Designing with Less
David Colwell is a pioneer of environmentally conscious design, creating elegant, highly considered work shaped by material efficiency, structural simplicity and a deep understanding of how people use and live with objects. Working across furniture, architecture and boat design, his practice has developed an innovative approach to materials, particularly steam-bent timber. His work has received numerous accolades, including the 2025 Design Guild Mark and Wood Award Innovation Prize, and is held in collections including the V&A, Vitra Design Museum, Design Museum London and Philadelphia Museum of Art.
For Material Matters London, David Colwell Design will bring together recent work with important pieces from his archive. Highlights include the award-winning ROXi Chair, made from locally sourced steam-bent ash, and the iconic Perspex Contour Chair, designed in 1970 and now part of the V&A's permanent collection. Lampshades will demonstrate his continuing exploration of material, structure and light, tracing an approach to design and sustainability developed over more than five decades.