Vacuum packed - vacuum cleaner design

Architectural Review, The, Nov, 1996 by Penny McGuire

A gifted imagination and a determined pioneering spirit brought about a breakthrough in vacuum cleaner design leading to the sponsorship of a major Antarctic expedition.

James Dyson's Dual Cyclone vacuum cleaners have effectively rendered conventional machines obsolete. Their internal engineering has been adapted from that of vacuum extractor units used in spray painting, and apart from their appealing space-toy appearance, the main point about them is that they are bagless - and therefore efficient all of the time. The tiny pores in a bag are supposed to trap dust, while allowing air to pass through; but dust quickly clogs the pores and air flow, thereby reducing suction.

Dyson's system draws air mixed with dust and dirt into two internal chambers in which the mixture is revolved at accelerating speed to over 900 mph. Centrifugal forces separate out the particles which are spun into a clear plastic bin, forming a visible rising tide of dirt. Filtered clean air is expelled without affecting suction.

In the various forms of the Dual Cyclone, Dyson has achieved the difficult feat of creating objects of desire that work. There are two basic models: the DC01 upright and the even more delightful DC02 cylinder capable of hugging the stairs. Coloured brilliant yellow and grey, they are simplicity itself to operate. Having observed the dirt satisfactorily transferred from your floor to the bin - it is said that the average household accumulates enough dust over a year to fill a bathtub - you dispose of it by lifting out the bin and emptying it. Released by pressing a large yellow button, which enables the upper part of the machine to be hinged up, the bin is replaced without fuss, because the parts are shaped to fit together so easily and exactly that the most mechanically inept can manage the operation. The new DC02 Absolute, designed for allergy sufferers, has been fitted with a filter that kills bacteria, allergens and viruses.

Simplicity and success (Dyson is at present the fastest growing company in Britain) have been achieved with enormous persistence. Dyson spent four years perfecting his design and testing over 5000 prototypes. In common with fellow Britons, Jeremy Fry (who he says was his mentor) and Clive Sinclair, he is one of a rare breed - a gifted designer/inventor and industrialist with a sense of purpose. His work is the subject of an exhibition called Doing a Dyson, being held at the Design Museum in London until February next year.

Respect for pioneering and human endurance - the determination to overcome all odds - has led to his wholehearted sponsorship of Ranulph Fiennes' solo expedition on foot across the Antarctic. The expedition, which begins this month, will raise money for the charity Breakthrough and the money used to build the first breast cancer research centre in Britain. It is being commemorated by a limited edition of ice blue and grey Dysons.