The Engine of The New New Zealand

Doing the World's Dirty Dishes

Mark Elmore used his industrial design skills to help turn a common appliance - the dishwasher - into the DishDrawer, a global phenomenon.

Mark Elmore's industrial design team is charged with making people's lives easier. Their philosophy of 'design first' turned a common appliance into a beautiful, desirable and useful object, and the DishDrawer into a global phenomenon.

Now sold in 27 countries, it has brought in millions of dollars to the New Zealand economy, created jobs and ultimately, allowed Fisher & Paykel to stay in New Zealand - today they are the only New Zealand-based whiteware appliance manufacturer.

Dishes break the mould

How being in New Zealand gave Mark Elmore and his industrial design team an advantage – how they thought about things differently, and ended up saving the New Zealand whiteware industry.

What is Industrial Design?

Designing Your World

Before the vacuum cleaner was invented, people just used brooms and shook their mat out on their neighbour’s washing; before microwaves, we just had ovens that meant you had to wait an hour for your meal even if you didn’t get home until 7pm; before the iPhone we had huge clunky mobile phones that were the size of about a dozen bricks, and weighed as much… well, you get the picture.

Being an industrial designer is about identifying problems you didn’t know you had, and making life easier, often taking new technology and presenting it with improved design and functionality. It’s about taking a totally different look at life.

In the DishDrawer Mark Elmore and the team at Fisher & Paykel created a pretty awesome household appliance. The little melody when you pull the drawer open is worth having it, alone. There’s lots more where that came from too – including a refrigerated drawer, and a retractable gas hob oven…

Industrial design is not just about household appliances though. Almost everything we use and own, down to the mug you drink your tea out of, was designed by someone, and usually an industrial designer. I give you the iPod, the kitchen whizz, the calculator, the electric razor, Grampa’s reclining chair… all likely designed by industrial designers.

We already know we’re a creative lot here in Aotearoa, but we’re also good at thinking outside the square. We look in our own backyards and then beyond for inspiration and improvement opportunities and then bring the fruits (better known as: the good stuff) of our labour home again just in time to show the world. Some inspired ideas to come out of New Zealand include The Bungy, The Zorb (we’re sensing a theme, here), eggbeaters, hairpins and even the referee whistle! You could say we’re just a big bunch of practical thrill seekers (er, and whistle-blowers?).

No matter how good your idea is, good design is vital to business success, just ask Mark Elmore. Fisher & Paykel’s global success can be put down to a great design, implemented well.

Mark Elmore

Head of Industrial Design at Fisher & Paykel

Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design)
Massey University 1992

John Britten Black Pin Award

Mark Elmore

Head of Industrial Design at Fisher & Paykel

Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design)
Massey University 1992

John Britten Black Pin Award

Find out more about industrial design

You can do it too.

If you want to follow in Mark’s footsteps or just want to learn more about what he does all day, check out our Area of Interest page for Industrial Design.

There you’ll learn more relating to what Industrial Design is really all about, what kinds of careers you can get in that field, and how Massey University can help you get started down that path – just like Mark.