The Crit

Deborah Cooke, Head of Costume at celebrated animation studio Laika, joins the podcast to discuss how her background in sculpture informs her designs, the challenges of designing for non-human anatomies, and the importance of creating dark and eerie stories for children. Deb's picks for her crit were: Best design: Costumes for Kubo and the Two Strings Worst design: When she comes up with a ran...

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 prod...

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 suc...

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:...

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: Uninv...

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...

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 T...

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 succ...

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...

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...

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 & Mamm...

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 Gr...

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 Natur...

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 desi...

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: Cur...

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 Mo...

Charlene Prempeh, founder of A Vibe Called Tech, joins The Crit for our 2025 holiday episode, examining the pleasures and importance of “good enough” work; the porous barrier between commercial and artistic practice; and answering a series of festive questions about redesigning the holidays!. Charlene's picks for her crit were: Best design: Now You See Me: 100 Years of Black Design Worst design: A...

Spandana Gopal, founder and creative director of the Tiipoi homeware brand, visits the studio to discuss rejecting exoticised portraits of India's design and craft traditions; the need to prioritise ethical, community-focused production; and the challenges of translating global sales of local craft into a thriving domestic market. Spandana's picks for her crit were: Best design: General Items Wors...

Ab Rogers, creative director of the Ab Rogers Design studio, joins the podcast for a discussion focused on the architecture of healthcare, the horrors of wackiness, the need to welcome new people into architecture and design, and the creative potential for delight in everyday spaces. Ab's picks for his crit were: Best design: Maggie’s at The Royal Marsden Worst design: Waiting room at the Charing...

Material researcher and designer Ori Orisun Merhav sits her crit, exploring the ethos, experimentation and commitment to bio-inclusive co-creation that underpin her creations with lac, a natural polymer produced by insects. Ori's picks for her crit were: Best design: Something yet to come within Made by Insects Worst design: The daily failures of material research Most successful design: Lac chand...

Designer and artist Samuel Ross, founder of fashion brand A-Cold-Wall*and design studio SR_A , visits the studio to discuss the challenges of working as an innovator within internal teams, the influence of architecture on his work, and creating designs that speak to a particular generation of British culture. Samuel's picks for his crit were: Best design: Partnership with Nike Group Worst design:...

Futures designer Nick Foster sits his crit to mark the launch of his new book Could Should Might Don't , exploring the limitations of futurism, and the need for more mundane, rounded design thinking within the realm of the tech giants. Nick's picks for his crit were: Best design: Google’s Selfish Ledger Worst design: Early-career, “thirsty could” design work Most successful design: Projects that h...

Danish designer Lise Vester visits the studio to discuss the impact of neuroaesthetics, hospices and CBT therapy on her work, as well as the role that designed sensory experience can have on improving people's everyday wellbeing. Lise's picks for her crit were: Best design: Dream View Bench Worst design: Silhouette Cutlery Most successful design: Idea Generator Chandelier  Most impactful feed...

Benjamin Hubert, founder and creative director of Layer, joins The Crit to discuss moving beyond personality-driven aesthetics, creating objects for pets, his relationship with the media, and his desire to do more pro bono design work. Benjamin's picks for his crit were: Best design: Layer Worst design: Diamond Chair Most successful design: Dog toys for Earth Rated Most impactful feedback: A Finan...

Tomoko Azumi, founder of TNA Design Studio, visits the studio to talk about designing furniture for small spaces, the differences between the design industry in Japan and the UK, creating a space for the UK Supreme Court, and the importance of making models by hand. Tomoko's picks for her crit were: Best design: Flow Chair for Ercol and a trolley for the UK Supreme Court Worst design: Chairs for t...