Interview with Eric Lalande

Curiosity is my driving force.

I chose to become a designer. I am a late bloomer (lol).

Useful products.

Be curious and always improve their skills.

I am still trying to figure that out.

Personally, a good design is something that is useful. A "nice" product kept on a shelf and never used has no interest to me.

My opinion on this issue is very simple: We are in the business of creating value. Value-added products should bring more sales.

I always incorporate inclusive elements in my designs. If I had the time (and resources), my next project would be something related to mobility.

A reimagination of the door handle.

My intuition.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Philip Johnson and others

Muscle cars. I just like them.

The paper clip: simple, cost-effective, useful, intuitive.

Get a job in a shop. Find a job where you have to work with your hands. I had the privilege in my twenties to work for a pipe organ builder. This helped me better understand the relationship between design and manufacturing.

Mechanical designer

Making something better. Anything can be designed or redesigned.

My teachers.

My curiosity and a good amount of luck (lol).

Time. I am a late bloomer.

So far, entering design competitions has worked great for me.

My next project will be for the aerospace industry.

Have fun every day.

If you can figure that out, please let me know (lol)

I'm interested in inclusive design.

It's a secret... (lol)

My final project in school. It was my first time designing something from A to Z.

Some designers should focus their energy on the design process and less on their ego.

We will have to wait and see.

It varies.

Sketching, sketching, sketching...

"Will this be useful?"

It works both ways.

It varies. I am interested in crafts as well as mass production design work.

It's a toolbox. You have to select the right tools for the job.

Very important. I like using colors to had a fun element to my designs.

"Where can I get one !!!" (lol)

Why didn't someone think of that before?

It depends on the work. Some work is better done alone. Some works require a team.

So many people had an influence on my vision of design. The list would be endless.

Mechanical Handbook 26th edition, books about Cubist-Impressionists painters, books about crafts and metalwork.

Trial and error.

John B. Watson

It's more about improving my skills than being famous.

Orange, Tokyo, New Orleans cooking, Fall, watches, Coca-Cola

During my school days, I made a cardboard model of a product for an exhibit. I used the wrong scale for my prototype. I ended up with a model half the size of the others student's models. That was a fun learning experience.

I stay motivated by alternating between design work and craft projects.

I would take apart appliances to see how things worked.

The future is uncertain...

I am a jack of all trades.

I mostly work alone.

Functionality

I like designing useful products with an inclusive element in them.

The paperclip. It is a useful, simple, cost-effective, and recognizable design. It may not be very fashionable but it represents what design is to me.

Aircraft cabin interiors.

It's not something I fully control (yet). It just happens. I rely on instinct.

The end user's experience. I am interested in creating products that won't end up being dust collectors on a shelf ;).

Excited. It's the same feeling I had as a kid when unwrapping Christmas presents.

Very excited. Thrilled.

A successful design is something that is actually used. Its purpose is to improve the experience of the end-user.

A bad design generally has over-styling with little or no significant usefulness.

Bridge the gap between various technologies and the end-users.

That's a good question... Eventually, everyone will be able to design their own products with the help or rapid prototyping at home.

I am planning to exhibit in the 2021 A' Design competition.

Inspiration comes from anywhere. It can be from music, arts, muscle cars, and manufacturing processes.

My style is "no-nonsense". I am not sure if that qualifies as a style (lol).

We have the opportunity to experience four distinct seasons in Canada. That might have some sort of influence. The constant transformation of our environment throughout the year could be an influence on my design.

It's all about "fit". There has to be some sort of connection between a company and a designer.

I usually start with a rough 3D model and then rework it until I feel it's ready. For the Albatross project, I made fifty-two designs before being satisfied.

I have an original Luxo drafting lamp. After fifty years, it's still working like a new one.

Don't take shortcuts.

Useful useful useful

Curiosity

I don't have a specific list of tools. I use the best tool for each job. The bigger your toolbox is, the more options you have.

It varies depending on the job.

It varies depending on the project.

"How much will this cost?" Lol.

Working for a pipe organ manufacturer in my twenties. I had the privilege to work in a traditional shop.

New twists on "classic" products.

I mostly work by myself

My next project is for the Aerospace Industry.

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