major_clanger | Design and Inspiration

Wednesday saw me meet up with

tamaranth for a trip round the Design Museum. Having found out that she'd never been before, I felt obliged to introduce her to one of my favourite small museums. I think it's safe to say she wasn't disappointed, and I was very glad myself to have made another visit given the current set of exhibitions.

The first large main exhibition was a retrospective of Lord Rogers' architectural work over the last 30 years or so, mainly comprising models of built and unbuilt projects plus supporting diagrams and documents. The sheer detail of many of the models was impressive, as was the ingenuity of the environmentally-efficient design of many of Rogers' recent buildings. I was particularly taken with the Bordeaux Courts; the rounded conical structures, that I at first assumed were purely for ventilation or lighting, contain the actual courtrooms! I also found a model of the Riverside South project currently in the early stages of construction at Westferry Circus; it looks the Canary Wharf landscape is going to have another massive change soon, although a check with Google Earth suggests it will still be out of sight from my flat (my view south-east is blocked by adjacent buildings).

Next up was a temporary small exhibition of Hong Kong design. Some nice pieces of work, including a beautiful integrated stereo unit in wood that somehow managed to resemble the back of a 1950s automobile.

Up then to the second main exhibit: Tim Walker's photography. This was more than worth the price of admission alone, and was absolutely incredible. I'm not sure whether I was inspired, or tempted to chuck my camera away and give my efforts up as hopelessly unimaginative.

tamaranth has done a very good report, which I can only endorse. I want to recommend that

bugshaw goes to see it, but I have slight reservations that her reaction might be one of:

a) "O Noez! How can I ever hope to be as creatively mad as this?"

b) Be so overwhelmed and excited as to actually explode.

c) Run off into the distance determined to show Mr Walker How It's Done.

But on the balance I think she'd like it.

The final small exhibition was much more 'design' in the sense you associate with somewhere like the Design Museum; a sampling of recent product concept designs, together with a selection of cheap, simple but clever design ideas. I did like the spoon with a flat end - the solution to the vexing problem of getting the last ice-cream out of the Ben and Jerry's tub.

So, if you've not been to the Design Museum before (it's near Tower Bridge), now is a good time to go; if you have, it's definitely time for a return visit. One warning though; the shop can be very dangerous!