Into the Collection

This chair is one of the earliest pieces of furniture to be made from recycled plastic. Its designer, Jane Atfield, developed a type of recycled plastic from discarded shampoo and bleach bottles collected from community recycling schemes. These bottles were chipped into small pieces and then melted and pressed to form sheets. The sheets of multi-coloured plastic were then cut and screwed together to make simple chair forms. Traces of the original labels can still be seen, celebrating the recycled nature of the material rather than hiding it.

The Little Sun organisation is a social enterprise set up by artist Olafur Eliasson to create portable solar lamps and chargers, mainly for communities without access to reliable power. Launched in 2012 in partnership with engineer Frederik Ottesen, the sunflower-shaped lamp serves as a tool for communities living without access to an electrical grid. The design features a solar panel on the back, allowing the lamp to store energy during daylight hours. A single five-hour charge provides five hours of bright light or up to fifty hours at its lowest setting, providing a safe and sustainable alternative to kerosene lanterns. The lamp’s distinctive appearance, reminiscent of a blooming flower, is intended to evoke a sense of optimism and a connection to the natural energy of the sun.

The Magno Wooden Radio is more than a study in minimalist aesthetics; it represents a shift in making, from mass-produced consumer electronics to a philosophy that prioritizes the health of communities and the environment over rapid industrial growth. Designer Singgih S. Kartono developed the Magno project in his home village of Kandangan, Indonesia, to disrupt the traditional migration of labor to overcrowded cities.

By establishing a local workshop, Kartono transformed a reliance on urban services into a self-sustaining ecosystem of skilled craftsmanship. Villagers are trained in specialized carpentry, ensuring these artisanal techniques are preserved as a viable, local livelihood. Sustainability is built into the process. Each radio is made from timber sourced from a dedicated tree nursery managed by the workshop, ensuring the production remains ecologically neutral. This successful model of community-led manufacturing has allowed Kartono to expand into other ethical products, including a bamboo bicycle.

It might be surprising to learn that this Bandalasta Ware tea service, made from striking marbled plastic, is over a hundred years old. Unveiled at the 1925 Empire Exhibition at Wembley, Bandalasta was the first brightly coloured, durable plastic tableware. It caused such a stir among audiences that Harrods dedicated a special display to it the following year.

Invented by British chemists using a synthetic resin, Bandalasta was quickly trademarked by the manufacturing firm Brookes & Adams. While the earlier plastic Bakelite could only be produced in darker hues, Bandalasta could be made in lighter, brighter colours, including this marble effect, by mixing different coloured moulding granules during the manufacturing process. Its lightness and durability made it perfect for picnic sets or for use on trains, planes and boats, dovetailing with the British middle classes’ increased desire for leisure time and domestic travel in this era. The product was short-lived, however: production of Bandalasta was paused following the outbreak of World War II and never resumed.

This beechwood model represents Le Corbusier’s influential but unrealised Automaxima (Voiture Minimum), conceived in 1928 as a competition entry for an affordable, mass-produced car. Described as “a minimalist vehicle for maximum functionality,” it introduced innovative aerodynamic principles and anticipated models such as the Citroën 2CV. A full-scale version was commissioned by Giorgetto Giugiaro in 1987 for the Pompidou Centre. This model, made for the Design Museum’s 1989 opening, reflects Le Corbusier’s forward-looking vision.

On a foggy night in 1933, Yorkshire road mender Percy Shaw had a perilous journey driving his car across a hilly and bendy stretch of road. Normally, polished train tracks would catch his headlights and guide him through the dark. But the tracks had recently been removed, leaving him in the darkness. As Shaw struggled to find his way, a bright reflection appeared: his headlights had caught the eyes of a roadside cat, warning him just in time to avoid crashing into a wall. Inspired by his lucky escape, Shaw set out to design a safety aid for driving at night – and the modern-day Catseye was born.

The following year, Shaw set up the Reflecting Roadstuds Ltd to make his invention. As more people drove cars, the Department of Transport became concerned at the growing number of night-time road accidents. They launched a competition to tackle the problem in 1937 and Shaw won with his ‘Catseye’ solution.

The Catseye became even more of a necessity during World War II, when government-imposed blackouts made night-time driving even more dangerous. The Catseye in our collection represents a brilliantly simple piece of design – one that has saved thousands of lives and continues to do so today.