PLASTicon Project Descriptions

Material Icons - Plastic Technology Opportunities

PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

1. Francisco Avila Añón

2. Teresa Mendicino

3. Julien Cueff

4. Laura Perryman

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The challenge for this team was to design a vehicle that would make the time commuters spend travelling in their car a more enjoyable and relaxing experience.

The team used the theme of ‘emotions through plastic’ to create designs that used the properties of plastic to enliven automotives.

Opportunities identified by the team included: see through exteriors; new door openings enabled by lightweight plastic; light conductivity possibilities of plastic; and how using plastic can enable the inside of a vehicle to be changed – i.e. on a foggy day the driver can change their view using built-in LED displays.

Francisco Avila Añón

The concept for the interior is to give the feeling of comfort and relaxation to the passengers, as if they are still at home. The starting point for the inspiration came from the bathtub. Playing with smooth surfaces, soft colours and new materials - light emitting plastics and elastic fabrics made from plastic makes the driver and passengers journey a much more enjoyable experience.

Teresa Mendicino

Through the technical properties plastics possess, Teresa wanted to enrich it using single shapes, inspired by natural elements. The roof contains LED’s to give the impression of a starry sky to help the driver and passengers imagine they are far away from the traffic congestion and pollution. The design can also be personalized, through the use of graphics and thermochromatic materials.

Julien Cueff

Plastic material enabled Julien to define new uses and functionalities and to design a vehicle that was closer to human nature and behaviours.

Laura Perryman (Textiles)

Natural, and organic structures inform the prints for the vehicles. Translucency and colour play a big part in the overall aesthetic. Organic flowing patterns based on sound waves and frequencies that have movement and a behaviour of their own. Vacuum forming combined with a range of experimental prints, push new technical opportunities, giving the plastic a new quality, feel and touch that is reactive to the user. Pattern is revealed with surface change i.e. reacts to light, temperature and has reflective qualities.

Group 2

Material Icons - Plastic Form Language

PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

1. Ana Zadnik

2. Flavien Dachet

3. Daniel Sjöholm

4. Yuko Kanemura

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

What makes plastic plastic? This group concentrated on the unique properties of plastic and explored different ways to manipulate it to create new textures, patterns and lighting effects from the material itself.

Ana Zadnik

The framework of Ana’s final vehicle is made of a stretched plastic form, which enables easier transportation and allows customers to choose the length of the vehicle. The vehicle body parts consist of the front and rear which are unique, and a central body panel which can vary in length.

Flavien Dachet

In its raw state plastic is made of small pellets sparkling like diamonds. Flavien has used the texture and transparency of plastic pellets to create a random light constellation. When the pellets are mixed with heat and pressure, it produces a random mosaic mixing colours like pixels. These qualities give a bespoke feeling, which can make each dashboard unique. The light on the dashboard can indicate the quantity of energy left in the batteries, as a speedometer or just as a decorative light.

Daniel Sjöholm

Taking inspiration from celebrity culture and graffiti design, Daniel’s ideal customer for his design is singer Björk. The nature and colours of Iceland worked as an input for the form and colour of the vehicle. The car is also electric and has four wheel drive, ideal for Björk’s visits to the Icelandic countryside. Similarly Björk could also arrive in style at VIP parties as the car’s unique properties stand out in a crowd.

Yuko Kanemura (Textiles)

Yuko has used etched copper sheets laminated in thermochromatic plastic. When the engine is switched on the heat is conducted through the copper and transferred to the plastic. This brings about subtle colour changes to expose patterns in the metal. The car returns to its original colour when the engine is switched off. Yuko also flattened plastic pellets to resemble mosaics which were then laminated to form sheets to use for the car interior.

Group 3

Mobility Icons - China

PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

1. Filip Krnja

2. Ehsan Moghaddampour

3. Jamie Tomkins

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The challenge for this group was to create a suitable mode of transport for this increasingly populated country that meets the needs of urbanites as well as complying with the Chinese government’s policy to encourage the use of low or non-emission vehicles.

After a trip to China, the team developed vehicles based on a future concept of the city - the Beijing Boom Tower which is designed into three tiers or social classes. On the top tier live the wealthiest residents, in the centre are the middle-classes, and at the bottom live the working class. A vehicle for each level was designed:

Filip Krnja

Filip Krnja designed for the top level penthouses, each one has its own personal lift. The inside of the lift doubles as the car cabin – meaning the lift takes the resident straight from their apartment and slots into the middle section of the car. The vehicle is programmable to take the occupant straight to their destination with no need for manual driving.

Ehsan Moghaddampour

Ehsan Moghaddampour looked at the middle level and has designed a taxi. The shape of the taxi was influenced by Chinese buildings and the main feature is concertina doors, ideal for cramped Chinese streets.

Jamie Tomkins

Jamie Tomkins took on the bottom level and looked at the ubiquitous Chinese bicycle as a starting point for his design. His hybrid bicycle has a metal and plastic frame with plastic detachable parts that can be changed to create a unique style. The use of plastic means the hybrid is lighter and with interchangeable parts it is more aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Group 4

Mobility Icons – India

PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

1. Florian Seidl

2. Chanwie Park

3. Craig Morrison

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

After undertaking a research trip to India the group decided to focus on entry-level mobility in rural India between 2015 and 2020. The team has used a skateboard-like chassis which is made with the use of GE’s HydroPlast technology. The suspension system is already integrated in this skateboard and is inspired by the Citroen 2CV. The car is propelled by electric wheel mounted engines and a small petrol or CNG engine recharges the batteries.

To tackle the affordability problem the group thought of a more service oriented business strategy comparable to mobile phones and also on the idea of a “just in time” and a “just on site” manufacturing model that is also inspired by the open source approach of the IT business.

Florian Seidl

Florian’s input is inspired by post-war Italy and the original FIAT Multipla. It can be used as a people mover or commercial vehicle and has a modular back. Florian wants to achieve a friendly and positive appeal and reflect the softness and fluidity of the plastic material. A natural cooling system is also part of the concept. The idea is taken from top ventilated structures in architecture.

Chanwie Park

Indian cars are often modified by their users according to their individual needs. For instance, people living in rural areas carry grain and livestock by a trailer but they also want to use their car to carry passengers. However, the biggest problem facing Indian people living in rural areas is the cost of buying a vehicle, so this concept is based on a modular principle. This means drivers are able to change the rear portion of the vehicle for their own needs. Also, they can apply their craftsmanship in changing the rear part of the car to fulfill their needs. In addition when you buy a car , these modular parts could be chosen to suit the customer’s purposes. In terms of styling it is dictated by the Indian market’s preference for modern European shapes.

Craig Morrison

The interior for this car for rural india is completely modular. The standard model comes with only the essential articles to use the vehicle, a driver seat, pedals, steering wheel, half a dashboard and a speedometer. In addition to this the driver can specify add-ons in accordance to their needs. For example with the family package you can add a passenger seat and two rear passenger seats, or the utility package where a rear storage box can be plugged directly into the interior rail. For times when you want to change around quickly you can fold the seats away under the top skin of the platform. Additionally the driver may want to specify the sounds package, where a stereo is added to the side of the modular dashboard, or for the mechanic you can add a tool box, for the family with a new born you could add a baby seat or nappy changer to the side of the dash. With plastic it is possible to create any number of affordable, small production runs of these specific goods.

PLASTicon Project Descriptions

Group 5

Social Icons - Generation-Y

PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

1. Matt Croft

2. Tobias Gabel

3. Jemma Ooi

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This team researched the habits and consumer behaviour of Generation-Y to discover what automotive designs would best slot into their lifestyles.

Conclusions were drawn that pointed to familiarity with plastics (shoes, mobile phones, games consoles, iPods). Gen-Y love smart, creative products, and the fact that Gen-Y live in a smaller more connected world – Internet, travel, 24-hour news stations. Gen-Y also has less money with which to purchase big one-off items like cars, they are more likely to purchase scooters, second-hand automobiles or borrow their parents’ cars.

Matt Croft

Matt Croft is developing a ‘car canvas’ that is the basic shell of a car with a small engine, aimed at 16 year olds. The project is a modern incarnation of the kit car. Designed as a teen’s first road experience the kit form is designed to get them there cheaply and intuitively, moving kit cars away from their current enthusiasts only image to a broader generation growing up with Ikea and Lego today. The car takes advantage of the flexibility plastic allows so the vehicle can grow with the individual in a plug and play fashion. Mechanical parts can be added as the user matures while aesthetic and functional elements keep the vehicle abreast of the their lifestyle.

Tobias Gabel

Tobias Gabel noticed that automobiles for Gen-Y are more than just a means of getting from A to B. Cars for 16-18 year olds are often seen as a space to have fun and get away from parents. This principal has impacted on the design, making the car more functional with the removal of seats and the ability of transforming it into a ‘space’. Features of this design include a ‘push-in’ rear that, with the flexibility plastic provides, allows the owner to turn the rear of their car into an external seat. The dash board is made from clear plastic allowing the owner to customise it by inserting personal photographs etc.

Jemma Ooi (Textiles)

Research has led the design to integrate the concept of customization within the designs of the vehicles – from the graphic aspects to the development of materials that hold personal items (cd’s, photos etc) that form both a practical and aesthetic element to the vehicles.

Group 6

Social Icons – Eco-friendly SUV

PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

1. Vaaibhav Desai

2. Daniel Kafka

3. Tom Hooper

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The students in this team realised the changing attitudes of consumers and the want for eco-friendly SUVs that don’t pollute the environment and annoy pedestrians. The recent increase in road tax for 4x4’s and rising petrol prices are also key issues that influenced this team in designing the SUV for the future.

A further consideration for the next generation of SUV was based on the principals of flexibility, lightness and durability. This SUV is smaller in size than the traditional SUV; however, it maintains all the functions that we have come to expect from an SUV. The designer purposefully aimed to challenge current perceptions and highlight how smaller SUVs retain their practicality (mounting a surf board on top, ability to remove the back of the vehicle and use as a pick-up etc) while being lighter, meaning less fuel consumption, and safer for the pedestrian.

Vaaibhav Desai

Looking at nature for inspiration, the tortoise became the main object of influence. It is a very efficient creature, which uses its shell to protect itself. Similarly, the shell on the Eco Tawtus is used to protect its occupants inside, while the car protects the environment outside. It has organic and fluid surfaces for a lighter look, taking away the ‘chunkiness’ of current SUV’s. Plastics are used to retain utility, and include factors like pedestrian safety, disassembly and recyclability. Glazing used on windows can create interesting patterns, and further enhance utility. This would make the next generation of SUV's more eco friendly, and socially acceptable.

Daniel Kafka

Taking influence from modern sports trainers, this vehicle was conceived with the optimum use of material strength, lightness and durability in mind. It aims to utilise the material ability where possible, to replace unnecessary mechanicals. In this respect it is a more socially, as well as environmentally responsible vehicle. While encompassing some of the main features that make current SUV’s attractive it encourages interaction rather than isolation from society. It is a warm-hearted antidote to contemporary SUV’s, and it serves as a demonstration of the pure meanings of the term “Sports Utility Vehicle”, while celebrating the benefits of being unmistakably plastic!

Tom Hooper

Research for this project led Thom to look at recycling practices or ‘down cycling’. In order to achieve sustainability in products they should be designed for disassembly and made from either biological or technical nutrients. The final design took a ‘cradle to cradle’ approach as opposed to ‘cradle to grave’, the vehicle could be constructed in such a way that it eliminates the labour intensive and energy exhausting disassembly seen with ‘down cycling’. With disassembly and recycling, the vehicle’s materials are food for the next generation of vehicles.

Reader enquiries

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