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COVID-19 UPDATE

Design Council is now working virtually in order to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our staff and stakeholders, and continue our mission to make life better by design. We will continue to convene people from across all disciplines and sectors – from grassroots to government – over the coming weeks. We know that our stakeholders will have many questions about how to adapt to life during and after COVID-19, from safeguarding our health and wellbeing, to reshaping and rebuilding local economies, to leading more sustainable lives. 

We are currently exploring how we can best support those of you who are thinking about how you can reshape and deliver your services, or adapt your spaces given our changed way of life at this time. Please do get in touch to share your thoughts or if you think we can support you, email us on innovation@designcouncil.org.uk.

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Our virtual offer

New to the virtual world? We will guide you to make the most of your experience. We can also support your organisation to find new ways of working virtually- developing design-led policies, processes and practices to get the very best out of working and collaborating remotely.

Design that works for all

Design shapes the world. To be inclusive, design has to reflect the rich make-up of society and to allow people from different backgrounds and worldviews to thrive. People of different ages, genders, social, ethnic or cultural backgrounds, abilities, sexual orientation, faith or life experience. At...

Our history

Design Council was established by Winston Churchill’s wartime government in December 1944 to support Britain’s economic recovery. The Council of Industrial Design, as it was then known, had the founding purpose of promoting ‘by all practicable means the improvement of design in the products of...

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Guide / 22/04/2021

Beyond Net Zero: A Systemic Design Approach

The Systemic Design Framework, launched by Design Council in April 2021, has been developed to help designers working on major complex challenges that involve people across different disciplines and sectors. It places our people and our planet at...

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Our strategic themes

Download our Strategy 2020-24 Our Strategy 2020-24 outlines how we will ensure design is used as a force for change, helping us to tackle some of the toughest economic, societal and environment challenges in the UK and beyond. This document outlines our key priorities – improving health and wellbeing, enabling sustainable... Our Strategy 2020-24 outlines how we will ensure design is used as a force for change, helping us to tackle some of the toughest challenges

Report — 23/03/2020

New report sets out practical ways to reduce air pollution in urban areas Organisations looking to improve air quality and/or reduce the exposure to air pollution in urban areas are to benefit from a new report published today by Design Council and Impact on Urban Health. Organisations looking to improve air quality and/or reduce the exposure to air pollution in urban areas are to benefit from a new report...

News — 02/09/2021

Whatever the question, design has an answer.

Design Council champions the power of design to tackle the biggest challenges of our time and bring about real, positive change in people’s lives.

Every day we consult with industry, government and individuals to advise them on how design can improve the things that matter most. 

How can we improve our health and wellbeing? The places we live? The communities we’re all part of? These are the questions we seek to answer, as we strive to make Britain better by design. 

What we do

Latest News & Opinion

Design Council launches Design Economy 2021 Three-year research programme will examine the social, environmental and economic value of UK design. Three-year research programme will examine the social, environmental and economic value of UK design.

Feature — 28/07/2021

100 days to COP26 It’s 100 days to go until COP26 - the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference - and the most important summit on climate change in a generation. It’s 100 days to go until COP26 - the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference - and the most important summit on climate change in a g

News — 23/07/2021

Tender opportunity for film-makers We are looking for a powerful film as part of a campaign to show the pivotal role of design in addressing the climate crisis. We are looking for a powerful film as part of a campaign to show the pivotal role of design in addressing the climate crisis.

News — 01/07/2021

Tender opportunity for production team We are looking for a production team to produce a 2-day Design x Climate Festival alongside COP26 at Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park (date tbc but between 7-12 November), which brings together designers from across disciplines, regions of the UK and different types of diverse backgrounds... We are looking for a production team to produce a 2-day Design x Climate Festival alongside COP26 at Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park

News — 01/07/2021

Design Council announces new network of design experts Multi-disciplinary, diverse community of practice set to address major social, environmental and economic challenges. Multi-disciplinary, diverse community of practice set to address major social, environmental and economic challenges.

News — 19/04/2021

Prince Philip, a true champion of design Our thoughts are with Her Majesty the Queen and her family as we all mourn the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Our thoughts are with Her Majesty the Queen and her family as we all mourn the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Philip...

News — 09/04/2021

Latest Reports & Downloads

Improving social integration outcomes in London In London’s first ever Social Integration strategy, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, set out his vision for a more socially integrated London. This means giving people more chances to connect with each other in positive and meaningful ways and enabling Londoners to play an active part in their... In London’s first ever Social Integration strategy, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, set out his vision for a more socially integrated ...

Report — 15/12/2020

Transform Ageing - Later Life is for Living: Final Evaluation Report Transform Ageing, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, was a pioneering programme taking a community and design-led approach to improve people’s experience of ageing. As a result of the Transform Ageing programme, social entrepreneurs reached 89,500 people in later life in the South West...

Report — 26/11/2020

A ten step guide to running a design workshop in primary schools This ‘How to’ guide for design and technology primary school teachers takes you through ten easy steps to running a design workshop, including advice on what materials you will need, how to push your students to think bigger and better and how you can tailor workshops to fit the time you have to... This ‘How to’ guide for design and technology primary school teachers takes you through ten easy steps to running a design workshop...

Guide — 13/08/2020

Design Economy 2021: Commissioning Brief The ambition for DE21 is to move the Design Economy from being just about the state of design in the UK, to more robustly illustrate how design and design skills make a difference; and demonstrate the value they bring in helping the UK tackle major challenges that we are facing today – socially,... The ambition for DE21 is to move the Design Economy from being just about the state of design in the UK, to more robustly illustrate how ...

Guide — 12/11/2020
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