The designer: Alex Nagel, ANCORD Design The discipline: Product design You might be surprised by how far-reaching — and how versatile — product design can be. With clients across North America, Alex Nagel is one of few local product designers and the only one to build a reputation for sustainable product development in the action sports and outdoor sector. Supported by a hybrid team of five to six, his practice moves fluidly between projects, the scope of work as varied as the skills of the people who shape it. In a mass-consumer market, Nagel’s process prompts clients to slow down and reconsider: How long will this product be used? How many units are truly needed? What materials will have the least impact? From these questions emerge projects like an heirloom-quality measuring cube for children to track their height; an ethical salmon fishing net; a wetsuit wrench designed to make the sport more accessible to everyone, especially to people with mobility challenges; and detailed interior renderings for a residential complex by Fold Architects. His clients range from startups seeking validation for an idea to architects in need of technical visualizations to innovation teams at established brands like Burton, where he is collaborating on new products that honour the brand’s heritage while pushing into new territory. Whatever the brief, the goal is the same: to create products that serve their purpose beautifully, with a life — and a story — that lasts far beyond their first use.
ANCORD Design’s Alex Nagel creates products that look cool, work well and are designed to last while making less impact on the planet. Above: His heirloom-quality measuring cubes for tracking the height of your children. Left: A better bike helmet.
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SPRUCE | FALL 2025