Design by Committee
The rise of Jony Ive – like Dieter Rams before him – has taken industrial design from a bespoke fringe carrier relegated to the dusty backrooms of large manufacturing companies into a level of “cool” status shared with that of rockstars, celebrities, and athletes. Now, you’ll find Instagram feeds filled with the latest efforts of up-and-coming product designers, books dedicated to the typography of NASA, and articles in national magazines wondering just what these industrial artists eat for breakfast.
For decades, industrial design weighed heavily on function without considering form. Computers were grey boxes. Cars were templatized. And objects we interacted with every day were utilitarian and rote. They had a purpose, sure, but they weren’t much to look at. But when Jony Ive introduced his iMac to the world in 1998, he showed us how objects that evoke wonder can make our lives better - just in the simple fact that they exist.
With the industrial design renaissance in full-swing, companies far and wide are looking for the next Rams or Ive. One company in particular, Volvo’s luxury electric vehicle off-shoot, Polestar, is taking the search to their social media channels to find the next great designer.
Curated by Polestar’s interior design manager, Juan Pablo Bernal, the company has created a channel called the Polestar Design Community. Pitched as “a design-focused online community where inspiration can be shared, discussions can take place, and Polestar the design-obsessed brand can communicate directly with designers the world over.”
And it's working.
There are dozens of submissions on their Instagram feed ranging from updated car designs to augmented running shoes - and all the creations possess the same austere and polished look of the brand's visual identity. What's more, Bernal's team has taken notice and provided feedback.
“Without communicating any sort of brief, a lot of submissions are on-brand,” states JP. He claims that curating this community is its own reward, as it’s fertile ground for ideas and concepts that come from multiple sources all across the globe, with Polestar as the common theme. “Launching (the community) created a very strong reaction and a lot of engagement, which was amazing to see,” he says. “I try to guide and encourage them as much as possible, which is something I really enjoy. Plus, it’s always cool to see a Polestar sketch, you know?”
Despite the rocky start of Polestar's launch, the car company is already winning awards from prestigious publications - and most are taking notice of their forward-thinking design. This, of course, begs the question of whether other car manufacturers and technology firms will follow suit. The next world-class industrial designer is out there, they just have to create a place for them to shine.
