Design Council Award winners

The V&A’s Circulation Department (1850s–1977) pioneered collecting everyday contemporary design and ‘circulating’ objects to UK institutions to share ideas. When the Design Council started its Best British Design award in the 1950s, the V&A started collecting the winning examples.

The Circulation Department Keeper, Peter Floud, was concerned that ‘visitors would not expect to see washing machines in the same building as […] Renaissance sculptures.’ But under the next Keeper, Hugh Wakefield, collecting went ahead and the department amassed 600 award-winners.

Written by: Kristian Volsing, Senior Curator, Contemporary Programme
Published: May 2025

Collecting Stories

Museum Number
CIRC.32-1977
Description
One Step On
Artist/Maker
Anderson, Sally
Location and Date
England, ca. 1976
Materials/Techniques
Ceramic, Painted
Object information
Museum Number
CIRC.33-1977
Description
One Step On
Artist/Maker
Anderson, Sally
Location and Date
England, ca. 1976
Materials/Techniques
Ceramic, Painted
Object information
Museum Number
CIRC.38-1977
Description
One Step On
Artist/Maker
Anderson, Sally
Location and Date
England, ca. 1976
Materials/Techniques
Ceramic, Painted
Object information
Museum Number
CIRC.39-1977
Description
One Step On
Artist/Maker
Anderson, Sally
Location and Date
England, ca. 1976
Materials/Techniques
Ceramic, Painted
Object information
Museum Number
CIRC.230:1&2-1960
Description
Superbath
Artist/Maker
Rowlands, Martyn
Location and Date
Great Britain, 1955
Materials/Techniques
Polythene, Wood, Moulding
Object information
Museum Number
CIRC.455 to C-1971
Description
Teltron range of atomic physics teaching equipment
Artist/Maker
Power, Derek
Materials/Techniques
Wood, Glass, Aluminium alloy
Object information
Museum Number
CIRC.728-1969
Description
Ease-e-load domestic and general-purpose trolleys
Artist/Maker
Martin, Harold
Location and Date
Great Britain, ca.1969
Materials/Techniques
Steel, Nylon, Enamelling
Object information