AutoDesign Prague 2013: Report

Below we report an official report on the event. For more information visit auto-design-prague-cz.

From the official Press Release:

This year’s edition of AutoDesign Prague took place in the backdrop of the newly reconstructed Škoda Auto Museum in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Repubilic.

The industrial building welcomed designers from Opel, Ford, Pininfarina, Škoda and others. The program once again contained topics of thought, such as a lecture by designer Michal Kačmár from Land Rover about why today’s concepts are rarely true ‘dream cars’, and also more technical presentations about novelties from the fiel – such as the presentation about the latest trends in the field of lighting held by Todd Morgan, Vice President for Global Product Development Varroc Lighting Systems.

The main speaker of the conference Jozef Kabaň, Head of Design Škoda Auto, presented his personal vision of automotive design, and spoke about the people who had inspired and motivated him along the way.

In connection to Škoda design, he also focused on the importance of a product’s connection with its place of origin.

“We want a person who perhaps sees our car on the other side of the world to recognise that it was designed by people who come from somewhere and don’t design only an anonymous good looking product,” he said about the shaping link of sharp edges of new Škoda models with traditional Czech crystal.

Alongside the latest Škoda Rapid Spaceback directly on stage was the introduction of the stylish Opel Adam, on which its Chief Designer Niels Loeb presented trends in car individualization.

Another intriguing presentation was by Braňo Maukš, who at the Pininfarina studio specializes on Ferrari car design. He showed how modern software helps developers with their work on the recent Sergio concept.

Radek Laube, Chief Editor of AutoDesign&Styling magazine, and the main organizer of the event, commented: “[…] I believe that for many people it was an inspirational and educative gathering, and I am glad it was again managed to remind that automotive culture and design in Czech Republic have a great tradition, also present and future.”

Speakers and titles of lectures

• Michal Kačmár, designer, teacher, visionary – “What Happened?”
• Lea Thomas Smith, Head of Design MBtech Group – “Project Management in Design”
• Todd C. Morgan, Vice President for Global Product Development Varroc Lighting Systems – “Evolution of Automotive Lighting from Pure Function to Design Signature”
• Jozef Kabaň, Head of Design Škoda Auto – “Point of View”
• Niels Loeb, Chief Designer Opel, Exterior Design – “ADAM &YOU: Importance of Individualisation in Car Design”
• Marek Kedzierski, Senior Designer BT Concept Design Studio – “100% Czech Design”
• Michal Jelínek, conceptual artist & design adventurist – “Machines of Adventures”
• Braňo Maukš, senior designer Pininfarina – “Pininfarina Sergio Concept Development Process”
• Nikolaus Vidakovic, Creative Specialist Interior Excellence, Ford – “Ford S-Max & Vignale Concept”

(Source: AutoDesign&Styling)