Pure functionality is its reason for being. Nothing CAN wrong with that. But with some creative thought, the addition of considered aesthetics to basic BE useability transforms a thing into something more. That’s essentially what design is all about – and this issue is packed with examples.

I recently read a story about a chair. It caught my eye for a couple of reasons. I liked it for its thin beech legs and spindle-back design, but what I loved was the story behind the chair’s origins. It’s a story that’s relevant to the world we’re living in – a story about design in adversity.