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Geoff Wardle has been a professional designer and a design educator for more than 25 years. He has a degree in Vehicle and Mechanical Engineering and an MA in Vehicle Design from the Royal College of Art. Previously chair of Transportation Design at Art Center Europe, he is now a faculty member and acting chair of Transportation Design at Art Center in Pasadena.
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Freeman Thomas is Head of advance product design at DaimlerChrysler's Pacifica Design Center, responsible for Pacifica's role in supporting advanced product creation, planning and strategy activities. Before joining DaimlerChrysler in 1999, he was chief designer at the Volkswagen/Audi Design Center in Simi Valley, California.
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Henrik Fisker is executive director of the California Advanced Product Creation studio for Ford Motor Company and continues as Aston Martin's design director. Before returning to California, Fisker was the creative director of Ingeni, Ford's London-based design center.
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Verena Kloos recently became president of BMW Group DesignworksUSA, where she oversees the company's day-to-day operations and strategic direction. Previously, Kloos was head of the DaimlerChrysler Advanced Design Studio in Como, Italy.
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David Marek is chief designer and senior manager of the Auto Design Studio for Honda R&D Americas. Marek joined Honda in 1987 and has been the project leader on multiple programs dating back to the 1994 Accord Wagon and 1997 Acura CL, and more recently the Honda Element and Acura TL concept.
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Frank Nuovo is vice president and chief designer for Nokia Design, responsible for ongoing development of Nokia's global industrial design. Prior to joining Nokia, Nuovo spent 10 years at BMW Group DesignworksUSA, where he was involved in consumer goods and vehicle design.
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Art Center design legends critique a student’s model in 1960.
(L-R) Chuck Jordan (General Motors head of design from 1986-1992), George Jergenson (former Art Center transportation chair),
Bill Mitchell (General Motors design chief who succeeded Harley Earl) and Strother MacMinn (Art Center instructor and co-founder
of Calty in 1979).
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Nov 11, 2004 – How are changing consumer attitudes and preferences affecting automobile design? What are designers doing to create functional, stylish and fun vehicles in accordance with new regulations and technologies? These are some of the questions that five distinguished designers will discuss and debate during the panel discussion at the Los Angeles Auto Show on January 6. The presentation is part of the 'Design Los Angeles' automobile designers conference that will be held in conjunction with media days at the 2005 LA Auto Show.
As engineering and technology among manufacturers level out, automakers are looking increasingly toward differentiating their brands through distinctive design. And for most automakers, the cultural influences and lifestyle trends that surround their Southern California design studios play a significant role in shaping their future product lineup.
Geoff Wardle from Art Center College of Design will moderate the session. The panel is comprised of designers from Southern California studios whose diverse experience will provide journalists and fellow designers with engaging perspectives on the future of automobile design. The panelists are:
- Henrik Fisker, executive director, California Advanced Product Creation, Ford Motor Company
- Verena Kloos, president, BMW Group DesignworksUSA
- David Marek, chief designer and senior manager, Honda Research & Development
- Frank Nuovo, vice president and chief designer, Nokia Design
- Freeman Thomas, head of advance product design, Pacifica Design Center
“Designers have, in many instances, become the new face of their respective companies,” explains Chuck Pelly, Design Los Angeles conference director and president of The Design Academy. “Once kept behind the veiled doors, they now wield powerful voices within the company and beyond.”
Recognizing the global influence of Southern California as an automotive design center, the Los Angeles Auto Show adopted 'Design Los Angeles' as its theme for the 2005 show. The design theme is envisioned as the beginning of an ongoing program to establish automobile design as an integral part of the LA Auto Show. The designers conference is the first of its kind to be held at an auto show that provides designers with focused meetings, prominent speakers and discussion topics specifically geared toward automobile designers. Some of these sessions will be open to media.
Art Center College of Design, located in Pasadena, adds to the region's design influence, and is considered to be one of the leading transportation design schools in the world. The LA Auto Show will honor Art Center's achievements and help usher in its 75th year of educating tomorrow's designers with a reception for designers and invited guests on January 6. Many Art Center Transportation Design alumni are expected to attend.
Chuck Pelly and Joan Gregor of The Design Academy serve as Design LA conference directors, and are working with the auto show's Design Advisory Board in helping establish the framework for the design conference. The Design Advisory Board is comprised of:
- Chris Chapman, director of automotive design, BMW Group DesignworksUSA
- Kevin Hunter, vice president, Calty Design Research
- Derek Jenkins, chief designer, VW/Audi Design Center California
- David Marek, chief designer, Honda Research and Development
- Joel Piaskowski, chief designer, Hyundai & Kia Design and Technical Center
- Frank Saucedo, director of design, General Motors 5350 Industrial Concepts
Media days for the Los Angeles Auto Show are January 5-6. The show will be open to the public from January 7-16, 2005.
LA Auto Show website: www.laautoshow.com
Related Stories:
LA Auto Show announces 'Design Los Angeles'
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