The Plunkett Plan

“You take a basic principle, and you restate it over and over again, making it simpler each time until there is nothing more you can do to it without altering your principle.” - William Plunkett William Plunkett is renowned for his significant contributions to the field of furniture design, spanning decades between the 1960s – 1980s. His work deftly marries modernist restraint with Brutalist sculptural qualities, engineering exactness and inviting upholstery. Throughout his career, his innovative designs were selected for numerous important commissions, recognised with two Council of Industrial Design awards, and held in the permanent collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum. Recent projects through twentytwentyone with Dunhill, KEF and Sunspel demonstrate his work continues to captivate and resonate with a contemporary audience. The exhibition celebrates his time at Kingston School of Art where he initially studied design before specialising in sculpture and furniture. William’s original handmade Aeropreen Award-winning chair from 1961, will be on display amongst a curated selection of early work. The installation offers a unique glimpse into his design journey and creativity through sculpture to his most recognisable and commercially successful range, Kingston, which remains in production almost 60 years after its inception. Visitors can rediscover an icon-embracing pattern in collaboration with Christopher Farr Cloth and in partnership with the Josef & Anni Albers Foundation. Further selected Harris Tweed upholstery reflecting fabrics originally specified by William will complete the display. The Plunkett Plan will provide the opportunity to experience the evolution of Plunkett's design language through his pioneering approach to form, use of materials, and unwavering commitment to reductionism.