Kenneth Grange

Kenneth Grange - Making Britain Modern, opens at the Design Museum today. In some way Grange has a real problem as he has designed many iconic products and objects that are disliked, hated even. Parking meters do not conjure the nicest thoughts, an Intercity 125 invokes stressful commutes, London Taxi's are never around when you need one (and extortionate when they are), and I got bored with shaving and opted for the hairy look years ago.
But, and its a big BUT, everyone of these objects are part of our memory, our subconscious, they are supposed to look like they do. The new London Taxi is what a London Taxi looks like, the old ones look wrong now. The Japanese Bullet Train is like a pumped up version of the 125 and looks stunning, and I for one would rather have the old parking meters back, they are more human than parking attendents, they make noise, they have moving parts, they are what a parking meter should still be.
In some way Grange is riduculously simple, he is a very clear thinker with no frills or embellishment, but the designs are highly intelligent. 'Making Brtitain Modern' is an apt title for the exhibition, but the most amazing thing about Grange is how he has affected the way we view the see and perceive, he is inside our brains, his work is part of the landscape.