Royal College of Art - The Show Two

June 18, 2003 - Final year students at London's Royal College of Art postgraduate Vehicle Design course are preparing for their annual degree show. The design concepts exhibited by the 18 graduating students explore themes for future mobility, including: A plastic car exploring new materials technology to create a new aesthetic, a new form of recreational vehicle re-designed as a coupé, a new form of city vehicle and a moving walkway to aid city mobility.

In a recent lecture at the RCA, Ford Motor Company design chief J Mays talked about the difficulty in defining market segments and designing vehicles that match the needs of todays diverse buyer groups. Matthew Swann's design concept looks at this problem, proposing two separate four-seater vehicles based on a single platform, one for more extrovert, outgoing customers, and one for more introverted customers. The scale model shows two distinct designs, the 'extrovert' revealing more of the interior, 'framing' the driver with carefully placed window openings, more vibrant colors, more emphasis on vertical elements and light catching surfaces to make the vehicle stand out. By contrast the 'introvert' design is more subtle and discreet, with softer and cleaner surfaces, and less confrontational.

'P-Buthan' by Danny Ram is a plastic car exploring new materials technology to create a new aesthetic and functionality for a sports coupe. Badged as a Fiat, it extends on themes introduced on the Ecobasic concept, and 'celebrates' plastic throughout it's aesthetics and construction, with a unique form language that could only be plastic, with components such as taillamps using a 'snap-fit' theme. Named for its thermo-chromatic polybuthalene material, the surface of the sports coupe reacts to it's surroundings in a similar way to a chameleon. The upper surfaces react to the changing tones of the sky, and if parked under a tree, the surface 'remembers' and continues to show the shadows cast upon it for several minutes. At high speed, the rear parts of the cars surface change color to red.

The models, drawings, video and interactive presentations to be shown provide a narrative of the design process, showing how research meets design concept and both emerge in creative studio practice. Central to the course methodology is the understanding of the broader issues of vehicle design necessary to optimize opportunities for mobility. Students are expected to develop an awareness of the range of issues that affect mobility including accessibility, aerodynamics, environmental impact, ergonomics, legislation, materials, production, safety and technology, as well as aesthetic principles.

The course has students from a wide range of cultural and professional backgrounds, with many coming from non-automotive fields of design. The department has expanded it's research programmes, with students studying for both MPhil and PhD qualifications within the MA studio environment.

The Vehicle Design department collaborates with major automotive and transport providers, and has an impressive employment record - almost every automotive design studio in the world employs a Royal College of Art graduate, many in senior executive design positions.

The Royal College of Art is the world's only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, specialising in teaching and research across the disciplines of fine art, applied art, design, communications and humanities.

Visitors to The Show: Two will also be able to experience the work of graduates in the fields of Textiles, Architecture & Interiors, Design Products, Industrial Design Engineering, Interaction Design, Communication Art & Design, Animation, Conservation and History of Design.

The Show: Two at the Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore, London, runs from Friday 27 June to Sunday 6 July (closed Friday 4 July), 10am-6pm daily, with late night openings Friday 27 June and Thursday 3 July until 10pm. The Show Private View is on Thursday 26 June, by invitation only. For more information visitors should phone The Show 2003 hotline on +44 (0)20 7590 4498 or visit the College's website at www.rca.ac.uk

We will have full coverage of the work of the graduating Vehicle Design students, and an overview of The Show: 2003 soon after the June 26 opening.

Royal College of Art website: www.rca.ac.uk

Related stories:
Royal College of Art - The Show 2002
Royal College of Art - The Show 2001

	Royal College of Art Vehicle Design students prepare for the The Show
	'Unlike Twins' concept by Matthew Swann Click for larger images 'Unlike Twins' concept by Matthew Swann 'p-buthan' by Danny Ram. Note the vacuum-formed plastic form studies in the foreground. Ceramic products inspired concept by Leonard Natterer A compact camping/recreational vehicle by Jean-Arthur Madelaine-Advenier Waveform motion cycle path by Graham Hodgson 'Evolution of a recreational vehicle' by Namyoup Cho	June 18, 2003 - Final year students at London's Royal College of Art postgraduate Vehicle Design course are preparing for their annual degree show. The design concepts exhibited by the 18 graduating students explore themes for future mobility, including: A plastic car exploring new materials technology to create a new aesthetic, a new form of recreational vehicle re-designed as a coupé, a new form of city vehicle and a moving walkway to aid city mobility. In a recent lecture at the RCA, Ford Motor Company design chief J Mays talked about the difficulty in defining market segments and designing vehicles that match the needs of todays diverse buyer groups. Matthew Swann's design concept looks at this problem, proposing two separate four-seater vehicles based on a single platform, one for more extrovert, outgoing customers, and one for more introverted customers. The scale model shows two distinct designs, the 'extrovert' revealing more of the interior, 'framing' the driver with carefully placed window openings, more vibrant colors, more emphasis on vertical elements and light catching surfaces to make the vehicle stand out. By contrast the 'introvert' design is more subtle and discreet, with softer and cleaner surfaces, and less confrontational. 'P-Buthan' by Danny Ram is a plastic car exploring new materials technology to create a new aesthetic and functionality for a sports coupe. Badged as a Fiat, it extends on themes introduced on the Ecobasic concept, and 'celebrates' plastic throughout it's aesthetics and construction, with a unique form language that could only be plastic, with components such as taillamps using a 'snap-fit' theme. Named for its thermo-chromatic polybuthalene material, the surface of the sports coupe reacts to it's surroundings in a similar way to a chameleon. The upper surfaces react to the changing tones of the sky, and if parked under a tree, the surface 'remembers' and continues to show the shadows cast upon it for several minutes. At high speed, the rear parts of the cars surface change color to red. The models, drawings, video and interactive presentations to be shown provide a narrative of the design process, showing how research meets design concept and both emerge in creative studio practice. Central to the course methodology is the understanding of the broader issues of vehicle design necessary to optimize opportunities for mobility. Students are expected to develop an awareness of the range of issues that affect mobility including accessibility, aerodynamics, environmental impact, ergonomics, legislation, materials, production, safety and technology, as well as aesthetic principles. The course has students from a wide range of cultural and professional backgrounds, with many coming from non-automotive fields of design. The department has expanded it's research programmes, with students studying for both MPhil and PhD qualifications within the MA studio environment. The Vehicle Design department collaborates with major automotive and transport providers, and has an impressive employment record - almost every automotive design studio in the world employs a Royal College of Art graduate, many in senior executive design positions. The Royal College of Art is the world's only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, specialising in teaching and research across the disciplines of fine art, applied art, design, communications and humanities. Visitors to The Show: Two will also be able to experience the work of graduates in the fields of Textiles, Architecture & Interiors, Design Products, Industrial Design Engineering, Interaction Design, Communication Art & Design, Animation, Conservation and History of Design. The Show: Two at the Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore, London, runs from Friday 27 June to Sunday 6 July (closed Friday 4 July), 10am-6pm daily, with late night openings Friday 27 June and Thursday 3 July until 10pm. The Show Private View is on Thursday 26 June, by invitation only. For more information visitors should phone The Show 2003 hotline on +44 (0)20 7590 4498 or visit the College's website at www.rca.ac.uk We will have full coverage of the work of the graduating Vehicle Design students, and an overview of The Show: 2003 soon after the June 26 opening. Royal College of Art website: www.rca.ac.uk Related stories: Royal College of Art - The Show 2002 Royal College of Art - The Show 2001