Is there anything Yves Béhar can't design? So far he, with his company fuseproject, has lent his graceful fusion of form and function to products ranging from security robots to sneakers to furniture, home security systems, televisions, turntables, and baby cribs. And that's just a small portion of Béhar's exhaustive resume. His latest project is the design of Hive View, an indoor security camera providing some stiff competition to Amazon's Cloud Cam. The latest from the UK makers of the popular Hive thermostat, the View is designed to be portable, functional, and elegant. It's little surprise, then, that Hive turned to Béhar for its design. Following the launch of the Hive View at CES, AD PRO catches up with the designer and Tom Guy, Hive's global product director, to talk about the role of design in technology.

AD PRO: Yves, where did you begin with the design for Hive View?

Yves Béhar: The design needed to be visually striking, because in my mind there are very few technology products with designs that fit into the home. The design language for Hive took shape when we designed their very successful thermostat, and that focus on clean lines and visual discretion in the home was carried through to Hive View—subtle curvature, tactile, but this time with an expressive stand that sculpturally holds the camera.

The Hive View in various positions.

Photo: Mark Serr

AD PRO: Tom, why was it important for your company to highlight the design of the product?

Tom Guy: Customer feedback is central to our design process, and it showed a clear desire for an indoor camera that delivered peace of mind while fitting naturally and seamlessly into the home. Great design means delivering tangible benefits as well as a beautiful product. The "Grab and Go" feature, in particular, means the lightweight camera disconnects from its stand and can be placed into other areas of the home, with up to an hour of battery life. Yves really brought that form and function to life for us.

AD PRO: Smart home products are becoming more prevalent every day; how has the way we see their design shifted?

YB: We’ve come far since the early days of smart home products. The first IoT [Internet of Things] devices on the market were more of a tech novelty. What has shifted is how the user experience of these products has to be designed today for daily use, while being discreet and noninterruptive of our home life. This is the philosophy between all of our smart home products, including the Frame TV for Samsung—they need to be camouflaged in plain sight. Hive is a great example of this; we designed the camera to be easy and intuitive to use, all the while being a beautiful object with every element refined to the details: from the sculptural aluminum base, the minimal camera cube, to the elegant colors.


Béhar's Frame TV for Samsung turns into an artwork when not in use.

AD PRO: One of the highlighted features of Hive is the Grab and Go; how did the product's mobility affect the design?

YB: I always wanted the indoor camera to be something more than just a wall-mounted lens. The added mobility opens up a world of possibilities—one can leave the camera on the wall one day, then bring it into the nursery as a baby monitor, then snap a family photo at dinner, and then check to make sure a package is delivered into the home . . . all with one device! The design challenges, however, from its overall usability to tactical details like charging and receiving software updates, were numerous. The way the magnetic connector snaps the camera head on its base feels magical. The stand’s aluminum curved arm houses the charging technology in a very thin profile. It’s a great example of how a design challenge can become its own beautiful solution.

AD PRO: What are the unique challenges in designing a product you hope to be universal or, at the very least, appeal to a broad customer base?

YB: As a designer, I am always considering that universal appeal doesn't mean a standard or pedantic aesthetic. That core idea permeates every aspect of the design process, from the core user experience to the materials we use, to how it is made, to its aesthetic features. It is only when the final experience is right that it has a chance at a broad or mainstream success.

An early sketch of the Hive View.

Photo: Courtesy of Hive

AD PRO: In the tech world, we see a lot of domination by a few key players (Google, Amazon, Apple). How do you anticipate that changing? How can device design affect that?

YB: It is an interesting question; on one hand, you have companies like August (of which I am a cofounder) that are creating ecosystems that work with other major tech players to amplify their offering. On the other hand, you have companies like Hive—which is backed by British Gas (also a major player, but from a different sector)—coming in with an entire smart home package that works fluidly together. In the end, I don’t think people will be loyal to one brand for their devices. People will be drawn to the experiences they want to have, and find the right products. In this way, I think design continues to be the differentiating factor in who succeeds.

The camera comes in different color options.

Photo: Mark Serr

AD PRO: Interesting. Tom, how do you see Hive as different from other systems on the market?

TG: We offer a family of smart products and services—like indoor cameras, a thermostat, light bulbs, and sensors—that connect your home through one seamless app, all designed to make daily life a little easier. We sell them as "packs," meaning all of your devices come together as a compatible kit that makes setting up a smart home simple and affordable. You pick the pack that works for your life and then customize according to the needs of your own home and family.

AD PRO: Yves, you've now designed several smart home products, from cameras to doorbells; what do you see as the next big accessory in this market?

YB: Right now, we are seeing a lot of focus on home security; this makes sense, as it is an area in which technology can provide low-cost and accessible solutions for something every homeowner needs to address. I think where we go from here is beyond the "needs" in our home, and into the "wants"—smart home tech that creates desirable experiences, be it through entertainment, through adding value in our day-to-day household duties (chores, cooking, cleaning), or, more recently, how we are integrating TVs and art with things like the Frame. I see us moving more toward a utopian vision of the smart home: one that not only simplifies or allows us to do more, but one that fulfills new experiences that are more about the human experience, like experiencing art, beauty, travel, and connecting with others. I think we’re ready.