Design has come more under the spotlight recently and, perhaps in part due to the recession, people are starting to reassess the role and value of design. The Design Council‘s Value of Design fact finder is proof that people’s attitudes towards the importance of design are changing.
Moreover, the European Commission recently launched a public consultation on its working document ‘Design as a driver of user-centred innovation’ which provides an analysis of the rationale for making design an integral part of European innovation policy rather than something which is left to individual Member States or a regional level.
However, there are some people who have been interested in and have actively been promoting the value of design for over 50-years now, namely Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. He has been one of Britain’s most outspoken design critics and champions. He launched his Designers Prize, which is the UK’s longest running design award, 50 years ago to put the spotlight on the designers who are improving and influencing our daily life and business success.
Kevin McCloud of Grand Designs had the pleasure of interviewing Prince Philip and had the opportunity to discuss the Prince’s passion for design and how the role of design has progressed over the past five decades.
You can read Kevin McCloud’s article for the Times here or you can watch the video of the interview below.