Vox Pop

The Design Museum is planning to extend its London Docklands building to add to its attractions. What would you most like to see as a regular example of contemporary design?

‘Design is not just about pictures, prints and objects. It is about people. How about getting all that designer clutter out of the way and dedicating a room just to the people who work in design? Let’s not be stuffy about it either, ask designers, young and old, from all over the place, to send in a cassette and picture of themselves. They can be natural, disguised, dressed up naked, whatever. Fill a room with these prints and add a continuous tape playing their comments about design, one voice after another. By doing so you will expose the true face of the design world in this century.’

Rowland Heming, President, Pineapple Design SA

‘Presenting objects under glass can elevate some products way above their true worth and give no opportunity to experience usability or fitness for a purpose. How about a real, hands-on way of interacting with new technology? Imagine a gallery where new products are on display, to be used as they were designed to be? Only then can the best be selected for permanent gallery spaces. I would like the museum to get out more too, literally on to the Thames to use this other great London resource. Imagine an exhibition on yacht design with the real things parked outside.’

Andy Davey, Principal, TKO

‘It would be nice to see the museum engaging with the world of digital media. This could work on two levels: the first would be the creation of a showcase for interactive design, but it would also double as a visitor experience that goes beyond gallery design principles that were established 100 years ago.’

Colin Burns, Head of IDEO London

‘In addition to standard exhibitions of contemporary design, I would like to discover young designers with humour – who are independent of commercial obligations, showing new expressions and processes and ways of communicating, working on integrated, interactive design projects. The topic of these projects could range from corporate design and signage to exhibition design and architecture.’

Tanja Backe, Manager and Project Leader, Studio Dumbar, Germany