Innovation of materials, creativity and sustainability are at the forefront of British design as 16 outstanding submissions, from three categories, have been awarded the Design Guild Mark in 2024, with three receiving the additional accolade, the Jonathan Hindle Prize.
The Design Guild Mark is a non-profit award programme that was established in 2008 by The Furniture Makers’ Company to raise the profile of British industrial design and to recognise excellence in this discipline. Over time, the mark has grown from just Furniture to include categories for Interior Design Elements, and Lighting.
The presentation took place at Humanscale during Clerkenwell Design Week on 21st May, with presentations by Deyan Sudjic OBE, a British writer and broadcaster and former director of the Design Museum, London.
The 2024 product selection is as follows:
Furniture
OE1 Sit-Stand Table, by Industrial Facility for Herman Miller
Aran, by Morgan Studio for Morgan
Kitt, by Mark Gabbertas for Gabbertas Studio
Maluma, by Claesson Koivisto Rune, for Modus Furniture
Element sofa system, by Philippe Malouin for SCP
Laines, by Craig Jones for Jones & Partners
Woodland Seat, by the Gaze Burvill team for Gaze Burvill
Pirouette Coat Stand, by Huw Evans and Campbell Thompson for The Conran Shop
Bellingdon Table and Sideboard, by Lisa Gould Sandall for ercol
Interior Elements
Modern Flock wallpaper collection, by Erica Wakerly for Modern Surface
Revolution, by Jodie Padgett for Camira
Bronte British Lambswool Collection, by Judith Coates for Bronte By Moon
Re.Wrap, by Ric Frampton and Sophie Cappe for The Collective
Lighting
Tekiò, by Anthony Dickens for Santa and Cole
Apex, by John Tree for Hay
Hotaru Mini, by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby for Ozeki & Co
In addition, three of the awarded winners – Aran, Re.Wrap and Apex – have received the Jonathan Hindle Prize for outstanding design, each receiving a trophy made from solid-surface Corian and a £1000 cash prize:
Jonathan Hindle, the founder of DGM, and president of KI, EMEA, says: “As the founder of Design Guild Mark, it has been a joy to watch it develop and progress to now being widely recognised as a stamp of design excellence in the sector. Sustainability has always been an important factor for the awards, but I am glad to see now that is the priority, and evident in the judges' selection.”
Rodney McMahon, chairman of the Design Guild Mark, adds: “Meeting the applicants, hearing their design journey, and witnessing the friendly but insightful and probing questions of the judges is an enjoyable design masterclass. Designers should apply for the Design Guild Mark just for the experience of meeting the judges.”
The Design Guild Mark is unique in that applicants are required to present their actual piece in person to the judging panel, to allow for a dialogue and any questions to take place.
