Art and Design
What careers are available in Art and Design?
- Fashion design
- Fine Arts
- Industrial Design
- Photography
- Spatial design
- Visual Communication Design
- Other art and design
- Take The Next Steps Here
Industrial Design
Do you have a bit of a flair for design? Quite keen on taking things apart and creating your own version?
William Morris, a 19th century philosopher and artist said “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.
Industrial designers aim to create items that are both.
What that means is that you’ll need a mix of creativity and “practical-ness” to become an industrial designer. It’s a fun, interesting career where you could get to design anything from chairs, computers and toasters, to parts for manufacturing and whiteware.
Find out more about what career you might have, and how to do it too.
*Design above is J Hockening’s Underwater Hockey Glove (2008)
Industrial Design
Do you have a bit of a flair for design? Quite keen on taking things apart and creating your own version?
William Morris, a 19th century philosopher and artist said “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.
Industrial designers aim to create items that are both.
What that means is that you’ll need a mix of creativity and “practical-ness” to become an industrial designer. It’s a fun, interesting career where you could get to design anything from chairs, computers and toasters, to parts for manufacturing and whiteware.
Find out more about what career you might have, and how to do it too.
*Design above is J Hockening's Underwater Hockey Glove (2008)
Why industrial design is awesome
What career will I have?
Industrial Design graduates typically start their careers employed as design assistants or junior designers and progress through to senior or management positions in both the private and government sectors or manufacturing and construction industries.
Some work as design consultants both in New Zealand and overseas. Graduates may also continue on to postgraduate studies to further develop their design abilities, knowledge and research skills and interests.
Designing hockey masks, shoes, global award-winning furniture, fire hose nozzles – Massey graduates have gone on to do great things
How you can do it too
Know how, can do
Do you look at the details of the world around you – not just the bigger picture? When you use a kitchen utensil like a pair of tongs do you wonder what goes into making them, or think, when they spring open of their own accord, ‘I could come up with a better design than this!’
Studying industrial design will mean you can!
If you created your own toys to play with out of nothing more than a few bits and bobs, you pay attention to how things work, you fancy yourself as an ideas wo/man and you’re interested in making life easier for people from a practical point of view, then you’d probably make a pretty good industrial designer. If you’re already pretty good with a pencil (ok, or design software, smarty pants) and you think outside the square – you’re more than halfway there.
There are no set subjects you have to take at school, but we recommend you take something like Design, Visual Art, or Visual Imaging that includes drawing to help you with your entry portfolio. Do well in your other subjects too, since entry is competitive.
Engineers also work on developing new products, but Mark Elmore, head of industrial design at Fisher and Paykel says there are some key differences between the development of products by industrial designers and engineers. It’s about caring about both people and design and making sure the two work together.
You can major in Industrial Design as part of The Bachelor of Design (BDes). The degree is offered on Massey’s Wellington campus at the College of Creative Arts.
Find out what it is like to study industrial design at Massey and what skills you need to develop to be a great industrial designer.
Get in touch with us if you have more questions.
Amazing New Zealanders doing it already
Massey grads are everywhere…making their mark in New Zealand, and around the world.
Mark Elmore – is head of Industrial Design at Fisher and Paykel and was behind the invention of the DishDrawer, a global first.
Mark Pennington is world-renowned for his work in furniture. His ergonomic ‘Life’ chair, produced through his company Formway Furniture, was a global success.
Andreas Harlow. Andreas is head of the NikeID section of Nike. He heads the team of people that run the NikeID section of Nike.
Annabel Goslin is an industrial designer with New Zealand company Unlimited Realities, where she helps develop applications for consumer software. In her spare time she works as a contractor for New Zealand field hockey equipment manufacturer OBO, developing their new range of field hockey goalie gear.
She has won two International Red Dot awards. The first for an all-purpose sports rain jacket, the second for a protective hockey mask called The Guardian (her entry was one of more than 12,000 from 60 countries).
Massey industrial design students make their mark
Why Massey?
Lamp design and construction project by a current entry-level industrial design student at Massey.
Massey’s Industrial Design school is one of the best in the world.
In 2012, the international Red Dot organisation ranked Massey 12th in the Asia Pacific region for design concept – the only New Zealand or Australian design school to be so recognised.
The Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) from Massey will give you all you need to be a sought-after employee in this field. Employers recognise that your degree from Massey means you are innovative and have the skills and knowledge to explore new materials and processes, new ways of designing and how to propose new technologies and ideas in a practical way. You’ll also gain an understanding of socio-cultural and environmental needs both here and internationally.
The industrial design programme at Massey gives you the tools to learn how to arrive at design solutions, and then create models and prototypes to a professional level. Your learning is hands-on, studio-project based and you’ll research and design items from tools, jewellery, and kitchenware to sporting goods, agricultural equipment and furniture.
Along with designing a fantastic product and concept, it’s important (especially later on when you enter the job market!) to ensure the public – your audience – will be receptive. This is where a Bachelor of Design (Hons) (Industrial Design) (BDes) from Massey will give you the edge. As well as flexing your creative muscle, a BDes also includes an emphasis on the business tools that you’ll need to be able to effectively produce, market and sell your product. The knowledge and skills you’ll gain are essential for business success.