Designer talk: Ian Callum on Jaguar design
On the eve of the 2013 Geneva Motor Show Dr Ralf Speth told a small group of media representatives of his company’s triumphant year. The Jaguar Land Rover chief executive officer revealed plans to invest £2.75 billion in product development to support the launch of eight new and refreshed products this year, including the Jaguar F-Type and the introduction of the world’s... Read More
Ordinary objects with extraordinary stories
The Design Museum is running a seemingly simple exhibition of ordinary, mass-produced products. These, though, are not any old objects – they all have interesting stories to tell and have in one way or another shaped our modern lives. Whereas exhibiting art requires little dialogue from the curator– it almost ruins the sensory experience – here at ‘Extraordinary... Read More
New visions in car design
Designing cars is tricky business. Not only do designers have to comply with strict safety regulations, they are also restricted by company guidelines be it in terms of budget or aesthetics. Which is why college years are the best, and possibly the last ones, for them to explore freely. At this year’s Royal College of Art graduate vehicle design show students exhibited a number... Read More
Clerkenwell Design Week 2012
Clerkenwell Design Week, in its third year, is establishing itself on London’s design calendar. The event turns this creative-focused area of London into an exhibition space with numerous product launches, installations, screenings, talks and of course parties. It is a mini Milan Furniture Fair of sorts attracting both local and international designers, and design lovers. Over... Read More
In talk with Benoit Jacob head of BMW i design
BMW announced the birth its new e-mobility sub-brand i at the start of 2011, created to focus entirely on finding sustainable driving solutions. Since, we have been introduced to two concept cars – the i3 and i8 – that together reflect some of the design and engineering thinking that we should expect from the marque’s eco-arm. The cars represent the two extreme poles... Read More
Meet ASIMO the humanoid robot
The car industry is full of contradictions. On the one hand it creates machines that are harming our planet, yet some of the most innovative sustainability thinking takes place behind the the closed doors of some of these companies. Last month we flew to Japan to visit Honda. Founded in 1948, this is Japan’s third carmaker and the world’s largest producer of motorcycles.... Read More
Interview: Stefan Sielaff on Audi design
Stefan Sielaff joined German carmaker Audi in 1990 becoming head of design in 2006, and apart from a brief spell at Mercedes-Benz interior studio near Lake Como in Italy, he has largely worked within the Volkswagen Group. Here he discusses the marque’s involvement with architecture and urbanism through the Audi Urban Future Awards, and his thoughts on electric car... Read More
Book review: Intersection Cars Now
Books on cars tend to follow a simple formula – a pretty straight narrative that is either sequenced historically or by company. In this context, Intersection‘s Cars Now maintains this by guiding the reader through a selection of today’s most notable cars via alphabetically organised car companies. ‘We go make by make, model by model, to capture a snapshot... Read More
Responsible luxury: In talk with Henrik Fisker
Sometimes it is a question of good timing. In the case of Henrik Fisker it was a combination of this and possibly knowing the right people that won him substantial financial backing to set up his independent green car company Fisker Automotive in 2007. Born in Denmark, Fisker on graduation joined BMW’s advanced design studio in Munich becoming president of the firm’s... Read More
New voices at London Design Festival
Around the corner from the main V&A London Design Festival hub, students at the Royal College of Art hosted a series of exhibitions at their South Kensington campus. Sustain showcased sustainable objects, ecological thinking and solutions from across the art and design disciplines. Vehicle design student Robert Hagenstrom’s Bamboo Utility Vehicle, for instance,... Read More