Design: do engineers have taste?
On the principle, the marriage between engineering and design seems to be gradually becoming accepted — but it still requires both parties to collaborate successfully. The Lausanne engineering firm FiveCo and the Vevey design agency Pilot Design have been working together on shared mandates since 2008.
"The engineer is often seen as a closed being who always says no, sheltering behind the wall of 'it's not possible'," remarks Antoine Lorotte, CEO of FiveCo. The designer, on the other hand, is perceived as an artist with an arbitrary vision of the world. Yet a creative person can have notions of engineering, and conversely, an engineer can bring relevance at the level of design. Their solution for a successful honeymoon? Respect and communication. "Everyone must listen and remain humble," says Philippe Vallat, director of Pilot Design. "This pushes us out of our comfort zone and the work becomes all the more stimulating."
Together, they created an iPad case as well as an iOS application to allow dentists to operate a dental drill. The tablet case had to be watertight so that it could be used in a consultation room or within a surgical operating block. "This object was designed to meet all the constraints of a particular environment, but it is also very attractive," says Antoine Lorotte. Is aesthetic appeal truly important in such environments? "Absolutely," replies the CEO. "It is the shop window of a product and allows it to stand out from the competition, even in the medical field."
