Thomas Heatherwick’s studio is located in London, just below a budget hotel. The space is littered with the tools of making; circular saws, 3D printers, jigs. In this studio, and with these tools, some of the most spectacular designs of the last 20 years have been made. The 2012 Olympic Cauldron, the UK pavilion or “seed cathedral,” the New Bus for London and a chair that spins when one sits on it, to name a few.

Thomas has likened his process of design to that of a crime being solved. “We’re a bit like an investigative team,” said Heatherwick. “We analyse. We explore lines of inquiry. Then we eliminate things until we’re left with the solution. Only very occasionally do we go: “Aha, that’s it!”

MediaStorm partnered with WSJ. Magazine to produce short films honoring each of the awardees of the Magazine’s fifth annual Innovator Awards; hosted on Wednesday, November 4th at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art. Seven trailblazing talents, all of whom are featured in the magazine’s November issue, were honored among more than 200 guests for their groundbreaking accomplishments in their respective disciplines.

Selected by WSJ. Magazine editors, the honorees were: Richard Serra (Art); Mark Parker (Brand); Thomas Heatherwick (Design); Angelina Jolie Pitt (Entertainment/Film); Miuccia Prada (Fashion); Karl Ove Knausgaard (Literature); and Stewart Butterfield (Technology).

Pictures of the Year International
Year: 2016
Place: First
Category: Multimedia Photographer of the Year

NPPA's Best of Photojournalism
Year: 2016
Place: Third
Category: Feature Multimedia Package

NPPA's Best of Photojournalism
Year: 2016
Place: Third
Category: Multimedia Portfolio

The goal of this production was to make a short film about British designer Thomas Heatherwick for the Wall Street Journal Magazine’s fifth annual Innovator Awards.

Mr. Heatherwick has a substantial catalogue of designs, and knowing which to cover, and how to cover them was key to creating a successful visual experience. Additionally, it was important to create a video that spoke to Mr. Heatherwick’s design philosophy, rather than a description of the projects he’s worked on.

MediaStorm used the visual side of the video to show a breadth of Mr. Heatherwick’s work. The questions for Mr. Heatherwick’s interview were designed to elicit more lofty, thoughtful answers about design in general. The combination gives the viewer both an understanding of his work, and of the general philosophy that went into making it.

The films were premiered at The Wall Street Journal Magazine’s fifth annual Innovator Awards on November 4, 2015 and were released online the following day.

With five global editions spanning 62 countries, WSJ. Magazine—which publishes 12 issues a year—is The Wall Street Journal's luxury-lifestyle publication dedicated to the power and passions of the Journal's readership.