Designs of the Year Exhibition 2014

Deyan Sudjic (2014) Director of the London Design Museum: ‘2014 is the year of “disruption” in design. Disruptive innovation interrupts established ways of thinking, diverges from traditional practices and proposes new, unexpected ideas.” This might mean silkworms and designers working together, an invaluable red-for-danger disposable syringe, or a public safety announcement that flips us at a touch of an iPhone from the analogue, black-and-white world of Mr Cholmondley-Warner to the colourful, digital age of apps and Kate Moss.’ Jeremy Myerson (2014), Director of the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design, RCA: ‘ABC syringe…is a classic demonstration on how design thinking can be brought to bear on an intractable problem. David Swann is a serial innovator in medical design.’ Oliver Wainwright (2014) The Guardian: 'Other clever innovations from the healthcare sector include the ABC syringe, which remains colourless when stored in its sterile pack, but changes colour when opened. Once exposed to the air, the syringe has a 60-second treatment window before turning bright red, to alert patients if it has already been used, while a faceted barrel design means that the piston will break if someone tries to replace it.' The Craft Council (2014): ‘As usual, the annual shortlist is divided by subject, namely Architecture, Digital, Fashion, Furniture, Graphics, Product and Transport. There are plenty of big names from Zaha Hadid and John Pawson to Konstantin Grcic and Miuccia Prada but also some smaller projects. So when the exhibition opens on the 26 March look out for the ABC syringe designed by David Swann, which makes sterility visible by changing colour when exposed to the air.’