75 years of the RDI
As part of the 75 Days Initiative, more than 50 Royal Designers for Industry gave their knowledge, experience and skills to the RSA
By Dinah Casson RDI
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the Faculty of Royal Designers for Industry (RDI), set up by the RSA to "reward and encourage outstanding designers and to promote the important contribution of design in manufacturing and industry". We can all legitimately lift an eyebrow at this: surely designers have a high enough profile now, with prizes, documentaries and endless magazine features?
But the Faculty, in spite of its low profile, includes some of our most brilliant designers, who are the authors of many of the iconic objects that we use, watch, travel in, wear and visit in our daily lives. Through the Faculty, we meet to exchange ideas and discuss the issues that concern us. We encompass a wide range of disciplines, from bridge design to hats and from film production to teacups, but we all rely on similar processes of design.
The criteria for election to the Faculty are that candidates must have shown “sustained design excellence, work of aesthetic value and significant benefit to society”. It is, of course, easy to see how these apply to the authors of the jet engine, the internet, the Moulton bicycle and the iPhone. But all of us – through our commitment to doing what we do well, in addition to the work we do outside our day jobs, such as helping students, working pro bono or mentoring as part of the FuelRCA scheme at the Royal College of Art – fit with the RSA’s social design mission more closely than ever before.
To make this work more visible, the outgoing Master of the Faculty, Robin Levien, set up the '75 Days' initiative, whereby Royal Designers would give a day or more of their expertise to an RSA project. The response has been impressive, with 84 days being 'donated' by 52 Royal Designers.
Some of the days are taking place at the RSA Academy in Tipton and the Whitley Academy in Coventry. Sustainable engineer Max Fordham has proposed a fashion and science project that will challenge pupils to design clothing that would keep them warm or cool; milliner Stephen Jones asked a group of sixth-form students to design and make a hat for a special catwalk event in the school hall; and landscape designer Kim Wilkie advised on how to cultivate a sustainable community orchard and market garden in the Academy's grounds.
Outside the academies, production designer Jim Clay helped Deepesh Patel FRSA to produce a film aimed at schools and broadcasters about the medicinal value of the rainforest, while interior designer Ben Kelly contributed to the RSA's Connected Communities programme.
Other Royal Designers have invited students to visit their places of work. Film production designer Stuart Craig gave a group of students the opportunity to tour the sets of Jack the Giant Killer, where they heard about contemporary film techniques and saw filming in action; graphic designer Alan Kitching invited students to his print workshop; and product designer James Irvine invited two students to his studio in Milan.
All of these gestures demonstrate the Royal Designers’ willingness to share their extraordinary breadth of experience. It is through sharing that we learn from one another. Finding additional ways for this to happen is one of the challenges I shall be taking up as the new Master. Until recently, the Faculty has organised a summer school that gives young designers the opportunity to spend time with senior practitioners. As well as exploring ways to rethink design education, I hope to reinvent and relaunch this programme so that it includes a more diverse group of participants. It will be a challenging and interesting two years.
Dinah Casson RDI is Master of the Faculty of Royal Designers for Industry (2011–2013). Find out more about the Royal Designers for Industry. Image: Gregory Iliopoulos
By Dinah Casson RDI
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the Faculty of Royal Designers for Industry (RDI), set up by the RSA to "reward and encourage outstanding designers and to promote the important contribution of design in manufacturing and industry". We can all legitimately lift an eyebrow at this: surely designers have a high enough profile now, with prizes, documentaries and endless magazine features?
But the Faculty, in spite of its low profile, includes some of our most brilliant designers, who are the authors of many of the iconic objects that we use, watch, travel in, wear and visit in our daily lives. Through the Faculty, we meet to exchange ideas and discuss the issues that concern us. We encompass a wide range of disciplines, from bridge design to hats and from film production to teacups, but we all rely on similar processes of design.
The criteria for election to the Faculty are that candidates must have shown “sustained design excellence, work of aesthetic value and significant benefit to society”. It is, of course, easy to see how these apply to the authors of the jet engine, the internet, the Moulton bicycle and the iPhone. But all of us – through our commitment to doing what we do well, in addition to the work we do outside our day jobs, such as helping students, working pro bono or mentoring as part of the FuelRCA scheme at the Royal College of Art – fit with the RSA’s social design mission more closely than ever before.
To make this work more visible, the outgoing Master of the Faculty, Robin Levien, set up the '75 Days' initiative, whereby Royal Designers would give a day or more of their expertise to an RSA project. The response has been impressive, with 84 days being 'donated' by 52 Royal Designers.
Some of the days are taking place at the RSA Academy in Tipton and the Whitley Academy in Coventry. Sustainable engineer Max Fordham has proposed a fashion and science project that will challenge pupils to design clothing that would keep them warm or cool; milliner Stephen Jones asked a group of sixth-form students to design and make a hat for a special catwalk event in the school hall; and landscape designer Kim Wilkie advised on how to cultivate a sustainable community orchard and market garden in the Academy's grounds.
Outside the academies, production designer Jim Clay helped Deepesh Patel FRSA to produce a film aimed at schools and broadcasters about the medicinal value of the rainforest, while interior designer Ben Kelly contributed to the RSA's Connected Communities programme.
Other Royal Designers have invited students to visit their places of work. Film production designer Stuart Craig gave a group of students the opportunity to tour the sets of Jack the Giant Killer, where they heard about contemporary film techniques and saw filming in action; graphic designer Alan Kitching invited students to his print workshop; and product designer James Irvine invited two students to his studio in Milan.
All of these gestures demonstrate the Royal Designers’ willingness to share their extraordinary breadth of experience. It is through sharing that we learn from one another. Finding additional ways for this to happen is one of the challenges I shall be taking up as the new Master. Until recently, the Faculty has organised a summer school that gives young designers the opportunity to spend time with senior practitioners. As well as exploring ways to rethink design education, I hope to reinvent and relaunch this programme so that it includes a more diverse group of participants. It will be a challenging and interesting two years.
Dinah Casson RDI is Master of the Faculty of Royal Designers for Industry (2011–2013). Find out more about the Royal Designers for Industry. Image: Gregory Iliopoulos
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