british – industrial design

British Industrial Design has a rich and influential history has left an indelible mark on the global design landscape. Known for its blend of functionality, craftsmanship, and aesthetic appeal, British Industrial Design encompasses a wide range of sectors, including furniture, transportation, consumer electronics, and more.

From iconic mid-century furniture by designers like Robin Day to cutting-edge automotive design from companies like Aston Martin and Jaguar, British Industrial Design consistently demonstrates a balance between innovation and tradition. With a reputation for elegance, quality, and meticulous attention to detail, British Industrial Design continues to inspire and shape the design world today

Murphy Radio Featured Image

Murphy Radio revolutionized radio and television design with innovative designs by R.D. Russell, focusing on veneered plywood cabinets and post-war collaboration. R.D. Russell and Murphy Radio collaborated on radio and television cabinets, introducing modern aesthetics and functional elements, shaping electronics design and inspiring contemporary designers.Read More →

Chritian Barman electric fan heater featured image

Christian Barman was a key first-generation British industrial designer during the interwar years. He is best known for his 1936 electric iron for HMV, which he started designing in 1933. He studied architecture at Liverpool University and ran his practice until Frank Pick invited him to join London Transport as a Publicity Officer in 1935.Read More →

Nigel Coates featured image

He co-founded Branson Coates Architecture with Doug Branson in 1985 before opening his architecture and design studio in 2006. He was a partner in the Branson Coates architecture and design studio and the founder of the radical NATO (Narrative Architecture Today, established in London in 1983) design group (established in 1985).Read More →

'Brownie' Camera

In the early 1960s, this camera was made. It was simple to load and hold and relatively light, and it was exceptionally well constructed for such a low-cost item. Read More →

Ideal Home Exhibition 1908

The Daily Mail newspaper sponsored the Ideal Home Exhibition (from 1908). These shows provide an insight into popular taste and aspiration across all facets of domestic design and organisation in Britain.Read More →

Lampshade 1 by Sebastian Bergne

The phrase ‘less is more’ perfectly encapsulates the core of these works, the quality of which can only be attained by a proper understanding of form.Read More →

Design Sketch featured image

The British Royal Society of Arts (RSA) established the Royal Designer for Industry designation in 1936 to encourage high-quality industrial design and elevate the reputation of designers. It is given to persons who have demonstrated “consistent excellence in beautiful and efficient industrial design.”Read More →

Brian Asquith (1930 – 2008) was one of the principal figures in British silversmithing during the 20th century, now regarded as the industry’s heroic age. Read More →

Geoffrey Harcourt featured image

Between 1960-61, he worked at Latham, Tyler and Jensen, Chicago, and with Jacob Jensen in Copenhagen; in 1961, opened his studio in London, specialising in furniture design; from 1962; began designing seating for Artifort, the Netherlands, who produced more than 20 models of his furniture designsRead More →

He was influenced by the sculptural simplicity of German postwar design, such as that of Braun. He redesigned products for Kenwood, including their food mixer. Read More →

BeoLab 5000 designed by David Lewis

David Lewis was a British industrial designer. He is best known for his work for Bang & Olufsen. He was a distinguished member of Royal Designers for Industry. Read More →

Harold Stabler tea set featured image

Harold Stabler’s lengthy, illustrious career began in the Arts and Crafts movement and extended into the modernist era. Over the 50 years or so he devoted to the arts, he created an astounding diversity of highly regarded pieces, both unique and mass-produced, in various mediums and styles. Read More →

Abram Games in the Studio

In acknowledging his power as a propagandist, he claimed, “I wind the spring and the public, in looking at the poster, will have that spring released in its mind.” Read More →

Iittala Raami 12-Ounce Glass Bowl

Raami, designed by Jasper Morrison, adds a touch of effortless beauty to any space. Simple, adaptable, and high-quality tableware is framed by careful design that allows the room to take on its own personality. Breakfast, desserts, and cold meals go well in this sea blue Raami bowl. Finland-made pressed glass.Read More →

Valentine Portable Typewriter featured image

He worked at Olivetti, where he designed office machinery, starting in 1956. He collaborated with Hans Von Klier on C. Castelli’s corporate design program. He was designing dictating machines for Süd-Atlas Werke in Monaco and electronic apparatus and control systems for Praxis in Milan.Read More →

The Greyhound Bus featured image

The exaggerated style was an essential look. The gleaming chrome fins conveyed speed. A car that was higher in the front than the back did the same. The quality of the car’s face — two headlamps for the eyes, a grill for the nose, and a fender for the mouth – was frequently highlighted. This gave the vehicle the appearance of a devoted companion with a distinct personality.Read More →

Alec Issigonis featured image

It was the Mini Minor, which debuted in 1959, that cemented Issigonis’ place in automotive history. The need to minimise fuel consumption became a primary concern for the automobile industry after the 1956 Suez oil crisis. The Mini was explicitly built to be fuel-efficient.Read More →

Covered Soup Tureen and Ladle 1880 by Christopher Dresser

Dresser was a one-of-a-kind designer in the nineteenth century. He is regarded as a forerunner of modern industrial design, creating simple, practical things for mass production when colleagues like William Morris and John Ruskin advocated a return to craft production based on the mediaeval guild model.Read More →

Matthew Hilton furniture

Hilton graduated from Kingston Polytechnic in 1979 after attending Portsmouth College of Art and then Kingston Polytechnic. He worked as an industrial designer and model maker till 1984 after graduating.Read More →

Teapot Warmer featured image

He developed a variety of every day goods for silverware manufactures in London and Birmingham between 1865 and 1885.Read More →