College Exhibition: Scuola Politecnica di Design Milan 2006

Students from the Car Design Masters course at Scuola Politecnica di Design Milan presented concepts for an Audi Avant for 2015 at the school's studios in late June. The presentation of the Audi-sponsored project was made to Walter de'Silva, Design Director Audi Brand Group, who was actively involved in the project along with Audi designers Gary Telaak for the exterior design and Ingo Von Bargen for the interior.

In October the students were assigned the task by Walter de'Silva of giving shape to the evolution of the Audi Avant concept. Twenty young designers from all over the world took part in the project. Eleven different proposals were developed under the guidance of Marco Bonetto, the head of SPD Master's in Transportation Design. The students' interpretations ranged from new coupes with great space for luggage, luxurious limousines and convertibles with fluid lines inspired by boat design.

Three models were selected by Audi to be presented to the Design Center in Ingolstadt: a coupe with sophisticated graphics designed by Oleksiy Tsapliy from Ukraine; the luxurious landaulet of Dzmitry Samal, from Belarus, divided into a zone exclusively for the driver and a cabin reserved for VIP travellers; and the sporty Avant coupe designed by Kamil Labanowicz, from Poland, perfectly adapted to the city but equally at ease during a weekend away.

Kamil Labanowicz imagined a new Avant that strikes the perfect balance between a sporty character and the performance of a station wagon. It is a versatile vehicle which combines a sports car with a hatchback: a car designed for dynamic, forward-looking young people who like to escape from the daily routine. The Avant Coupe has a typical urban spirit but can satisfy long distance travelling too. The two volume architecture emphasizes the fresh, almost vertical rear, in shooting brake style. The surfaces are defined by decisive signs such as the generously scaled air intakes and the elongated L-shaped light units. Strong arches around the side windows outline the silhouette of the car. The rear screen lifts up and part of the bumper bar slides down taking up less space while loading and allowing easier access to the trunk. The Avant coupe accomodates three passengers plus the driver with impressive luggage space.

With his concept 'Avantgarde', Dzmitry Samal revives the old landaulet car, a very popular model in the 20s and 30s. Samal has transformed it into a contemporary supercar, a status symbol giving its occupants a sense of exclusivity, uniqueness and glamour. Avantgarde is a concept car to be put on display, dedicated to the few who choose a life of luxury, always in the spotlight. The concept is developed on the A8 platform. Avantgarde combines two cars in one, the first is a fast, sporty convertible which offers the maximum pleasure in driving; the second is a 'lounge car' which guarantees total relaxation and absolute privacy, fitted with all the equipment for a mobile office. This proposal features two separate zones: the first is reserved for the driver and features a sliding roof while the second is a private cabin dedicated to two VIP passengers. The body of the car follows a fluid 'S' line, which underlines and at the same time integrates the two zones. This 'S' converges at the waistline that raises up towards the back, emphasizing the privacy of the passenger zone. The floral pattern of the wheels recall Art Deco, and the combination of two colours for the bodywork pays homage to the history of this type of car.

The inspiration for the Avant Visio by Oleksiy Tsapliy comes from the will to respect the Audi brand character, yet push it into the future. The Visio is more than a stylish sporty station wagon; it is a vehicle which addresses the sophisticated taste of an audience of young and demanding urban professionals, responsive to design and performance. The design blends impact, emotion and sportiness. The clean-cut language adopted gives a strong, three-dimensional effect to the entire body. The graphic identity of the car is also a key element in this project: sleek lines are embedded, almost carved into the volumes. Details such as the wheels bring to mind the classical six spoke design while adding a stronger 3D effect to the wheels. Styling is never split from functionality. For example, the characteristic cut of the side window, which ends with a narrow element curved toward the rear, emphasizes the coupe feeling of the Avant Visio while incorporating the hinges of the tailgate. 

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