ArtsDesign

The Crit

Disegno

The Crit invites designers to review their own careers, picking out their highlights, lowlights and ambitions for the future.

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21 episodes
fortnightly
Avg 48 min
English

Episodes 21

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#43
Yesterday · 45 min
Alexandra Gerber
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 successful design: A Meaningful Order Most impactful feedback: When people say her work is not feminine Dream design: Tableware and cutlery The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#42
September 8 · 1 hr
Adam Nathaniel Furman
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: A skyscraper facade, a train station or a religious space The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#41
July 28 · 46 min
Jon Ardern
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 Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#40
July 14 · 48 min
Hugh Miller
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 Campaign Most impactful feedback: A teacher who taught him to listen to and analyse music Dream design: The British Airways brand identity The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#39
June 30 · 46 min
Leyu Li
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 TikTok saying her work is “So Goldsmiths” Dream design: Hana no Hana bakery The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#38
June 16 · 47 min
John Tree
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 successful design: Apex lamp Most 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 there Dream design: Electric vehicles The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#37
June 2 · 46 min
Tessa Silva
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 informal crit group she started to get feedback on her work in progress Dream design: Pubs The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#36
April 14 · 48 min
Tetsuo Mukai
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 Most successful design: Fuzz Most impactful feedback: People asking whether his work is art or design Dream design: A free art school The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#35
March 31 · 46 min
Simone Brewster
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 & Mammy Worst design: Decorative plates for William Morris Gallery’s Althea McNish exhibition Most successful design: Temple of Relics pavilion Most impactful feedback: One of her architecture tutors saying that she needed to take herself seriously Dream design: Serpentine Gallery pavilion The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#34
March 3 · 44 min
Phil Garnham
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 Greggs Most successful design: Designing logos for broadcast companies such as ITV and Channel 4 Most impactful feedback: Look at a typeface or logo with fresh eyes by flipping it on its side or upside down Dream design: Rebranding TG Jones (formerly known as WHSmith’s) The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#33
February 17 · 55 min
Johanna Gibbons
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 Museum Worst design: Edward Square Most successful design: Urban Nature Project, Natural History Museum Most impactful feedback: A difficult community meeting as part of Making Space in Dalston Dream design: An extentsion of her Schiehallion Seed to Tree Project The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#32
February 3 · 44 min
James Melia
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 design for a US brand Most impactful feedback: His colleague Dana Salmanzadeh asking why James is the only person in the studio who pitches and presents projects to clients Dream design: A catheter The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#31
January 20 · 50 min
Liliana Ovalle
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: Curator Jennifer Dunlop Fletcher saying she creates designs that look playful but are actually quite serious, similar to the work of designer Shiro Kuramata The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#30
January 6 · 51 min
Jon Marshall
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 Most impactful feedback: Daniel Weil telling him to trust the process (and all feedback from his wife) Dream design: A range of cookware inspired by Richard Sapper’s La Cintura di Orione for Alessi The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#29
Dec 22, 2025 · 56 min
Charlene Prempeh
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 project with a beauty brand during Black History Month (Best holiday gift: An advent calendar) Most successful design: We Are All They (Best holiday decoration: A wooden star, made by her son) Most impactful feedback: Non-existent feedback, teaching her to listen to her instincts when something feels wrong Dream design: The Golden Stool (Dream design change for the holidays: Food design) The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#28
Dec 9, 2025 · 42 min
Spandana Gopal
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 Worst design: “Silly candles” Most successful design: Tiipoi, thriving as a business and abiding by its principles Most impactful feedback: Mentorship by Simon Alderson, cofounder of twentytwentyone Dream design: Rice cooking equipment for Alessi The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#27
Nov 25, 2025 · 45 min
Ab Rogers
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 Cross Hospital breast unit Most successful design: Tate Modern Public Concourses or Comme des Garçons Paris Most impactful feedback: Aric Chen describing his work as “wacky” Dream design: A culture-centred health hub The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#26
Nov 11, 2025 · 43 min
Ori Orisun Merhav
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 chandelier for Design Sediments Most impactful feedback: Nacho Carbonell’s advice to “Become the insect” Dream design: A space and mindset to encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration in material research The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#25
Oct 28, 2025 · 46 min
Samuel Ross
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: Designs where Ross’s team hasn’t managed to convince the client to adopt new processes Most successful design: SR_A Hublot Tourbillons Most impactful feedback: Provocative feedback from Kohler toilet Dream design: Ethical and accessible garment production or creating public communal spaces through urban planning The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#24
Oct 14, 2025 · 49 min
Nick Foster
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 have left stakeholders with a better understanding of the breadth of what design is Most impactful feedback: “Are you sure?” Dream design: Black Mirror The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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