Hasta La Ideas

Another big announcement for the day, as the Royal College of Art has issued a statement saying that when Ron Arad steps down this July as their Professor and Head of Design Products, they will be replacing him with Tord Boontje, former student and one of the top names in product design working today. You likely know his work from, well, everywhere, including too many mentions on this site to list, like his shortlisted status on the Brit Insurance Design Awards for his to our most recent coverage of his jewelry collection for Artecnica. The new, high-profile position marks a second return to the college after Boontje served as a tutor for four years, post-graduation, before leaving to found his own firm, Studio Tord Boontje, which he will continue to run simultaneously with his new teaching gig. Here’s a statement from the man himself:

“I am very excited about my appointment as Professor of Design Products at the Royal College of Art. It is a great opportunity to lead and inspire a fantastic group of students, tutors, technicians and administrative staff. The department has a fantastic pluralistic character, an experimental nature, a culture of innovation and a very individual approach to student’s development. I am very keen to maintain these qualities and to build further upon them.”