Joint project by Volkswagen Design and the Academy of Fine Arts and Design Bratislava: How will people get around in our digital future?
Saving the analog world using digital technologies.Šimon RigasStudent Academy of Fine Arts Bratislava
Šimon Rigas has been studying at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava since 2019. The Vysoká škola výtvarných umení v Bratislave, as the university is called in Slovakian (VŠVU for short), is the oldest of its kind in the country and has set itself the goal of educating creative minds with critical thinking skills and top-class artists. So it comes as no surprise that some students of design enthusiastically participated in the university project "Analogue vs. Digital" by Volkswagen Design.
The aim of the cooperation between Volkswagen Design and the Slovakian university, which started in 2022, is to develop creative and at the same time promising mobility concepts. The challenge and theme of the project was revealed to the participating students during the kick-off presentation: "How will the future digital person get around?” In line with the field of tension "analogue vs. digital", this meeting as well as other dates took place digitally, so that it was possible to test how digital and location-independent collaboration in the field of design is possible.
How will people get around in our digital future?
Central question for the collaboration between Volkswagen Design and AFAD
In the following 10 work-intensive and interesting months, the students dealt with the question "How will people get around in our digital future?”. The design process and the exchange with the design team in Wolfsburg took place completely virtually via the Gravity Sketch software. The disruptive and impressive results were presented to the entire Volkswagen design team at a hybrid event in February.
On the Volkswagen side, the project was accompanied by our designers Martin Werthes, Boris Grell, Peter Mikulak and Michal Uhrin. For Peter and Michal, the project even had a personal touch, as both are VŠVU Master's graduates themselves. The four supervisors covered different departments, such as clay modelling, interior and exterior design. For the students, this meant that they could always receive holistic feedback on their designs, which thus encompassed the various facets of the design drafts.
But before the task could be tackled, the students first had to get to grips with the design values of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, as these values were ultimately to be integrated into the designs.
Following the interim presentation, the most innovative models were selected, which were to be realised not only digitally but also in the form of a clay model.
For the students with the most convincing work, it was not over after that: they received an invitation for an exclusive 6-month internship in the design department in Wolfsburg. We are very pleased to be able to open our doors to these new creative minds!
Below are the project’s participants and their outstanding achievements:
András Borš developed the “VW Autonomous” model. His proposal explored issues of friendship, the modern driving experience and urban living. András’ design was inspired by the behavior of flexible materials such as airbags. The interior of his car featured a movable headrest, a progressive cup-holder, a fold-out table and a futuristic hologram projector. Another unique aspect is the consideration shown to physically disabled passengers through the integration of an extendable ramp. András’ project was selected to be turned into a clay model.
Tadeáš Čech designed the “Componere”, a car with a unique door design. The car’s door opens like a curtain and is similar to origami. This innovation was also turned into a clay model, which offered additional insight into the vehicle’s interior.
Šimon Rigas wanted to save the analog world with digital technologies – which led him to construct the eco-friendly “VW beetle new gen”. Drawing on the two ways of understanding the term “beetle” – on the one hand, the meaning associated with a VW Beetle and, on the other, the term's meaning to a biologist – Šimon designed a car that would collect trash. In addition, Šimon pitched the idea of an app that would turn trash-collecting into a challenge among friends.
Veronika Pániková presented the “VW dream”. Her vision of the future is shaped by the following keywords: digitalization, smog, crowded and information overload. She dreams of a digital detox zone within a hectic environment. Her interior design was inspired by the feeling of coziness in the womb.
Additional projects were:
