Picks of the month: the best design events to catch in July

Panel: Happy Hour: Design Edition

Just in time for graduate season, the Happy Hour panel hopes to offer valuable insight for design students and recent graduates. It’s hosted by a Superunion panel – led by creative director Louise Hunter – and will discuss the importance of team work, different studio roles, vital skills and a more elusive topic: the mindset of a creative. It’s all held virtually and there will be time for questions after the main talk.

The panel takes place on 1 July, from 6-7:30pm. Tickets are available at Eventbrite.

Exhibition: Where Things Land Down, from Fels

Arts platform Fels has brought together the work of 25 UK artists and designers for its debut exhibition, Where Things Land Down. The group was founded by Finbar Conran and Oscar Mitchell last year as a way to showcase multidisciplinary creative work and expand artists’ networks. The launch show aims to celebrate innovative and contemporary design within the UK, spanning areas such as ceramics and sculptural pieces. There’s also product work from design heavyweight Jasper Morrison. Items from the Fels store will also be on sale at the exhibition, including Alex Du Preez’s brightly-hued aluminium wall lamps and screen prints from Ed Burkes.

Where Things Land Down runs from 8-19 July at Fitzroy House, 18 Ashwin Street, London E8 3DL. More information can be found on the Fels website. 

Podcast: Circular, from Katie Treggiden

Design writer Katie Treggiden’s podcast explores the intersection of craft, design and sustainability. Her new season tackles the issue of waste and how designers are rethinking the sector. So far, Treggiden has talked to up cycler and furniture restorer Jay Blades and Aya Haidar, who recycles found objects. The latest episode explores the differences between repair, restoration and conservation and dives into the nuances of sustainable processes.

You can listen to the latest episodes and catch up on the first season on podcast streaming platforms. 

Book: Tom Eckersley: A Mid-Century Modern Master, by Paul Rennie

A new book brings together the work of one of the past century’s most influential British graphic designers: Tom Eckersley. Instantly recognisable for his flat and humorous graphic style – combined with expressive eyes and bold colour choices – Eckersley worked with clients from the BBC to British Rail and Gillette to Shell. Perhaps most famous are his poster designs for the Post Office and London Transport, though the retrospective uncovers hidden secrets of Eckersley’s career too. Look out for the poster designs for annual balls and a screen-print portrait of American actor Buster Keaton. The book’s author, design writer and archivist Paul Rennie, also explores Eckersley’s impact on education and his lasting legacy.

Tom Eckersley: A Mid-Century Modern Master by Paul Rennie, is published by Batsford and is released 8 July. It costs £25.

Talk: How do we get there? Building a lasting diverse, equitable, and inclusive user research practice – starting today

Accessibility is one of the most talked-about topics in design, but how we put it into practice is often harder to work out. AnswerLab – a UX research firm – is holding a virtual seminar on the topic led by its product lead Kristin Zibell and diversity manager Shakima Jackson-Martinez. In the free 45-minute seminar, they will be talking about how you can implement inclusivity into product design and how teams can take action together.

The webinar takes place 13 July, and you can sign up on AnswerLab’s website.

Installation: Art of Ping Pong installation, in collaboration with Campbell Hay

London design studio Campbell Hay has collaborated with Art of Ping Pong to install eight ping pong tables in the capital’s Islington Square, each featuring a bespoke design. Members of the public are invited to play (or simply) admire the tables. The graphics are inspired by the dynamism of the game, according to the studio, as well as some signature moves. They can also be brought to life through AR with Instagram filters. Two of the tables will be permanently installed, while the rest will be displayed in a gallery setting when not in use.

You can check out the tables at Islington Square, 116 Upper Street, London N1 1AB.