After some mind-blowing feedbacks on part one of my monthly blog post, I just had to work even harder on part two of our journey.

Unlike all the great responses I received, it surprised me that none of my brilliant readers guessed the upcoming topics on this post correctly. I bet you will do better next time 🙂

I`m ready if you are ready, so fasten your seat belts and let us travel  to the next stage of our journey to discover rare combinations and some of the hottest trends in the automotive industry today. All of that cannot happen without giving you a glimpse into how we apply it all in the studio and how you can do it too. So let’s cut to the chase and move straight to the next part of our journey- the remaining two trends I have chosen the share with you after my extraordinary visit to the IAA in Frankfurt.

Going green vs The return to nature –

While the first trend is a natural process of cultural development and exposure to different styles around the world, the second trend is mostly an act of defiance, a process of rebellion against everything we know in the midst of a race for modernization and technology.

The truth is that people are tired of the accelerated modernization, urbanization and most of all- the control of technology over our lives. People want to return to the natural, simple, what was once homey. If you add to mix the fact that the Earth is being slowly destroyed and that our environment is important, you get a very crucial green trend.

After many years of slow disappearance, the polymer (or plastic, as we call it daily) has returned to flourish in industrial design and has integrated in a variety of off the shelf products. Alongside the polymer many items made of natural materials, especially woven or embroidered, will appear on curtains, sofas and carpets. In addition, a growing trend is the use of raw materials such as bulky ceramic tiles, real oak dining tables or concrete-like walls that has also seeped into the automotive sector in the form of matte colored body panels or the use of natural hemp for the interior of the vehicle.

With all that said, I have yet to encounter something that is truly ecological, environmental. There are not too many uprising steps taken against the flashy and impersonal and towards the earthy, accessible and natural.  It always bothered me how we take a material and put it through endless processes just to end up with something we call recycled. This is exactly why I enjoyed seeing the use of wise recycling at the IAA, one that truly justifies the entire process. What excited me most was learning about the way Mercedes does recycling – it`s not harmful, but a proper use of the earth and its capabilities, simply the use of materials they have available at hand.

There are just a few projects of this kind, one of my favorites is Shir Atar`s project- a Felt chair made of recycled materials. The brilliance of this project is the proper use of the industrial remains while creating a new wonderful trend using waste.

Another great project belongs to the designer Shahar Ya`acoby, all those colorful electrical wires get shredded in factories and they may think there is nothing to do with them, but he dissolves them into a mold and makes this waste into a chair or whatever comes to imagination. The trick is to re-use the material without too much unnecessary processes. Finally, last but not least, the Campana brothers and their crazy art work made out of scraps from Louis Vuitton presented at EXPO 2015 in Milan.

While not every project requires it, here at the studio we try to recycle, use less harmful substances and help our planet as much as possible. We disagree with what exists today- an  inefficient and passing trend that requires much more energy than the production of something new, more expensive, less accessible and misses the entire goal. The use of ecological materials may be slightly more expensive, but more available. This is why choosing materials in the studio considers both production technologies and the product shape which is derived from the material itself.

Want to know more? Feel free to contact me for tips or advice about the use of ecological or recycled materials, I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Technology as an integral part of it all –

Vehicle design is the perfect combination of engineering and design- an ideal balance which proves that you can`t have one without the other. Renewable technology is an integral part of engineering and it has a significant impact on the market, as the dialogue between design and technology is a crucial part of it.

In recent years there has been rapid and impressive development in introducing technology to the automotive industry. Just take a look at some of the most brilliant innovations recently: sensors for object identification and smart braking, autonomous vehicles, integrating interfaces between your vehicle and mobile and that is only in a nutshell.

In my opinion, the most impressive exhibit in the field of technology is once again, Mercedes. The perfect balance between technology, the driver and his environment lets you know you are looking at one of the best.

And what about us? We at the studio are trying to relate to technological developments and to embrace it. However, our belief is that too much of something is never good. We cannot ignore the advances in technology, but we can control our exposure to it and its dosage in our lives or our stuff (studies have shown that your phone can make you dumber and we wouldn`t like that, would we?).

So I guess I will not be re-educate people, but personally I prefer and recommend not to be afraid of it, embrace it and use it wisely.

Want to hear more about the correct and intelligent use of technology in customized products? Me and the entire studio staff are available to all kinds of questions, requests or work orders you may have. Don`t be shy, we don`t bite 🙂

In conclusion,

The IAA exhibition provides a rare glimpse into the world of vehicles and a unique variety of fields- design, engineering, safety, technology and more. Even if you are not an auto enthusiast, surely you will find something to inspire or excite you in this amazing event. I personally could not ignore the unique combination of ecological production processes, surfaces and outstanding technological improvements that makes the automotive industry a whole lot of fun and efficient. The IAA describes impeccably the world of product design – a perfect combination of design, engineering and the most advanced technology in the world.

Enjoyed the read? Don`t be shy to contact me with requests for more fabulous images, exchange of experiences or even tips about the next IAA (because you don`t want to be there on the weekend, for example).

PS – If this post left you with a taste for more, you can take a look at how the Japanese do it when it comes to auto shows. A celebration of color and technology you will not want to miss:

http://www.tokyo-motorshow.com/en/

https://www.facebook.com/tokyomotorshow2015/?fref=ts&ref=br_tf

  Tags: 3d, car design, car show, concept cars, design, designers, Exhibition, Exhibition in Germany, exhibitions, Frankfurt, German industry, industrial design, merchandise, minimal design, minimalism, new concept cars, product design, products, studiordd, surfac, Surfaces, visual merchandising