Harnessing the 'C' Factor in Automotive Design is the Real Challenge
LONDON and SHANGHAI, March 2 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
China is looking for effective and powerful design innovation to help
cope with the huge challenge of becoming the biggest vehicle maker in the
world within the next few years.
The designs from both foreign and domestic OEMs alike must develop a more
distinctive character suited to the market. On the one hand, domestic Chinese
brands need distinct design identities in order to differentiate themselves
from local and global rivals. And on the other, they should reflect the
elusive 'C Factor', harnessing elements of Chinese culture to create a
distinctive Chinese design philosophy and aesthetic
Developing these themes is one of the purposes of this year's major
automotive design conference in China, to be held during the Auto Shanghai
motor show in April.
The Interior Motives China conference, hosted by Interior Motives
magazine and its parent Car Design News, has speakers including design chiefs
from OEMs such as Harmut Sinkwitz, head of interior design at Mercedes-Benz,
Chery design director Li Chuan Qun, and VW China design boss Simon Loasby,
together with leading influencers like former head of global design for
Toyota Hideichi Misono, and Li-Chih Fu, former design director of Nanjing
Auto.
Conference Director Abel Sampson commented: "The explosion in
contemporary architecture, fashion and product design in cities like Shanghai
has made Chinese consumers much more design literate. The challenge for
carmakers is catering for this awareness by creating more contemporary and
harmonious designs for the Chinese market.
'Our conference in Shanghai in 2007 identified some of these issues, and
by bringing together domestic design talent and decision-makers from China
with expertise from countries with more developed design capabilities, we
expect to generate real solutions in 2009."
Also working on these solutions will be speakers like Ed Wong, director
of transportation design at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, and
Lowie Vermeersch and Jason Castriota, respectively design directors of major
independent studios Pininfarina and Stile Bertone.
The Interior Motives China Conference will be held from 21-22 April 2009
at the Intercontinental Pudong Hotel, Shanghai. Delegates will also be
invited to attend the Designers Night on the evening of 20th April.
Notes for Editors:
Details of Interior Motives China conference at
leading print publication covering the design of automotive interiors. It
circulates globally to senior professional designers within OEMs, independent
design studios, selected Tier 1 suppliers and providers of services like
modelling and studio technology.
resource used by professional and student designers. Its content includes:
design reviews and design development features of the latest cars; exclusive
interviews with global design chiefs; daily reporting on new concept and
production vehicles from a design perspective; breaking news from the
automotive design community; extensive photo galleries from each major auto
show over the past eight years; and large-format, hi-res images to download.
Interior Motives and Car Design News are published by Ultima Media Ltd, a
provider of information and media in print, online and at events to the
Contacts:
Abel Sampson, Publisher: abel.sampson@ultimamedia.com
tel: +44(0)208-987-0963
Euan Sey, Editor: euan.sey@ultimamedia.com
SOURCE: Interior Motives China Conference
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