Jonathan Ive: Designing Tomorrow

Jonathan Ive

Jonathan Ive serves as the Senior Vice President of Design at Apple Inc. Ive, with the help of his design team, is responsible for the exceedingly popular products we use today. His iconic designs range from the iMac computer to the beloved iPhone.  Ive has influenced many industrial designers over the years and is recognized as one of the best designers in the world. 

Ive was born in Chingford, London in 1967. As a boy, he became curious as to how things worked.  In the book Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple’s Greatest Products, Ive says     “As a kid, I remember taking apart whatever I could get my hands on. Later, this developed into more of an interest in how they were made, how they worked, their form and material” (Kahney). Ive eventually studied industrial design at Newcastle Polytechnic where he developed his skills and his unique style. His career began after college when he co-founded a design company called Tangerine. This design consultancy developed many different products including power tools and televisions. In 1992, Apple offered Ive a job in the United States where he would work closely with their co-founder Steve Jobs. Their first project together was the creation of the iMac computer that resulted in record-breaking sales and unprecedented recognition. Since then, Ive has been the head of design for all of the products Apple has to offer.  

Jonathan Ive has been recognized with a vast amount of design awards over the course of his career with Apple. In 2003, he was named Designer of the Year by Design Museum London. In 2007, he received a National Design Award in the product design category for his work with the iPhone. His Apple designs are also permanently displayed in collections of museums around the world, including the Museum of Modern art in New York as well as Pompidou in Paris.

One of the most recognizable aspects of his designs is the shear simplicity of his products. Ive approaches design with a minimalist attitude. The result is a sleek product that appeals to millions.  Apples four main products, the iPhone, iMac, iPod and iPad, all incorporate the same uncomplicated, straightforward forms that at the same time are remarkably well made. Ive pays a great deal of attention to every little aspect of his work. When asked what it is that distinguishes the products he designs, Ive replies “Perhaps the decisive factor is fanatical care beyond the obvious stuff: the obsessive attention to details that are often overlooked” (Richmond).  It will be interesting to see what lies ahead for this innovative designer as he continues his revolutionary work with Apple. He has inspired many and will continue to do so in the future.