- “Big Ideas in Small Spaces: Proportion in Design” panel brings together leading architects, innovators and automotive designers to push the boundaries of the global design world
- Ford is joining with the Chicago Architecture Foundation in a discussion on common design trends between cars and buildings
- Vehicles and buildings are expected to be stylish as unique creations, but must also reflect their time and surroundings while offering practical access to features people require for daily use
CHICAGO, June 6, 2013 – Sleekly fashioned from steel and
glass and carefully designed to accentuate their surroundings, today’s
buildings are judged on individual aesthetics as much as their ability
to complement their cityscape. They have much in common, then, with many
of today’s automobiles, which are designed to be both beautiful and
culturally relevant with visual elements that reflect their era.
Today, Ford Motor Company is joining with the Chicago Architecture
Foundation (CAF) to discuss how the two industries are moving in
parallel, interpreting similar trends and learning from each other.
“Big Ideas in Small Spaces: Proportion in Design,” a luncheon panel
hosted by Ford and CAF, features automotive design experts and
Chicago-based architects and innovators who will discuss how societal
trends inspire and influence both the architectural and automotive
industries.
“My favorite buildings are pristine, pure and simple, but they work
because they are placed in a position that allows culture around them
to shine,” said J Mays, group vice president, global design, and chief
creative officer, Ford Motor Company. “Cars, like architecture, have to
be appropriate for their culture. A well-designed building or car will
give a viewer a guide into the time in which it is built.”
Chicago has long been a leader in architecture, especially the
creation of skyscrapers. The city pioneered standard construction
methods for steel frame structures and helped move the world past the
use of traditional brick and concrete for tall buildings. The work of
Louis Sullivan and Mies van der Rohe was at the forefront of these
functional skyscrapers, with these innovative, Chicago-based architects
upholding high standards for design aesthetics.
Trends in today’s design world show that consumers in dense urban
areas pay close attention to product details. With crowded areas packed
with eye-catching creations, consumers differentiate their options by
focusing on small features that separate one product from the pack.
“Consumers want something that looks great, but is also full of
features,” Mays said. “The new Ford Fiesta delivers attributes not
usually associated with a car its size, everything from the eye-catching
grille to the outstanding technologies; it stands as a symbol for what
can be done with limited space.”
The 2014 Ford Fiesta comes to market with one of the most
comprehensive suites of in-car connectivity technology features
available in a small car – SYNC® with MyFord Touch®
with a new 6.5-inch LCD touch screen. With MyFord Touch powered by
Microsoft, Fiesta drivers can stay connected to their lives, easily
getting the information and entertainment they want while keeping their
hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.
Architects and auto designers face similar challenges in creating something that stands out from the crowd.
“Everyone has seen everything, the Internet has allowed everyone to
view architecture from the other side of the world in a heartbeat,”
said panel moderator Diane Atwood, director of the Atwood Foundation and
CAF Trustee. “Designers in all fields, then, are competing not just
with what’s around them, but with the work of the international creative
community.”
Good building design is not about creating a structure that looks
like it was made for the entire world, Atwood explained, but it is about
creating something that has universal appeal.
“Consumers expect products that not only deliver functionality and
quality, but also style and a sense of premium-ness that is actually
attainable,” Mays said. “This applies to the automotive world as well,
and vehicles like Fusion and the new Fiesta are a culmination of this
principle.”
The all-new Fusion balances form and function, offering a stunning
design without sacrificing fuel efficiency. The midsize sedan carries an
EPA-estimated 47 mpg rating for its hybrid offering and 100 MPGe
combined for the Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid.
Panel participants include:
- Diane Atwood, director, Atwood Foundation and CAF Trustee
- J Mays, group vice president of global design, and chief creative officer, Ford Motor Company
- Carlos Martinez, principal and regional design director, Gensler Chicago and CAF Trustee
- Jonathan Gately, associate principal architect of design, Jahn
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