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Reflections of a Product Engineer

by Lawrie McIntosh

52 pages; Saddle stitched; color images and diagrams; catalogue #06-0164; ISBN 1-4120-8409-1; US$23.73, C$27.29, EUR19.49, £13.65

Disclosure of an illustrious and successful product design career with many colourful anecdotes and illustrations, an unconventional design philosophy, and an interesting encounter with the celebrated R. Buckminster Fuller.

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About the Book

About the Author

Excerpts

Catalogue Information

About the Book

Because of its content this book would be especially suitable as required reading for post secondary and post graduate industrial design students.

CHAPTER 1 — LAYING THE FOUNDATION

At an early age McIntosh displayed an interest in design, an example of which is an experiment harnessing the earth's magnetic field. After high school and a degree course in mechanical engineering he was employed briefly in product development. His keen interest in product design prompted him to accept a scholarship to The Institute of Design in Chicago.

On staff were some of the original instructors from the German Bauhaus, from which the institute had evolved. While studying for his M.S. degree McIntosh performed a fully described task for guest lecturer Buckminster Fuller.

CHAPTER 2 — PHILOSOPHICAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES

The practice of industrial design fifty years ago was more difficult, first because of its novelty, and also because all drafting was done manually. There were, of course, no computers with design capabilites.

An unorthodox approach to design, concentrating on one well developed concept rather than a myriad of sketches, is described; and the resulting necessity of presenting accurate perspective drawings is demonstrated.

CHAPTER 3 — THE POLAR DESIGN GRAPH

This concept was developed to illustrate what constitutes good and bad design, and how they might relate to each other with respect to cost. Both are available at prices ranging from high to low. Design value and price are unrelated and mutually exclusive.

CHAPTER 4 — ANCEDOTAL EVIDENCE

First there is some advice for students, then the relating of ancedotal experiences in the fields of industrial design and expert witnessing in court litigation. There is also reference to experience as an instructor in colleges and universities and the nature of the knowledge imparted to students.

CHAPTER 5 — RETIREMENT

This chapter recounts some activites following retirement; but, mostly, it illustrates a retrospective exhibition of an illustrious design career.

CONCLUSION

There are no regrets in retirement for various listed reasons.

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About the Author

Lawrie McIntosh is a true pioneer of industrial design in Canada. As an industrial designer, I benefited from having him as my teacher at the Ontario College of Art and Design. When I became editor of "Product Design and Materials" I engaged him as my consulting technical editor. His ability to combine his mechanical engineering training and the product design training from leading industrial designers of the day, established him as the pre-eminent product designer in Canada. His reflections chronicle an outstanding career, examples of many products he designed, and an important insight into the early days of industrial design in Canada.

Monte Kwinter
MPP, York Centre, Ontario
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services

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Excerpts

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