Designers

Harry Beck

© Harry Beck, TFL

Harry Beck designed the London Underground map of 1933. Beck's design simplified information to show the next Underground stop clearly, rather than showing the geographical position of the Underground lines. The design was based on electrical wiring diagrams. Similar designs are now used for transport maps around the world.

Alberto Alessi

Alessi juicer designed by Philippe Starck. Photograph by Daniel Saxil-Nielsen.

Alessi produces everyday objects which combine mass production with creativity. This encouraged new thinking and ideas for stylish and designer products.

Alessi employs leading designers including Philippe Starck, Alessandro Mendini and Stefano Giovannoni. His designs are based on the aesthetic qualities as well as function.

Jock Kinnear and Margaret Calvert

Kinnear and Calvert are famous for designing UK road signs.

They used simple pictogramspictogram: A 2D blocked coloured picture that conveys a meaning. and typefacestypeface: The design and shape of letters. to reduce distractions to make the signs easy to understand. The signs use a font called Transport.

Video: Design of modern road signage

Watch this Learning Zone Broadband Class Clips video to find out why Kinnear and Calvert were asked to design UK road signs and why their designs were successful.

Wally Olins

London 2012 Olympic Games logo

Wally Olins is a brand consultant who influenced the development of iconic brands including BT and P&O. A brand is a logo or image people associate with a product or service.

Olins and Michael Wolff founded an advertising company called the Wolff Olins agency. The agency has developed corporate images including the brand for the 2012 London Olympics. A corporate image is the way an organisation is recognised by its appearance, signage, colour scheme, products and public appearance.

Robert Sabuda

Robert Sabuda is an author, illustrator and pop-up bookpop up book: A pop up book is a book with card mechanisms that pop or stick out as the page opens. designer. He taught himself paper engineering and has designed and produced pop-up books including The Mummy's Tomb and also The Knight's Tale.