I read an interview (from my reading list) with David Turner from Turner Duckworth, and it gave some great insight into how they work and think about design. The studio started in London back in 1992 and now has two offices – one in London and one in San Francisco. Even though they’re far apart, the teams work closely and aim to keep the same high standard in both places. People even swap between offices now and then, which helps keep things consistent.
One thing I liked is how they come up with ideas. They start small, then open things up to more of the team to bring in lots of ideas. Designers kind of compete with each other, but in a friendly way. Whoever comes up with the best concept usually gets to take it forward. They also do something called “distant crit,” where the other office gives anonymous feedback. It’s a clever way to get honest opinions without bias.
Turner Duckworth first made a name for themselves through packaging design, but now they work on all sorts of branding projects. David Turner said packaging is a great training ground for design—it’s tough because it has to look good, work well, and follow rules. That kind of thinking helps them build strong brand identities in general.
When talking about being a specialist or a generalist, David suggests trying a bit of everything at first. But once you find something you really enjoy, it’s worth focusing on it. At the same time, it’s good to stay curious and learn from other areas.
He also spoke about how packaging still matters, even in a digital world. It’s one of the few physical things people actually hold, so it still has a strong impact.
David believes technology has helped design a lot—there’s more work out there and more inspiration. Even if not all of it is good, having access to so much design pushes people to be more creative and original.
His main advice for good packaging? Make sure it works, meets the brief, and looks beautiful. Simple as that. He also spent years helping design his own home, which gave him a new view on what it’s like to be the client.
One thing he said that stuck with me: “Quality is always in demand.” A good reminder that doing things well never goes out of style.
Work Cited:
Butler, A. (2012) David Turner (Turner Duckworth) Interview, DesignBoom [online]. Available at: *https://www.designboom.com/design/david-turner-turner-duckworth-interview/Links to an external site..* [Accessed 11 June 2019]