AutoCritical

A series that will explore the role of aesthetics in car design.

Aesthetics, as a term, denotes our response to an object through the senses. Such a response can range from something that is aesthetically ‘pleasing’, resulting in a fondness to the object, to something that is aesthetically ‘displeasing’, in which an unpleasant reaction is associated with the object. The way that a viewer determines their opinion on the aesthetics of an object is a result of the combined stimulation of the senses  (sight, sound, touch, taste and smell) and human emotions. When it’s about cars, there is something special and deep about the role aesthetics plays.

Frank Hinder: Drawing, Frank Gehry:Disney Concert Hall, BMW: X-Coupe Concept

Nearly all man made objects have been designed. Some have been designed to a degree with either or both, a function and/or a form. Quite often, it is said that good design has a good balance of form and function, even so, it could be said to be an ‘ignorant’ view upon design and engineering. If objects that are more heavily based on either form or function the other is ignored. Vehicles and transportation are examples of where form and function are used to stimulate senses and emotion to create a viewers opinion on aesthetic values.

Question: How do these images make you feel individually and as a collective?

References:
Stoller, P. “The Taste of Ethnographic Things”, University of Pennsylvania Press, (1989)

Suzuki – through one of their research and development divisions in India, have come up with a compact MPV concept thought to be in preparation for the Delhi motor show, called the R3.

Rightly so, there is a trend in trying to make potentially dull cars (like vans and MPVs) to be dynamically styled. In Suzuki’s attempt there are many lines along the body side that emphasize this directional movement. The most interesting is the in the belt line of the car that uses light catching on the rear to contrast heavily with the dark shadow just behind the front wheel arch. Interesting DLO frame treatments that are sympathetic to the lower half of the doors create that conceptual interest that I would love to see in production.

Dramatic lines bring movement to the design

Themes of glass (represented in black) are strongly reinforced with the large opening on the rear backlight and are all connected with the sides and front with the sky lights on the roof. This results in a ‘light’ appearance on a car that could otherwise be heavy due to large areas of color.
A secondary theme that is perhaps more cohesive in the interior is the satin finished metal work. Hints that appear on the front, and streak though the body side are fed through the console with a vein-like functionality.

Clever use of satin chrome and black help reduce the visual weight of this type of car

Deliberate techniques of visual mass reduction make this a successful concept with clever uses of non-color (inside as black surfaces, and outside as glass). As a result this compact MPV, the R3, is far from static and heavy looking. I hope they put this one into production!