A free exhibition introducing part of our collection, looking at the development of modern design through these three interconnected roles. Explore the free display to discover some of the designers and makers who have shaped the world we live in.

Designer maker user features almost 1000 items of twentieth and twenty-first century design viewed through the angles of the designer, manufacturer and user, including a crowdsourced wall.

The free display covers a broad range of design disciplines, from architecture and engineering to the digital world, fashion and graphics.

Designer

The ‘Designer’ segment of the exhibition is based on the phrase by the Italian architect Ernesto Rogers: from the spoon to the city. It explores the ways in which the thought-process of the designer informs projects at every scale, from the smallest to the largest. David Mellor's traffic light, Kinneir and Calvert's British road signage system and a 1:1 scale prototype for the new London tube train designed by PriestmanGoode will be on show.

Maker

In the ‘Maker’ section, the exhibition traces the evolution of manufacturing, from Thonet bentwood cafe chairs and Model T Ford cars to robotic arms, mass customisation and 3D printing. Everyday objects such as tennis balls as well as notable designs including the London 2012 Olympic Torch are presented at different stages of production.

User

A display on the ‘User’ explores the interaction between people and brands that have come to define the modern world. Features include a vinyl player from Dieter Rams, landmark pieces from Sony including the Walkman and the Minidisc, the Apple iPhone and the Olivetti Valentine typewriter; all demonstrating how design has changed how we communicate.

Your favourite things

As part of Designer maker user, almost 500 of you suggested your most important objects to be featured at the entrance of the exhibition. Consisting of more than 200 nominated objects from 25 countries, the wall displays a diverse selection that demonstrates the intimate relationships that we have with the everyday objects that shape our lives. Items on show include a Bible, a Coca-Cola can, the £5 banknote, a pair of rubber gloves, and a plastic garden chair.