Advertise on podcast: The Crit

Stephen Burks and Malika Leiper, the partners behind nomadic studio Stephen Burks Man Made, join the podcast for a discussion about questioning what radical design means today and challenging the industry’s focus on the global North. Stephen and Malika's picks for their crit were: Best design: Shelter in Place Worst design: Not being able to find the right partners to create mass-produced products Most successful design: The design of their nomadic studio Most impactful feedback: To always be of service Dream design: A glasshouse and a TV The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alexandra Gerber, a London-based industrial designer whose work explores cross-pollination between industries, joins the podcast for a discussion about design as a form of cultural expression, the gendering of objects, and the allure and complexities of working with biomaterials. Alexandra’s picks for her crit were: Best design: Up shelving Worst design: Installation of A Meaningful Order Most successful design: A Meaningful Order Most impactful feedback: When people say her work is not feminine Dream design: Tableware and cutlery The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam Nathaniel Furman, an artist and designer, joins the show to discuss the history of colour in architecture, the challenges of viral design and his dream of designing a skyscraper facade. Adam’s picks for his crit were: Best design: Croydon Colonnade Worst design: Glowbules Most successful design: Gateways Most impactful feedback: Architect Terry Farrell telling him to listen more Dream design: A skyscraper facade, a train station or a religious space The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jon Ardern, cofounder of design and experiential futures company Superflux, joins the podcast to reflect on the importance of emotion and sensory feedback, the difficulties of engaging gallery visitors, and his dream of designing a living experiment.  Jon’s picks for his crit were: Best design: Mitigation of Shock  Worst design: Dynamic Genetics vs Man  Most successful design: Uninvited Guests  Most impactful feedback: A person who said their exhibition had prepared them for living through the pandemic and inspired them to grow vegetables on their balcony  Dream design: A living experiment  The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Miller, a partner at Pentagram, joins the podcast to reflect on the challenges of integrating different design media into a single practice, as well as drawing narrative and tempo into graphic design. Hugh's picks for his crit were: Best design: At the End of the World, Plant a Tree by SO/LO Worst design: All work is flawed when viewed by its creator Most successful design: TDC65 Competition Campaign Most impactful feedback: A teacher who taught him to listen to and analyse music Dream design: The British Airways brand identity The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leyu Li, a London-based food designer, joins the podcast to discuss using social media in her work, the challenges and opportunities involved in food design, and the pleasures of doing commercial work. Leyu's picks for her crit were: Best design: cM Donald's Worst design: F.A.M Supper Club Most successful design: Broccopork, Mushchicken and Peaf Most impactful feedback: Someone commenting on her TikTok saying her work is “So Goldsmiths” Dream design: Hana no Hana bakery The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 chair Worst design: A mobile phone for Samsung Most successful design: Apex lamp Most 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 there Dream design: Electric vehicles The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

London-based designer Tessa Silva joins the podcast to discuss making objects out of milk protein, understanding the possibilities and limitations of materials, and her dream of redesigning pubs. Tessa's picks for her crit were: Best design: Feminised Protein Worst design: Martini glasses made from milk Most successful design: Smock Most impactful feedback: Comments from fellow designers during an informal crit group she started to get feedback on her work in progress Dream design: Pubs The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tetsuo Mukai, co-founder of London-based design studio Study O Portable, joins the podcast to discuss creating objects that interrogate our relationship with design, his background in fashion, and his perspective on debates around how critical design practice is framed and presented to a broad public. Tetsuo's picks for his crit were: Best design: Quartz Mirror Worst design: Crystal room dividers Most successful design: Fuzz Most impactful feedback: People asking whether his work is art or design Dream design: A free art school The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simone Brewster, a designer, artist and educator, as well as the subject of the second Platform exhibition at London's Design Museum, joins The Crit to discuss finding a wider purpose behind her varied work, her attraction to answering the same questions in different ways, and the importance of language and representation in design. Simone's picks for her crit were: Best design: Negress & Mammy Worst design: Decorative plates for William Morris Gallery’s Althea McNish exhibition Most successful design: Temple of Relics pavilion Most impactful feedback: One of her architecture tutors saying that she needed to take herself seriously Dream design: Serpentine Gallery pavilion The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Phil Garnham, executive creative director of Monotype Studio, joins the podcast to discuss the changing landscape of type design, the joys of creating typography for broadcasting companies, and the difficulties of releasing typefaces into the world to have a life of their own. Phil's picks for his crit were: Best design: FS Emeric  Worst design: FS Lola, a typeface used for Sainsbury’s and Greggs Most successful design: Designing logos for broadcast companies such as ITV and Channel 4 Most impactful feedback: Look at a typeface or logo with fresh eyes by flipping it on its side or upside down Dream design: Rebranding TG Jones (formerly known as WHSmith’s) The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Johanna Gibbons, founder of landscape architecture practice J&L Gibbons and the current keeper of the Faculty of Royal Designers, joins the podcast to discuss the pluriverse, the entanglements of community and landscape, and the potential for education through ecology. Johanna's picks for her crit were: Best design: Dalston Eastern Curve Garden as part of Making Space in Dalston or Urban Nature Project, Natural History Museum Worst design: Edward Square Most successful design: Urban Nature Project, Natural History Museum Most impactful feedback: A difficult community meeting as part of Making Space in Dalston Dream design: An extentsion of her Schiehallion Seed to Tree Project The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Melia, founder and creative director of London-based design agency Blond, joins the podcast for a conversation about packaging, brand names, and greater attention towards design in medical tech. James's picks for his crit were: Best design: Fussy refillable deodorant   Worst design: A desk he designed for his final project at university Most successful design: An upcoming packaging design for a US brand  Most impactful feedback: His colleague Dana Salmanzadeh asking why James is the only person in the studio who pitches and presents projects to clients Dream design: A catheter The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Designer and researcher Liliana Ovalle visits the studio to discuss exploring different making cultures, learning the limitations of working with craft processes, and her dream of making altars for the home. Liliana’s picks for her crit were: Best design: Sinkhole Vessels  Worst design: Encuentros bar set  Most successful design: Fragment of a Staircase  Most impactful feedback: Curator Jennifer Dunlop Fletcher saying she creates designs that look playful but are actually quite serious, similar to the work of designer Shiro Kuramata The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jon Marshall, industrial designer and partner at Pentagram, visits the studio to discuss the importance of trusting the process, the experience of moving from a designer to a creative director role, and the pleasures of seemingly intractable design problems. Jon's picks for his crit were: Best design: Honda. A Great Journey Worst design: Exhibition design for UNIQLO Most successful design: Yoto Most impactful feedback: Daniel Weil telling him to trust the process (and all feedback from his wife) Dream design: A range of cookware inspired by Richard Sapper’s La Cintura di Orione for Alessi The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.