'Ones to Watch': Young Designers Working to Improve Urban Life

Francesca Perry shares the results of the "Ones to Watch" competition, in its 70th year under the direction of the Design Council.

"One of the six competition categories focused specifically on designs for improving city life – while others addressed issues such as health, happiness and social impact. The fourteen designs for better urban living respond to the challenges posed by rapid urbanisation and the desire to reclaim the “human scale” of expanding cities."

Perry goes on to detail some of the winning designs, which range from simple objects that help urban dwellers maximize cramped spaces and systems like the Patch|Bristol project, which "links allotment owners in Bristol with local food banks in order to reduce food waste and increase awareness of food poverty. The project includes proposed 'pop-up patches' around the city to get people donating and distributing food."