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DOUGLAS
BALL
 Biography
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The IDM BRP Sam Lapointe Lifetime Achievement
Award is being given this year to Douglas
Ball, an industrial designer who has
proven that design can indeed change
the world. Mr. Ball has, on the one
hand, influenced the future of the
companies with which he has worked
and, on the other, through some of
the products he has created, he has
also transformed many a person's working
environment and improved quality of
life for people with physical challenges.
After studying industrial design at the Ontario College of Art in Toronto, he
joined an Ontario firm's design team where, on assuming his duties, he worked
on establishing design-based quality standards. Three years later, he was hired
by the firm Robin Bush, which asked him to collaborate in creating the Canada
Pavilion at Montréal's World Fair, Expo 67.
In 1969, he set up his own design consulting firm and his first employer, Sunar,
became his main client. His work went on to make Sunar one of Canada's largest
exporters of office furniture systems.
Between 1967 and 1978, he collaborated in the creation of new systems that dramatically
changed the field of office furniture, one of which was the revolutionary Race
system. In 1978, Hauserman purchased Sunar and placed Douglas Ball at the
head of its design department, a position he held until 1987. His concepts enabled
the company to expand its market beyond the borders and to carve itself a reputation
as a leader in office furniture and workspace.
We also wish to stress that in his own company, Douglas Ball had a rule that
20% of working time was to be assigned to developing products intended for people
with physical challenges. Among other things he worked on and perfected are a "climbing" wheelchair
and a wheelchair designed especially for children.
Among his best-known accomplishments, we mention the Clipper workstation
created in 1994 and acquired by London's Design Museum for its permanent collection.
More recently, he designed an ergonomic chair, Lucy, for the company
Vecta.
Photo : James Giberson
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