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Monday, 24 September 2007 | Levent OZLER
Awards Made in the Fiat Group Style Centre's Design the Italian Way Competition
The closing evening of the "Design the Italian Way" competition took place on September 20, 2007 in the new Fiat Group Automobiles' Style Centre headquarters (Officina 83). Participants in this competition launched on November 30, 2006 came from eight of the world's leading design schools: Turin's European Institute of Design, the Design Faculty of Milan Polytechnic, Detroit College for Creative Studies, Coventry University of Art and Design, Tokyo Communications Arts, Moscow's Stroganov State University, Ahmedebad National Institute of Design (India) and the Umea University Institute of Design (Sweden).
The idea for this award was a joint effort that involved not only Style Centre designers but also the Fiat, Lancia and Alfa Romeo brands and their respective Product, Engineering & Design and Human Resources management teams. The basic features to be incorporated in projects developed for each of the three brands were defined by the CEOs of Fiat, Lancia and Alfa Romeo, namely, Luca De Meo, Olivier François and Antonio Baravalle.
The 200 students, of 12 different nationalities, who participated in the "Design the Italian Way" competition were divided into three groups - one for each brand - and in total they presented 100 projects. A winner for each brand was then chosen from designs submitted by each of the participating schools. In the majority of cases projects were the work of a 2/3-student team who were represented by one member at the final evening. All of them will participate in a Fiat Group Automobiles programme providing hands-on experience, thanks to a study grant covering five months in the Fiat, Lancia and Alfa Romeo Style Centres. A training period that will specifically focus on developing Product Communication and Style Development skills.
During the closing evening the jury comprising experts from the design field, fashion world, architects and specialised journalists singled out six works from the 24 project finalists that were given special mentions. The awards covered the Best Italian Design for the Fiat, Lancia and Alfa Romeo brands; Best Innovative Material Use; Best Future Vision; Best Overall Communication.
For the Fiat brand the briefing students received was to develop a concept for the future Panda and to create a family of models around the Grande Punto. They were also told to bear in mind items and products associated with these two cars that can create a new, strong and distinctive family feeling based on smiles, a friendly feeling, simplicity and dynamism, which are the hallmarks of this brand.
As regards Lancia, students were asked to reinterpret the brand's concepts of refinement, glamour and technology in an innovative key, developing two different concepts belonging to the same product family: a compact mainly for town use and a versatile, small-size MPV. In this case, there was to be a special focus on interiors to ensure maximum possible personalisation in line with current fashion trends.
There were three concepts for Alfa Romeo: a 'large', versatile sports model; a flagship incorporating a new stylistic approach while still meeting the expectations of traditional customers; a 'small', zippy car, fun to drive and with an affordable price. As for interiors, the request was hi-tech devices, shapes and content. Sporty style and emotions are what differentiate the style of this brand.
On the occasion of the final evening of "Design then Italian Way", held in the new premises of the Fiat Group Automobiles' Style Centre, three separate areas were organised - one for each brand - with an exhibition of works by the 24 finalists. Jury members were able to talk with the young designers, review their projects and decide which deserved special mention. And so after the gala dinner there was an official prize-giving for the 24 winning entries followed by awards for the projects selected for a special mention.
Best Italian Design for the Fiat brand: Fiat Panda - Danilo Tosetti, Luca Seren Gay, Enrico Vercelli - Istituto Europeo di Design, Torino (Italy)
Best Italian Design for the Lancia brand: Lancia Aemila - Naoya Tsukamoto, Tatsuya Yamamoto, Chen Yi Kai - Tokyo Communication Arts (Japan)
Best Italian Design for the Alfa Romeo brand, ex aequo: Alfa Romeo - Mahan Ghose - National Institute of Design (India) and Alfa Romeo Area - Carmelo Giannone - Istituto Europeo di Design (Italy).
Best Innovative Material Use: Panda Splash - Federico Weber, Danilo Mangini - Politecnico di Milano (Italy)
Best Future Vision: Fiat Panda - Danilo Tosetti, Luca Seren Gay, Enrico Vercelli - Istituto Europeo di Design, Torino (Italy)
Best Overall Communication: Fiat Panda - Danilo Tosetti, Luca Seren Gay, Enrico Vercelli - Istituto Europeo di Design (Italy)
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