TEDxDelft - Lowie Vermeersch - Beautiful Mobility

Summary

The speaker reflects on their journey as a car designer, expressing a love-hate relationship with cars. While passionate about design, they acknowledge the environmental and social challenges posed by car culture. The speaker emphasizes the importance of coherence, honesty, and care in design, pointing out that true beauty comes from the interaction between people and the car. They also highlight the need for a broader perspective, focusing on mobility and communication between vehicles, suggesting that future designs should prioritize sustainability, intelligence, and a seamless experience that improves the quality of life.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker identifies as a designer, not just a car designer, despite primarily designing cars over the last decade, including high-end vehicles like Ferraris and Maseratis.
• 😀 There is a love-hate relationship with cars, acknowledging their environmental and aesthetic drawbacks, such as congestion, pollution, and the visual clutter in our environments.
• 😀 The role of a designer is to improve the quality of life, environment, and society, which sometimes conflicts with the impact of cars on these aspects.
• 😀 The speaker’s passion for cars began as a child, recalling a moment of fascination with an old car, which taught the importance of interaction and character in design.
• 😀 For the speaker, car design is about creating a 'character' that interacts with the user, with the external shape representing what is inside and conveying a deeper meaning.
• 😀 Aesthetic beauty in car design is crucial, but it should also translate into a fulfilling experience. The car should meet its promises of pleasure during the interaction.
• 😀 Beauty in design is linked to honesty, passion, and care, emphasizing the importance of detail and craftsmanship in creating a meaningful connection with the object.
• 😀 The speaker compares the evolution of cars to the evolution of species, where most of the types have converged into a few solutions due to societal and economic pressures.
• 😀 Car design is influenced not only by the designer’s creativity but also by a series of rules, regulations, and safety standards, which can sometimes limit the possibilities for innovation.
• 😀 The future of car design lies in vehicles communicating with each other, reducing accidents through intelligent systems, and opening up new possibilities for lighter, more elegant, and transparent designs.

Q & A

What is the designer's primary view on car design?

The designer views themselves primarily as a 'designer' rather than just a car designer. They emphasize that car design is about creating a meaningful interaction and connection with the vehicle, with the goal of improving life quality and society as a whole.

What is the designer's 'love-hate relationship' with cars?

The designer has a love-hate relationship with cars. The love comes from the passion for designing vehicles and the early memories of interacting with cars. However, the hate stems from the negative aspects of cars, such as congestion, pollution, and the aesthetic damage they can cause to environments.

How does the designer define 'beauty' in car design?

Beauty in car design is defined by a promise of pleasure, which should be fulfilled through the interaction with the vehicle. Aesthetic beauty is not just about the appearance but about the coherent experience and satisfaction it provides when in use.

How does the designer balance form and function in car design?

The designer believes that a car’s form should be the result of balancing multiple forces, including aerodynamics, performance, safety regulations, and personal artistic desires. The goal is to create something unique while maintaining functionality and practicality.

What challenges does the designer face when designing cars due to regulations?

The designer faces challenges because of safety regulations, such as the requirement to design cars that protect pedestrians in case of a crash. These rules can lead to unintended consequences, such as cars becoming heavier, larger, and more complex, limiting design freedom.

What example does the designer give regarding the impact of safety regulations on car design?

The designer mentions the introduction of a pedestrian safety regulation that requires the design of cars with raised hoods to ensure that pedestrians who are hit will have a higher chance of survival. This regulation led to cars becoming higher, wider, and heavier, impacting the overall design.

What is the designer's perspective on the future of car design?

The designer envisions a future where cars no longer merely follow the current evolutionary path but where vehicles become part of a broader mobility ecosystem. They see cars as part of an intelligent system, communicating with each other and with the environment to reduce accidents and improve efficiency.

How does the designer propose addressing environmental concerns through car design?

The designer suggests that cars can become lighter and more efficient, reducing the ecological impact of manufacturing and transportation. By reducing the weight of vehicles, a significant reduction in global metal usage could be achieved, leading to environmental benefits.

What role does communication between cars play in the designer's vision of the future?

Communication between cars is central to the designer's vision of the future. Through intelligent systems, cars can avoid crashes by being aware of each other’s locations, which would improve safety, reduce the need for heavy materials, and allow for more transparent and efficient vehicle designs.

How does the designer see the role of the car designer evolving in the future?

The designer sees the role of car designers evolving to encompass not just the vehicle itself, but also the broader context of mobility. Designers will need to focus on integrating vehicles with infrastructure, regulations, and digital systems, fostering a holistic approach to the transportation experience.