Ilse Crawford, Eyal Weizman, Mac Collins and Michael Wolff receive 2021 London Design Medals

British designer Ilse Crawford has been awarded this year's London Design Medal, with Mac Collins earning the emerging designer title.

Crawford and Collins are joined by Design Innovation winner, Israeli architect Eyal Weizman, and Lifetime Achievement recipient, British graphic designer Michael Wolff, as the four 2021 medal laureates.

The creatives will receive their medals on Monday 20 September at an awards ceremony organised by the London Design Festival at The Royal Exchange.

The 2021 London Design Medal has been awarded to Ilse Crawford

The London Design Medal's top honour is reserved for an individual "who has distinguished themselves within the industry and demonstrated consistent design excellence".

This year it went to Crawford, the founder of design practice Studioilse who also works as a teacher and creative director.

"I couldn't be more proud to win this award," she said. "London is in my DNA. I was born in Powis Square, went to school at Avondale, W11, and went to uni here too. In 2003, the same date that the London Design Festival began, I started Studioilse here in London."

Crawford's recent Braun talk explored how items such as Enzo Mari's Sedia 1 wooden chair reframe the future

Crawford recently stepped down as the head of the Man and Well-being course at Design Academy Eindhoven after working there for more than 20 years. Earlier this year, she was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE).

Last year, Crawford spoke to Dezeen during our Virtual Design Festival about her work and what the future of the design industry might look like.

Crawford is the 15th winner of the Medal, which has been awarded annually since 2007. Past winners include Es Devlin, David Adjaye, Thomas Heatherwick and, most recently, Paola Antonelli.

The Emerging Design Medal was awarded to Mac Collins

Collins has won the Emerging Design Medal, which recognises an impact made on the design scene within five or so years of graduation.

Collins, who graduated from Northumbria University in 2018, is best known for his afrofuturist chair – one of several items of his furniture that draw on his Caribbean heritage.

"It is humbling to have been awarded the Emerging Talent Medal for London Design Festival 2021," said the designer. "I was surprised to receive the news and am pleased to have had my practice recognised in this way."

"My thanks go to all those involved in the decision-making process, and to those who have supported and mentored me over the past couple of years," he added. "I intend to push my practice further forward, and this award is a hugely motivating and inspiring force."

Michael Wolff has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Medal

The Lifetime Achievement Medal was awarded to Wolff, who has spent the past six decades pushing the boundaries of graphic design as co-founder of design studio Wolff Olins.

More recently, Wolff became a patron of the Inclusive Design Challenge at the Royal College of Art, where he is also a senior fellow.

"I feel deeply honoured to have received this lifetime achievement award," he said. "Few of us got to where we are alone and so I owe this award to all of those who’ve supported me."

"I've always believed – and I continue to believe – that my best work is what I'm going to do next," Wolff continued.

Eyal Weizman has been given the Design Innovation Medal

Weizman, founding director of research group Forensic Architecture, is the recipient of this year's Design Innovation Medal for his commitment to "reinventing design and architecture as tools of restorative social justice".

"I receive this medal on behalf of Forensic Architecture and the frontline communities we work with as a recognition of our common work against racist policing in the UK and elsewhere," he said.

"As we do so we remember Mark Duggan — shot unarmed by metropolitan police officers — almost exactly 10 years ago."

The London Design Festival is taking place 18-26 September 2021 across the city. See more events taking place this month on the Dezeen Events Guide.

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Third episode of Braun's Good Design Masterclass with Ilse Crawford explores objects that are "built to last"

Ilse Crawford explains how designs including Isamu Noguchi's Akari light and Dieter Rams' T3 radio have stood the test of time in the third episode of Braun's masterclass video series, which Dezeen is publishing as part of a collaboration with the brand.

Led by Crawford, the Good Design Masterclass series explores Braun's three key design principles in three episodes: simple, useful and built to last. The series marks Braun's centenary and aims to "inspire good design for a better future".

The final episode of the series focuses on objects that are built to last. According to Crawford, this means designing objects that people will cherish as much as it is to do with creating durable products.

"Of course, [building to last] is about longevity and durability, but it must be consequent," she said in the video. "It's also about an authentic love for things rather than designing for obsolescence. It's about designing things we love more."

Crawford discusses the Akari light designed by Japanese-American artist and designer Isamu Noguchi.

According to Crawford, even fragile designs can have longevity.

"'Built to last' is often assumed to be about being robust and indestructible," she said. "But actually the opposite is often true. It is the things that are fragile and beautiful that inspire care and, therefore, they last."

She gave the paper Akari light, designed in 1951 by Japanese-American artist and designer Isamu Noguchi, as an example.

"There's something so warm and delicate about the lanterns that still enthrals us," Crawford said.

"As a studio, we use them in projects a lot – recently we used them in a mental health centre, where typically you'd expect things might need to be a bit more robust."

"But they bring this amazing warm glow to the space that really takes the edge off the experience, and they're still there and still perfectly intact."

The 1958 T3 pocket transistor radio is an example of an object "built to last"

Other objects Crawford discussed in the video include Braun's T3 transistor radio designed by Dieter Rams in collaboration with the Ulm School of Design in 1953.

The radio is one of a host of Braun products that was informed by a design methodology, developed by Rams while a teacher at the school, that focussed on use.

"It's stripped-down, it's as neutral as it's possible to be," she said of the design. "It's uncompromising, reduced to the absolute minimum and its purpose-driven so the only bit that moves is the dial, which makes it super intuitive."

"These are the qualities that kept it relevant for decades and admired by so many, even if analogue has been superseded by technology."

According to Crawford, it is an example of how the most enduring designs are often those that are ahead of their time.

"One of the things that people often say when talking about 'built to last' is that we should design in a timeless, lasting way," said Crawford. "That is surprisingly difficult to do because, paradoxically, most lasting design is outside of its time or ahead of its time."

Dirk Van Der Kooij's table is made from recycled plastic

The final design Crawford discussed in the video is Dirk Van Der Kooij's Melting Pot Table, which is made from discarded plastic objects that have been reformed into a durable new item.

"As we all know, plastics and their durability is a real problem," said Crawford. "But they can be harnessed and upgraded, and this table is an interesting example of that."

To make the table, Van Der Kooij uses plastic from a range of sources, including discarded toys, garden furniture and refrigerator interiors.

"Dirk Van Der Kooij has used recycled plastic to make furniture that is far more appealing than the idea of recycled waste might suggest," Crawford said.

"He does that with all manner of plastic waste that is upgraded to make a really beautiful material and to make pieces that actually deserve to last."

The episode "built to last" is the final series in Braun's Good Design Masterclass, led by Ilse Crawford

This is the third episode of Braun's Good Design Masterclass. In the first episode, Crawford discussed "simple design", while in the second, she explored "useful" objects.

Dezeen editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs also spoke to Crawford about the masterclass series in a live talk that we broadcast in June.

The Good Design Masterclass series is also available to watch on Braun's website.

Dezeen x Braun Good Design Masterclass

This article was written by Dezeen for Braun as part of ourDezeen x Braun Good Design Masterclass partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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Ilse Crawford explores "useful design" in second episode of Braun's Good Design Masterclass

Ilse Crawford discusses useful objects such as prosthetic hands, electric bikes and shavers in the second episode of Braun's masterclass video series that Dezeen is publishing as part of our collaboration with the German design brand.

Braun launched the Good Design Masterclass video series, which is led by British designer Crawford, to inspire "good design for a better future" and to mark its centenary. The second episode focuses on useful objects.

"Fundamentally, 'useful' is about functional things that people really need," said Crawford in the video. "Genuinely useful design creates the building blocks of our lives."

"Sometimes, 'useful' can make things more convenient. But it can also improve lives in quite profound ways."

The VanMoof S3 bike aims to be "the sustainable future of mass transportation", according to Crawford

One example of useful design featured in the video is the VanMoof S3 electric bike, which Crawford described as a "beautiful piece of functional design". The design aims to be "the sustainable future of mass transportation", according to Crawford.

"This is a municipal object, it's a commuter tool," she said. "And you see it in what is in front of you. It is sturdy, everything is integrated into the frame, everything is embedded. And when they develop new models, they don't mess around with new styles or novelty. Every upgrade is based on improving the functionality of this bike."

Össur's i-Limb Quantum is a myoelectric prosthetic hand

Another example of useful design featured in the video is the i-Limb Quantum prosthetic hand by Iceland-based company Össur.

The device is myoelectric, which means that it can be operated with the electrical signals generated by a person's muscles to enable the user to regain the functionality of a missing hand. Crawford described the design as "unashamedly robotic" and said it is something the user would want to show off.

"This really has been a shift from the times when to have a prosthetic limb was a matter of shame and social stigma to today when a prosthetic is not only functionally useful – technological shifts have made it a wonderful accessory in terms of dexterity – but also a thing of beauty," she said. "So it's now also useful from a social point of view – it's something to be proud of."

Braun's Parat BT SM 53 electric shaver (right) could be powered using the cigarette lighter in a car

The third design Crawford discussed in the video is Braun's Parat BT SM 53 electric shaver by Dieter Rams and Richard Fischer, which she said is an example of how usefulness shifts and changes over time.

Crawford described the shaver as "a pioneer of the unplugged lifestyle" because it could be powered via the cigarette lighter socket in a car.

"But, of course, 'useful' is not something that is pinned down in stone," she said.

"Tastes shift, values shift. And, of course, change continues. Because now beards are back so now there are new typologies for clippers and trimmers. So what is useful is continually tied into the cultural and social shifts of any time."

Braun's Good Design Masterclass series is led by British designer Ilse Crawford

This is the second episode of Braun's Good Design Masterclass. In the first episode, Crawford discussed "simple design".

Dezeen editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs also spoke to Crawford about the masterclass series in a live talk that we broadcast this week.

Next week, Dezeen will publish the final episode of the Good Design Masterclass series, which is also available to watch on Braun's website.

Dezeen x Braun Good Design Masterclass

This article was written by Dezeen for Braun as part of ourDezeen x Braun Good Design Masterclass partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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Watch our talk with Ilse Crawford about Braun's new masterclass series

As part of our collaboration with Braun, Dezeen will host a live talk with Ilse Crawford to explore her new masterclass series for the brand. Tune in here at 4:00pm BST.

Moderated by Dezeen's founder and editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs, the talk will explore a new three-episode masterclass series hosted by Crawford and created in connection with the German design brand's centenary.

Called Good Design Masterclass, each episode looks at design through the lens of one of Braun's three core principles: simple, useful and built to last. The brand believes these principles are essential to good design.

British designer Ilse Crawford is the host of Braun's new masterclass series exploring good design

The masterclasses will see Crawford discuss how the principles can be applied to today's design industry and influence a new generation of designers.

They also explore how we can integrate good design into our day-to-day lives.

Over the coming weeks, Dezeen will publish each of the three masterclass episodes, which are also available to watch on Braun's website.

Every episode will look at design through the lens of Braun's three design principles: simple, useful and built to last

The first episode exploring "simple design" was released last week.

Crawford is the founder of Studioilse, a multidisciplinary design studio working primarily in interior and product design.

The studio has previously produced several products for Swedish lighting brand Wästberg and recently collaborated with Danish furniture brand Carl Hansen & Son on a rerelease of five chairs by the mid-century designer Hans J Wegner.

Crawford will discuss the masterclass during a live talk on Dezeen today at 4:00pm BST

Crawford has also designed interior spaces such as a community soup kitchen in London opened by the renowned chef Massimo Bottura and the VitraHaus showroom in Germany using furniture by Vitra and Artek.

Before stepping down in 2019, Crawford was the head of the Man and Well-Being bachelors programme at Design Academy Eindhoven for over 20 years.

Crawford was also profiled in Netflix's documentary series Abstract: The Art of Design, alongside designers and architects like Bjarke Ingels and Es Devlin.

Braun was founded in 1921 and is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

The German manufacturer is known for its functional approach to design, established by the legendary Dieter Rams and his protege Dietrich Lubs.

The brand's mission to create "honest, unobtrusive, practical devices" helped establish it as one of the most influential manufacturers of the 20th century.

This talk was produced by Dezeen forBraun as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen's partnership content here.

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First Masterpieces collection by Ilse Crawford and Hans J Wegner for Carl Hansen & Son

Dezeen Showroom: Carl Hansen & Son has collaborated with Ilse Crawford to rerelease five chairs by midcentury Danish designer Hans J Wegner in a range of earthy colours.

Named First Masterpieces, the collection encompasses seating designs that were originally created by Wegner for Carl Hansen & Son in 1950.

Each chair has been reinterpreted in a range of five earthy colours chosen by Crawford to "give a fresh perspective to the collection".

Above: the First Masterpieces collection includes the CH25 chair. Top video: Ilse Crawford discussed the collection during a livestreamed talk as part of Carl Hansen & Son's Open House event

Included in the collection are the seminal CH24 chair, also known as the Wishbone Chair, alongside the CH22 lounge chair, CH23 dining chair, CH25 lounge chair and CH26 dining chair.

They are each available with a translucent water-based paint finish that was chosen by Crawford to add depth to the chairs' classic forms.

The CH25 (left) has also been recoloured

"The environmentally friendly, water-based colours all have a slightly transparent finish, which allows the chairs' original oak wood grain to shine through, creating a nuanced sense of colour and texture," said the brand.

"The muddy, painterly tones nod to the raw beauty of the Nordic landscape and they are intended to work both as a group and independently."

The CH26 chair (right) can be finished in a glossy blue paint

Crawford discussed the collection during a livestreamed talk as a part of Carl Hansen & Son's virtual Open House event earlier this month. The programme also included five other talks, with speakers including MoMA curator Paola Antonelli and Kvadrat CEO Anders Byriel.

All videos from the event, including a tour of the brand's production facility in Denmark, can be viewed on the Open House website.

Product: First Masterpieces
Designer: Ilse Crawford and Hans J Wegner
Brand: Carl Hansen & Son
Contact: [email protected]

About Dezeen Showroom: Dezeen Showroom offers an affordable space for brands to launch new products and showcase their designers and projects to Dezeen's huge global audience. For more details [email protected].

Dezeen Showroom is an example of partnership content on Dezeen. Find out more about partnership contenthere.

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First episode of Braun's Good Design Masterclass with Ilse Crawford explores "simple design"

Designer Ilse Crawford has launched the first episode of Braun's Good Design Masterclass by discussing examples of simple design.

The German design brand is collaborating with Dezeen to share the masterclass, created by Braun to mark the brand's centenary by inspiring "good design for a better future".

Led by Crawford, the Good Design Masterclass series explores Braun's three key design principles: simple, useful and built to last. The series considers how these principles can inspire young designers to shape the products of tomorrow and for society to embrace good design in our day-to-day lives.

The first episode of the three-part series explores "simply designed" objects. Crawford discusses how simple design can be applied to the design industry today and how it relates to sustainability and consumption.

According to Crawford the design of the spoon has remained "remarkably consistent around the world"

Crawford discusses how some of the most simple designs are those closest to the human body, such as eating utensils. According to Crawford, they have evolved and adapted over time, until their aesthetics have been reduced to the most simple of forms.

Crawford compares a carved wooden spoon with a silver version of the utensil, commenting that the basic form of the spoon has remained "remarkably consistent around the world and over time."

The S bend is a u-shaped part of a pipe designed by Alexander Cumming

Crawford then discusses more "simple designs" throughout history, including the S-bend, the curved part of a waste pipe on toilets, which was invented in 1775 by Alexander Cumming.

Cumming's design prevents smells rising from sewers, stops unwanted flow and is what Crawford describes as "probably one of the most ubiquitous, least-known, simple designs that we all have come in contact with".

Ilse Crawford presents Braun's Good Design Masterclass

According to Crawford, the design became popular in the mid 19th century due to the rapid urbanisation that came with industrialisation.

"There was the Great Stink in London in 1858 which was a catalyst to make this massive shift to what we now know as modern hygiene and the mass production of the WC," explained Crawford.

"It's so effective that it hasn't changed. It is in millions of bathrooms around the world. And yet, we never see it. It's the background to our life."

Enzo Mari's chair was designed to "reframe the future"

Crawford then discussed how the simplicity of design sometimes does not only apply to the design itself but in its "message".

She gives Enzo Mari's Sedia 1 wooden chair as an example, which was designed for people to be able to easily construct themselves using basic tools.

"This is a really clear example of open-source furniture," said Crawford. "These were plans that were published and available for anybody to use."

"This was a message, not in a bottle, but in a chair," she continued. "He was a 1970s activist who wanted to shine a light on the culture of consumerism and inbuilt obsolescence. Aesthetics was really not the point. This was simply an intention to reframe the future."

The first episode of Braun's Good Design masterclass explores "simple design"

According to Crawford, principles of simple design are undesigned, almost invisible, easy to understand and often ingenious."

"We need to be thinking more about the three principles of Braun's design and more about sustainable systems."

Over the coming weeks, Dezeen will publish further episodes of Braun's Good Design Masterclass, which are also available to watch on Braun's website.

Dezeen x Braun Good Design Masterclass

This article was written by Dezeen for Braun as part of ourDezeen x Braun Good Design Masterclass partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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Braun marks its centenary with Good Design Masterclass by Ilse Crawford

Dezeen has teamed up with Braun to present a three-episode masterclass series with British designer Ilse Crawford, which aims to mark 100 years of the German design brand by inspiring "good design for a better future".

Called Good Design Masterclass, Braun produced the online series to showcase the three core design principles that it believes creates good design: "simple, useful and built to last".

In the masterclass, Crawford discusses how these three principles can be applied to the current design industry to inspire both young designers to shape the products of tomorrow, and for us all to embrace good design in our day-to-day lives.

Over the coming weeks, Dezeen will publish each of the three masterclass episodes, which are also available to watch on Braun's website.

Above: the history of the spoon is one of the topics covered in the first masterclass episode. Top: the masterclass is led by designer Ilse Crawford

Each masterclass explores how design can "make life better for society and the environment," according to the brand.

"As the founding editor of Elle Decoration UK, Ilse has cultivated a reputation for empathetic designs that integrate both the functional and useful," said Braun. "She founded her eponymous multi-discipline design house Studioilse in 2001 and has led respected projects such as New York's Soho House."

In episode two Ilse discusses VanMoof's S3 bike

The series starts by discussing Braun's first principle – simple. It explores how "good design" should almost be "invisible" yet clear to understand.

"Examples include the essentiality of the U-bend toilet (1775) by Alexander Cummings or even the spoon," said Braun.

The second episode also features Össur's i-Limb Quantum robotic prosthetic hand

The second episode considers how design is "useful" and highlights that "design at its base level is a tool to provide sometimes profound solutions for real needs," according to the brand.

In this episode, Ilse references VanMoof's S3 bike and Össur's i-Limb Quantum robotic prosthetic hand (2020).

The masterclass series marks Braun's centenary

The final episode focuses on designs that are built to last. Ilse examines durability and how products can be engineered to last, focusing on the plastic Melting Pot Table Multichrome from Dirk Van Der Kooij (2017), the Braun T3 radio designed by Dieter Rams and the Ulm School of Design (1958).

To find out more about the Good Design Masterclass, please visit Braun's website.

Dezeen x Braun Good Design Masterclass

This article was written by Dezeen for Braun as part of ourDezeen x Braun Good Design Masterclass partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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