When your city is bombed to pieces in World War II, what do you do afterwards?
In the case of London, a key part of the process was the creation of the Design Research Unit (DRU) in 1942 by the poet and art critic Herbert Read, alongside architect Misha Black and graphic designer, Milner Gray.
It was the first consultancy to create a group practice by bringing together graphic designers, industrial designers and architects. The results were astounding and shaped post-war London and many of the UK’s leading brands.
The toilet may not be the most attractive topic for discussion but from a design standpoint its a classic – largely unchanged for centuries – and revolutionary in the way it improved sanitation and saved millions of lives.
You know those times when architects are asked what their inspiration for a particular design or building was? Well, this isn’t one of them.
Questions?