George J. Sowden | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1942 (age 81–82) Leeds, UK |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Gloucestershire College |
| Occupation | Product designer |
| Spouse | Nathalie Du Pasquier[1][2] |
| Website | georgesowden |
George J. Sowden (born 1942 in Leeds, UK) is a designer and product developer.
He studied architecture at Gloucestershire College of Art in the 1960s. In 1970, he moved to Milan, where he started working with Ettore Sottsass and Olivetti. In parallel to the industrial design work on early Olivetti computers.,[3] he was involved during the 1970s in experimental "radical" design projects which enabled him to become, in 1981, one of the co-founders[4] of the Memphis Group, the design movement that had a significant impact on design in the eighties.
In the same year, 1981, he founded his design studio, SowdenDesign, collaborating with companies such as Olivetti, Alessi, Bodum, Guzzini, Lorenz, Rancilio, Steelcase, Swatch, Segis, Memphis, IPM, Moulinex, Telecom Italia, Tefal and Pyrex.
In 1991, Sowden received the Compasso d'Oro Award for design excellence for Olivetti, Fax OFX420.[5]
In 2010, Sowden developed the SoftBrew coffee brewing device, which is distributed and sold throughout the world,[6] notably in collaboration with the Danish design company HAY.[7]
