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What were your highlights and lowlights at London Design Festival this year?

My highlight was to enjoy, at the Victoria & Albert Museum’s opening party, an intelligent, animated discussion exploring the nature, purpose and usefulness of the Design Council in the context of contemporary attitudes to design. The general feeling was that it would be one of the ’disappeared quangos’. My lowlight was that, apart from this and a visit to Tom Dixon’s amazing place at Kensal Rise, I didn’t do or see anything else. Was it good?
Rodney Fitch, Consultant

I did one thing, which was assemble and exhibit my furniture at the new venue, Tramshed. Then I stood on my stand there. I saw nothing else, so for me it was, of course, the highlight. It is very important for me to hear what people think about my new work so that I can keep it real and improve. I was very excited that De La Espada, Alice Breed and Deborah Spencer had organised the event. I felt the buzz there and many people who I talked to also said it was the best thing they went to. I thought this LDF in general felt very positive and energetic, and London looked great, full of creativity and individuality.
Matthew Hilton, Furniture designer

The highlights were the Shoreditch vibe and residents from the East End of London who were some of the many festival hosts. From the design boutiques such as Lifestyle Bazaar to the craft hub of Origin and, of course, the design destination of Tent. The turnout was very impressive and the appetite for design in the capital was alive and making its mark for 2010. The lowlight has to be the weather, rain and more rain, but then, this is London.
Andrew Tanner, Ceramic designer, Andrew Tanner Design

Well, the high/low moment would have to be asking my appointed-for-the-night chauffeur if he could get me a pint of milk while I enjoyed the post-launch dinner at Corrigan’s. Beyond that it was all small-scale pleasures during a festival to be proud of: Oskar Zieta’s steel-sexy installation ’Blow & Roll’ in the Victoria & Albert Museum pond; Hye-Yeon Park’s captivating breathing clock ’Inbetween Time’ at the Royal College of Art Design Products Collection; the hands-on materials table at 100% Materials; Katrin Baumgarten’s deliciously hairy ’Aesthetics of Disgust’; and Dorkbot Bristol’s amazingly sensitive draughtsman robot at Block. Oh, and watching curators making an exhibition of their craft at the ’Everyday Delights’ show by JJAM at Tent. Only now do I realise these could all show at the Science Museum. Maybe next year?
Tim Molloy, Head of creative direction, Science Museum

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