Text: Jens
Persson
One of the key tenets of design is "understanding the user". A
capable designer is expected to be able to envision the user
perspective and identify their true needs and wants. First-year MFA
student Liuyi Zhang took that sentiment to heart as she tried to
delve deeper into Spanish culture for her project, WIGO. In fact,
she ended up "going method". For her brief, Liuyi and her team
member Mario Schaffeld were tasked with creating a vehicle for a
group of co-living friends in Barcelona in 2030. In order to fully
identify with her subjects Liuyi went the extra mile and began
mimicking the daily patterns in Spanish life set by the siesta
routine, that is the late afternoon nap.
"For me, it wasn't hard to visualise a city with narrow streets,
transportation limits, and a young and energetic vibe. What was
more challenging was to understand certain parts of the lifestyle,
for example where people would take a couple of hours to rest
during the day time, which I had never experienced or even heard
about. So, I also tried to have my break a bit longer during
this exploration phase to feel why people do this and what kind of
cultural environment that creates", says Liuyi Zhang.

The WIGO design concept that she developed with Mario Schaffeld
speaks to a modern definition of what a family in 2030 may look
like. WIGO combines the practical aspects of the small-size vehicle
with elements of resting and relaxation. The distinctive interior
design uses a rail system connecting moveable parts, where users
can easily change the seat distributions to suit various scenarios.
The standing-posture foldable seats allows for an efficient use of
the limited space.
"Being responsible for the interior design, my challenge was to
re-interprete the seating and resting experience in a car slim
enough for the narrow streets of Barcelona. We tried different
types of layouts through 3D-models and physical prototyping and
came up with the final decision of four people sitting in a
flexible, interactive setup. With the main posture being vertical,
this layout truly uses space efficiency while aiming to keep a high
level of comfort", says Liuyi Zhang.
A 360° vehicle design experience
Each year, first-year students at the MFA programme in
Transportation Design are thrust into the "Vehicle Design"-course
within less than two months of their arrival in Umeå. It's a
comprehensive and challenging course encompassing the 360-degree
experience of vehicle design - from basic research, to concept
definition, to 2D ideation, to concept selection, to 3D development
and finally the presentations. Even in a normal year, it's a lot to
digest for fresh-faced students finding their feet as automotive
designers. This year, the global pandemic changed the game
completely. Students weren't able to meet physically in
collaborative sessions and field trips were cancelled. According to
Demian Horst, director for the MFA Programme in Transportation
Design there were, besides the obvious drawbacks, some unexpected
positives.
"I was impressed to see that the digital collaboration tools
could work out so smoothly. It was also rewarding to see that the
student teams managed to achieve such a good level of integration
and consistency in terms of form language and identity as they
developed both interior and exterior design for each concept. I
also think they were able to explore unconventional paths to better
represent diversity and the development we see happening in
society", says Demian Horst.
The pandemic silver lining
Realizing that they were going to miss out on the field trip to
Lynk & Co's headquarters in Gothenburg the students were
understandably disappointed. But in a roundabout way, the pandemic
actually strengthened the company's engagement with the student
projects. The review meetings with students became an opportunity
for inspiration and positive distraction for the resident Lynk
& Co designers, confined to their remote work spaces.
"I believe that the company realised this was a win-win
situation. It added some extra motivation for their designers
during challenging times. I think it was healthy for them to break
the routine of "serious" remote work and isolation with creative
sessions with our students. And when professional designers give
feedback, they are themselves reflecting on their own work", says
Demian Horst.
Lars Falk, Interior Design Leader at Lynk & Co Design,
was excited to see students go beyond the conventional futuristic
visions within mobility design.
"We were very impressed by the results from all of
the groups' diverse and creative concepts that took such a large
leap out of the 'Automotive Design box' and how well they were able
to work under such a short amount of time. We
were also positively surprised by the innovative nature of the
concepts which contained well thought out functionality and a
high-level design aesthetic that fit the lives of our future
customers", says Lars Falk.
The ultimate proof of the company's engagement was displayed
during the final presentations. The virtual demonstrations of the
design concepts were in fact joined by over 100 representatives
from the company. Without doubt, a record of some sort.
"Having more than 100 participants from the company during the
final presentation was a strong sign of appreciation for the
process and the promises made by the student teams at earlier
stages. Most of the design studio and nearly all design leadership
were present. It was epic, clearly one positive aspect of the
pandemic", says Demian Horst.
student design concepts
WIGO
Shifting towards a more modern definition of what a
family in 2030 may look like, the vehicle targets groups of
co-living friends, located in Barcelona, Spain. WIGO represents an
approach on how to combine a small size vehicle with elements of
resting and relaxation, giving each user the chance to make it a
personal product and experience.
Team: Liuyi Zhang (Interior) & Mario
Schaffeld (Exterior)
Exterior Design
Interior Design
011
This concept focuses on the lifestyle of single
parent families in Portugal. The 011 project sees Lissabon being
the "new Silicon Valley", aims to be in balance with a low cost of
living while supporting a vibrant lifestyle.
Team: Justin Huang, Hriday Mistry (Interior)
& Drake Nolte (Exterior)
Exterior Design
Interior Design
FLINK
The design represents a level 4 autonomous vehicle
(manual steering still present) created for families based in Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil. This mobility service is designed to unite
family members and allow them to spend quality time together. The
vehicles layout is adaptable according to the users' desire.
Team: Tong-Tong
Wang, Wenyu Wu (Interior) & Erik Olsson (Exterior)
Exterior Design
Interior Design
TODOS
The design concept is a shared vehicle created around
the everyday life of a three-generation family living in Santiago,
Chile. TODOS is designed to strengthen and support family values in
everyday Chilean life. It is a vehicle that not only eases the
commuting needs of the family, but it is also an extension of the
living room and office.
Team: Li Lingzhi, Christoffer
Weinreich (Interior) & Zain Kadri (Exterior)
Exterior Design
Interior Design
Urban Farmers Club
The vehicle design is set in Berlin in 2030. The
concept is focused on the small-scale family with a sustainable
lifestyle that enjoys urban farming. The sharing service is
considered from a privacy protection perspective. The final design
provides 'separated spaces' for passenger and cargo with asymmetric
features. The interior is open but private with its section sliding
door.
Team: Hansol Kim (Interior) &
Weihao Shao (Exterior)
Exterior Design
Interior Design