Jonathan Ive (Long post)

Jonathan Ive
Product Designer



Jonathan Ive, the mastermind behind the design on Apple essentially possesses my dream job as the head of Apple Industrial Design group. Ive was born in 1967 in Chingford England (wikipedia.com). From a young age, Ive posessed an interest in products and objects, always wanting to take them apart and see their form and how they were made. It wasn't until around age 13 that Ive was certain that he wanted to be able to go into designing things, although he was interested in designing everything and anything (cars, boats, products, furniture...) Ive went on to study Art and Design at Newcastle Polytechnic where he learned the basics of color and shape design [http://designmuseum.org/design/jonathan-ive].

Even before graduating from Newcastle, Ive began making a name for himself in English design circles for his perfectionist approach, creating many, many prototypes in order to find the perfect solution that could "tap into the products emotion" (http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_39/b4002414.htm). As a student, Ive even won the Royal Society of Arts's student award in design TWICE.
After graduating, Ive took a job at Tangerine, a design consultant where he worked on a multitude of products, where his work could be diversified and always changing, although his work in England was not always appreciated.

In 1992 he was brought to Cupertino to work for Apple full time. From there is when he made his greatest contributions(http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_39/b4002414.htm). While Ive had enjoyed the ability to design many different types of products, working in a design consultant firm was difficult for Ive because he never desired to be the salesperson having to constantly pitch his ideas to companies who were unwilling to innovate because most of the company's critical decisions were made before the designer was even involved. When Ive accepted the Apple job he would be able to be within a company that would allow for more access and influence on the inside. While when Ive was first brought to Apple it was on the decline, soon after Jobs would return in 1997 would design and technology truly make an impact with Jobs and Ive at the helm (wikipedia.com). It was then when Ive would receive the title of Vice-President of Design at Apple, at only 29 years of age (http://www.fastcompany.com/100/2009/jonathan-ive). After Ive's appointment, Apple began launching their new products including the colorful iMacs, successfully selling 2 million in their first year. Since the iMacs, more products would be released including the iBook, 22" cinema display and the PowerBook line of notebook computers. Most notably in these few years between 1998 and 2003, the iPod portable MP3 player would be released (2001) marking the end of Apple's decline (http://designmuseum.org/design/jonathan-ive).


Ive's efforts as a designer would not go unnoticed as he garnered the attention of many with his sleek designs. In 2002 he won the first Design Museum's designer of the Year (and went on to win it 2003 as well)(wikipedia.com). Ive also was awarded the title of CBE (Commander of the British Empire) in 2006, as the Queen of England herself owned an iPod as of
2005 (wikipedia.com).

Ive works with the tight-knit, yet well equipped design group of Apple known for their sleek and technologically relevant products. With Jobs' declining health, it is speculated that someone such as Ive would be the likely successor as someone who appreciates perfection, technology and design, which is where Apple's core design values lie. While Ive has had his hand in many of the recent defining technology of our generation I'd hardly believe that he's anywhere close to being done. Jonathan Ive better clear off his shelf of awards and honorary degrees that have stemmed from his involvement with breakthrough products such as the iPhone, the iMac, and the 300 patents that bare his name (wikipedia.com). These many patents include docking, display, keyboards, and other mechanisms involved with the production of Apple's products including the iPod (http://www.patentgenius.com/inventedby/IveJonathanPSanFranciscoCA.html).

Jonathan resides in Twin Peaks (section of San Francisco) with his wife, Heather (a historian) and his twin children. He lives a simple life in a usual black shirt uniform a la Steve Jobs, though drives an Aston Martin (wikipedia.com). His future looks bright as the potential sucessor of Steve Jobs as Apple's CEO as he possesses the understanding of both the technology and the art necessary for apple's success.


photo credits:
http://kyleabaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/clamshell_ibook_ad.jpg
http://cupojoe.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/firstipod.jpg
http://www.justanothermobilemonday.com/Wordpress/wp-content/uploads//2010/05/imac_1998.jpg
http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/photos/uncategorized/2008/10/01/iphone5.jpg

Daniel Libeskind

Daniel Libeskind: Architect

While Walking through the Architecture library, this name popped out at me, mostly because I know this person, or at least someone with the same name...

Daniel Libeskind was the son of Jewish holocaust survivors in Poland. A child prodigy at the accordion, he became a virtuoso performer and subsequently moved to the United States. Although being extremely gifted in music, Libeskind decided to pursue architecture instead [http://www.e-architect.co.uk/architects/daniel_libeskind.htm].
He studied at the Cooper Union in New York for his professional architecture degree (wikipedia.com). In 1972 he was hired to work for Peter Eisenman's New York Institute, but quit nearly immediately, althoguh he had steady work previously working under Richard Meier(wikipedia.com). For Libeskind's honeymoon he and his wife and future business partner, spent the time visiting the Frank Lloyd Wright buildings across the US which can only speak to the respect that he has for Wright's work (wikipedia.com). Libeskind built his first building at age 52, although he had taught and had been an architecture theorist for several years (wikipedia.com). This first building project was the Feliz Nussbaum Haus in 1998 (http://www.daniel-libeskind.com/projects/show-all/). Libeskind had other potential projects, like a project in Berlin that was then halted because of the falling of the Berlin Wall (wikipedia.com). The Jewish Museum in Berlin was Libeskind's first major success (wikipedia.com).
Since, Libeskind's design studio has been hard at work in dozens of projects. Most notable in the recent past was libeskind's appointment to lead the construction of the 9/11 memorial at ground zero entitled "Memory Foundations" (http://www.daniel-libeskind.com/projects/show-all/memory-foundations). This project includes several buildings that will encompass the footprints of the former towers with a memorial and museum featured as well. Libeskind will be collaborating with fellow architects Michael Arad and Peter Walker on their proposal of "Reflecting Absence." Libeskind was personally responsible for the design of the Freedom tower portion of the 9/11 memorial that is slated for completion in 2011. Libeskinds work has achieved much critical acclaim and he has garnered several design awards as well as honorary degrees. Libeskind's studio, established in Berlin, Germany in 1989, now resides in New York, just blocks away from ground zero (http://www.daniel-libeskind.com/studio/studio-bio/). At Libeskind's studio he oversees ~40 projects worldwide at any given time (wikipedia.com). While I haven't heard much about Daniel Libeskind before, I'm sure that many more will hear about him when the memorial is to be finished within the next few years (http://www.daniel-libeskind.com/ says 2013, others say 2011).





Photo credit:
http://www.trueknowledge.com/q/facts_about__1_world_trade_center

Norman Stuart Craig

Norman Stuart Craig
-Harry Potter set designer

After perusing the architecture library and not finding something that I wanted to research much, I did a little digging on the internet and uncovered Norman Stuart Craig (just goes by Stuart Craig) who was the production designer for all of the Harry Potter movies (as well as a few others (The Secret Garden, Gandhi, Notting Hill, and The English Patient) (Internet Movie Database). Although he's won 3 academy awards, he's been nominated 8 times! (imdb.com)

From his work with the Harry Potter franchise (including the theme park), he has accrued many awards and accolades including Academy awards, BAFTAs and an OBE (a royal honor). Craig came from a small british town where he was expected to grow up and work for the local insurance company. Instead of following the well-worn path, he was inspired to pursue something else when he was complimented for his painting of a school-play's set. When designing a set, Craig will ask the director what he or she would like to see in the scene rather than limit himself to the fact that a scene takes place in a non-descript room (http://www.angelfire.com/mi3/cookarama/craig.html). Throughout the franchise, Craig has put his efforts in making sure that each detail is well sorted, as there are many objects and aspects of the scenery/props that are not seen for long enough to be truly appreciated, like the details gone into the golden snitch or the Weasley clock. (http://www.snitchseeker.com/harry-potter-news/stuart-craig-cried-watching-snapes-death-filming-for-deathly-hallows-71172/)
When the Harry Potter theme park was slated to be produced, J.K. Rowling specifically asked for Craig to continue the wonderful work that he had done in the movies and how it mirrored how she imagined the wizarding world. (http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Stuart_Craig).
Stuart's first film where he's credited as the production designer was in 1980, although he has been credited as early back as 1972 as an Art Director making his career a well-respected 39 years long (imdb.com).