„Form follows fabrication“: Sebastian Conran assesses products
“Outstanding design is the legacy of intense, imaginative thought, vision and experience combined with skill and craftsmanship; it is also the ability to anticipate tomorrow’s challenges, today.”
With this definition in mind, Sebastian Conran will put the submissions of the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2018 to the test at the end of February and at the beginning of March. The passionate product designer and his jury colleagues will try the original products and after intensive exchange, will pass judgement on their design quality.
Sebastian Conran: design in the blood
Sebastian Conran was born in 1956 in London. The son of Terence Conran, a famous furniture and interior designer, was blessed with creative talent. Early on, he was interested in product design. At the Conran Design Group, the company of his father, Sebastian Conran was Head of Design until he established his own design studio, Sebastian Conran Associates.
With great enthusiasm and always following the motto “form follows fabrication”, Sebastian Conran creates thoughtful, stylish products that are satisfying to use. As CEO of Sebastian Conran Associates, he takes a hands-on, down-to-earth approach to all his design studio’s projects. He is intimately involved in all aspects of design throughout the innovation journey, sharing his wealth of design and making experience and manufacturing expertise with the design team. His approach succeeded as he and his team already created a plethora of enduring designs. They received many design as well as innovation awards and were granted over 50 patents in various fields.
Universal Expert: the right combination of aesthetics and function
With “Universal Expert”, Sebastian Conran and his team created a collection of household appliances that combines functional innovation with stylish practicality. All the products are designed with the contemporary, urban home in mind. The materials used should provide a neutral and elegant aesthetic to enhance rather than dominate an environment. Moreover, a great deal of thought and ingenuity has gone into the designs to ensure that they are satisfying to use, easy to clean and compact to store.
In 2014, parts of the collection were awarded in the Red Dot Award: Product Design. The “Universal Expert cooking & Preparation Collection” as well as the “Universal Expert Share & Serve Collection” received a Red Dot. Thereby, the kitchen utensils collection convinced through its “artisanal-looking aesthetic” and the “durable materials”. The tableware collection could win the jury over with its “highly distinctive style” and “convenient versatility”.
Publication of the award-winning products and honour of the winners
At the end of February and at the beginning of March, Sebastian Conran and his 38 jury colleagues will assess the submissions of the Red Dot Award: Product Design in the original form and award only products that convince through their high design quality. The laureates can look forward to the Red Dot Gala which takes place on 9 July 2018. From this day on, the award-winning products can be found in the Online Exhibition and in the Red Dot Design Yearbook.
