards announced

Tue, 26 Aug 2008

Chips and bottles of vinegar were the most highly coveted accolades at this year’s Chip Shop Awards in Edinburgh last week.

Aussie wool body repositions to counter boycott

Thu, 21 Aug 2008

After years of controversy and boycotting over the practice of mulesing, Australian Wool Innovation is attempting to reposition two of its key brands, following work by Landor Associates.

Buxton knits Bordello interior

Tue, 19 Aug 2008

Product designer Sam Buxton has knitted a new-look interior for the Bordello Bar in London’s Soho.

Eurobest honours design

Fri, 15 Aug 2008

Advertising industry awards body Eurobest is launching a design category at this year’s event, for the first time in its 20-year history.

Opportunities for design as shops return to Cheapside

14 August 2008

London's Cheapside is to become a major shopping district again for the first time since the departure of its medieval market, opening up design opportunities all across the Square Mile.Due for completion in 2012, 12 developments will occupy 140 000m2 of retail space, stretching from Paternoster Square in the west to Royal Exchange in the east.Following an initial consultation meeting on 15 July, where the City of London set out its proposals, an ongoing public consultation ...

Dyson ready to ditch design school

Wed, 13 Aug 2008

James Dyson is considering backing out of plans to build a design school in Bath, following the beleaguered project’s latest setback.

London design festival goes sustainable

7 August 2008

This year's London Design Festival will host a creative space that will reach out to the design community, its clients and the wider political arena on the key issues around the role of design in sustainability.It is the first time that the LDF has hosted a major dedicated sustainable design event, backed by such a breadth of industry, political, academic and client supporters, according to an LDF spokesperson. Greengaged will be held on weekdays throughout the festival, which ...

Gap culls UK design team

Mon, 11 Aug 2008

Clothing retailer Gap has axed its UK fashion design team, including members of its marketing department, in an effort to cut costs.

Saffron to open Indian office

Fri, 8 Aug 2008

Branding pundit Wally Olins’ group Saffron Brand Consultants expects to open an Indian office within the coming months.

Samsonite appoints new global creative director

Thu, 7 Aug 2008

Luggage and accessories label Samsonite has appointed a new global creative director.

Design gets its time at Beijing Olympics

Wed, 6 Aug 2008

The Beijing Olympics opening ceremony takes place this Fri day, designed by live events group Jack Morton Worldwide.

Ferrari to open first UK store on Regent Street

Tue, 5 Aug 2008

Ferrari is set to open its first UK store before the end of the year, on London’s Regent Street.

Resorts get £10m regeneration go ahead

Tue, 5 Aug 2008

Blackpool, Torbay and Dover’s plans to build and revamp visitor attractions will go ahead, after the coastal resorts secured £10m under the Government’s Sea Change initiative.

Coca-Cola unveils latest limited-edition glass

Fri, 1 Aug 2008

Coca-Cola will launch its latest limited-edition drinking glass, designed by Vibrandt Form, in France on Monday.

Thorsten van Elten slams Culturelabel brief

24 July 2008

Nascent online cultural products retailer Culturelabel has come in for criticism from design champion Thorsten van Elten, following the launch of a competition to find new designs to sell on its website and in international museum shops.

Radical changes for packaging after Courtauld update

24 July 2008

The UK's major retailers could be set to radically change the way they measure the environmental impact of packaging, following discussions on Monday.In a move that could paradoxically see waste packaging volumes rise, according to some experts, signatories of the Courtauld Commitment - a voluntary agreement between UK retailers to design out packaging waste - are looking to include the contribution of food waste to environmental damage, as well as to develop a new methodology ...

Hovis gets fresh look from JKR

Mon, 28 Jul 2008

Istanbul hosts design festival

Fri, 25 Jul 2008

This year’s Istanbul Design Week is looking to promote international designers within the expanding Turkish market, as well as promoting the work of Turkish designers to an international audience.

Smith & Milton rebuilds creative team

Thu, 24 Jul 2008

London-based branding consultancy Smith & Milton is building its creative team once again, 18 months after founder Howard Milton put the consultancy into administration.

Navyblue bolsters Edinburgh line-up

Mon, 21 Jul 2008

Navyblue is appointing six new designers for its Edinburgh studio, including three senior designers.

British Council hunts design entrepreneurs

Thu, 17 Jul 2008

The British Council is launching a UK Young Design Entrepreneur award.

Start gets Adidas’ Beijing offer into shape

Mon, 14 Jul 2008

Start Creative has designed an in-store and website experience for shoppers which aims to help users in Beijing’s new Adidas brand centre improve their sports performance.

Shoppers queue for new iPhone

Fri, 11 Jul 2008

New Designer of the Year crowned

Mon, 7 Jul 2008

Textiles graduate Abigail Borg has been named the Business Design Centre New Designer of the Year.

New chief at Design Academy Eindhoven

Mon, 30 Jun 2008

Design Academy Eindhoven’s chairwoman, Lidewij Edelkoort, is to stand down in the autumn, after ten years at the helm of the Dutch institution.

Fitch creates Ukrainian finance brand

Tue, 24 Jun 2008

New Blood sought at Earls Court

Mon, 23 Jun 2008

D&AD’s international graduate recruitment show New Blood kicks off tonight at Earls Court, London SW5.

London retailers buck gloom

Mon, 16 Jun 2008

Central London retailers bucked the national downward trend for sales last month, posting growth of 8.2 per cent compared with May 2007.

M&S eyes the Olympics

Mon, 9 Jun 2008

Marks & Spencer is planning a vast new store near the Olympic site in east London. The retailer has signed a contract with retail property developer Westfield for an 18 500m2 retail unit at its Stratford City site.

Orange rejigs its UK strategy

Thu, 5 Jun 2008

Orange has unveiled new plans for its UK business involving retail expansion, a new on-line transactional offer and customer service strategy.

Lighting up Savile Row

Fri, 30 May 2008

Savile Row, the London street famous for its traditional men’s bespoke tailoring, is to be fitted with old-fashioned street lamps in an attempt to enhance its historic character.

Student wins £4000 Irish design bursary

Mon, 19 May 2008

The Institute of Designers in Ireland has awarded industrial design student Colm Keller €5000 (£4000) to study at Goteburg University in Sweden

Design will see us through the downturn, says Sorrell

Mon, 12 May 2008

Sir John Sorrell is promoting design as a force for good that will see the UK through the economic downturn it currently faces.

Oxfam opens its first fashion boutique store

Thu, 8 May 2008

Oxfam is opening its first boutique fashion store this weekend, overseen by former Topshop brand director Jane Shepherdson, and with interiors by Creative Resource.

LBI creates HMV social site

Tue, 29 Apr 2008

HMV is remaining tight-lipped about its forthcoming social networking site Get Closer, which is being designed by digital media consultancy LBI.

UK dominates retail brand index

Fri, 11 Apr 2008

Interbrand launches retail brand index

Tue, 8 Apr 2008

Interbrand will launch its index of the top-25 performing European retail brands on Thursday at the second World Retail Congress, which starts in Barcelona tomorrow.

DBA inclusive design winners

13 March 2008

Two groups are celebrating after the conclusion of the 2008 Design Business Association Inclusive Design Challenge. Winners Judge Gill and communications group Adare were named last night at a ceremony at the Royal College of Art.Entrants were asked to come up with ideas and innovations to help people suffering from memory loss and dementia.Adare won for the Mind Book, a multimedia software application that acts as a virtual scrapbook, incorporating a diary and 'life book' ...

DBA appoints membership director

Tue, 18 Mar 2008

The Design Business Association has appointed Jacqueline Rose as its membership and communications director in a bid to boost the number of people joining.

DIUS to unveil Government innovation strategy

Thu, 13 Mar 2008

The Department for Innovation, Universities & Skills is set to publish its innovation strategy today.

Cada overhauls Dean & Deluca

Tue, 11 Mar 2008

US delicatessen chain Dean & Deluca is working with British consultancy Cada to redesign several of its outlets.

Last chance for Top 100 survey

Fri, 7 Mar 2008

Consultancies wishing to take part in the Design Week Top 100 survey have just over a week to submittheir entry forms.

Design Week hits the Hilton

Tue, 4 Mar 2008

The 20th annual Design Week Awards takes place tonight at the London Hilton, Park Lane, W1.

Branding performs well for WPP

Fri, 29 Feb 2008

Landor Associates, The Brand Union, Addison, The Partners and Fitch have been singled out as having performed particularly well in 2007, according to WPP’s preliminary results for the full year.

Design Week Top 100 survey

Fri, 29 Feb 2008

The deadline for entry to Design Week’s Top 100 Consultancy Survey 2008 has been extended to 10 March.

What's in store at Terminal 5?

21 February 2008

Air passengers are captive shoppers, a fact which airports have long known and which BAA acknowledges with its plush retail zones at Heathrow’s Terminal 5. But do they enhance the travel experience? asks Scott Billings

Merger of specialists to create Arts University Cornwall

21 February 2008

The South West region is a step closer to having a specialist arts university with the news that University College Falmouth and Dartington College are to merge.The merger in April between the renowned design, graphics and media school, and the music, theatre and dance institution, will pave the way for the new specialist Arts University Cornwall by 2012, says University College Falmouth principal Alan Livingston (pictured).Livingston explains that Dartington's need to ...

Foster’s Beijing terminal breaks size barrier

Tue, 26 Feb 2008

What is being hailed as the world’s largest building – the Foster & Partners-designed new terminal at Beijing Capital International Airport – opens today.

Retail design conference to kick off Euroshop

Fri, 22 Feb 2008

The Euroshop Retail Design Conference will open the 16th Euroshop trade fair in Düsseldorf, Germany, tomorrow.

The recruiters' view: time to stay or go?

Wed, 20 Feb 2008

It isn’t always easy for costly senior designers to move on – especially not in tougher economic climates. But experienced staff who can help in the battle to win and retain clients should stand a good chance, says Emily Pacey

Wagamama and Leon sign up for Westfield London

Tue, 19 Feb 2008

Hot fifty - Apple

14 February 2008

If design head Jonathan Ive's proven creative prowess isn't enough, the launch of the iPhone last autumn guarantees Apple a place among the 2008 Hot 50. Its touch-screen technology has changed the way in which we expect to communicate, and brought new hand gestures into international sign language.The early models of the iPhone are not without their problems, and the West Coast company has been accused of cynicism in the way it dropped the price dramatically a couple of months ...

Hot fifty - Beck's Fusions

14 February 2008

Public music events aren't new, but the concept behind Beck's Fusions takes them into a different dimension. The brainchild of lager brand Beck's and London's Institute of Contemporary Arts, this series of multimedia events, held in a temporary performance pod during September last year, combined music with visual art at prominent venues across the UK and Ireland.

Hot Fifty - Blogging

14 February 2008

There are times when a phenomenon, rather than a person or organisation, merits a mention for the influence it exerts on design and related creative media. One such phenomenon is blogging, the vogue for running Internet diaries that encourage comment and criticism from anyone who happens by.

Hot fifty - Gordon Brown

14 February 2008

Controversy surrounds Gordon Brown's Government as we go to press, but design still has much to thank the Prime Minister for.

Hot fifty - Sheridan Coakley

14 February 2008

Sheridan Coakley has long been a champion of great design. Through his SCP stores he has promoted and commissioned largely British or UK-trained furniture and accessories designers, creating a number of modern classics in the process.

Hot fifty - Comme des Garçons

14 February 2008

Last December, fashion brand Comme des Garçons delighted the Mayfair set with a guerrilla store in London's Burlington Arcade to promote the launch of its Comme des Garçons 8 88 perfume.

Hot fifty - Professor Martin Darbyshire

14 February 2008

While he glories in the title of professor, Martin Darbyshire is a practising product designer and also chief executive of seminal London design consultancy Tangerine.

Hot fifty - Tom Dixon

14 February 2008

If an overseas design aficionado was asked to put a face on British design, you can guarantee that Tom Dixon would be in the running.

Hot fifty - The Drawbridge

14 February 2008

In this age of on-line blogs, it is refreshing to see an independent magazine that gives good copy on a mix of cultural and social issues and blends it with great art direction.

Hot fifty - Martino Gamper

14 February 2008

The highly inventive designer Martino Gamper has a wonderfully mixed background, which shows through in his eclectic work. This was evident in the exhibition A 100 chairs for 100 days, which was held in London last autumn to coincide with the publication of his book, which bears the same title. For the show he made a chair a day in a bid to make 100 chairs in 100 days.

Hot fifty - Helen Hamlyn Centre

14 February 2008

It is often hard for an organisation to redefine itself once it is established. This is particularly the case in academia, where habits tend to stick more easily than they do in the commercial world and change can be slow.

Hot fifty - Gary Hustwit

14 February 2008

It is rare for design of any kind to make it on to the entertainments circuit, let alone a specialist area such as typography. But the documentary Helvetica, directed by Gary Hustwit, had showings in several major cities across the world, not least at Oxford's BritDoc festival and London's Institute of Contemporary Arts, and even made it on to national TV in the UK.

Hot fifty - Nick Jones

14 February 2008

Members' club supremo Nick Jones has long catered for the creative community at work and play, with venues such as Soho House in London and New York, Electric House in west London and a 'country hotel', Babington House near Frome in Somerset.

Hot fifty - Land Securities

14 February 2008

For the second year running, property developer Land Securities has made it into the Hot 50. It is here again for the consistency of its design management process and commitment to great creativity, of which there has been even greater evidence over the past 12 months.

Hot fifty - Robin Levien

14 February 2008

Robin Levien has long been acknowledged as an expert in industrial ceramics. His taps and toilets are legendary, particularly for UK bathrooms company Ideal Standard, for which he became non-executive design director in 2003.

Hot fifty - John McAslan Family Trust

14 February 2008

Architect John McAslan is behind the John McAslan Family Trust, which supports projects largely relating to young people in the arts and education, as well as film, TV, music, dance, drama and sport.

Hot fifty - Sophie Murray and Jane Wood

14 February 2008

It is rare to see a mother and daughter combination featuring in a listing such as this. But in this instance it is justified, given that both were involved in commissioning Thomas Heatherwick's first building in the UK - the East Beach Café at Littlehampton on the South Coast.

Hot fifty - Nokia

14 February 2008

In February, Nokia finally opened its long-awaited flagship store, designed by Eight Inc, in London's Regent Street, after some three months' delay. But you have to applaud the Finnish telecoms giant for its plans to take the West End by storm and consolidate its UK design team at the new central London offices.

Hot fifty - Royal College of Art

14 February 2008

The Royal College of Art hasn't made it into the Hot 50 previously. Its high-profile rector Professor Sir Christopher Frayling, now also chairman of the beleaguered Arts Council, made the listing when he was chairman of the Design Council, and its inclusive design arm, the Helen Hamlyn Centre, features this year . But though it fulfils its remit admirably, the London postgraduate art and design college wasn't deemed to have gone beyond the brief before.

Hot fifty - At Six Cities Design Festival

14 February 2008

Organisers of Scotland's Six Cities Design Festival are still considering how to take the venture forward, but they should be applauded on what they achieved first time round. It ran from 17 May to 3 June 2007 and the programme included a host of business, design and learning activities as well as public events.

Hot fifty - Sir John Sorrell

14 February 2008

If a knighthood doesn't qualify you for a place in the Hot 50, it would be difficult to know what does. An award in the New Year's Honours List therefore puts Sir John Sorrell here as an untiring champion of design.

Hot fifty - Peter Spence

14 February 2008

Peter Spence is an unlikely champion of design. But the former business advisor set up the South Coast Design Forum in May 2006 as a response to local designers who had moved out of London for family and other reasons, but missed the buzz of the capital.

Hot fifty - Michael Thomson

14 February 2008

Regular conference-goers in design will be aware of Michael Thomson. The self-effacing Irishman may seem an unlikely champion of design, but for years he has battled on the international scene to gain greater recognition for design among European governments.

Hot fifty - Thorsten van Elten

14 February 2008

Promoting emerging talent can be a thankless task - and not always commercially successful. This has been the experience of Thorsten van Elten, who closed his wonderfully quirky London shop in January to promote independent designers in a different way.

Hot fifty - Wally Yachts

14 February 2008

If you ask any sailing fanatic to name the best in yacht design, chances are they'll cite Wally Yachts.

Nokia store designed for interaction retailing

Wed, 13 Feb 2008

Retail is changing, as the old emporiums are transformed into interactive brand flagships. Mike Exon takes a look at the latest contender, Nokia

New identity for Gourmet Hotdog launch

7 February 2008

The restaurateurs behind restaurants The Real Greek and Livebait will tomorrow launch their latest food retail concept, visualised and branded with the help of R&D&Co.

Management changes at Dalziel & Pow

Thu, 7 Feb 2008

Retail design consultancy Dalziel & Pow has made a number of key staff changes, in a bid to strengthen its management and board.

Creative sector has been undervalued, says Nesta report

31 January 2008

Judging from the number of reports dedicated to it, the defining design issue of the Noughties is the creative industries' contribution to the UK economy. The seminal 2005 Cox Review and Will Hutton's Staying Ahead, to name but two, have now been joined by Nesta's Beyond the Creative Industries: Mapping the Creative Economy in the United Kingdom.Like its predecessors, this ambitious report claims a few firsts. Not only does it say it contains possibly the most finely grained analysis ...

Designers could reap dividends from pub merger

Mon, 4 Feb 2008

Corporate identity and branding specialists will today turn their attention to the £11bn merger proposal between pub operators Punch Taverns and Mitchells & Butlers.

Four IV takes over Frankfurt retail scheme

24 January 2008

A retail scheme devised by Italian architect Massimiliano Fuksas, for what is hailed as Europe's largest shopping centre, has been scrapped, in favour of a design by UK consultancy Four IV.The branding and retail interiors group is putting the finishing touches to its plans for the €800m (£600m) retail development in Frankfurt, which is backed by developer MAB Bouwfonds.The consultancy was appointed in 2006, following a three-way credentials pitch against Imagination's ...

Winners of Arts Foundation awards announced

Fri, 25 Jan 2008

Shop tactics

24 January 2008

The credit crunch might not be all bad news for retail design, forcing stores to take a more innovative approach, says Trish Lorenz, while sustainability will be an issue across the whole of the commercial interiors sector

World Retail Awards shortlist announced

Mon, 21 Jan 2008

Selfridges, Boots, Argos and The Warehouse Group are among the British shortlisted entries in the World Retail Awards 2008.

Premier Foods to rationalise roster

Wed, 16 Jan 2008

Food giant Premier Foods has called for a shake-up of its design services across the group, more than a year after its £1.2bn acquisition of RHM. As part of the review, the group will ‘consolidate’ the number of design consultancies it uses as it integrates RHM into the business, the first hint that its roster could be reduced. The pitch has been extended to include a selection of non-roster consultancies at longlist stage and will be ...

John Lewis tops poll of consumer satisfaction

Fri, 11 Jan 2008

Organic Pharmacy moves in to West End

13 December 2007

Organic health and beauty retailer The Organic Pharmacy has launched a new store on the former Dickins & Jones site in London's West End, created by Sheridan & Co.

Palace revolution

6 December 2007

Back in 1999, Nike Town opened its doors in London, epitomising the decade's obsession with brand and bringing with it the advent of retail as brand experience rather than mere shopping. It wasn't enough for designers to create an appropriately enticing venue to facilitate sales - the talk instead was all about enhancing the customer's connection with the brand. Nearly a decade on, as Nike revamps its Oxford Circus offer and Nokia is to open two UK flagship stores in the new year - as ...

Hong Kong design show kicks off

Mon, 10 Dec 2007

Lippincott appoints new creative chief

Wed, 5 Dec 2007

Comme des Garçons hypes its perfume with preview store

29 November 2007

Japanese fashion label Comme des Garçons has been busy this week with the launch of its 8 88 perfume and a preview shop, which will open until 8 December only.Designed by Christian Weinecke, who is responsible for creating the label's iconic guerrilla stores, the preview shop at Burlington Arcade in London W1 will feature a limited number of 8 88 fragrances, T-shirts and candles, as well as a downstairs area with rare vintage CDG Parfum T-shirts and collector perfumes.Echoing ...

New Savile Row flagship for Boateng

Tue, 4 Dec 2007

Two titans of British design, Ozwald Boateng and David Adjaye, have joined forces to create the couturier’s flagship store in Savile Row, due to open tomorrow.

Whitespace named Fresh group of the year

Fri, 30 Nov 2007

Brand aid

22 November 2007

Think Damien Hirst's Pharmacy restaurant meets Comme des Garçons' guerrilla stores, and you've got a good picture of what Los Angeles's forthcoming pop-up retail experiment is all about.The Brand Pharmacy is the brainchild of two creatives, Ethan Imboden and Philip Wood, who are about to launch their first temporary store, Intervention, in LA's Third Street shopping district. With the design currently under wraps, Imboden and Wood are transforming the premises of menswear boutique ...

Herman Miller gets stateof-the-art London showroom

22 November 2007

Iconic US furniture brand Herman Miller is creating a new state-of-the-art showroom in London’s Aldwych, due to open in February 2008. Specialising in designs for the modern workplace, the furniture manufacturer is working in conjunction with designers Forme Partnership, to build the ambitious, 1000m2 multifunctional showroom space, known as its ‘National Design Centre, London’.

Manchester showcase for local designers

Fri, 23 Nov 2007

A retail event showcasing the work of local designers kicked off yesterday in Manchester.

Yale unlocks its brand future

Wed, 21 Nov 2007

Yale is set to unveil a retail concept by 20/20 and new packaging by Bloom. The lock manufacturer is seeking to reposition itself as a consumerfacing brand before diversifying into other product areas including safes and personal alarms. Yale’s Swedish parent Assa Abloy engaged Bloom and 20/20 in April, after they comp eted jointly in a six-way credentials pitch against three Swedish and two British design groups. Bloom began collaborating with 20/20 on retail packaging projects earlier ...

It's show time

15 November 2007

When Nokia's global flagship roll-out hits London next month, customers will find an environment that's all about hands-on participation and tinkering with products. It's the latest high-profile example of how 'experiential' design is becoming a core part of brand-building in retail, meaning greater customer interaction with the shop space and its contents.Not surprisingly, technology plays a big part in making these immersive experiences. It's what Nokia head of retail marketing ...

Fashion wins Glasgow medals

Mon, 19 Nov 2007

Body Shop confirms hunt for creative head

Wed, 14 Nov 2007

The Body Shop has confirmed it is seeking a new global creative director in the wake of Franco Bonadio’s defection to Identica.

Waterloo design plans move ahead

8 November 2007

The recent makeover proposals for south London’s Waterloo station and the surrounding streets have kick-started a hunt for a design team to create a vision for part of the area.

Williamson show opens at Design Museum

Tue, 16 Oct 2007

Fashion designer Matthew Williamson’s retrospective exhibition kicks off at the Design Museum in London tomorrow

Inside echoes outside at the Reiss flagship retail space

Wed, 5 Sep 2007

Clothing retailer Reiss has exclusively revealed details of the interior of its forthcoming world flagship, due to launch at the end of October.

Inside echoes outside at the Reiss flagship retail space

30 August 2007

Clothing retailer Reiss has exclusively revealed details of the interior of its forthcoming world flagship, due to launch at the end of October.The £30m retail, head office and residential development at Barrett Street, London W1, will set a new standard in retail space, according to Reiss founder David Reiss.'The way that retail is going now, it's all about purity. We've had the all-singing, all-dancing look. This will be cleaner and slicker with major design features ...

JPDA to create ‘social hub’ style retail concept for O₂

Wed, 29 Aug 2007