The Crit – Details, episodes & analysis

What do designers think about their own work? Which project are they most proud of; what early design do they regret; and what would they most like to design in the future? The Crit, a new podcast from Disegno, has the answers!

This week, Yinka Ilori comes on The Crit to discuss being tempted to buy his chairs back, the career advice Tracey Emin gave him in M&S, and the importance of joy and self belief.

Yinka's picks for his crit were: 

Best design: Colour Palace

Worst design: Okra chair 

Most successful design: If Chairs Could Talk

Most impactful feedback: Don’t rush, take your time and build your body of work

Dream design: Sculpture park 

The Crit

Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser

Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki

This episode of The Crit was recorded at Uncommon Holborn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do designers think about their own work? Which project are they most proud of; what early design do they regret; and what would they most like to design in the future? The Crit, a new podcast from Disegno, has the answers!

This week, Bethan Laura Wood joins The Crit to talk everything from toothpaste-inspired handles and explorations into the aesthetic potential of laminate, to feminist salons and the importance of learning how to edit.

Bethan's picks for her crit were: 

Best design: Kaleidoscope-o-rama

Worst design: Entwined light

Most successful design: Super Fake or Toothpaste

Most impactful feedback: If you carry everything, it ends up being nothing

Dream design: A dog bed for Wilma

The Crit

Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser

Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki

This episode of The Crit was recorded at Uncommon Holborn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do designers think about their own work? Which project are they most proud of; what early design do they regret; and what would they most like to design in the future? The Crit, a new podcast from Disegno, has the answers!

This week, Martino Gamper joins The Crit as his retrospective Before, After and Beyond opens in London, sharing memories from his success with a self-initiated stool, to the impassioned critique he received from Enzo Mari.

Martino's picks for his crit were: 

Best design: Arnold Circus Stool

Worst design: An unnamed wooden chair for an Italian furniture brand

Most successful design: Design is a State of Mind

Most impactful feedback: Enzo Mari’s criticism that some of his work was neither craft nor industry

Dream design: An anonymous, ubiquitous object or detail

The Crit

Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser

Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki

This episode of The Crit was recorded at Uncommon Holborn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Seetal Solanki from Ma-tt-er is the latest designer to join The Crit, discussing her work mapping materials in Bali and fostering community Nigeria, to using quizzes and memes as an educational exercise. 

Seetal's picks for her crit were: 

Best design: Desa Potato Head or 16/16 residency 

Worst design: An unnamed restaurant window display

Most successful design: Materials Personality Quiz 

Most impactful feedback: You need to own it

Dream design: The education system

The Crit

Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser

Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki

This episode of The Crit was recorded at Uncommon Holborn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Designer, curator, writer and educator Michael Marriott joins The Crit to discuss making stickers that are sweetly political, his dream of restyling electric cars, and what he would most like to redesign about Christmastime.

Michael’s picks for his crit were:

Best design: Olá

Worst design: Sardine Tin Drawers 

Most successful design: Fusilli book stand 

Most impactful feedback: Craft is just making something with care 

Dream design: Electric Car

The Crit

Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser

Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki

This episode of The Crit was recorded at Uncommon Holborn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ceramic artist, researcher and writer Bisila Noha joins The Crit to discuss her interest in challenging Western ideas about art and craft, honouring the contributions of women of colour to these disciplines, and the importance of finding different ways to design and make with clay.

Bisila's picks for her crit were:

Best design: Baney Clay

Worst design: Two-Legged Vessel

Most successful design: Her writing practice

Most impactful feedback: Receiving trust, respect and encouragement from curator Jareh Das

Dream design: Toilets

The Crit

Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser

Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki

This episode of The Crit was recorded at Uncommon Holborn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Diez, founder of Diez Office, joins The Crit to discuss the importance of elegance and joyfulness in sustainable design, and his work convincing major manufacturers to deviate from standard commercial manufacturing methods to cater for circular products.

Stefan’s picks for his crit were:

Best design: Ayno lamp or Boa table

Worst design: Couch or an unnamed wardrobe project

Most successful design: Plusminus or New Order

Most impactful feedback: Designing shouldn’t always be easy

Dream design: Royalties payment system

The Crit

Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser

Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki

This episode of The Crit was recorded at Uncommon Holborn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australian furniture designer Trent Jansen visits The Crit to discuss his deep collaborations with indigenous Australian artists and designers, working together to make collectible design pieces and public furniture which tell stories about Australian history and culture.

Trent's picks for his crit were:

Best design: Kurunpa Kunpu

Worst design: Shelving system

Most successful design: Balit-dhan Balit-nganjin

Most impactful feedback: Learning about the landscape and its stories from indigenous Australian collaborators

Dream design: Public furniture and spaces

The Crit

Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser

Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki

This episode of The Crit was recorded at Uncommon Holborn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sound designer, musician and artist Yuri Suzuki, the creator of The Crit's jingle, joins us in the studio for a discussion about using sound as a means to shape human interactions and public spaces.

Yuri's picks for his crit were:

Best design: Sonic Bloom

Worst design: Devices for a performance in Japan with visually impaired dancers

Most successful design: OTOTO

Most impactful feedback: Jesper Kouthoofd from Teenage engineering admiring his playful approach to design

Dream design: Sounds for electric vehicles

The Crit

Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser

Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki

This episode of The Crit was recorded at Uncommon Holborn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.