Design Sense no longer sustainable

Design Sense, the flagship initiative for sustainability in design, has been wound up by the Design Museum and sponsor Corus.

According to the Design Museum, its work can better be achieved through other programmes of events, such as a Europe-wide design prize.

According to Corus, Design Sense has fallen victim to recessionary pressures. A spokesman says that the company has examined all its sponsorships in light of the industrial climate. Corus remains committed to sustainability, he says.

‘Our commitment to design is as before, it is to do with reducing the total cost of promotional expenditure,’ he adds.

Design Museum director Alice Rawsthorn says, ‘Design Sense has gone a long way towards achieving its goal of making a significant contribution towards raising public awareness of sustainable design and architecture. Rather than simply repeat the awards, we have decided to explore sustainability in different ways across our activities. Design Sense’s goals can be achieved more effectively by addressing sustainability throughout our exhibition and events programme.’

She adds that it will be one of the most important themes of the European Design Biennial, which it plans to launch in September 2003.

Design Council chief executive Andrew Summers says it will not take over the awards in totality but will look to ‘pick up some elements of it’, such as to identify and promote successful examples of sustainable design.

Meanwhile, Corus has renewed its commitment to sustainable design in another guise by sponsoring a category of the British Design & Art Direction Student Awards, the deadline for which is 28 March. Award winners will be announced in June.