Tony Parker, Professor of Industrial Design

Tony Parker, Professor of Industrial Design

Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor, Strategic Relations; director of research, Toi Rauwharangi College of Creative Arts

Professor Tony Parker is an industrial designer who works cross the areas of design for agriculture, security and automotive design. His primary focus is aesthetically driven affective product design, which includes product desirability, usability, experience and innovation for improved user satisfaction. This approach is exemplified by innovative commercialised designs for leading manufacturer Gallagher Industries (NZ) and the experimental research-led design for the Hulme Supercar.

  • Expertise

    Industrial design; design for desirability, useability and experience; drawing for industrial design; human factors, ergonomics and interaction in product design; product as brand; transport and automotive design; design for agriculture; design for security; furniture design.

    View Tony Parker's expertise directory profile.

  • Research Highlights

    Hulme Can Am Supercar (2009)
    The Hulme Can Am Supercar is an award winning prototype, one-off, high performance sports car. The Can Am is a significant new model and aesthetic refinement of the original award winning and acclaimed Hulme F1 (2005). It was launched at the International A1Grand Prix meeting in Taupo January 2009 where it was driven and demonstrated by legendary New Zealand ex Grand Prix driver Chris Amon. The Can Am has since been the subject of numerous national and international articles and publications, broadcasts and web based presentations in the specialist and general media and received critical acclaim for its design.

    Gallagher M1200i Electric Fence Energizer System (2011)
    The M1200i system is an innovative new electric fence product system commissioned by the Gallagher Group and mass-produced for agricultural applications. The M1200i system uses a new design format that separates the display and control functions remotely from the main energizer enclosure to improve usability and differentiate M1200i in a competitive global market. M1200i has won multiple awards for design and innovation including the prestigious European Equitana innovation award 2011, Designers Institute of NZ Best design award NZ (2011) and the French Innov’Space innovation award 2011.

    Gallagher M2800i Electric Fence Energizer System (2012)
    The M2800i system is a further design development and expansion of the M1200i electric fence product system commissioned by the Gallagher Group and mass-produced for agricultural applications. M2800i is a four-product system consisting of an energizer, energizer controller, hand held remote fault finding device and a fence monitor. The four separate products integrate with each other to allow convenient location of functions and provide users with a superior ability to interact with performance information and monitor and control electric farm fences.

  • Qualifications

    Dip ID (Wellington Polytechnic)
    MDes  (Royal College of Art, London)

  • Professional Affiliations

    Designers Institute of New Zealand (DINZ)  (president 2011-2013)
    FDINZ
    MCSD (UK)

  • Supervision

    Justine Taylor
    Shapeshifting: Visualising the Future of Fashion using Digital Technologies

    In-progress

    Primary supervisor: Prof. Sally Morgan
    Co-supervisor: Prof. Tony Parker