The Crit

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 CritGraphics: Leonhard RothmoserMusic: Yuri Suzuki and Team SuzukiThis episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London

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/LOWorst design: All work is flawed when viewed by its creatorMost successful design: TDC65 Competition CampaignMost impactful feedback: A teacher who taught him to listen to and analyse musicDream design: The British Airways brand identityThe CritGraphics: Leonhard RothmoserMusic: Yuri Suzuki and Team SuzukiThis episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London

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 PeafMost impactful feedback: Someone commenting on her TikTok saying her work is “So Goldsmiths” Dream design: Hana no Hana bakery The CritGraphics: Leonhard RothmoserMusic: Yuri Suzuki and Team SuzukiThis episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London

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 chairWorst design: A mobile phone for SamsungMost successful design: Apex lampMost 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 thereDream design: Electric vehicles The CritGraphics: Leonhard RothmoserMusic: Yuri Suzuki and Team SuzukiThis episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London

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 ProteinWorst 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 CritGraphics: Leonhard RothmoserMusic: Yuri Suzuki and Team SuzukiThis episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London

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 MirrorWorst design: Crystal room dividersMost successful design: FuzzMost impactful feedback: People asking whether his work is art or designDream design: A free art schoolThe CritGraphics: Leonhard RothmoserMusic: Yuri Suzuki and Team SuzukiThis episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London

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 & MammyWorst design: Decorative plates for William Morris Gallery’s Althea McNish exhibitionMost successful design: Temple of Relics pavilionMost impactful feedback: One of her architecture tutors saying that she needed to take herself seriouslyDream design: Serpentine Gallery pavilionThe CritGraphics: Leonhard RothmoserMusic: Yuri Suzuki and Team SuzukiThis episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London

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 GreggsMost successful design: Designing logos for broadcast companies such as ITV and Channel 4Most impactful feedback: Look at a typeface or logo with fresh eyes by flipping it on its side or upside downDream design: Rebranding TG Jones (formerly known as WHSmith’s)The CritGraphics: Leonhard RothmoserMusic: Yuri Suzuki and Team SuzukiThis episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London

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 MuseumWorst design: Edward SquareMost successful design: Urban Nature Project, Natural History MuseumMost impactful feedback: A difficult community meeting as part of Making Space in DalstonDream design: An extentsion of her Schiehallion Seed to Tree ProjectThe CritGraphics: Leonhard RothmoserMusic: Yuri Suzuki and Team SuzukiThis episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London