Vehicle Design Theory 2015
Class: TD1
Duration: 5 weeks
The work of a transportation designer combines a great variety
of tasks and challenges that range from the proposal and creation
of completely new products to the development of existing ones. In
any case, the tasks normally involve the application of multiple
skills and methods to help define the future direction of a brand.
In order to succeed, the designer must be able to communicate his
ideas and opinions both verbally and visually. Designers must be
aware of the historical development of a brand and its products, to
the realistic capabilities of the company and to all the aspects
that will make a vehicle relevant in the market for a number of
years to come. Good designs will generate great user experience and
increase loyalty to the brand.
Many companies have succeeded in the creation of iconic models
along their manufacturing history and from time refer to them when
proposing future vehicles that should boost the essence of the
brand. Some choose to do this in a subtle way and others take the
retro design approach to clearly identify the sources of
inspiration. An interesting aspect to observe is how market
segments and manufacturing technologies have influenced a vehicle's
appearance, from its size and proportions to the list of features.
Now if we imagine the same kind of vehicle being produced with the
materials and technology that will be implemented during the next 5
years, what could be changed and which aspects of its character
should remain?
At the start of this course students were required to choose one
old classic or "dead" car brand and to propose a new vehicle
capturing the DNA from that brand. The market positioning and
segment should have been clearly shown for a projected launch in
2020.
Students also needed to analyse the construction of the vehicle
in terms of the different panels in relationship to the design
features. In most vehicle design processes the way a vehicle is
constructed with different materials has a baring on it's
aesthetics. This was considered when developing ideas in this
project.
