Ergonomidesign a Swedish design consultancy was founded in Stockholm in 1969, it has since established an international reputation for elegant yet efficient designs for the disabled, employing 27 industrial designers, engineers and ergonomists in 2003. Maria Benktzon (born 1946) and Sven-Eric Juhlin (born 1940) were crucial members who joined Ergonomidesign in 1973 and 1976.
Veryday – the new name
Veryday became Ergonomidesign’s new name in 2012. Veryday is a Swedish industrial design consultancy based in Bromma, Stockholm with a New York City design studio and representation in Singapore, Dubai and London. Veryday has 90+ employees, and Peter Andén is CEO. The company works to create new business opportunities and reinforce brands for customers.
Veryday – people driven design
Regardless if you are a specialized medical company, in the service sector or belong among the product producers, all of us are affected by new mobility patterns, new communication technologies and new business models.
Design innovators
A pioneer in the field, they were committed to finding aesthetically pleasing and stylish design solutions that could bring the disabled into daily consumption. In 1972, they worked on a Swedish Institute for the Handicapped project on ergonomic handles and grips, targeting those with impaired muscle strength. Building on this experience, rigorous research and medical expert consultation underpinned many of their designs.
This is exemplified by their 1974 Ideal kitchen knife, manufactured for the Institute for the Handicapped by the leading Finnish firm Hackman. Designed for arthritic hands, its attractive design appeals to a broader audience. Its aesthetic standing is acknowledged by its inclusion in the Museum of Modern Art’s Permanent Collection, New York, and its social significance because it is still in production.
Other notable designs Ergonomidesign’s work included;
- Eating and drinking tableware, designed for people with disabilities but aesthetically pleasing in 1978 (also in the MOMA Permanent Collection and a recipient of the Excellent Swedish Design Prize).
Ergonomi Design Gruppen (now Veryday), Maria Benktzon, HÃ¥kan Bergkvist, Sven-Eric Juhlin. Feeding Utensils. 1988 | MoMA
Ergonomi Design Gruppen (now Veryday), Maria Benktzon, HÃ¥kan Bergkvist, Sven-Eric Juhlin. Feeding Utensils. 1988. RFSU Rehab, Stockholm, Sweden. Polycarbonate and ABS polymer. .1 (fork): 8 3/8 x 1″ (21.3 x 2.5 cm) .2 (spoon): 8 3/8 x 1 1/4″ (21.3 x 3.2 cm) .3 (smaller spoon): 8 x 1 1/8″ (20.3 x 2.9 cm).
Ergonomi Design Gruppen (now Veryday), Maria Benktzon, HÃ¥kan Bergkvist, Sven-Eric Juhlin. Grip Tongs. 1984 | MoMA
- The Ambulance Stretcher (1983) was designed for Hejde Ambulanser and used in all Swedish ambulances (awarded the Excellent Swedish Design Award in 1987).
- Practical design solutions also support BabyBjorn’s safe, easy-to-use Baby Carrier (Design of the Decade Award, 1999, and Focus Mobilitat Award, 2001)
- The Genotropin Injection Pen (1996) for children with hormone growth deficiency (Gute Industriform Germany Award, IDSA, and Good Design Japan Awards, 1996).
Pfizer | Veryday
Pfizer’s game changing Genotropin Pen was designed to improve quality of life for children with growth hormone deficiency. It’s renowned for its friendly design. The hidden needle and colorful clip-on covers help thousands of kids accept their need for daily injections. Genotropin is a man-made human growth hormone used to treat children and adults with growth hormone deficiencies.
2002 Open in Japan
In 2002, Ergonomidesign founded the first Swedish consultancy in industrial design in Japan (Ergonomidesign Japan) with Dag Kilogstedt as its managing director. In the same year, the company was awarded a Gold Prize for its design of the Speedglass welding helmet and Adflo respirator, one of only two non-Japanese 10 awards. In the same competition, it also received four Design Awards, including products for Bahco Tools and a plate and spoon for BabyBjorn.
Awards and recognition
Over the years Veryday has received more than 240 national and international awards. The Red Dot Design Team of the Year award is among the latest awards.
In 2006, Susanne Pagold, a journalist, and Gábor Palotai, a designer, wrote a book called “Function Rules” telling the story of Veryday and their targeted work to try to improve people’s quality of life by creating best-selling products that are functional, inclusive, attractive and sustainable.
Function Rules: A Swedish Approach to Design Glamour
Amazon.com: Function Rules: A Swedish Approach to Design Glamour (9789185213320): Pagold, Susanne: Books
Sources
Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing.
Wikipedia contributors. (2020, December 8). Veryday. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21:24, January 22, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Veryday&oldid=992956989
Woodham, J. (2004). A Dictionary of Modern Design. : Oxford University Press. Retrieved 22 Jan. 2021, from https://www-oxfordreference-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/view/10.1093/acref/9780192800978.001.0001/acref-9780192800978.
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