Voxpop

When I was seven, my father gave me Animal Drawing, by the artist John Skeaping. As well as providing practical advice, the book is about beauty. The coloured plates fascinated me and I spent hours trying to copy them, sitting at our tiny kitchen table which was a product of the Government’s utility furniture scheme during the period of austerity after World War II. That was a great example of simple, durable design. I still have the book, and the table.
Sir John Sorrell, Co-chairman, The Sorrell Foundation

I grew up on a primitive mission station in Tanzania. There wasn’t much man-made design, but I remember being inspired by the ads in National Geographic magazine, for Nikon and Rolex. There was also the Maria biscuit with a lovely illustrated smiling child’s face on the tin lid and a nice embossed logo. I loved those biscuits – one day I crawled into the pantry and stole one. I lasted an hour, broke down in tears and asked mum for forgiveness. I’ve never knowingly stolen since.
Marksteen Adamson, Founding partner, Arthur Steen Horne Adamson

The answer to the question is easy for me – the only thing I wanted every birthday from the age of four until 14 was Lego. I didn’t know it was design, but I enjoyed the colours and its modular nature. I investigated everything, from space exploration to the internal combustion engine, and dreamt up my own objects and devices which I can see were precursors to some of my thinking now. Watch this space for the studio’s first Lego project.
Jason Bruges, Founder, Jason Bruges Studio