Hilary in conversation at the Design Museum

And now the Times invite you to join the design debate...

THIS is your chance to join The Times in a debate on design. The architecture critic of The Times, Tom Dyckhoff, will be in conversation with Hilary Cottam, winner of the Designer of the Year award, at the Design Museum on Tuesday, July 12. Cottam is the design strategist whose winning project was about the reform of public-sector design in schools, prisons and the health service. What does her work tell us about the future of public-sector design? And the changing role of the designer? How can someone who does not design things become Designer of the Year?

Join The Times for a fascinating evening at the Design Museum, SE1. The debate will be from 7.15pm to 8pm and readers can also enjoy a private view of the museum's summer shows from 6.30pm to 9pm.

* Book a free place by sending your name and contact details to the Design Museum, Shad Thames, London SE1 2YD, www.designmuseum.org.

Chris Vanstone | LINK | EVENTS | COMMENTS (0)

Does design have a role in implementing social policy and addressing political challenges?

AIGA would like to invite you to the forty-eighth AIGA Experience Design London meeting, where they will be taking up the debate started by Hilary winning designer of the year.

Does design have a role in implementing social policy and addressing political challenges? From recycling and obesity to voting and citizenship, from education and healthcare to crime and punishment, initiatives are underway.

In the US the AIGA has lead the development of the Design for Democracy campaign, which is now extending its remit beyond re-designing the US voting system. In the UK the Design Council established its RED unit to 'challenge accepted thinking on economic and social issues through design innovation'. It worked with leading UK thinktank ippr on the 'Touching the State' project, which asked: Can design enhance the experience of state-citizen encounters?, and, most recently, RED director Hilary Cottam won the Design Museum's Designer of the Year award for her team's work on the Kingsdale School project.

Do design methods and ways of thinking offer new approaches to social and political questions or is this naive hubris? Are designers' user-centric models what are needed for an increasingly complex society, or are designers just the latest creatives to be flattered by New Labour's embrace? Please come and join the debate.

When: Monday 11 July, 6:30 for 7 PM (until 9:00 PM)
Where: The Design Council, 34 Bow Street, London WC2E 7DL

Panel debate: Design and Social Policy
-- This will be a very informal event. Panelists will be invited to present their perspectives, and we will quickly open out the debate to the floor. The panelists will be:
- Richard Eisermann, Director - Design & Innovation, Design Council
- James Woudhuysen, Professor of Forecasting and Innovation, De Montfort University
- Ben Rogers, Associate Director/Head of the Democracy team, ippr

Full biographies, and notes from the last event, can be found here

RSVP: Mail AIGA to reserve a place. Note this is an independant event and is not organised by the Design Council.

Chris Vanstone | LINK | EVENTS | COMMENTS (0)

Celebrity branded housing

This is an interesting story of how John Deere (evidently a well known tractor maker in the states) has co-branded a new housing development where buyers can make a choice of landscape designs each prepared and installed by Deer. When they move in there will be a John Deere ride-on mower waiting in the garage.

St. Lawrence Homes vice president Rick Ohmann says the John Deere link should amount to a stamp of approval for people who care about having a beautifully landscaped yard from the day they move in.

So how about celebrity branded low emission homes, and who would be the poster boy?

Chris Vanstone | LINK | ENERGY PROJECT | COMMENTS (0)

Product Lust

Design is not only about products - but it it's pretty good at them. The IDSA 2005 design excellence awards now online. We're happy to see the new RED mac mini is a winner.

Chris Vanstone | LINK | DESIGN FETISH | COMMENTS (0)

Energy - Any Answers

In 'Any Answers' the Great British (Radio 4 listening) public have just given their opinions on the wind vs energy debate. The show gives some insight into public perception and indeed public passion on the topic - as well as the ideas they have to cut CO2. Listen again here.

Chris Vanstone | LINK | ENERGY PROJECT | COMMENTS (0)

Health Exhibition at the DC

On Monday 27th June our exhibition of the Health project work will open in the reception area at the Design Council. We are at 34 Bow Street in Covent Garden - opposite the Opera House. Do pop up and have a look. All welcome.

Jude | LINK | EVENTS | COMMENTS (1)

More comment on Designer of the Year

CPH127 blogs Hilary's win and Charlie Leadbeater writes a truly fabulous piece in The Times

Jude | LINK | RED TEAM | COMMENTS (1)

A Great Debate - Designer of the Year

There is loads of stuff flying around about the Designer of the Year award. In a press release David Kester, Chief Executive of the Design Council, said "Designer of the Year is an important national prize awarded by a distinguished jury as well as a public vote. Their choice of Hilary Cottam celebrates the important role design and designers can and must play in advancing new solutions to some of our thorniest social problems."

But the response to the award has been varied and at times, critical..... The Observer, Core77, Spiked Online, But certainly not all bad.....John Thackara, Noise Between Stations, The Times

We'll keep these links updated as the debate continues. If you'd like to comment please do so here or register your opinion on The Observer's poll

Jude | LINK | RED TEAM | COMMENTS (1)

Our own Designer of the Year 2005

Last night Hilary Cottam - our very own RED Director - was announced Designer of the Year! RED are so proud and thrilled. Thanks to all who showed support in voting for Hilary. And please do feel free to let us know what you think about Hilary's work and the award.

For full details follow the link

Jude | LINK | RED TEAM | COMMENTS (0)

Healthy Holidays

Sense worldwide tell us about the growing inclination of the Japanese for Medical Tourism - travel packages that combine treatment with fun and relaxing activities.

Japanese consumers' have a growing inclination to choose travel packages that combine medical checkups or treatment with fun and relaxing activities.

A typical package involves the traveller being given an extensive medical checkup at a hospital before enjoying a relaxing and therapeutic stay at a hot spring resort. One such package is the "hot doc" plan offered at the Yubara Onsen resort in Okayama, where travellers are first given a general medical checkup along with any optional tests they have chosen, such as abdominal ultrasounds or respiratory tests. Trained staff then prime them on the fundamentals of using hot springs for therapeutic benefit....Hotels are marketing a similar service that combines a medical checkup with accommodation......Industry analysts predict that medical tourism will be an increasingly important element of the travel industry, because people's awareness of the importance of preventative health and their willingness to spend time and money on it are likely to continue to grow.

Chris Vanstone | LINK | HEALTH | COMMENTS (0)