Kenneth Grange
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Grange, CBE
, MCSD
, RDI
, (born 1929, London
) is a British industrial design
er.
Grange’s career began as a drafting assistant with the architect Jack Howe
in the 1950s. His independent career started rather accidentally with commissions for exhibition stands, but by the early 1970s he was a founding-partner in Pentagram
, the world-renowned interdisciplinary design consultancy.
Grange's career has spanned more than half a century, and many of his designs became – and are still – familiar items in the household or on the street. These designs include the first UK parking meters for Venner, food mixers for Kenwood
, razors for Wilkinson Sword
, cameras for Kodak, typewriters for Imperial, clothes irons for Morphy Richards
, cigarette lighters for Ronson, washing machines for Bendix
, and pens for Parker
. He was also responsible for the aerodynamics
, interior layout and exterior styling of the nose cone of British Rail's famous High Speed Train (known as the InterCity 125
) and also involved in the design of the innovative 1997 TX1
version of the famous London taxi-cab. He has carried out many commissions for Japanese companies.
One quality of much of Grange’s design work is that it is not based on just the styling of a product. His design concepts arise from a fundamental reassessment of the purpose, function and use of the product. He has also said that his attitude to designing any product is that he wants it to be "a pleasure to use". Grange was a pioneer of user-centred design
, in seeking to eliminate what he sees as the "contradictions" inherent in products that fail to embody ease-of-use.
Grange's designs have won ten Design Council
Awards, the Duke of Edinburgh’s prize for Elegant Design in 1966, and in 2001 he was awarded the Prince Philip Designers Prize
– an award honouring a lifetime achievement. He has won the Gold Medal of the Chartered Society of Designers
, and is a member of the Royal Society of Arts
’ élite Faculty of ‘Royal Designers for Industry
’. Grange has been awarded honorary Doctorate degrees by the Royal College of Art
, De Montfort University
and the Open University
.
Since retiring from Pentagram in 1997, Grange continues to work independently. Recent work has included door handles for ize
Ltd., desk and floor lamps for Anglepoise
, and a chair for the elderly for Hitch Mylius http://www.hitchmylius.co.uk/page/1000235/. The Design Museum
held a major retrospective exhibition of Grange's work, July-October 2011.
The RSA site has an audio recording of Kenneth Grange in a discussion of his work. There is also a video interview with Kenneth Grange discussing his design of the Signature Diamond loudspeakers for Bowers & Wilkins
on their website.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
, MCSD
Chartered Society of Designers
The Chartered Society of Designers , headquartered in London, England, is the professional body for designers. It is the world's only Royal chartered body of professional designers...
, RDI
Royal Designers for Industry
Royal Designer for Industry is a distinction established by the British Royal Society of Arts in 1936, to encourage a high standard of industrial design and enhance the status of designers. It is awarded to people who have achieved "sustained excellence in aesthetic and efficient design for...
, (born 1929, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) is a British industrial design
Industrial design
Industrial design is the use of a combination of applied art and applied science to improve the aesthetics, ergonomics, and usability of a product, but it may also be used to improve the product's marketability and production...
er.
Grange’s career began as a drafting assistant with the architect Jack Howe
Jack Howe (architect)
Jack Howe was an architect and industrial designer who worked on Impington Village College as an architect and the Chubb cash dispenser MD2 as an industrial designer.-Early life:...
in the 1950s. His independent career started rather accidentally with commissions for exhibition stands, but by the early 1970s he was a founding-partner in Pentagram
Pentagram (design studio)
Pentagram is a design studio that was founded in 1972 by Alan Fletcher, Theo Crosby, Colin Forbes, Kenneth Grange and Mervyn Kurlansky in Needham Road, West London, UK...
, the world-renowned interdisciplinary design consultancy.
Grange's career has spanned more than half a century, and many of his designs became – and are still – familiar items in the household or on the street. These designs include the first UK parking meters for Venner, food mixers for Kenwood
Kenwood Chef
The Kenwood Chef is a food mixer developed by Ken Wood in Britain. It is a single machine with a number of attachments that allow it to perform many functions. The Chef, based on the earlier A200, was introduced in 1950...
, razors for Wilkinson Sword
Wilkinson Sword
Wilkinson Sword is a brand name for companies that make gardening tools and razors. Wilkinson Sword's origins are in the manufacture of swords. The company was founded in London in 1772. The brand is currently owned by Energizer Holdings. Past product lines have included guns, bayonets, and other...
, cameras for Kodak, typewriters for Imperial, clothes irons for Morphy Richards
Morphy Richards
Morphy Richards is a business located in the Swinton Meadows Industrial Estate, Swinton, near Mexborough, South Yorkshire.-Product range:It specialises in the manufacture of toasters, hairdryers, bread makers, kettles and sandwich toasters and other appliances. In its early stage it also made...
, cigarette lighters for Ronson, washing machines for Bendix
Bendix Corporation
The Bendix Corporation was an American manufacturing and engineering company which during various times in its 60 year existence made brake systems, aeronautical hydraulics, avionics, aircraft and automobile fuel control systems, radios, televisions and computers, and which licensed its name for...
, and pens for Parker
Parker Pen Company
The Parker Pen Company is a manufacturer of pens, founded in 1888 by George Safford Parker in Janesville, Wisconsin, United States. It is currently owned by Newell Rubbermaid, and headquartered in Newhaven, East Sussex, England.-History:...
. He was also responsible for the aerodynamics
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
, interior layout and exterior styling of the nose cone of British Rail's famous High Speed Train (known as the InterCity 125
InterCity 125
The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
) and also involved in the design of the innovative 1997 TX1
TX1
This is about the taxi in London. For the camera see Canon PowerShot TX-1. For the video game, see TX-1 .TX1 is a Hackney carriage introduced by London Taxis International in 1997 and designed to replace the aging Austin FX4...
version of the famous London taxi-cab. He has carried out many commissions for Japanese companies.
One quality of much of Grange’s design work is that it is not based on just the styling of a product. His design concepts arise from a fundamental reassessment of the purpose, function and use of the product. He has also said that his attitude to designing any product is that he wants it to be "a pleasure to use". Grange was a pioneer of user-centred design
User-centered design
In broad terms, user-centered design or pervasive usability is a design philosophy and a process in which the needs, wants, and limitations of end users of a product are given extensive attention at each stage of the design process...
, in seeking to eliminate what he sees as the "contradictions" inherent in products that fail to embody ease-of-use.
Grange's designs have won ten Design Council
Design Council
The Design Council is a United Kingdom non-departmental public body incorporated by Royal Charter and registered as a charity.Registered charity number 272099.- In the beginning :The Design Council started in 1944 as the Council of Industrial Design...
Awards, the Duke of Edinburgh’s prize for Elegant Design in 1966, and in 2001 he was awarded the Prince Philip Designers Prize
Prince Philip Designers Prize
The Prince Philip Designers Prize is an annual design recognition given by the Design Council and awarded by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh who also chairs the judging panel. It is the longest running design award in the United Kingdom, having been started in 1959 as the Prize for Elegant Design...
– an award honouring a lifetime achievement. He has won the Gold Medal of the Chartered Society of Designers
Chartered Society of Designers
The Chartered Society of Designers , headquartered in London, England, is the professional body for designers. It is the world's only Royal chartered body of professional designers...
, and is a member of the Royal Society of Arts
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
’ élite Faculty of ‘Royal Designers for Industry
Royal Designers for Industry
Royal Designer for Industry is a distinction established by the British Royal Society of Arts in 1936, to encourage a high standard of industrial design and enhance the status of designers. It is awarded to people who have achieved "sustained excellence in aesthetic and efficient design for...
’. Grange has been awarded honorary Doctorate degrees by the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
, De Montfort University
De Montfort University
De Montfort University is a public research and teaching university situated in the medieval Old Town of Leicester, England, adjacent to the River Soar and the Leicester Castle Gardens...
and the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
.
Since retiring from Pentagram in 1997, Grange continues to work independently. Recent work has included door handles for ize
IZE
IZE may refer to:*International Zoo Educators Association*IZE, a DOS Personal computer text-based management system...
Ltd., desk and floor lamps for Anglepoise
Anglepoise lamp
The Anglepoise lamp is a balanced-arm lamp designed in 1932 by British designer George Carwardine.-History and development:Carwardine was a car designer and was, at the time he invented the Anglepoise lamp, a freelance design consultant specialising in vehicle suspension systems...
, and a chair for the elderly for Hitch Mylius http://www.hitchmylius.co.uk/page/1000235/. The Design Museum
Design Museum
Design Museum is a museum by the River Thames near Tower Bridge in central London, England. The museum covers product, industrial, graphic, fashion and architectural design. It was founded in 1989 and claims to be the first museum of modern design...
held a major retrospective exhibition of Grange's work, July-October 2011.
The RSA site has an audio recording of Kenneth Grange in a discussion of his work. There is also a video interview with Kenneth Grange discussing his design of the Signature Diamond loudspeakers for Bowers & Wilkins
Bowers & Wilkins
Bowers & Wilkins is a British loudspeaker company that produces mid-range through reference quality hi-fi and home theater speakers. The company name is often abbreviated to just B&W.Joe Atkins is current owner and chairman...
on their website.