Professor Emeritus Jeremy Myerson
- Helen Hamlyn Chair of Design
-
The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design
Jeremy has been academic, author and activist in design for more than 40 years. He co-founded the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design in 1999.
Jeremy began his professional life as a journalist on various titles, including The Stage newspaper, before going on to edit Design (published by the Design Council), Creative Review, V&A Magazine and World Architecture. From 1986–89, he was founding editor of Design Week, the world's first weekly news magazine for designers and their clients.
In 1999, following a decade running his own research and editorial consultancy, he set up the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design with Roger Coleman – and he subsequently played a lead role at the RCA in establishing the InnovationRCA incubator for new business start-ups, the Design London joint venture with Imperial College London, the Helix Centre at St Mary’s Hospital London, Europe’s first design-led innovation centre inside a working hospital, and most recently, the new Design Age Institute at the RCA.
Jeremy Myerson was Director of the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design for 16 years until 2015, pioneering new practices in inclusive design in relation to population ageing. Today, he holds the Helen Hamlyn Chair of Design at the RCA and directs his own venture WORKTECH Academy, which provides a forum for academics and practitioners to share new ideas on the future of work and workplace. He is also a Visiting Professorial Fellow at the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, Oxford University.
Myerson is the author of 20 books on a wide range of subjects in art, design and architecture. He has curated many national design exhibitions including New Old: Designing for our Future Selves and Doing A Dyson at The Design Museum and Rewind: 40 years for Design and Advertising at the Victoria & Albert Museum. He holds degrees from the University of Hull and the Royal College of Art.
Professor Jeremy Myerson has released a new book Designing a World for Everyone: 30 Years of Inclusive Design, which charts the history of inclusive design through the lens of the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design. The Centre celebrates its 30th birthday this summer. Jeremy will be retiring at the end of this academic year, and his contribution to the College over many years was recognised in the award of Professor Emeritus status at this year’s Convocation.
Key details
School, Centre or Area
Research projects
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Research interests
Jeremy Myerson’s work is about bringing an inclusive design approach to the creation and development of products, services and systems for health, work and social care. He is particularly interested in the future challenges around hospitals, workplaces, public spaces, homes and neighbourhoods as our population ages. He is an advocate for healthier cities which unite the skills of urban planners, designers and public health professionals, and is the academic lead for the annual Healthy City Design International Congress. His many books on workplace design reflect a research focus on creating a more experiential, sensory, human-centred work environment able to meet the needs of the widest range of people. His work in establishing the Design Age Institute at the RCA builds on research into design for ageing.
Research funding
- Project Lead, Design Age Institute, Research England Development Fund, (2020–)
- Design Lead, HELIX Centre (Healthcare Innovation Exchange), RCA with Imperial College London, HEFCE Catalyst Fund (2013–16)
- Co-Investigator, The Creative Exchange Knowledge Exchange Hub, RCA with Lancaster University and Newcastle University, AHRC (2012–16)
- Principal Investigator, DOME (Designing Out Medical Error), RCA with Imperial College Department of Surgery and Imperial College Business School, EPSRC (2008–11)
- Chair, Project Executive, Design London Innovation Centre, RCA with Imperial College Business School and IC Faculty of Engineering, HEFCE Strategic Development Fund (2007–11)
- Co-Investigator, i~design3 project. Partnership with Engineering Design Centre, Cambridge University, EPSRC (2007–11)
- Principal Investigator, Welcoming Workplace. Designing for the 21st Century research programme, EPSRC/AHRC (2006–08)
- Research Director, Helen Hamlyn Research Associates Programme, RCA 1999 to date 120 new RCA graduates matched with industry partners, including British Heart Foundation, BlackBerry, GlaxoSmithKline, Hewlett-Packard, Levi Strauss, Nokia, Orange, Sony, Samsung, Toyota and Unilever.
- Director, Helen Hamlyn Research Associates Programme, RCA 1999 to 2015. 120 new RCA graduates matched with industry partners
Awards
- Honorary Doctorate, Royal College of Art (2016)
- Inclusive Design Champion, Include Conference (2015)
- Award for Design Innovation from the School of Design, Northumbria University (2010)
- Named by Wired Magazine as one of Britain's 100 most influential people in digital technology (2012)
Publications, exhibitions, other outcomes
Books
Myerson, J. (2021) ‘Designing a World for Everyone: 30 years of Inclusive Design’, Lund Humphries, UK
Myerson, J. ed. (2017) ‘New Old: Designing for our Future Selves’, The Design Museum, UK
Myerson, J. & Privett, I. (2014) ‘Life of Work: What office design can learn from the world around us', Black Dog Publishing, UK
Myerson, J. & Gee, E. (2013) Eds. 'Time & Motion': Redefining Working Life' , Liverpool University Press, UK
Myerson, J., Bichard, J. & Erlich, A. (2010) 'New Demographics, New Workspace: Office Design for the Changing Workforce', Gower, UK
Myerson, J. (2008) 'Gordon Russell: Designer of Furniture 1892-1992', Gordon Russell Trust, UK (second edition)
Myerson, J. & Ross, P. (2006) Space To Work: New office design, Laurence King, London
Myerson, J. & Ross, P. (2003) The 21st Century Office Laurence King, London
Myerson, J. & Vickers, G. (2002) Rewind: 40 years of design and advertising Phaidon, London
Myerson, J. (2001) IDEO: Masters of Innovation Laurence King, London. Co-editions: Teneues Publishing Co (US and Canada), Teneues Verlag (Germany)
Myerson, J. (2000) Making The Lowry, The Lowry Press, Salford
Myerson, J. & Ross, P. (1999) The Creative Office, Laurence King, London. Co-editions: Gingko Press (USA), Doubleday (US book club edition)
Myerson, J. & Turner, G. (1998) New Workspace New Culture: Office design as a catalyst for change, Gower, Aldershot UK & Vermont USA
Myerson, J. (1996) New Public Architecture, Laurence King, London
Myerson, J. (1996) Beware Wet Paint: Designs by Alan Fletcher, Phaidon Press, London
Book Chapters
Myerson, J. (2018) 'The Future' in Age-friendly Housing: Future Design for Older People, Porteus, J. & Park, J. RIBA Publishing, UK
Myerson, J. (2017) 'The Legacy' in Beyond Parnham ed. John Makepeace, self-published, UK
Myerson, J. (2017) 'Change Makers: Rethinking the productive workplace through an art and design lens' in Creating the Productive Workplace (3rd Edition), ed. Clements-Croome D, Taylor & Francis, UK
Myerson, J. & Ramster, G. (2016) 'Workplace health and wellbeing: can greater design participation provide a cure?' in Design for Healthcare (Design for Social Responsibility series) ed. Cooper, R. & Tsekleves, E. Gower UK (forthcoming)
Myerson, J. (2014) 'The Aviary and Investiture' in Snowdon: A Life in View, Rizzoli, New York, USA
Myerson, J. (2013) 'Design for the Fourth Age' in Improving Later Life: Understanding the Oldest Old ed. Davidson S, Goodwin J & Rossall P, Age UK
Myerson J. (2013) 'Workplace and Wellbeing' in Wellbeing and the Environment. Ed. Cooper, R. & Burton, E. Wiley-Blackwell
Myerson J. (2013) 'The Evolution of Workspace Design: from the Machine to the Network' in The Handbook of Interior Design. Ed. Brooker, G. & Weinthal, L. Berg
Myerson, J. (2012) 'Workspace redesign to support the 'front end' of innovation', in Managing Organizational Ecologies: Space, Management and Organizations, Ed Price, I. & Alexander K. Routledge
Myerson, J. (2011) ' The Arrival', chapter in How To Run a Successful Design Business Shan Preddy (ed), Gower
Myerson, J., & Lee, Y. (2010) 'Inclusive Design Research Initiatives at the Royal College of Art' Chapter in Universal Design Handbook (2nd Edition),McGraw-Hill Professional, USA
Myerson, J. & Bichard, J. (2009) 'Welcoming Workplace: Rapid Design Intervention to Determine the Office Environment Needs of Older Knowledge Workers' in Design for the 21st Century Volume 2: Interdisciplinary Methods and Findings. Ed. T. Inns, Gower, UK
Myerson, J. & Warner, P. (2009), 'Futures' in David Littlefield (ed) Good Office Design, RIBA Publishing
Myerson, J. (2009) 'The Future of Innovation is People Centred' in The Future of Innovation by Stamm B and Trifilova A (eds), Gower
Myerson, J. (2008) Introduction to 'Yes Logo: 40 years of Michael Peters Branding, Design and Communications', Black Dog Publishing, UK
Myerson, J. (2007) 'A growing movement' in Coleman R, Clarkson J, Cassim J & Dong H. (eds.) Design for Inclusivity Gower, Hants UK
Peer-reviewed Journals
Gheerawo, R. and Myerson, J. (2018) ‘Design thinking as a process for people-centered innovation in the financial sector’ in The Capco Journal of Financial Transformation, No 48 Nov 2018
Myerson, J. and Sandbiller, K. (2018) ‘Hybrid Space Making: rethinking the bank branch experience for the digital age’ in Corporate Real Estate Journal, Volume 7 No 3 Spring 2018, Henry Stewart Publications 266(11)
Myerson, J. (2017) ‘Scaling Down—Why Designers Need to Reverse Their Thinking’She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics and Innovation, Elsevier
Gaudion, K., A. Hall, J. Myerson, and L. Pellicano (2015) 'A designer's approach how can autistic adults with learning disabilities be involved in the design process?' CoDesign
Gaudion, K., A. Hall, J. Myerson, and L. Pellicano (2014) 'Design and Wellbeing: Bridging the Empathy Gap Between Neurotypical Designers and People with Autism.' in Design for Sustainable Well-Being and Empowerment: Select Papers. Indian Institute of Science and TU Delft Joint Publication
Atkin, R., Buckle, P., Myerson, J. (2014) ‘Street Works and Vision Impairment: Improving signing and guarding’ in Proceedings of the ICE - Municipal Engineer, November
West, J., Davey, G., Norris, B., Myerson, J., Anderson, O. & Brodie, A. (2014) ‘Designing out Medical Error: An interdisciplinary approach to the design of healthcare equipment’ The Design Journal, 17 (2), pp.238-266
Crumbleholme, L., Greene, C. & Myerson, J. (2014) Sustainable Cultures: Engaging employees in creating more sustainable workplaces and workstyles', Facilities Vol. 32 Iss: 7/8, pp.438–454
Greene, C., Myerson, J. (2011) 'Space for thought: designing for knowledge workers', Facilities, Vol. 29 Iss: 1/2, pp19 - 30
Conference Proceedings
Myerson, J., West, J. (2015). 'Make It Better: how universal design principles can have an impact on healthcare services to improve the patient experience'. Universal Design in Education, Dublin, Ireland, 12-13 November 2015
Greene, C., Myerson J & Puybaraud, M. (2012) 'Sustainable for all: Pragmatists, Libertarians, Housekeepers and Campaigners are making the workplace greener', Proceedings of the 11th EuroFM Research Symposium, eds. Junghans, A & Jensen, PA, Copenhagen, Denmark
Myerson J. & Lee, Y. (2011) 'Designing with the people, for the people and by the people', Design Activism and Social Change Conference, Barcelona. Ed. Julier, G
Myerson, J. (2008) 'Power of the Network: transitions in working life from Taylorist time and motion to networked space', Networks of Design 2008 Annual International Design History Conference, University College Falmouth, UK. Published in online book
Myerson, J. & Gheerawo, R. (2006) 'Living Independently - Inspirational Kitchen and Bathroom Design for Older People', 2nd Conference of International Association for Universal Design (IAUD), Kyoto, Japan. Published in proceedings
Myerson, J. (2006) 'Creative Discovery: What design schools can bring to innovation', DesignEd Asia 2006, Hong Kong. Published in proceedings
Myerson, J. (2006) 'Using Inclusive Design to Sharpen the Competitive Edge of Innovation', 4th Annual PDMA Conference, Managing the Front End of Innovation, Boston, USA. Published in PDMA Journal
Myerson, J. & Gheerawo R. (2004) 'Inclusive Design in Practice: Working with industry', Designing for the 21st Century III, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Published in proceedings
Keynote and Invited Presentations (selected)
Myerson, J. (2020) ‘Designing the Resilient Post-Pandemic City’, Seoul International Design Forum, South Korea
Myerson, J. (2020) ‘Innovation Destination: the changing shape of the workplace’, Frame conference, Amsterdam
Myerson, J. (2019) ‘Open Innovation from the desk to the district’, WORKTECH Bogota and Lima, South America
Myerson, J. (2019) ‘Creative Futures for Living and Working’, Panasonic, Osaka, Japan
Myerson, J. (2018) ‘Researching the future of work: what we know today and what we still need to learn’, Herman Miller, London
Myerson, J. (2018) ‘Why design matters to ageing well’, EU Active Ageing Forum 2018, Bilbao
Myerson, J. (2018) ‘Scaling Down: Designing for Diversity, Engineering and Product Design Education conference, Imperial College London
Myerson, J. (2018) ‘The Future of Smart: How smart precincts will shape our cities and buildings’ Smart Buildings 18 conference, London
Myerson, J. (2018) ‘Foresight: exploring the potential of design and designers to enhance later life’, Housing Learning & Innovation Network conference, The Oval, London
Myerson, J. (2018) ‘All Together Now: designing for a more diverse workforce’, WORKTECH Tokyo 18, Kokuyo, Japan
Myerson, J. (2018)‘Why do we abandon great design when it is for the elderly’? Tedx Whitehall, Royal Society, London
Myerson, J. (2018) ‘New Old: design for our future selves?’ Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Myerson, J. (2017) ‘Intermix: a new concept for the smart precinct of the future’, WORKTECH Hong Kong 17, China
Myerson, J. (2017): ‘This changes everything. Design responses to digital disruption’, WORKTECH Toronto 17, Canada
Myerson, J. (2017) The key design challenges for an ageing society’, Mature Marketing Summit 2017, London
Myerson, J. (2017) ‘Design Thinking, a framework for innovation’, European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Academy Assembly 2017, Vilnius, Lithuania
Myerson, J. (2017) ‘The Hybrid Bank Branch Network of the Future’, WorkTech Berlin conference, Germany
Myerson, J. (2017) ‘Understanding the Changing Landscape of Work’, INNO Conference, Tel Aviv, Israel
Myerson, J. (2017) ‘Social Challenge: Design Dividend’, RSA public lecture, London
Myerson, J. (2016) ‘Create-Build-Shift: Changing the Landscape of Work’, WorkTech Toronto conference, Canada
Myerson, J. (2016) ‘Only Human: The Principles of People-Centred Design’, The Age of No Retirement Festival, London
Myerson, J. (2016) ‘Utopias of the Workplace’, London Design Biennale public lecture programme
Myerson, J. (2016) ‘Healthcare and Wellbeing’, Make:Shift conference, Crafts Council, Manchester
Myerson, J. (2016) ‘The Future of Work’, Business of Design Week, Hong Kong Design Centre with City of Chicago, Hong Kong
Myerson, J. (2016) ‘Catalysing innovation for all: an introduction to design thinking’, Creative Exchange, International Festival of Business, Liverpool
Myerson, J. (2016) ‘Health, Ageing and Cities: exploring the key challenges’, British Land Canada Water seminar, London
Myerson, J. (2016) ‘Through a design lens: exploring eight key challenges of ageing’, Oxford institute of Population Ageing, University of Oxford
Myerson, J. & Tidd, P. (2016) ‘Workplace wellbeing: can greater design participation provide a cure?’, WORKTECH Conference, Berlin
Myerson, J. (2016) ‘Health, Ageing and Cities: exploring the key challenges’, British Land Canada Water seminar, London
Myerson, J. (2016) ‘Cities and Health: seeing the bigger design picture’, Shaping Healthy Cities Forum, Knowledge of Design Week, Hong Kong
Myerson, J. (2016) ‘Designing healthier cities: opportunity through change’, CEO Forum, Knowledge of Design Week, Hong Kong
Myerson, J. (2015) ‘Make It Better: how universal design can have an impact on healthcare’, Universal Design in Education Conference, Dublin
Myerson, J. (2015) ‘Why Inclusive Design in the Future of European Design’, CzechDesign guest lecture, Prague, Czech Republic
Myerson, J. (2015) ‘Scaling down: why designers should reverse their thinking’, Emerging Practices Conference 2015, Tongji University, Shanghai, China Myerson, J. (2015) ‘Home Comforts: Housing, neighbourhoods and an ageing society’, Ageing in Place seminar, University of Oxford
Myerson, J. (2015) ‘Silver Economy or Silver Mirage? Key challenges for design thinkers’, The Future of Design Thinking conference, Paris Est D School, France
Myerson, J. (2015) ‘The Design Legacy of Robin and Lucienne Day’, Robin and Lucienne Day Foundation, Royal College of Art, London
Myerson, J. (2015) ‘In The Shade: lighting local urban communities’, City After Dark conference, Jerusalem
Myerson, J. (2014) ‘Life of Work: what office design can learn from the world around us’, Work tech conferences Buenos Aires and Santiago, South America
Myerson, J. (2014) ‘Stigma and the ageing society’, Design for Hope symposium, London, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Technical University of Delft, Holland
Myerson, J. (2014) ‘Designing Tomorrow’s Networked Workplaces’, LIFT France conference, Marseilles, France
Myerson, J. (2014) ‘Make it better: how inclusive design can make an impact in healthcare’Medicine + Design conference, Rochester Institute of Technology, USA
Myerson, J. (2014) ‘Passive – Active: How Consumers became Co-Creators', Creative Citizens conference, RCA, London
Myerson, J. (2014) ‘Older and Smarter: key design challenges for an ageing society’, Mature Marketing Summit 2014, London
Myerson, J. (2014) ‘Designing workspaces for people and change’, International Space Seminar organised by School of Facilities Management, University of Hanze, Groningen, The Netherlands
Myerson, J. (2014) ‘Beyond Time and Motion: Work Environments for the 21st century’, Kinnarps seminar, London
Myerson, J. (2013) ‘Thinking Space’ at Work Tech Helsinki conference, Helsinki, Finland
Myerson, J. (2013) 'Design and Behaviour Change', Workshop on Influencing Behavioural Outcomes, Arup, London
Myerson, J. (2013) 'How Design Thinking Can Support and Influence Innovation in Healthcare', The King's Fund conference, Harnessing Innovation in the NHS, Royal College of Medicine, London
Myerson, J. (2013) 'Design and Patient Safety', CPSSQ (Centre for Patient Safety and Service Quality) Annual Symposium 2013, Imperial College London
Myerson, J. (2013) ' Designing with people: fixing the system or transforming it?', Knowledge of Design Week, Hong Kong Design Centre, Hong Kong
Myerson, J. (2012) 'Design for Our Future Selves', London 2012 Global Business Summit, Lancaster House, London
Myerson, J. (2012) 'Design Research from the RCA', University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Myerson, J. (2012) 'The problem comes first: exploring social challenge through design', National University of Rosario, Argentina
Myerson, J. (2012) 'Design to improve wellbeing and quality of life', INTI (National Institute of Industrial Technology), Buenos Aires, Argentina
Myerson, J. (2012) 'Light and space: new directions in office design', Fagerhult, London
Myerson, J. (2012) 'New ways of working: the office redefined', Kinnarps Benelux, Brussels, Belgium
Myerson, J. (2012) 'Ageing and the Environment', Ageing Research Day, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton
Myerson, J. (2012) 'Programmable Space: design strategies to re-tune the office environment', WorkTech Holland, Zeist, The Netherlands
Myerson, J. (2012) 'Living Environments for Adults with Autism', A Spectrum of Needs Symposium, Technical University of Delft, The Netherlands
Myerson, J. (2012) 'The Office', 20th Century Year Course, Victoria & Albert Museum, London
Myerson, J. (2012), 'Lessons from the Lab: new design research for work and city', Workplace Consultants organisation, Walter Knoll, London
Myerson, J. (2012, 'Design research for London: dispatches from the frontline of the 21st century city', ARLIS (Art Librarians Society) Annual Conference, London
Myerson, J. (2012) 'Exploring the future of office design', Kembo innovation presentation, Arnhem, The Netherlands
Myerson, J. (2012) 'From the machine to the network: evolutions in office design', New Ways of Working conference, Aalto University/Tekes, Finnish Ministry of Technology, Helsinki
Myerson, J. (2012) Designing with People at the front end of innovation', Front End of Innovation Conference, Zurich
Myerson J. & Puybaraud, M. (2011) 'Sustainable cultures', WorkTech Utrecht conference, Holland
Myerson, J. (2011) 'The Problem Comes First: designers as researchers in a complex world', RSA Adding Value: Creativity Applied conference, Edinburgh
Myerson, J. (2011) 'Inclusive Approaches to Designing Healthcare', The King's Fund Annual Conference 2011, Royal College of Physicians, London
Myerson, J. (2011) 'Living Stages: what can office environments learn form theatre design?', WorkTech Masterclass, British Library, London
Myerson, J. (2011) 'All together now: designing with people, not for people', Ardagh Group Fresh Thinking Day, Paris
Myerson, J. (2011) 'Space to Engage: from the Machine to the Network', Bene masterclass, Brussels
Myerson, J. (2011) 'Designing with people at the front end of innovation', Aarhus School of Architecture, Denmark
Myerson, J. (2011) 'Space to Engage', Sheffield Business School annual Conference
Myerson, J. (2010) New Demographics New Workspace' keynote presentation at WorkTech Amsterdam Conference
Myerson, J. (2010) 'Ageing and medicine: quantity versus quality', Battle of Ideas, organised by Institute of Ideas, Royal College of Art
Myerson, J. (2010) 'Healthier By Design: Rethinking workplace design as a catalyst for public sector wellbeing' at Creating a More Healthy and Efficient 21st Century Public Sector Workplace seminar, Westminster, London
Myerson, J. (2010) 'I Wish I Worked Better' RSA America guest lecture at Humanscale, New York as part of New York Design Week
Myerson, J. (2010) 'Young & Old' keynote presentation as academic strand convener at Cumulus international conference, Tongji University, Shanghai
Myerson, J. (2010) 'Welcoming Workplace', Office & Facility conference, Warsaw
Myerson, J. (2010) Design, Technology and Quality of Life', 5th International Carers Conference, Leeds, at invitation of Technology Strategy Board
Myerson, J. (2010) The Inclusive Workplace', Innovation For All conference, Norwegian Design Council, Oslo
Myerson, J. (2009) 'Future Workplace Landscapes' at Bene showroom, Vienna Design Week
Myerson, J. (2009) 'Desirable, Feasible, Viable: A review of research initiatives from the Royal College of Art in combining design with technology and business at the front end of innovation' at DesignEd Asia Conference, Hong Kong
Myerson J. (2009) 'Using the people-centred methods of evidence-based design to innovate' at Breakthrough Innovation Conference, Barcelona
Myerson, J. (2009) 'Radical Office Design', WorkTech New York conference, USA
Myerson, J. (2009) 'Workplace Design for the Ageing Workforce', Reinventing Retirement Asia Conference, Singapore
Myerson, J. (2008) 'Healthcare Design for Patient and Staff Safety' at Build Boston exhibition and symposium, Boston, USA, at invitation of Institute for Human-Centred Design
Myerson, J. (2008) 'Discovery through design: how design methods take you closer to the customer'. European Business Conference of the Norwegian Design Council, Oslo, Norway
Myerson, J. (2007) 'Space to Work; work space for innovation in the knowledge economy', Visiting Research Scholar, Department of Architecture & Planning, University of Melbourne, Australia
External collaborations
- Chairman, Learning Committee, The Design Museum
- Current Member, International Advisory Board, School of Design, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Current Member, International Advisory Board, Loughborough School of Design, UK
- Current Member, Advisory Board, Helen Hamlyn Centre for Pedagogy, UCL Institute of Education
- Current Member, Industrial Design Advisory Board, KAIST, Korean Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, South Korea
- Current Member, London Design Biennale Advisory Board
- Current Member, London Design Festival Advisory Board
- Current Member, Leadership Board, WORKTECH Academy