Jo Pritchard - Melbourne Museum

Melbourne Museum's senior communications designer Jo Pritchard was a keynote speaker at 2013 the 3rd Tsinghua Summit Conference on Design Promotion in Beijau China on Saturday November 16th 2013.

Jo Pritchard - Melbourne Museum

Australian Design - Silvan Redline Spotpak 55L

Designed in Australia the Silvan 55L Redline Spotpak sprayer was released on September 1st.

Industrial designer Ian Wong with the new Silvan Selecta 55L Redline Spotpak sprayer.

Designed by consultant industrial designer Ian Wong from EJO Design the Redline series is a new product range that will be manufactured in China for global distribution.

Silvan Super Spring Catalogue launches the new 55L Redline Spotpak sprayer.

Industrial designer Ian Wong inspects off tool samples in China prior to production.

Silvan 55L Redline Spotpak sprayer designed in Australia.

1:1 foam model of lid spill containment feature.

Australian Design - The Silvan 55L Redline Spotpak sprayer designed by industrial designer Ian Wong

RMIT Open Day - Ergo man 1982

RMIT University Open Day in 1980 was where I first discovered industrial design. The display of renderings and concept sketches of design projects convinced a maths science kid with a passion for art and creativity that industrial design was the career for him. It has been my passion since that Sunday in August 1980.

In 1982 when asked to contribute to Open Day by Elivio Bonollo I was keen to do my bit to foster interest in industrial design amongst Open Day visitors. Working with fellow first year industrial design students Malte Wagenfeld, Denis Smitka, Jack Magree, Xavier Segafredo, and Jamie Nance we not only had great fun but the 'ergo man' was a feature in publicity for the the 1982 Open Day. The article below was published in 'The Sun' August 1982. 

Jack Magree is a director of leading industrial design consultancy CobaltNiche with fellow RMIT alumnus Steven Martinuzzo. Malte, Denis and myself are now senior academics at each of the universities in Victoria with industrial design programs; Malte Wagenfeld at RMIT University, Denis Smitka at Swinburne Univerity and myself at Monash University.

Open Day 1982 promotion, the huge Ergo Man, by RMIT Industrial Design students Malte Wagenfeld, Denis Smitka, Jack Magree, Xavier Segafredo, and Ian Wong.  

RMIT Mace - Australian survey 1854-2012.

Australiana magazine has recently published, over two issues, a comprehensive survey by Christine Erratt  - Ceremonial maces of Australian universities. The survey chronologically covers each mace beginning in 1854 with the University of Sydney and providing details of the yet to be completed Charles Darwin University. RMIT alumni dominate the list of designers with Stuart Devlin ( Melbourne University and La Trobe University) Helmut Luekenhausen (Swinburne University) Ray Stebbins (Victoria University) and Ian Wong (RMIT University) all receiving commissions.   

RMIT University ceremonial mace designed by industrial designer Ian Wong

Ceremonial maces of Australian universities article in Australiana magazine by Christine Erratt

Ceremonial maces designed by RMIT alumni Ian Wong, Ray Stebbins and Helmut Luekenhausen shown in article in Australiana magazine.

Melbourne University mace designed by RMIT alumnus Stuart Devlin AO. 1966

LaTrobe University mace designed by Stuart Devlin. 1969

http://lueckenhausen.com

IMAGES BY CHRISTINE ERRATT

www.parkerpressbooks.com.au

Michele de Lucchi - Milan Design Week

I was fortunate to be invited to attend the Domus Academy Winter School at RMIT in the early 1990s and even more fortunate to have Michele de Lucchi as a tutor. The exhibition Sampete Com'e - You know how it is in Ventura Lambrate featuring his work was a must see whilst trying the impossible, to see all that is on show, during the Design Week in Milan.

Michele de Lucchi - exhibition Sampete Com'e - You know how it is 

Milan Design Week 2012.

Domus Academy Winter School presentation by industrial designer Ian Wong to Michele de Lucchi and Adrea Branzi. 1991.

DQ Magazine - Open Forum

The recent issue of DQ magazine #44 featured Design Institute of Australia Victorian Branch Councillors James Harper, Clare Beale, and Ian Wong in the Open Forum.

What do you feel the next decade holds for design and society, and how do we stay at the forefront of this?

DQ magazine #44 Open Forum with James Harper, Clare Beale, and Ian Wong

TEXT FROM DQ Magazine #44

Ian Wong
Director, ejo
Design Education Practice Group coordinator – DIA Victoria

The next decade provides exciting opportunities for industrial designers. Blogging and social media today demonstrate how ideas can be instantly shared through smart phones and how truly global or local our impact as designers can be.

Australian designed products can find large and instant local or global markets and digital manufacture will see more products made in the neighbourhood or home. Additive manufacturing technology and digital 3D printers with multiple materials will enable complex items to be manufactured from hybrids of metal/plastic/organic etcetera.

Concepts like growing objects are more feasible. Organic products that serve seasonally like fruit or leaves may evolve. Product design is migrating away from the professional to the customer so we are likely to see more applications that provide the product design to your own specifications. Facilities, like the Advanced Manufacturing Precinct at RMIT University in Melbourne, and the cross discipline collaboration possible through their Design Hub will see us remain at the forefront regionally and globally.

http://designquarterly.com.au

Silvan New Zealand - PasturePak

New Zealand has a lot of sheep and a lot of cows that eat a huge amount of pasture. The Silvan 600L and 800L PasturePak linkage sprayers are ideal for New Zealand farming applications and in particular for the maintenance of quality pasture.

The current PasturePak was designed whilst I was design manager at Outerspace Design with the team including Simon Kooymans.

Silvan PasturePak linkage sprayer.

RMIT alumnus industrial designer Ian Wong pictured at Silvan dealer in Taumarunui, New Zealand with the PasturePak linkage sprayer. Silvan Australia exports a comprehensive range of products designed in Victoria by Mr Wong.

Australian designed Silvan PasturePak linkage sprayer.

Designed by ejo design in 2007 the website for Silvan New Zealand featured the 50 litre SpotPak, the 400 litre DieselPak, and the 600 litre PasturePak designed by industrial designer Ian Wong.

Christmas Markets - Jim Samartgis

Sunday Markets at Fed Square over the past two weekends have showcased a lot of local design and craft, with several items under our tree as a result. This luchbox designed in 1994 by industrial designer Jim Samartgis has found a new life as a cash box for a stall holder and was full of all our Christmas pennies. I was working with Jim on the edp Powerladder Series 2 around the time he designed this product range for TREND Australia.

Trend luchbox designed by Jim Samartgis.

Design registration drawing for lunchbox base designed by industrial designer Jim Samartgis.

Design registration drawings for lunchbox lid designed by industrial designer Jim Samartgis.

Concept sketch by Jim Samartgis for edp Series 2 Powerladder.

edp Powerladder Series 2 development by ejo. Industrial designers Jim Samartgis and Ian Wong.

RMIT Mace - RMIT Graduation Ceremony

The exhibition is over, results are in and so students and their families will soon attend the RMIT Graduation Ceremony. It was an honour in 1992 to have the opportunity to design the mace for RMIT University.

RMIT Mace designed by industrial designer Ian Wong in 1992.

RMIT Ceremonial Mace designed by Ian Wong in 1992. 

Talking Design - Steven Crafti

Talking Design is an itunes podcast series aiming to review design in all its facets - from architecture to industrial design, from fashion to automotive design.

Talking Design is produced by experienced writer Stephen Crafti and sponsored by RMIT.

Mr Crafti writes regularly on design for publications including The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Australian Financial Review, as well Indesign and Habitus magazines. He has also written more than 30 books on architecture and design.

"I'm interested in speaking to a host of designers from a broad range of design disciplines," Mr Crafti said.

"There are so many connections between the various design areas.

"RMIT is renowned as a global university of technology and design and this new podcast series is a perfect fit with the University's expertise."

Talking Design follows the successful launch of the Talking Business podcast series last year, sponsored by RMIT's College of Business.

Link to RMIT Talking Design Here.

Ian Wong

Robert Simeoni

Nixon, Tulloch and Fortey

Jarrod Haberfield

Michael Howard

Melanie Katsalidis

Chris Rack

Amy Muir

Johanna Preston

Suzanne Davies

Andrew Parr

Piero Gesualdi

Debbie Ryan

Stewart Russell

Professor Margaret Gardner

Tim O’Sullivan and Sioux Clark

Robyn Healy

Roger Leong

Sherlock Kids Wheelbarrow - Sand pit project

A sand pit project is often the term for a pet project, something pie in the sky that you don't expect will end up in production. It is where you might play as a designer.

The brief to design a high quality children's wheelbarrow for Australia's premium wheel barrow brand SHERLOCK was never a sand pit project.....it just had to end up there. Designing quality products for children's play and in particular outdoor play is particularly rewarding.

Silvan Australia CEO Michael Tricarico's brief to EJO design was to provide concepts for a premium children's wheelbarrow with innovative features and as a build your own experience for parents or grandparents. Features evolved like the easy grab handle that doubles as a hanging point and the front bumper that protects interior walls and is a foot so unit can be stored against a wall preserving floor space. Fasteners and assembly details were developed to ensure Santa would not be up all night Xmas night.

This project also assisted RMIT industrial design students to see an industry based project from concept to production with early concept sketches, mockup and prototypes shared with students as the project evolved.

The Sherlock kids wheel barrow has arrived for Xmas 2011.

AVAILABLE ON EBAY NOW FOR XMAS

Sherlock Kids wheelbarrow.

Sherlock Kids wheelbarrow designed by industrial designer Ian Wong

Catalogue product release for Sherlock kids wheelbarrow.

CAD render of early concept shared with RMIT students during product development.

Early 1:1 mockups to test ergonomics and proportions. Students at RMIT industrial design observed design practice first hand.

Assembly/Knock down kit details explored.

9/11 - Working in Outerspace

Today we are all reflecting on where we were and what we were doing when the World Trade Centre was attacked in 2001. I was working in Outerspace, well more accurately working back late at Outerspace Design Group on a project deadline with senior designer Paul Taylor. If I recall correctly we were working on prototype refinements for the neuroview brain scanning helmet. I had my mobile phone off and my partner rang the office several times as the events unfolded, eventually, and at the time reluctantly I left work, and at home we watched the footage of the towers collapsing into the early morning.

Ejo developed and project managed the batch production of the first commercial installations of this brain scanning technology for London, New York and Melbourne labs in 2000. When at OSDG in 2001 we were working on product refinements for future models. The eeg electrodes detailed at that time are still used in Neuro Insight equipment featured in the video below. This technology and its application in advertising was featured on a recent episode of the Gruen Tranfer.




Neuro marketing featured on Gruen Transfer.



Neuro Insight technology developed in Melbourne.

Top 5X5 - Design Institute of Australia Event

Top 5x5 – Colour presented 5 design luminaries talking about a colour of their choice and how it has been used in their work and that of other designers.

Design Institute of Australia Top 5X5 colour presenters. Above; Michaela Webb, Beci Orphin, Ian Wong, Debbie Ryan, and Pascale Gomes-McNabb. Below Debbie Ryan presenting 'Red' to a capacity crowd at Zenith.

Debbie Lyn Ryan is a principal of McBride Charles Ryan, one of Australia's most respected and Internationally acclaimed Architectural Practices.  Her award winning projects include Klein Bottle House, Letterbox House, Fitzroy High School and Monaco House. Debbie presented the colour Red.

Pascale Gomes-McNabb is the creative force behind iconic Melbourne restaurants Cumulus Inc and Cutler & Co.  With a background in Architecture and Hospitality, she has dramatically influenced the new Melbourne dining experience. Pascale presented the 'all or nothing' colour Black.

Ian Wong is an industrial designer, educator and researcher.  He is passionate about the halcyon days of Australian household product design in the 1970's and an avid collector. Ian's choice of colour was therefore none other than Orange.

Michaela Webb is Creative Director of one of Melbourne's most exciting design companies; Round.  Her graphic led, holistic approach has helped to reinvent Bendigo Art Gallery and launched dozens of successful events, venues and projects. Rather than any old blue, Michaela's presentation focused specifically on Yves Klein Blue.

Beci Orpin is a textile designer, fashion designer and illustrator who leaves no colour unturned.  Her joyous illustrations, which grace practically everything from credit cards to trucks have established her as one of Melbourne's favourite designers. From a wide range of candidates, Beci presented the colour Yellow.

Dulux Top 5x5 fandeck produced exclusively for the 5X5 Color event. Presenters Debbie Lyn Ryan, Pascale Gomes-McNabb, Ian Wong, Michaelea Webb, and Beci Orphin

Dulux 5X5 page here.

Studio Round invite designed for Design Institute of Australia 5X5 Color event as part of the State of Design Festival 2011.

State of Design review "Write on Design" by Virginia Mannering here.

Melbourne Review TOP 5X5 Story here.

Picking winners - edp powerladders

A simple orange metal ladder designed as a stable and portable work platform, in Victoria's Goulburn Valley, was the first successful product by edp of Mooroopna. The company evolved to design, manufacture and export world class fruit picking, sorting and bagging machines. The Powerladder released in 1980, redesigned by Ian Wong and Jim Samartgis in 1987 and again by ejo in 1997 continues to be the industry standard and has sales of over $20 million.

Original edp picking ladder manufactured by E. D. Parsons Engineering in Mooroopna from 1950 to 2005. Fruit provided to SPC for world export was largely picked by hand on these ladders up until the 1980s.

edp Powerladder Series 2 designed by industrial designers Ian Wong and Jim Samartgis in 1997

Australian innovation the edp Powerladder series 3 designed by industrial designer Ian Wong.

edp Powerladder series 3 designed by industrial designer Ian Wong in 2007

Promotional video of the edp Series 3 Powerladder with crab steer.

As cold as ice - Icetrek Sled

In 1998-99 Eric Phillips skied to the South Pole with Jon Muir and Peter Hillary (Son of Sir Edmond Hillary). The expedition of 1425 km and 84 days started from Ross Island and pioneered a new route up the Shackleton Glacier. This expedition was significantly supported by RMIT research and design innovation in the form of the innovative twin wall Icetrek Sled designed by industrial designer Ian Wong and aerospace engineer Lachlan Thompson. Sleds were designed and manufactured for this expedition and purchased by the Australian Antarctic Division where they are used with ATV's. I remember during the extensive testing, dropping a bowling ball on to off tool samples, at -40 degrees, in the Nestle icecream factory in Clayton. The parts shattered into a million pieces - take two - linear low density cross linked material which worked a treat. I will never forget it!

Polar explorer Eric Phillips.

John Muir, Eric Phillips, Peter Hillary at Scott Base pictured with the RMIT Icetrek Sled designed by industrial designer Ian Wong and aerospace engineer Lachlan Thompson.

RMIT Icetrek sled, Antarctica, 1998

http://www.icetrek.com

Rural beginning - Seeding a career.

The Alfarm Air Seeder was in the beginning just a design project for me as a young designer at John Westwood Design Group, with a Job No, a Job Bag and a line on my timesheet each week. I related to the job because I had grown up in Shepparton on 18 acres and I really enjoyed seeing my concept through to prototype and production, but it was one of many projects in the office. This project however ultimately lead to a long career for me working for Silvan Australia, edp, and other Australian manufacturers in the agricultural machinery sector. Ejo began at this time and it was whilst visiting an agricultural machinery Field Day to view the first production Alfarm air seeders that I met and spoke to staff on the Silvan stand and so began my twenty plus year career designing agricultural machinery. My first project for Silvan was the 200 Litre Truck Pak. (see previous post)

Alfarm air seeder concept rendering by industrial designer Ian Wong, 1988. 

Note 80's background technique in the shape of the Alfarm logo. John Westwood and Mario Matkovich at JWDA were Philips trained industrial designers and passed on many rendering techniques.

Industrial designer Ian Wong with the classic 200 litre TrukPak designed in 1989 and the DieselPak 400L and DieselPak 100L for Silvan Australia.  

Willow - IceBrick

The Willow IceBrick by industrial designer David Flynn.

David Flynn sketch and CAD development of Willow Ice brick 2009.

EJO worked with industrial designer David Flynn on the development of the new mini, medium and large Willow Ice Bricks. 

Fries with that - Drive through menus

I didn't think making a CAD model of one of the world's most recognisable logos would be the result of Des Harris's 1985 Computer Aided Drawing class. Using the latest Macintosh IIe it took several weeks to produce a 2D floor plan of Building 2 I recall. The recent EJO project involved documenting and providing tooling files for sign construction which then developed into a project for the drive-through and in-store menu boards. This second stage was a collaboration with product design engineer Ross Williams who I first worked with in 1988 at John Westwood Design Associates in the Box Hill office. Jack Magree (who I think may have also done Des's CAD assignment) Steve Martinuzzo, Mario Matkovich and Phillip Slattery all worked with John Westwood at JWDA.

3D CAD data created and supplied for McDonald's golden arches signage by EJO

McDonald's drive-through and in-store menus designed by EJO

Mac IIe computers used in RMIT industrial design program in 1985.