Milkshake, DMTV (Design Milk TV)’s first weekly series, shakes up the traditional interview format by asking designers, creatives, educators and industry professionals to select interview questions at random from their favorite bowl or vessel. During their candid discussions, you’ll not only gain a peek into their personal homeware collections, but also valuable insights into their work, life and passions.
This week’s Milkshake guest is Ivy Ross, VP of Hardware Design at Google. Over the past four years, Ivy has overseen the launch of over 35 products and is largely responsible for Google’s new design aesthetic, which can be described as tactile, colorful, and bold. In addition to her work at Google, Ivy’s innovative metal work in jewelry can be found in the permanent collections of 12 international museums. Previously, she held executive positions at Calvin Klein, Coach, Gap, and Mattel. In this interview, Ivy delves into the relationships between design, art and science, how she unwinds outside of work, and more.
One of the many products Ivy and her team have brought to market recently are the AI-equipped Google Pixel Buds. Stemming from the idea the earbuds should be unobtrusive during daily activities, the Pixel Buds feature a circular design that rests naturally in the ear. The wide range of color offerings, from mint green to white, is indicative of Google’s new design language, which is spearheaded by Ivy.
During her Milkshake interview, Ivy delves into the science of neuroaesthetics in relation to design. Ivy’s first formal neuroaesthetics exploration was Google, Reddymade, and the International Arts + Minds Lab at Johns Hopkins’s exhibition at Milan Design Week 2019 called A Space for Being. The exhibition led visitors through a series of rooms while a digital band measured their emotional and physical responses to each space to determine which room the visitor felt most “at ease.”
View Ivy’s DMTV Milkshake episode above, then check out the rest of the series here.