Kia backs automotive design talent in the UK

Kia Motors and the University College for the Creative Arts have joined together to create an automotive design challenge. Aimed at second year students, the goal is to promote home grown design talent in the many areas of design throughout the car industry.

Entrants were supplied with a wide ranging theme for the basis of their work looking for innovative approaches to the challenges of the automotive industry through creative art, design, media and communication.

Whilst this may not be a catchy theme, it was chosen to encourage the broadest range of entries from many automotive angles. Offering creative design solutions to fulfil the constant and increasing need for innovative material within the automotive industry is a massive task and one which requires a constant supply of new, fresh and invigorated design talent.

This Creative Innovation Award (CIA) is aimed at second year BA students and entering is no mean feat: initial entry is followed by a detailed written submission. Final stage students develop their ideas further, ending with a presentation to a panel of judges at the Design Council. The pieces which reached the final were displayed at an exclusive awards presentation, which took place at W’SENS, St. James, London to announce the winners.

Paul Philpott, Managing Director of Kia Motors (UK) Ltd, said: “Just as Kia is growing and challenging its own design and engineering departments, we’re doing

the same with the students at the University College for the Creative Arts. We’re looking forward to many years of challenging the students and watching how they
develop. British designer James Moon works alongside Beetle and TT designer Peter Schreyer and both now work out of our Kia Europe design studio, Frankfurt, Germany. James is a good example of British design talent making a big difference to the automotive future of our industry and we need more. This project with Britain’s largest art college is just part of our contribution to find more talent.”

In order to create the most exciting entries and enthusiasm, a very special prize had to be considered. Kia offered a fully funded summer placement within the new European research and development centre in Frankfurt with the opportunity to work alongside James and Peter. A £1,000 prize fund is included.

Students participating this year looked at a number of automotive situations including sustainable motoring, public transport solutions, lifestyle development in tandem with the car and local transport solutions to local conditions.

In the end, the innovative and unique approach taken by James Williams, studying architecture, was the winner. James developed an ‘affordable, classless and adaptable automotive design based on interchangeable panels’. His detailed designs wowed the judges and his enthusiasm and knowledge of production possibilities created a winning package.

Second placed entry was from Yaseed Chaumoo, studying Digital 3D Design, who presented a solution to combat stress with the use of flexible and controllable interior ambient lighting.

In third place was Kundan Sinha who used elements from his course, Product Design Sustainable Futures, to develop a solar power system for interior lighting.

Uwe Derksen, Head of Research & Knowledge Transfer at the University College, said: “Every industry is looking for that one spark, that unique approach to communicating its design philosophy, brand feel and corporate image. Newer and more innovative ways come from fresh thinking and encouraging and feeding the growth of automotive design at an early stage will benefit everyone. James, Yaseed and Kundan are shining examples of what the future holds.”

Kia and the University College for the Arts will announce details of the 2007 challenge later this year.