Guernsey Press

Ladder with one step wins new design award

Cameron Rowley took the £40,000 prize from the Conran Shop’s inaugural Designer of the Future award.

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A ladder with just one step secured a new £40,000 prize for a graduate designer.

Cameron Rowley, 23, won the Conran Shop’s inaugural Designer of the Future award with his One Step Ladder design.

The One Step Ladder
The One Step Ladder design won the prize for Cameron Rowley (The Conran Shop)

“I wanted to create an object that facilitated this behaviour while maintaining a smaller footprint.”

Mr Rowley said the product was designed for use around the house in tasks such as reaching higher kitchen cabinets or dusting the ceiling, adding: “Its beauty is a consequence of its process and function.”

The award has been established in partnership with the Marandi Foundation with the aim of continuing the work done in nurturing new designers by the late Sir Terence Conran, who died last year.

The £40,000 prize comprises a £3,000 cash prize and a paid internship, with the rest of the money going towards developing the ladder and bring it to market.

Sir Terence Conran after being presented with The Prince of Wales’ Medals for Arts Philanthropy
Sir Terence Conran died in March last year (Gareth Fuller/PA)

The judging panel, which included architect Lord Norman Foster and designer Anya Hindmarch, said: “Sir Terence Conran always voiced a philosophy of good design being ‘plain, simple, useful’.

“This is a good solution to a frequent challenge; its purpose is easy to see and understand. Elegantly executed, it also serves as a great looking product.”

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