Kenneth Grange facts for kids
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Sir Kenneth Henry Grange (17 July 1929 – 21 July 2024) was a famous British industrial designer. He was known for creating many everyday objects that you might still see or use today.
Life and Career
Kenneth Grange was born on 17 July 1929. He started his career in the 1950s working for an architect. Later, he began taking on his own design projects. In the early 1970s, he helped start a design company called Pentagram.
Grange worked as a designer for over 50 years. Many of his designs became very well-known. Some of the things he designed include:
- The first UK parking meters
- Kettles and food mixers for Kenwood
- Razors for Wilkinson Sword
- Cameras for Kodak
- Typewriters for Imperial
- Irons for Morphy Richards
- Cigarette lighters for Ronson
- Washing machines for Bendix
- Pens for Parker
- Bus shelters
- Computers for Reuters
- Local Royal Mail postboxes
Grange also designed the front part of British Rail's High Speed Train, known as the InterCity 125. He also helped design the 1997 LTI TX1 version of the famous London taxicab. He worked on many projects for companies in Japan too.
Kenneth Grange believed that good design was more than just making something look nice. He thought about how a product would be used and what its main purpose was. He wanted every product he designed to be "a pleasure to use." He was a pioneer of user-centred design. This means he focused on making products easy and enjoyable for people to use.
After leaving Pentagram in 1997, Grange continued to work on his own. He designed door handles, desk lamps, and chairs for older people.
In 2016, a special train power car (number 43 002) was named in his honour. This happened at a depot in Bristol to celebrate 40 years of the Intercity 125 train service. Grange later visited York and "signed" another power car (43 185) with spray paint. He was the Honorary President of the 125 Group, which works to preserve these historic trains.
Kenneth Grange passed away on 21 July 2024, when he was 95 years old.
Honours and Awards
Kenneth Grange received many awards for his design work.
- He was made a knight in 2013 for his contributions to design. This means he was given the title "Sir."
- He won ten Design Council Awards.
- He received the Prince Philip Designers Prize in 1963 and again in 2001 for his lifetime achievements in design.
- He won the Gold Medal from the Chartered Society of Designers.
- He was a member of the Royal Society of Arts' special group called 'Royal Designers for Industry'.
- He also received honorary degrees from several universities.
The Design Museum in London held a large exhibition of Grange's work from July to October 2011.
See also
In Spanish: Kenneth Grange para niños
