Design for our Times

DESIGN INNOVATION
DES is developing eye-catchingly good looking fountains for the contemporary age. So here’s Dixon, a strikingly fresh fountain installed outside South Kensington tube in London. It’s designed & built by Simon Harlow & Lewis Harley, keen fountaineers & the founders of Mirrl of Glasgow.

ART + ARCHITECTURE
Edinburgh’s Fruitmarket has reopened as a multi artform space with an exhibition of work by Karla Black. Brilliantly extended & revitalised by architects Reiach and Hall, Susanna Beaumont talks to their design director, Neil Gillespie about the importance of light & dark, shade & shadow in its transformation.

From a football stadium to a transplant unit, Peter Womersley is arguably the architect behind many of Scotland’s most notable 20th century structures. Here Brian Robertson, curator & founder Zembla gallery in the Scottish Borders, celebrates Womersley & asks why his work is not more widely recognised. Zembla is currently showing WOMERSLEY, an exhibition of work by 12 contemporary artists made in response to Womersley’s architecture.

Edinburgh’s reopened & revitalised Fruitmarket is embracing functional objects commissioned from artists & designers. Here DES takes a look at Tania Kovats drinking fountain WELL & light sculptures by Andrew Miller.

ARCHITECTURE
Architect Paul Stallan of the Glasgow practice Stallan-Brand, shares his thoughts on six buildings in Scotland that inspire, delight, perplex or intrigue him. And he offers insights into Stallan-Brand’s recent project, Broomlands primary school (pictured) in the Border’s town of Kelso.

Chalk Plaster are plasterers and keen experimenters. Here Steven Blench, one half of Chalk Plaster, reveals their latest explorations along the shores of the Firth of Forth. Summer 2020

DESIGN CLASSIC
Archie Brennan was arguably the most inventive tapestry weaver of the 20th century. Here designer Beca Lipscombe celebrates his work & heralds the exhibition of Brennan’s work which was recently on at Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Sheelagh Boyce & Annabelle Harty have known each for decades yet it was only recently that they began their collective practice of quilting. Here they talk ideas, inspiration. They are currently exhibiting their work at Mount Stuart on the Isle of Bute.

NEW WRITING
Artist, writer, designer, Kate Morgan explores & exposes the fascinating intricacies of knitting proper socks from the mighty MUJI to a modest Czech grandmother.

MATERIAL INNOVATION | FURNITURE
Made of ‘spent grain’ leftover from the distilling process, Draff is a new & brilliant material developed by Aymeric Renoud. DES reports on the Dundee-based design & build studio & their commission for Dundee Science Centre.

MATERIAL INNOVATION | GRADUATE DESIGN
Glasgow School of Art graduate, Catriona Brown had long thought the ubiquitous plastic tree protector was a blot on the landscape, so she set out to design an alternative. Here Catriona tells the story of Shroom, her newly designed tree protector made of mycelium.

MATERIAL INNOVATION
Accolades have been showered on the K-Briq. A building brick made of over 90% construction waste, it was invented by Prof Gabriela Medero of Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University. Susanna Beaumont finds out more about a sustainable building block, now in production in East Lothian.

DESIGN CLASSIC
Eduardo Paolozzi, the Leith-born artist is celebrated widely for his sculptures & collages but his work in design & collaborations with industry are arguably lesser known. Here curator Sarah Rothwell applauds his brilliance in design.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Ica Headlam makes things happen. A social worker living in Aberdeen, he champions creativity. The man behind Creative-Me-Podcasts, last autumn Ica launched We Are Here Scotland, to raise funds to support BIPOC creatives.

PRODUCT DESIGN
DES brings news of exceptional objects to buy by designers & artists we have exhibited . . tables & stools from Flux, flamboyant coasters from Mirrl & Adam Nathaniel Furman & Urpflanza, a new series of lights by Rachel Adams, inspired by the brilliance that is brassicas!

DES TALKS
DES presents three talks bringing together designers, architects & academics to debate fresh ideas, explore new materials & imagine a brighter future. All three conversations, Design in Postnormal Times, Material World & Circular Thinking in Design are now available to listen / watch again online. Autumn 2020