The Furniture Makers’ Company has announced a total of 21 recipients of Design Guild Mark 2015 Awards. Now in their eighth year, the Design Guild Mark Awards were created to promote excellence and raise the profile of British design and innovation. They recognise and reward designers working in Britain, or British designers working abroad. The award demands the highest standards in the design of furniture for volume production.
Alexander Gifford, chairman of the Design Guild Mark, comments: “This year saw another record number of entries being held to some very high standards by a judging panel that increasingly represents diverse parts of the furniture industry. The entries were equally diverse, from contract to retail, from residential to hospitality and workplace, as were the applicants themselves. Chairing the judging process was a great honour, and watching the great minds in our industry critique the great output of British design was a real pleasure.”
The Design Guild Mark 2015 award recipients are as follows: Frame Sofa by Ian Archer for Archer & Co; Radius Range by Simon Pengelly for Pengelly Design; Balance Coffee Table Sir Terence Conran for Content by Terence Conran; Timba Table by Luke Pearson and Tom Lloyd for PearsonLloyd; Kerning Bookcase Collection by Samuel Chan for Channels; Kerning Cabinet Collection by Samuel Chan for Channels; Cross Leg Chair by Magnus Long for The Conran Shop (also awarded the Jonathan Hindle Prize); Stix Tables by Magnus Long for The Conran Shop; Cubrick by Cairn Young and Ian Spencer for Yard Sale Project; HenRay by Henry Gurney for Ocee Design; Pollyfox Bench by Henry Swanzy for Henry Swanzy Limited; Pollyfox Trestle Table by Henry Swanzy for Henry Swanzy Limited; Svelto Round Stacking Stool by Lisa Sandall for Ercol; Flite by Rodney Kinsman for OMK Design; Omkstak by Rodney Kinsman for OMK Design; 675 Chair by Robin Day (d.2010) for Case Furniture; CoCo by Mark Gabbertas for Oasiq; Loki Sofa by Charlie Fowler for John Lewis Partnership; Edge Table by Luke Pearson and Tom Lloyd for Modus; Poon Desk by Tony Portus and Simon Pirie for Makers’ Eye; and the BA3 Chair by Ernest Race (d.1964) for Race Furniture.
The Design Guild Mark is judged by a panel of leading industry professionals from the furniture, hospitality, commercial, retail or media industry, who ensure that each piece of furniture meets the criteria of excellence in design, materials, manufacture and function.
Chaired by Alexander Gifford, this year’s judging panel comprised: Simon Alderson, twentytwentyone; Diana Monkhouse, Aukett Swanke; Joanna Biggs, GA Design; Jeremy Myerson, Royal College of Art; Rosa Bertoli, Wallpaper*; Philippa Prinsloo, John Lewis; Sebastian Conran, Sebastian Conran Associates; and Pernille Stafford, Resonate Interiors.
Simon Alderson comments: “The judging of this year’s Design Guild Mark was involved and stimulating. The breadth of designs exposed specialist expertise within the group of judges, and provided for an invigorating day. At times contentious, the decision making was by no means straightforward. However, the quality was extremely high and the work of designers and manufacturers is positively lauded through the Design Guild Mark. The awards will no doubt reflect the enduring pedigree of British design.”
Sebastian Conran comments: “It was good to see that British furniture design is doing such discerning design well, and is supported by the company. Judging is a very thought-provoking task that calls many issues into question – tangible things are easy to discuss, but it is the intangibles which are really important and often the most difficult to decide upon.”
Philippa Prinsloo adds: “It was a privilege to be a part of the selection process at the Design Guild Mark this year and observe the rigorous process and healthy debate that takes place to build up this prestigious archive of British design.”
