EQ3 is a Winnipeg based company under the Palliser umbrella whose mission is to bring affordable modern design to the masses. Oft compared to Ikea their designs offer a clean unified aesthetic and are priced somewhat reasonably. The company is a well-oiled machine that runs smoothly thanks in large part to its integrated staff and close-knit design team. It was interesting to see what working for a large company would feel like and to see the gives and takes that occur when designing for the masses.
Recently our class went to their head offices to hear what their design team had to say. The presentation began with an overview of the EQ3 brand, mission statement expansion plans ect. Although already making a splash in Canada and overseas, EQ3 is still a very young company, only 7 years old. Based on EQ3 founder Peter Tielmann’s philosophy that modern design should be available inexpensively EQ3 designs for a certain demographic of trend conscious young professionals.
Tielmann seems to be focused on creating a more beautiful world whilst at the same time operating a profitable business. A lesson that, as design students, is important to learn. The design team cited the pressures of getting their designs manufactured cheaply and efficiently as their biggest constraint, which often means abandoning parts of a design, or their design as an entirely. I think that this is really important for us to understand, feasibility of the design can be more significant than the design itself. The challenge then becomes creating designs that are inspirational and beautiful whilst at the same time allow for ease of production.
The designers’ comments also helped to contextualize the importance of designing with a green lens. Most some of the manufacturing processes and materials used to create their products did not seem to be the most ecologically sound however, when pressed with a question on the matter - by bog group member Ms. Lindsey Weller - the design team passionately re-enforced the importance of green design. EQ3 has recognized that not only is designing with the concepts of ecology in mind important for the general progression of our environment but, perhaps more importantly, it sells. As I have bogged before we are seeing a huge interests in the environment and all creative fields are finding ways to incorporate principals of ecology and sustainability into their designs. EQ3 is no exception and has research and development teams working on finding more sustainable ways to manufacture their goods.
Although EQ3 does seem to be showing a commendable interest in converting some of their manufacturing processes into more eco-conscious alternatives, we are heading into a recession and the challenge of bridging the gap between green design and inexpensive design may become quite challenging. I think that this is something that, as potential designers, emphasizes the importance of making it our own prerogative to design products that can be manufactured easily and inexpensively.
When we took a tour of their factory, there were minimal amounts of workers and hundreds upon hundreds of boxes of product, a clear implication that much of their product is produced overseas. In fact, I believe that custom upholstery is compiles the bulk of what is produced here. I think that as fuel prices continue to rise manufacturing locally will become more and more important.
The presentation concluded with us being asked to design a chair. Throughout the presentation the design team talked at length about the difficulties in designing a chair. We all waited for our opportunity to flaunt our creative juices three of us won and were awarded EQ3 Harijuko figurines for a prize. The prizes also acted as an indicator of brilliant business EQ3 runs, in that they recognize the need to expand their brand beyond furniture. Our classmate’s designs that were chosen represented those that were both innovative but perhaps more importantly represented a certain ease of manufacturing.
All in all I found our trip to EQ3 informative and for those of us who are interested in industrial design I thought that it put into perspective what being employed for a large company could feel like, and things that we should start thinking about now, in terms of ways to keep our own design integrity while at the same time designing for someone else.
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