For our latest day trip, Detail studio headed west for a change of scenery and to check out the new home of the Design Museum. Among the varied pieces of design, THAT roof drew our attention most of all as we entered the building. An original feature of the former Commonwealth Institute, it was retained as part of the new space and was one of the highlights of the evening.

One stand out piece of the exhibition Designer Maker User was a series of videos discussing the design/sustainability relationship. What is design now? What is it for? How does the manufacturing process affect the success of a design? The video explains design as a process; from the conception of ideas to the user experience.

The exhibition also includes a 1:1 scale Frankfurt kitchen, designed by architect Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky in 1926. She called it a “housewife’s laboratory” and it was the first standardisation of built-in kitchens as we still propose them today. At the time, it was part of the revolution towards the economic independence of women, allowing them to spend less time in the home thanks to the rationalisation of the housework through effective design of the spaces we live in.

This concept ties in with current discussions on “workhomes” and how we as architects address and design spaces according to new ways of living. Our design decisions have an effect on how physical spaces can be used, which activities can germinate within these spaces, and even the personal development of the users themselves.

Our Detail studio event (as part of the larger People.Design series) will also explore these topics. Check back soon for updates!