Inside Jony Ive’s Life After Apple and His LoveFrom Design Business - The New York Times

The Nugget

  • Jony Ive is reinventing himself after Apple by transforming a city block in San Francisco into an imaginative hub for his design firm, LoveFrom, highlighting his commitment to creativity and community.

Make it stick

  • 🏙️ Jony Ive owns half a city block in San Francisco, purchasing nearly $90 million worth of real estate since leaving Apple.
  • 🛠️ LoveFrom focuses on three areas: designing for clients (like Ferrari and Airbnb), engaging in passion projects, and developing community spaces.
  • 🌳 Ive's vision includes converting a parking lot into a green space to foster community interaction and creativity.
  • 🤖 He’s exploring AI by collaborating with OpenAI to create a new product aimed at enhancing user experiences beyond traditional devices.

Key insights

Jony Ive's Post-Apple Journey

  1. Land Acquisition: Ive bought multiple properties in San Francisco's Jackson Square to create an innovative working environment.
  2. Design Philosophy: His approach combines passion projects with commercial endeavors, blending personal interests with client work.
  3. Community Focus: The transformation of his properties aims to enhance local creativity and encourage collaboration among creative professionals.
  4. Collaborations and Innovation: He is developing both a fashion line and an AI-driven product with prominent tech figures and companies.

LoveFrom as a Design Firm

  1. Diverse Projects: LoveFrom engages in a variety of projects, from luxury fashion to innovative tech devices.
  2. Freedom of Expression: Ive emphasizes creativity and a less rigid environment compared to Apple, fostering a culture of experimentation.
  3. Meaningful Design: Each project reflects his belief in the importance of thoughtful, love-infused design, continuing his legacy from Apple.

Future Aspirations

  1. Green Community Spaces: Plans for a garden and pavilion in the parking lot signify his commitment to incorporating nature into urban life.
  2. AI Development: Collaborative efforts with OpenAI aim to create a computing device that prioritizes user experience in a non-disruptive manner.
  3. Evolving Perspective: Ive's insights on uncertainty demonstrate a shift towards valuing innovation over strict profitability.

Key quotes

  • "I owe the city so much... as soon as things stopped working out, people were leaving."
  • "I wanted something new."
  • "You somehow have to make friends with uncertainty."
  • "This is my button book... Five years we’ve been working on this."
  • “There’s a counterintuitive opportunity to prove people wrong about San Francisco.”
This summary contains AI-generated information and may have important inaccuracies or omissions.