College Exhibition: Creapole MA Degree Show 2009

Creapole, a design school offering degrees in a range of disciplines, held its MA Transportation Design show last week at its campus in Paris, France. The masters students, now in their fifth year of study, have been preparing for the show through the school's intensive program, which includes sociological, ecological and anthropological studies during the fourth year. In the fifth year, program directors Alec Moran and Cyril Randuineau allowed the students to develop a vehicle based on their own theme and invited jury members from the design community to come by and give the students feedback on their various projects. The jury members included Gilles Vidal, Head of Advanced Design at PSA Peugeot Citroën; Anne Asensio of Dassault Systemes; PSA designer Yong Wook Sin; Louis Morasse, industrial design director at Renault; Andreas Wlasak and Nicolas Pegorier of Faurecia; Elvio d'Aprile and Ikeda-san from Toyota's ED2 studio in Nice; and Oluf Bendixen from Honda. Here are the projects presented.  

Renault ‘Nervastella: Coupe de Ville 2037'
Adil Benwadih

In 2037, 70 per cent of the French population will live in urban areas. Thanks to its extensive functionality, the Nervastella provides the means to respond to the impulsive urge to escape, to disappear with reckless abandonment. But it also captivates the concept of luxury, possessing values that are synonymous with excellence. The integration of a living environment at the front evokes a continuation of home, while the separation between the cockpit and luggage compartment confers a noble and luxurious tone to the journey.

Honda ‘Egkomesis'
Thomas Poquet

To restore the balance in the violent elements of daily life, this conceptual vehicle represents liberty, observation and the exchange of ideas. The vehicle's exterior aesthetic is juxtaposed with a welcoming interior; bird feathers and the architect Calatrava are visible influences on this contrasting theme. This soothing space can be occupied by three people in a triangular arrangement, a symbol of femininity and stability. Passengers can switch direction to ease communication.

Skoda ‘Green-Air'
Ugo Berthelat

Today, we're seeing an inversion of the traditional population flow, from urban to rural environments. More and more people are moving to the French countryside. While some big cities are losing inhabitants, a new countryside is emerging. Aiming for tranquility and peace, the goal was to develop a vehicle that will include these ‘neorural' values – such as authenticity and the respect of nature – while providing the freedom of open space.

Kia ‘Renovatio'
Benjamin Bage

Postmodern society has reached a climax of social phobias, generating anxiety on all levels: economic, social, sentimental, cultural and professional. The ‘Renovatio' concept aims to integrate, to adapt and to comfort those who are fearful of their traveling environment by offering a cocoon seating arrangement with two passengers sitting on either side of the driver. One notable feature is the floorplan, which incorporates d30 shock-absorbing technologyTM – a material that hardens upon impact but goes soft again when the energy disperses, offering the user reassurance and comfort.

'Sino-Haigui'
Lan Lan

The Sino-Haigui, a new generation of Chinese people born between 1980 and 1995, will become the largest consumer market in the world by 2020. Such individuals have studied higher education abroad, which has provided new stimuli in China from a business perspective. As the Chinese market matures economically, ecologically and sociologically, so too will the depth of China's international image. The Sino-Haigui of 2020 will therefore expect to drive a car capable of reflecting this shift aesthetically while maintaining links with China's heritage.

Faurecia ‘Rise Attitude'
Sylvain Gaudichon

Society is entering an era of ultra modernity which requires the unconditional rehabilitation of imagination, desire and alternative thinking. Rise Attitude is an ambitious proposal for an interior that reflects such change, centered primarily on the senses, emotion, and sensibility. Done in-house at Faurecia, the idea is to promote their automotive expertise with piezoelectric fabrics, which might reflect a vision of the future of ‘intelligent' technology.

Continues →

By Eric Gallina