Bucks Furniture Design: Triumph and Tragedy

I was recently asked to judge the BCFA Award at New Designers 2015. The winner was Jacob Underwood of Bucks New Uni for His Fiero Stacking Chairs. Well done Jacob!

However, the demise of Bucks Furniture Design course is truly a tragic loss for education and the industry. For those of you who are unaware, the course has now been completely axed. Cost/benefit sadly determines a university's educational offering rather than the contribution alumni make to industry and our economy.

I am currently working with the Robin and Lucienne Day Foundation. Robin Day was a High Wycombe boy, as were Fred Scott and Lucian Ercolani amongst others. The BCFA also has their offices in High Wycombe. It is hard to appreciate something until it is gone, but I hope we can learn to before it is too late.

Judges Comments: ‘Good contemporary interpretation of traditional Ercol values for modern living. We were impressed by the consideration given to every detail.’

‘The judges are keen to express their dismay at the imminent closure of the Bucks New University Furniture Design course. This is a course with historically significant connections to the British contract furniture industry which are so clearly evident in the New Designers exhibition this year’.