Professional designers create US icons of tomorrow on CCS' Cultural Immersion Workshop

This year's College of Creative Studies' Cultural Immersion Workshop saw 10 design professionals from Asia – seven of which had never been Stateside before – tour the Midwest on a cultural exploration mission as they sought to provide a fresh perspective on American car culture... in just 27 days. This trip provided the foundation for the innovative concepts that were unveiled at the college on 16 August.

While the practice of Asian companies sending their designers to American schools is commonplace, the format that CCS employs with this workshop is unique. Addressing the attendees, CCS dean Vince Carducci spoke of its merits, saying, "The Cultural Immersion Workshop is the only program of its kind in the world within the transportation design community.

"Through their four weeks of research and design work as part of the program, the designers gained a deeper understanding of American automotive design theory and methods, and the unique culture from which it springs. This knowledge will help them better design for world markets and help their sponsoring companies compete in an increasingly integrated global economy."

The workshop was launched in 2008 by instructors Kuni Ito and Michael Fink. This year, the designers benefited from the guidance of Ito, instructor Brian Baker and two CCS students: Raymond Lee and Dirk Wan. Ito was also invaluable to the group as a translator. In the end, the 10 designers sorted themselves into three distinct teams, each drawing inspiration from Midwestern American icons.

Tokiko Hirai Toyota Motor Corporation
Kentaro Kurohara Toyota Motor East Japan Inc.
Yohei Mizutani Nissan Motor Co. Ltd

Thanks to the light sports aircraft category, the future looks very creative for small plane manufacturers. Could such creativity make the flying car concept more accessible? Team Cessna sought to answer that question. Tokiko Hirai's 'C/T' can fly from one Toyota dealer to another via autopilot, allowing city dwellers a respite from traffic. Kentaro Kurohara believes people will grow weary of internet communication, and demand for a 'Face-to-Face' society will increase. His 'Uniter' would allow loved ones who live far apart to see each other as quickly as possible. Similarly, Yohei Mizutani's 'Skypod' would connect a company's branches around the globe, which has become increasingly significant as national borders become less important.

Ichiro Sakai Mazda Motor Corporation
Kohei Kobayashi Subaru Research and Development, Inc.
Shin Kamiura Toyota Motor Corporation

Ray Harroun won the first Indy 500 at an average speed of 74mph. Today, Indy cars easily exceed 230mph on the straightaways. So in the future, what might a 300mph Indy car look like? After a visit to the speedway, Team Indy came up with some very thought-provoking answers. Ichiro Sakai's 'Lean Racer' focused on perceived speed in the cockpit and employed a higher driving position and a leaning dynamic in the turns. Kohei Kobayashi's 'Hayabusa' sought to mesh Indy traditions with innovative features like partially enclosed wheels. Shin Kamiura's 'Fuji-Yama' combined a two-wheeled, gyroscopically balanced frame with the long-nosed proportion of a classic Indy roadster. In addition, the team presented a new track idea – a curved surface like a bobsled course, designed to allow maximum speed without the threat of a concrete wall.

Junichi Shina Isuzu Motor Ltd
Kazuya Shigyo Tecno Art Research Co. Ltd
Tatsuya Ono Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd
Yang Lu Nissan Motor Co. Ltd

NASA and Airstream's association has been well documented over the years. Both names share a tradition of exploration, and this team found new ways to express that tradition. Junichi Shina's 'NASAirstreamer' blended the classic Airstream teardrop with the bullet nose of a NASA space shuttle. The result was surprisingly original and looked striking in profile. Kazuya Shigyo's 'SSS Airstream' emphasized space efficiency with a extending center section – a kind of horizontal take on the Westfalia camper. Tatsuya Ono's 'N.A.S.T.' concept was designed purely for VIPs, creating a unique leisure experience through interior packaging and enhanced visibility. Yang Lu's 'Oasis' used reflective surfaces to provide security and privacy for its occupants. While definitely aspirational in nature, it was not hard to picture these concepts on the road in 2025.

Upon arrival in the States, these designers were intrigued by many American traits, from the sheer vastness of the landscape to the way people connect with their cars – even the fact that we always ask, "How are you doing?"

As they return home, they will carry with them a new understanding of what it means to design for the American market.

Click on the gallery above to see images from the Cultural Immersion presentation.

Your author, Jason White, is an automotive designer by day and a teacher/sim racer/voice over artist by night. He lives in Detroit, Michigan USA (a.k.a.The Paris of the Midwest).

By Jason White