Great design is Sir Kenneth Grange.
- Fergus Telfer
- Feb 16, 2020
- 4 min read
As part of this semester’s coursework I have been researching the famous British designer; Kenneth Grange. Having read up on his life and vast array of critically acclaimed work, I wanted to dedicate a blog post to him and explain why I think he is an example of great design.
Kenneth was born in London, 1929, and began to grow his love for the arts at Willesden College where he studied commercial art from 1944-47. In 1952 he joined Jack Howe and Partners as a designer but he didn’t stay long. Jack Howe saw the potential in him to handle things alone so when Kenneth came to him with a large contract he had been offered, Jack refused for the firm to take the contract and instead collaborated with Kenneth. This pushed Kenneth into the next chapter of his life, a decision that would later show to be the making of the designer that rose to fame.
The exhibition he designed for the Atomic Energy Authority spring boarded him into a ‘Mad Men’ era of business where major deals could be shaken on over brandy and cigars. In 1960 he was offered to design a camera for Kodak after the director of development overheard Kenneth criticising their products at the World Fair; his design was the first to turn a profit for Kodak and birthed a 20 year design relationship. Similarly, he impressed at Kenwoods in 1961 with half a prototype and a mirror to show how the product would look; this relationship would include over 130 products over the coming decades. His redesign of their Chef’s mixer is one of the iconic kitchen appliances of the 60s. I think it is an elegant example of his hunger to produce truly useful and stylish products, that are both easy to understand and use. He claims to not have a design philosophy, but it is clear from his vast array of works that practicality is valued above all else. Designing from the point of view of the user, rather than the designer, seems obvious but can all too often forgot in the forage for designing a beautiful product.
His talents exceed graphic and product design. His skills revolve around the ability to understand a brand’s image and deliver for the needs and wants of its customers, regardless of the medium, even if they themselves, have not envisioned it. For instance one of his main contributions to the UK’s first self-service petrol pumps for BP was to include roofs over the filling area. The idea of the public filling their own cars was crazy enough for time, adding roofs to the pumps was even madder. Yet BP were persuaded, and now we see how obviously practical it is to have shelter whilst filling up the car. Interestingly, two of his most famous pieces of design are also within the transport industry; the Inter-City 125 and the TX1 Taxi. Prior to the Inter-City 125 the UK’s railway system, including the trains, were very old fashioned. However, by the mid-seventies the technology was there to design train exteriors based on aerodynamics and without the use of buffers. This new train didn’t need the heavy iron buffers to shunt loads like traditional locomotives, so they were scrapped. Kenneth ended up being involved in designing the train’s iconic cone shaped exterior and its interior. To date he’s said it’s this design that brings him his most satisfaction and joy as its enduring image and functionality, still serve people today.
The TX1 London Taxi the importance of the word “British” when describing Kenneth Grange’s life and work. This taxi was not only embraced by the taxi drivers who used them but grew into a global symbol of British transport. Yet these examples of work from the 20th century do not tell the complete story. In 2003 he became Anglepoise’s Design Director, a product he admired and described as “a minor miracle of balance”. The first Anglepoise released with his influence was the Type 3 and he has been a part of every one up to the recent Type 75 ranges, including collaborations with the likes of Paul Smith. He’s continued to design into his eighties and celebrated his ninetieth birthday last year. Even this, his own ageing, inspires him to take on new challenges such as how products can be improved for the elderly. In 2009 he was commissioned by Hitch Mylius to create new seating solutions for the healthcare industry, in particular the elderly. The project raised awareness for how poorly some commonly used seating can be and that insights into products for the elderly can actually be applied to everyday items, for the masses. I found this notion particularly interesting, where else can I spot differences between “regular” and “adapted” or “specialised” products, what are they and are these adaptions better for everyone?
Kenneth Grange has been claimed by some to be the greatest British designer alive today and with the length, variety and output of his career, he is certainly at the forefront of the discussion. He is loved by many, even though he is one of Apple’s critics – a thoroughly interesting debate, and I will have to add my name to his followers. He is a true inspiration and I can only hope to absorb some of the knowledge I have gathered from researching his career and apply what I can to my own design work.
If you want to know more about Kenneth Grange, or the remarks about Apple I am referring to, I would recommend this interview with him at Clerkenwell Design Week 2014:
In essence, the on/off switches are just to damn hard to find; an interesting conundrum for the mind of such a practical, user-orientated designer to wrap around. Why do Apple sacrifice elements of usability? Is it style over substance? Are they only designing for beloved fans rather the masses? Or, have they mastered what product design is by delivering products that are a joy to use? Perhaps a discussion for another post. Anyway, hats off to Sir Kenneth Grange.
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