Amongst key issues that dictate how we’ll arrange our homes in the future then space management and communication stand out for me. Within less space, the distinction between something that is pleasant or uncomfortable will be even more pronounced. As we won’t want to alter the quality of our lives, it is important that design continues to improve the way we feel. Sensual experiences will not only be necessary, but they will become even more important as space becomes of greater premium. Read the rest of this entry »
Every year, Electrolux Design Lab invites industrial design students to present innovative ideas for appliances of the future. This global competition attracts creative and lateral approaches to design challenges and has drawn thousands of entries since its inception in 2003. A prerequisite for any concept considered for progression, is an adherence to sustainable principles.
Previous finalists have included a portable solar cooker charged by its spray-on solar cells, a clothes washer where natural soap nuts replace detergents and a cooker that creates the night’s salmon dinner from a packet of genetically engineered muscle cells, oxygen, and nutrients.
The popularity of Electrolux Design Lab stems from a potential internship and learning opportunities awarded its finalists. For Electrolux, its dialogue and ideas are a springboard to thinking beyond current solutions to addressing challenges consumers face tomorrow.
In the short term, future generations of appliances will appear much the same as those found in our kitchens and laundry rooms today, however more intuitive, more energy-efficient and material-homogenous. Beyond individual appliances, we are thinking of the sustainable home, which is an integrated network where the waste from one product rejuvenates the function of another. The leftovers from yesterday’s dinner composts into fuel for the gas stove, water for the washing machine is heated by the district heating system, and heat output from refrigerators and other electrical goods is captured and piped to a place where it keeps occupants warm on a chilly night. In mega-cities where space is tight, we see how individual needs can be served by shared appliances, like on-demand laundry services and compartment freezers for apartment buildings—resource savers that consume a fraction of the energy of today’s solutions.
At Electrolux, we see sustainable design’s future as a culmination of the visual and interactive experience one enjoys when using a product, whilst simultaneously allowing us to make a change for the better. In the age of the conversation, designers are now better placed than ever to take this forward in tandem with consumers.
One particular conversation is also to be had with the suppliers of raw materials. Our foremost challenge in a world where population and economies are growing exponentially is to continually reduce the impacts of our products while guiding the consumer on how to make further sustainability choices.
In a push to Electrolux suppliers, we have highlighted the shortage of quality recycled plastic that can be used to manufacture products, whilst concurrently showing our concern with the amount of plastic that pollutes the environment. This is illustrated by our Vac from the Sea campaign which has seen Electrolux use plastic waste in the production of vacuum cleaners. Surely there is a permanent bridge that can be built to banish such discrepancies. Watch the Vac from Sea Video at Despoke TV
Since joining Electrolux in November 2004 Henrik Otto has embarked on a mission to make design one of the forces that powers the evolution of Electrolux into a leading global appliance brand. Henrik Otto’s vision is that Electrolux shall be the industry shaper.
Currently, Henrik Otto heads up one of the most significant appliance design teams in the world – an organization of more than 100 designers in seven countries on four continents. He oversees and directs the design process for more than 30 product lines in the kitchen, floor care and professional categories.
Henrik Otto began his design career at Swedish-based automotive giant Volvo Car Corporation, where he rose to Vice President of Design before joining Electrolux. Over the course of his 20 years in the profession, Otto has been awarded countless design accolades and peer acclaim.
At Electrolux, Henrik Otto has been driving the company’s latest design initiatives to a new level, with involvement in projects as the company’s leading design coach. These include Ergorapido (known as Pronto in North America), a cordless 2-in-1 combination lightweight stick vacuum with a detachable hand-held unit for instant cleaning; War on White, a campaign focused on working actively with the fashion and interior design industry to evaluate the introduction of patterned and coloured appliances, and the company’s new Global Design offering; introducing an entirely new design vision behind all major appliances produced in Europe, and soon, in other geographies.
Henrik Otto believes that good design is opinion making and that bland design is meaningless. No one shall be unmoved by the products and there should be a story behind every product. Products should deliver form, functionality and be customer friendly. As a part of Electrolux global brand strategy, Henrik Otto believes that, design should make consumers all over the world recognize Electrolux products.
Henrik Otto is the Senior Vice President Global Design Electrolux
Born in 1964, Henrik graduated from University of Gothenburg in 1990 with a MFA in industrial design. Prior to joining Electrolux as Senior Vice President of Global Design in 2004, Henrik was Vice President of Design for Volvo Car Corporation responsible for the Volvo S40/V50 models.
Henrik’s design approach is “Thoughtful Design”. It’s based on creating intuitive, innovative products attuned to the way people live. Under his leadership, Electrolux has won numerous leading design awards, including several red dot and iF design awards.
