For Jon Marshall, the thrill of design has never left the physical act of creation. “I’m always excited about the act of making things, whether it’s simple cardboard models for design process, finalizing designs in our workshop or visiting factories and seeing products enter mass production,” he says. It’s a grounding principle that runs through a practice defined by its range—from product design to strategy, packaging to digital experiences.
As a partner at Pentagram since 2018, Jon works at intersections that many designers treat as boundaries. His portfolio includes hardware design for Graphcore and Yoto (Ed. note: The Yoto player received a Notable honor in the 2020 Core77 Design Awards and the Yoto Mini was the Professional Winner in Consumer Technology in 2022), exhibition design and installations for Uniqlo and Google, and packaging experiences for Heights and Verizon. His interests gravitate toward abstract and emerging technologies, accessible user experiences, and projects that embrace sustainability—work that demands both conceptual thinking and tangible craft.
Yoto Player – 2020 Core77 Design Awards notable entry – Consumer Technology
Yoto Mini – 2022 Core77 Design Awards Professional Winner – Consumer Technology
That dedication to making manifests in Pentagram’s workshop, on factory floors, and in the careful translation of ideas into objects people can hold, use, and understand. For Jon, the journey from sketch to production isn’t just process—it’s where design proves itself.
Navigating Uncertainty
Yet Jon carries concerns about the field’s next generation and the conditions they face as they enter practice. “I’m worried about younger designers being able to establish themselves confidently in design practice during a time of anxiety about climate change and artificial intelligence,” he reflects.
It’s a recognition that today’s emerging designers must navigate not just the usual challenges of building a career, but existential questions about technology’s trajectory and the planet’s future. The confidence required to establish oneself as a designer has always been hard-won; these compounding uncertainties make that path even more complex.
Show the Full Picture
As jury captain for the 2026 Core77 Design Awards Home & Living category, Jon will be looking for entries that reveal both destination and journey. His advice to entrants is refreshingly specific and practical. “Show a really wide range of images describing all aspects of the product including in-use,” Jon says. “Describe a bit of the design process as well as the end result.”
It’s guidance that reflects his own values—that understanding a product means seeing it in context, in hands, in the world. That the decisions made along the way matter as much as the final form. And that good documentation doesn’t just present outcomes; it tells the story of how those outcomes came to be.
For designers entering their work, Jon’s asking for the full picture: not just the hero shot, but the messy, iterative, material reality of making something real.
2025 Home & Living Professional Winner
The professional winner in the 2025 Core77 Design Awards in the Home & Living category was the Loka Chai Maker . The product was designed by Jon Marshall in collaboration with Chifen Cheng, Shing Lo, Amelia Kociolkowska, Vincent Fan, Harc Lee, Andrew Aitken, Nikhil Shah, and Anish Shonpal at Pentagram London.
If you have a forward-thinking idea that could spark a fire with our jurors, share it with us through the 2026 Core77 Design Awards.
Enter the C77DA before February 27 to lock in regular pricing.