Meet the design studios making new products and businesses in uncertain times
From virtual property presentation platforms to craftivism clothing kits, studios are using the current situation to explore new avenues.
Product
News, views and analysis on the latest product and industrial design stories, covering transport, tech products and homewares.
Why a cardboard shortage is driving innovation in packaging design
Online shopping, office closures and Brexit have all impacted cardboard supplies. Material innovation and smarter packaging design could provide a solution.
Coca-Cola tests paper bottle but is it the answer?
The bottle is made by Danish company Paboco and features an extra strong paper shell, 100 per cent recycled plastic enclosure and liner inside.
£16 million offered for sustainable plastic packaging design solutions
Innovate UK is looking for “bold and ambitious” projects that tackle the sustainability challenges related to plastic packaging.
What role can designers play in the introduction of alternative meat products?
As alternative protein sources become more prevalent, we explore how design can help shape the journey from production to branding.
City of London launches design competition for £250,000 Digital Service Points
The multifunctional public interventions will look to replace the Square Mile’s outdated blue Police Boxes with 21st Century digital hubs.
AR sign language book for children leads UK’s immersive tech boom
Ten immersive start-ups have been highlighted as part of a government digital scheme, spanning VR training to virtual collaboration solutions.
Design inspiration: the best projects from January
The start of a new year brought us an identity for a Covid-adapted restaurant, calligraphic coffee branding and a new series of lockdown posters.
Picks of the month: the best (at home) design events in February
It will be another month spent at home but you can still take in everything from utopian community building to overcoming creative barriers and more.
Design Week Awards 2021 opens for entries
This year winning work will be given a bigger platform than ever before, we are assembling our biggest ever judging panel and categories have been tweaked for maximum relevance.
Lumiere producers launch competition to find new installations for 2021 show
The light art festival is committing more than £50,000 to fund six new designs ahead of its November 2021 event in Durham, UK.
In-house teams: how Facebook designers work “cross-family” to unite its offering
As part of our series looking at in-house design teams, we talk to Facebook director of product design Austin Chang about cross-family design, moving beyond apps and taking on 1,000
See-saw for kids at the USA-Mexico border wall wins best design of 2020
The Design Museum has named the installation which allowed children from neighbouring countries to play with one another the Beazley Design of the Year.
This start-up challenger is designing glasses for Black people
After years of struggling to find glasses that fit, the brains behind Reframd are using tech to design frames to fit the “face landmarks” of Black people.
CES 2021: smart masks, smarter homes and flying vehicles
Tech giants from around the world gathered for this year’s virtual festival, but what are the main takeaways?
Five projects that reflect design in an age of crisis
The projects were part of a worldwide open call by London Design Biennale organisers, and cover everything from music, to sex education and disaster relief.
Design in 2021 – what will product design look like?
As part of our series of design in 2021, Matter design director Lottie King looks at what will happen in product design in the next 12 months.
Could a smarter expiration label combat the food waste crisis?
The temperature-sensitive Mimica Touch label is rolling out across juice bottles and has its sights on the meat (and medical) markets.
Design Week’s most popular product stories of 2020
This year saw designers make up the difference in medical supply shortages, colour match with real life, and help people party in their own homes.
Design Week’s most popular news stories of 2020
Custom typefaces and flat logos, furlough and anything to help keep kids entertained – these were the news stories you read the most this year.
In-house teams: Polaroid on building a “modern analogue brand in a digital world”
As part of our series looking at in-house design teams, we talk to the heads of design about the “labour of love” that is Polaroid.
Dieter Rams’ work celebrated in new Japanese exhibition
Less But Better has been curated and designed by London-based Systems Studio and aims to introduce the German designer’s work to “new audiences”.
Why age is often the “least relevant thing” when co-designing with the elderly
Products and services for older people are designed to be functional and not much else – these designers want to create joyful experiences instead.
Is this lidless design the future of disposable coffee cups?
A new design from start-up company ButterflyCup needs no separate lid and simply biodegrades naturally if disposed of improperly.