Electric skateboards, covered bicycles, solar-powered cars… If you hit the road in a few years, it might look very different around you. How do we get from A to B in the future? We want to get rid of fossil fuels and move in a sustainable but also fast and pleasant way. In this assignment we will research this and you will design an innovative means of transport. As a final assignment you make a prototype to scale.
Automotive design
One of the specializations at the TU is automotive design. So what does a car designer do? An automotive designer designs the appearance and components of cars and other vehicles. The functional development of a vehicle such as the mechanical, electrical, software, electronic and safety aspects is usually completed by a team of automotive engineers. The aesthetics and appearance of the vehicle are left to the talented and artistic hands of an automotive designer.
Usually car designers are industrial designers with an art background.
Below we discuss two idiosyncratic artists for whom the theme of mobility plays an important role in their work.
Panamarenko
It is sometimes said that children lose their creative side as they grow up. The Belgian artist Panamarenko has always remained a child. Errors and failures do not exist in Panamarenko's work. He does not make images, but designs projects and sees himself more as an artist-engineer.
Panamarenko is actually a sort of inventor. He conducts research into concepts such as space, movement, flight, energy and gravity. The sculptures he makes are inspired by modern means of transport such as airplanes, submarines and cars, but are also reminiscent of the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci.
Joost Conijn
The artist Joost Conijn traveled the world in self-built vehicles and documented these journeys with movies. Among other things, he made a trip on a self-built bicycle through the Rif Mountains (North Africa). He also flew his self-built aircraft from the Netherlands to East Africa. The aircraft had a top speed of 130 kilometers per hour. The journey lasted four months and was made in short stages.
For the Hout Auto project, Conijn drove a self-built car that uses wood as fuel. He drove from the Netherlands to Russia, as far as Chernobyl. The route passed through Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Moldova, Transnistria, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania, Italy, France and ended again in the Netherlands.
Image 1: Scotch Gambit by Panamarenko from 1966-1999
Image 2: K2 Jungle Flyer by Panamarenko from 1991
Image 3: Wood car by Joost Conijn from 2002
What is mobility?
In this assignment you will investigate what mobility means. In groups of 2 you will discuss this theme. At the end of the lesson you present your findings and come up with a proposal for a design.
Map out the mobility problem and discuss possible solutions.
- What problems do we see? For example, think of traffic jams, the environment, fossil fuels, etc.
- For what purpose is the means of transport? Think, for example, of commuting, transport of goods, space travel, vacation, recreational, racing, etc.
- What modes of transport can you think of?
- What requirements must your means of transport meet? Make a list of requirements.
Visualize the conclusions of the questions above and your ideas about mobility. Make a well-maintained presentation of your design proposal in A3 format, making use of text and images.
Research
In this assignment you will research the design of your means of transport. What should your means of transport look like? The starting point for this is the design proposal of assignment 1. Be inspired by the images of the imagebank supercar, but also let your imagination run wild.
- For this assignment you will use the technique; photo montage.
You cut shapes and patterns from magazines and combine them into a new whole. We use this technique to create surprising new shapes.
formaat A3. - Then draw a side view and a top view with a pencil on A3 format. Please indicate the dimensions and with which technique/material you want to make the prototype. Cardboard-paper-wood-clay-metal or a combination of these materials.
- Finally, think of a original name for your means of transport.
Prototype supercar
You are now starting the implementation phase. View and discuss your design proposal and orientate yourself on the material and technique.
Think carefully about the order of approach you are going to apply. And what you need to properly execute the prototype. Discuss this with your teacher.
Assessment criteria
- Your prototype meets the requirements you have set for the vehicle
- Your scale model is detailed and technically perfectly executed
- You have created an innovative design in both function and design.
- Your prototype fits within the specified size