The Crit

London-based industrial designer John Tree visits the studio to talk about the challenges of mobile phone design, his belief in the social potential of industrial design, the opportunity to completely reconceive electric vehicles, and the importance of not obsessing over your business card. John's picks for his crit were:Best design: Billet chairWorst design: A mobile phone for SamsungMost successful design: Apex lampMost impactful feedback: His friend Chopper from Rosie Lee saying that it’s not enough to be a good designer, you have to get your work out thereDream design: Electric vehicles The CritGraphics: Leonhard RothmoserMusic: Yuri Suzuki and Team SuzukiThis episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Material researcher and designer Ori Orisun Merhav sits her crit, exploring the ethos, experimentation and commitment to bio-inclusive co-creation that underpin her creations with lac, a natural polymer produced by insects.Ori's picks for her crit were:Best design: Something yet to come within Made by Insects Worst design: The daily failures of material researchMost successful design: Lac chandelier for Design Sediments Most impactful feedback: Nacho Carbonell’s advice to “Become the insect”Dream design: A space and mindset to encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration in material researchThe CritGraphics: Leonhard RothmoserMusic: Yuri Suzuki and Team SuzukiThis episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Futures designer Nick Foster sits his crit to mark the launch of his new book Could Should Might Don't, exploring the limitations of futurism, and the need for more mundane, rounded design thinking within the realm of the tech giants.Nick's picks for his crit were:Best design: Google’s Selfish LedgerWorst design: Early-career, “thirsty could” design workMost successful design: Projects that have left stakeholders with a better understanding of the breadth of what design is Most impactful feedback: “Are you sure?”Dream design: Black MirrorThe CritGraphics: Leonhard RothmoserMusic: Yuri Suzuki and Team SuzukiThis episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Benjamin Hubert, founder and creative director of Layer, joins The Crit to discuss moving beyond personality-driven aesthetics, creating objects for pets, his relationship with the media, and his desire to do more pro bono design work. Benjamin's picks for his crit were:Best design: LayerWorst design: Diamond ChairMost successful design: Dog toys for Earth Rated Most impactful feedback: A Financial Times article Dream design: Pro bono design work for charities, NGOs or community groupsThe CritGraphics: Leonhard RothmoserMusic: Yuri Suzuki and Team SuzukiThis episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jo Barnard, founder and creative director of Morrama, a London-based design agency, joins the podcast to discuss customer feedback, failed shelving, the formation of a studio, and product design's social and environmental responsibilities.More information about Morrama's new book, From people to planet; lessons from a design agency, can be found here.Jo's picks for her crit were:Best design: Morrama Worst design: A flat-packed shelving unit made while at secondary school Most successful design: Angle razor Most impactful feedback: Customer reviews for Wild refillable deodorant Dream design: A waste systemThe CritGraphics: Leonhard RothmoserMusic: Yuri Suzuki and Team SuzukiThis episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Designer and artist Paul Cocksedge joins The Crit for a conversation about communicating through coal, financing an art practice, engendering material wonder in diverse audiences, and the case for redesigning London's streets.Paul's picks for his crit were:Best design: Coalescence Worst design: ManuscriptMost successful design: Please Be Seated Most impactful feedback: Ingo Maurer saying he believed in Paul Dream design: Redesigning LondonThe CritGraphics: Leonhard RothmoserMusic: Yuri Suzuki and Team SuzukiThis episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Designer Nina Tolstrup, one half of Studiomama, joins The Crit to talk small-scale living, new cutlery typologies, furniture made from leftover pallets, and the importance of local manufacturing and distribution.Nina's picks for her crit were:Best design: Pallet ProjectWorst design: Bio-Plastic Cutlery ToolMost successful design: 13m2 HouseMost impactful feedback: “Just try it”Dream design: A furniture system for small space livingThe CritGraphics: Leonhard RothmoserMusic: Yuri Suzuki and Team SuzukiThis episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jay Osgerby – cofounder of Barber Osgerby, Universal Design Studio and Map Project Office – visits the studio to reflect on the challenges of forging an emotional connection with users and audiences through design, as well as speculating on who might play him in a film of his life.Jay's picks for his crit were:Best design: Double SpaceWorst design: Everything he designed while studying architecture at the Royal College of Art Most successful design: Olympic TorchMost impactful feedback: People writing to him to express how much they loved the Tip Ton chairDream design: A permanent outdoor sculpture or installationThe CritGraphics: Leonhard RothmoserMusic: Yuri Suzuki and Team SuzukiThis episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.