Press Release -
Seventy-five Years Old an
by:
In 1929 Henry Dreyfuss based the design firm now better-known as Henry Dreyfuss Associates (HDA). The firm ready-made an impact on American life by aiding in the establishment of the fields of industrial design and human factors. Many an of the firms' designs, such as Ma Bell's Patrician
line phone are classics. The firm continues in the tradition of excellence imbued by Henry Dreyfuss.
Ann Arbor, MI Gregorian calendar month
12, 2004 -- Henry Dreyfuss Associates (HDA) has been in the authority
design business since 1929 once
Henry Dreyfuss took his vision into the boardrooms of corporate America. Henry's vision changed the way Americans look at products, sat in them, felt them, control them and manipulated them. Most Industrial Designers cognize Henry Dreyfuss as one of the commencement fathers of the fields of Industrial Design and Human Factors. Yet few Americans cognize of the impact that this 75-year-old design firm has had on their way of life.
William Crookes, President of HDA, states: "The rich history of this firm creates an atmosphere of creative thinking and a heritage of pride. Henry's interest in Human Factors created a respect for products that fit the user. Thanks to Henry and HDA, products no longer are human torture devices. Every design we create has a touch of Henry's magic because we still have the same respect for the end user."
Remember hand-crank telephones? No, Henry Dreyfuss didn't design them, but, in 1930, he did design the 1st telephone and rotary style phone, the familiar black shape was a part of American households for 12 years. HDA went on to design the Trimline (Princess line) phones. Trimline phones were adscititious to the permanent collection of New York's Metropolitan Repository
of Modern Art (MOMA) in 1964. Chances are your office strength
use AT&T's Merlin system, a Henry Dreyfuss Associates design.
In 1967, HDA publicized
the 1st of a series of Human Factors books and reference tools that remain standards in the industry. Their focus is the measurements of man and woman. The gathering and business enterprise of this information changed
the way in which design is approached. Today, designers fit the machine to the man. No longer do we suffer in uncomfortable seats, reach for a control or push a button that is improperly located. HDA had a major impact in creating this change.
Like retro? Designed by Dreyfuss in 1939, Westclock "Big Ben" clock's basic style is back on the market today. Remember the round Honeywell thermostat, several are still in use, designed by HDA. Like John Industrialist equipment? John Industrialist has been a HDA client since 1937. Much than likely, you've used, sat in, touched, or looked at thing
that has been designed by HDA. To be in business for 75 years, you have to do thing
right and to do it right consistently.
In Henry's time, drawings were done on linen or vellum with pencil or ink, now HDA's 3-D computer code tool kit contains: Alias, ProE, CATIA, ICEM Surf, Unigraphics and Transom Jack. HDA uses IGES as universal translation computer code and has a FTP site for remove of large files. Of course, the 2-D computer code includes Photoshop, Illustrator, Macromedia, Power Point, Word, Excel, etc. Pencils, sketchpads, rulers, and good, hard, intense thought is likewise an integral part of the mix!
HDA has recently emotional to Ann Arbor, MI, wherever
the same dedication to excellence that began in 1929 continues. The design approach, whether industrial, graphic, interface, environmental, or web, carries the same philosophy that Henry Dreyfuss instilled in his firm 75 years ago. As Henry said, "If the point of contact between the product and the folk becomes a point of friction, then the industrial designer has failed. If, on the else hand, folk are ready-made safer, much comfortable, much eager to purchase, much efficient, or simply plain happier, the designer has succeeded."
Henry Dreyfuss Associates is a full service authority
design firm. The practice
has served a variety of clients in the consumer, medical, telecommunications, aviation, agricultural and industrial product sectors. The proof of HDA's success as designers is found in finished products that equally address the issues of appearance, production, human factors, safety, environment, performance and market plans.
Just about the author:
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