College Exhibition: Pforzheim University Spring Show 2007

Transportation Design students at Germany's Pforzheim University displayed their work in the school's spring Transportation Design degree show in February, one of the two graduation shows per year. The exhibition included work from graduating Diploma and Masters students, projects by the 5th and 7th semester students, as well as work from students in the earlier stages of the Diploma and Masters courses.

Projects by the graduating Diploma students (four year course) included:

Structure Driven - A modern automotive sculpture
Sebastian Kroes

'Structure Driven' combines a new structural vehicle architecture with a pure driving experience, and presents new solutions for weight-reduction and driving systems. Inspired by the structure of an orange, the body panels and structural elements are combined. The reduction in the number of parts reduces weight, and allows for a driving experience that combines aspects of a motorcycle with the automotive character of a roadster. Hydrogen fuel-cell power allows for an ecology-friendly vehicle while maintaining the joy of driving.

The vehicle is envisaged for the city and surrounding area, with two seats (a typical vehicle usage in Europe), and a speed of up to 100km/h.

Audi Iqon - New sportiness 2027
Ulrich Bauer
 
Iqon is an Audi sportscar for the year 2027, developed by Ulrich Bauer during a 6 month stay at the Audi Design Center in California, which deals with different levels of complexity and transformation.
 
The project scenario is that the world of 2027 will be organized in huge megacities, with increasing density and traffic, leading to radical fragmentation of space, infrastructure and lifestyles, a world of social and structural complexity and incoherence. The project envisages mobility being emotional even in this future, and reflects the structure of the world in 2027 in its design language.
 
Extrapolating an evolution towards complexity also found in architecture and other levels of society, such as media and the internet, the result is a complex, fragmented body structure. The sporty volume of the car is described by an agglomeration of independent surfaces. Instead of conventional shutline graphics, the negative space between surfaces in the form of huge gaps have equal formal status to the surfaces themselves. Light clusters too are no longer a graphic design on the car, instead shining through the large surface gaps.
 
The Audi Iqon is a transformer adapting to alterations in driving conditions and the variable security situations in the complex urban environments of 2027. The surfaces are mounted on an intelligent substructure, with a smart electroactive material able to change shape when voltage is applied. To adapt and enhance the driver's sensation of safety, the car can raise and change attitude to help convey a feeling of protection, control, and confidence, in effect a living, breathing armor, that seamlessly changes shape and adapts to alterations of any kind.

Ketto - Sophisticated - Streetfighter
Florian Dezauer

Ketto is a motorcycle with a sharp, agressive appearance, and a transformable upper part that allows 'streetfighter' and tourer to be combined in one motorcycle. The upper portion and foot posts move to optimize the riding position for both sporting and long-distance travel. The design features integrated storage space for a helmet at the rear.

Poetical Drive - a show car for Expo Shanghai 2010
Limin Wang

The main focus of the project was the relationship between Chinese traditional aesthetics and modern car design. The project involved research into the essence of Chinese culture, with the aim not to apply literally the elements of the historical or cultural background, but to express the underlying qualities of Chinese culture in new ways.

Crossing the alps - a sporty vehicle for transalp movement
Sebastian Simm

The A-CR concept combines transportation with winter sport while showing new solutions in driving experience, suspension and weight reduction. With an aesthetic inspired by snow covered mountains, the vehicle offers a new, strongly snowboard/motocross-influenced driving experience, and offers the most possible flexibility in the alpine area. The main aspects of th econcept are enhanced ergonomics (driver position, no sharp edges in contact areas), suspension (optimized for long jumps ), and weight reduction.

Road Trip - a small bus for young people
Martin Schauffler 

The main focus on this project was to fullfill the wishes and needs of young people. Inspired by the idea of classic vans like the VW Type 2 or Lloyd LT 500, 'RoadTrip' provides huge transport capacity in a small car, which can be used for up to 7 people or goods, for travelling with a friend, or moving house. The car has a robust and safe feeling. 

Continues... 

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