Speaking of that photo, the documentary it's from (Objectified) is very good and is on Netflix Instant Queue. (Might be available other ways but that's how I watched it)
If you like that, the same group made another documentary called 'Helvetica' that is all about fonts and, specifically, about the history and ubiquity of Helvetica. It's also available on Netflix-instant and is a pretty good watch:
If he is a designer who understands the manufacturing process, then that is awesome in my book.
My father owns/runs a CNC manufacturing business. Sometimes the designers/drafters (more the case they have a background in CAD) don't understand the subtleties of manufacturing and materials. I mean, they aren't big gaps or anything.
Best comparison is maybe coder vs tester. Both technical, but look at the same thing from two different perspectives.
Manufacturing process and material science are critical to the education of industrial and product design. A designer that isn't thinking about how a product will be produced isn't really a good designer.
It cuts both ways.
There are designers who build things that can't be made - and especially things that can't be mass produced cheaply and easily.
But there are also people with 20years of manufacturing experience who don't what that we can do more things cheaply and easily with 5-axis CNC mills and hot-wire cutters than you can with a casting.
Sure it cuts both ways. I was just reacting to the picture of a CNC behind him.
If that is his design studio, it is awesome he has real equipment for making the stuff he designs rather than some art deco chairs from some snooty designer.
