Biography

With a passion for “making” since being a teen, Aymeric Alandry chose the classic path of engineering studies. First graduated in mechanical engineering from the Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC – 2007), he discovered design rather late. Indeed, an internship in the statistical analysis department of the manufacturer Renault left him with a feeling of incompleteness. He then chose to diversify his technical skills through human sciences and found a new path in the Industrial Design Engineering (IDI) course offered by the UTC. Determined to expand his training in design, he then joined the Royal College of Art (RCA) where he completed a double joint master’s degree with Imperial College London (2010). He found at the RCA the perfect harmony between sciences and arts, industry and craftmanship, machines and humans; without being asked to choose but rather to humbly embrace the diverse complexity of our world.

Aymeric’s current practice is diverse, ranging from design, engineering to craftmanship and research. Prior to that, Aymeric practiced design in consultancies at Flex/Design (Delft, Netherlands) and The Marketing Store (London, United Kingdom). These experiences enabled him to enrich his skills by covering the fields of packaging design (Knorr, Grolsch, etc.), product design (Brabantia, Téfal, etc.) through the specific field of toy design (McDonald’s, Nestlé, Shell, Hasbro, Pixar, etc.). In 2011, he joined Dyson’s R&D department where he took part in the design of new products, in particular the DC40, DC37 and DC59 (the brand’s first “stick” vacuum cleaner which guided Dyson’s strategy towards a 100% cordless offer). After a short expatriation in Singapore, his taste for entrepreneurship led him into the world of start-ups in which he expanded his know-how in interaction design. At the head of a design team, Aymeric has participated in the design of interactive products and furniture for major brands (McDonald’s, Unibail, Klepierre, etc.).

The year 2016 marks a turning point in his career since, following his first teaching experiences (Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbéliard (UTBM), École Internationale de Design de Toulon (EID), École Supérieur d’Art et de Design de Marseille Méditerranée (ESADMM)), he was offered the position of director of Kedge Design School (KDS). For 6 years, he strengthened the historical position of the school while developing a specific pedagogical and didactical approach in the emerging fields of service and organizational design. During this period, he was also invited to teach at the École Centrale de Marseille (2018-2020) and at the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA, Beijing – 2020-2021). Having the will to further develop his research-creation competencies he accepts a professor position in the Design School of the Université du Quebec À Montréal (UQAM) in 2021. On top of teaching, the research that he developed then tackled the new digital manufacturing practices through the spectrum of empowerment and relocation. More specifically, he postulates the necessary emergence of an aesthetic specific to these tools as an essential foundation for the transition to a new desirable, sustainable and sober productive paradigm.

Aymeric comes back in France at the end of 2023 with the objective to apply his research findings in his pratice. He now runs his own studio and workshop working for him and others.

His professional design practice, as a freelancer and entrepreneur, has earned him a number of awards (D&AD in book (2009), Peroni & Alessi Design Award finalist (2009), Ideal Home Show Inventor of the Year (2010), Deutsch Bank Award (2010), Selected Work & Selected Start-Up (Innovation RCA, 2010), Red Dot (2012), CITEO call for tenders (2019)), some exhibitions (Institute of Contemporary Arts (London, 2009), Ideal Home Show (London, 2010), Silmo Paris (2013-2015), McDonald’s Worldwide Convention (Orlando, 2014)) and two patents (Use of Rear Seat Belt latching as activation switch for Rear Seat Entertainment system (Ford, 2009), Foldable Wingfoil Mast (2022)).