In light of B&B Italia’s debate for London Design Festival, ‘Can Design Save Europe’, we speak to Architecture and Design Critic for the FT Edwin Heathcote, Director of the V&A Martin Roth and Olympic Torch designers Jay Osgerby and Edward Barber about the power of design as a force of change on the European economy. The recent recession and subsequent arts spending cuts has sparked debate around the fate of the arts and craft industry, locating it a time of change and redevelopment. While the major manufacturing powers continually look to the East we question what the future holds for European design and manufacture, and if designers themselves should focus on functional products made available to the masses rather than luxury products for the minority.
