Make Life Better. By Design

With so many other things to think about, isn't design just a distraction from more important matters? In this episode Kevin Drayton puts arguments both for and against an interest in design, leaving the listener to decide.

It has been said that change is the only constant. The universe changes relatively slowly. People change throughout their lifetimes. Design inevitably reflects these changes. Most designs contain a mix of practical, emotional, cultural and aesthetic concerns. There is therefore a subjective element to design.  Design covers a vast range of activities, where the various fields place different empha...

A discussion with Yusuf Shamsee, doctor, former general practitioner with strong views on how design can make life better. Fascinating to get a medical man's view on the subject. A longer than usual podcast: we fed off each other and explored areas neither of us probably had in mind at the start. Thoroughly enjoyable to make and I hope you enjoy listening. BTW: a lot of the places mentioned a...

More acronyms from the worlds of architecture, design, planning, development and construction.

Cryptic? Confusing? Exclusive? Annoying? Every industry uses acronyms, like it or not. To save you having to ask or look them up every few minutes, Kevin Drayton explains some of those you might encounter in the world of design, architecture and construction. If you enjoy this there will be another one with more alphabet soup coming soon. By the way, the little feller in the picture has nothing to...

There's a saying that knowledge is power. So if you want to emulate the Duracell bunny and keep going longer, keep on filling your fuel cells with knowledge. Knowledge is also food for thought. Unlike food for eating, knowledge does not diminish or go off. So you can - and should - be generous with your knowledge. And the older you are, the longer your knowledge has proved itself in your real...

The medical profession manages to present both the serious and the not so serious faces of the job without losing respect or dignity in the process. Something similar could be said of some other professions, but not architects and designers. Why is this?  In this episode Kevin Drayton looks into the conundrum and attempts to come up with some answers.

If you were blindfolded and not allowed to touch anything, would you be able to tell what building you were in?  Adding earplugs might be straying into uncomfortable territory, but you would still be left with your sense of smell. And smell, in relation to design and the part it can play in making life better, is the subject of this podcast.

Local authorities would appear to be well placed to make life better for citizens. However, their opportunities and constraints are often misunderstood by the public. In this episode I've invited someone with first-hand knowledge of local politics to talk to me about their aspirations and frustrations as a councillor trying to make life better for residents of the authority.

My guest for this episode believes that people are the important ingredient in successful enterprises. He also happens to be a chemistry graduate and vociferous advocate for making things i.e. manufacturing. Dean Morgan talks us through his road to believing that people and how you treat them is the key to making life better. His life in chemistry, manufacturing and rugby (yes, rugby!) is the stor...

Maps and diagrams: representations of reality that can make life better. Strangely, the greatest accuracy or truth to life does not necessarily make life better. In this episode we look at how our perception affects our interpretation of maps and diagrams using the iconic London Underground Map as an example. And you don't have to hold an Oyster card to get in.

The aim of many designers is to create timeless work.  Whilst aiming for a long design life is admirable, we shouldn't get hooked up on trying to avoid the time in which we live and work. This episode explains that good design can be timeless yet still reflect the times in which it is designed.   Indeed understanding and learning from the past is just as important as familiarity with new deve...

To talk of sustainability without a timeframe is meaningless. But nowadays things are labelled sustainable without any reference to duration. Sustainable forever applies to a very select catalogue. The best we can do is aim for as long a lifespan as possible. This must of corse vary depending on the subject. The key to long life is maintenance. Not sexy but capable of giving great satisfaction.

Knowledge, Learning and Better Choices was the title for this issue suggested by the AI elves.  Perhaps I should listen to then next time. Making life better by design is about making choices and taking decisions. The more you know about a subject, the better your choices should be. This episode looks in more depth at that premise and emphasises the benefits of involving both head and heart in the...

Avoiding being overwhelmed by the accumulation of stuff is the subject of this episode. From early suggestions to limit our possessions based on utility and beauty, to the beginnings of minimalism and ideas of doing more with less, the episode charts the swing from rampant consumerism to better understanding of our limited resources with concern for longevity and techniques to repair, reuse and re...

It's often the case that when we do something with the aim of making our life better, that the decision, the choice has unanticipated effects on others. How concerned should we be about this? Few people act from entirely selfish motives, but trying to tread the path to self-fulfillment without inadvertently straying onto someone else's patch can be tricky. However much we'd like to...

Humans are blessed with a range of senses plus the most powerful brain of any species. We make life better when our choices and decision making use both our brains (Head) and senses (Heart).   The smallest choices can make a big difference to the quality of life if both head and heart are employed together to best effect. 

Everything is designed. Better design makes life better for everyone. Everyone is a designer. But what does all that mean? This episode goes back to the basics of what the podcast is about, including a practical illustration of how we are all designers.

Having recently looked at how natural light can be considered as a design element, this episode moves on to investigate the almost endless possibilities of artificial light to make our lives better.

Doctors have been known to undertake drug trials on themselves before releasing them on the public. Many architects try out new ideas when building their own homes. In this podcast Kevin Drayton considers three such schemes, each with a very different character.

The late Sir Terence Conran could claim to have done more to bring good design to post-war Britain than any other individual. He was a genuine believer in the power of good design to make life better and never lost his zeal despite going on to father a vast business empire. He believed everyone had the right to good design and the pleasure and enjoyment it could bring. No design ascetic, he enjoye...

Light, natural and artificial, are essential tools in a designer's armoury. This podcast looks at natural light: how it illuminates buildings and the spaces within, and why orientation and the time of year can radically change it. A later episode will deal with natural light.

An interview with Rhona Warnock, veterinary surgeon specialising in rehabilitation and sports medicine who is also an accomplished mountaineer and martial arts instructor. We discuss her take on designing better lives for animals, but also those that look after them

There are lots of really useful sources of information that will tell you how to do something. In this episode I suggest that with the end goal firmly in mind, there may be different ways to achieve that goal. The resources you need may appear quite unexpectedly. Don't be dogmatic; stay flexible and you may still Make Life Better. By Design.

Most people acknowledge that there is a housing crisis in this country. There is less agreement on why and how it should be tackled. Kevin Drayton sets out some thoughts on a number of possible causes for this long standing problem.