Personal info: Name: Armand Bentzen Nationality: Norwegian Date of birth: 25th of November 1987 E-mail: armandbentzen@gmail.com Mob (SE): +46 (0) 72 910 35 31 Mob (NO): (+47) 47645456 Skype: armandbent Languages: Norwegian (mother tongue), English (fluent), Swedish & Danish (basic) Online: www.armandbentzen.no / blog armandbentzen.no
Experience and training: 2013: Internship as exterior designer at Semcon, Gothenburg, Sweden
2013: Internship at Volkswagen Lifestyle and Performance Department, Wolfsburg, Germany
2012: Summer nternship as a designer at Atlas Copco, Ă–rebro, Sweden
2011-Current: Master Degree in Transportation design at the UmeĂĽ Institute of Design, Sweden
2007-2010: Studying industrial design at The Oslo School of Architecture and Design on Bachelor level, Norway
2011: Working as a volunteer designer at FabLab Kenya West in the Bondo district, Kenya
01 The theme for this project in collaboration with VW was: “The car as an event.� My goal was to make personal commuting more attractive for a young target group. This resulted in Volkswagen Freebird, a three wheeler that gives you a natural adrenalin rush, unites you with the surroundings and lets you share the joy of driving with others. Freebird is a playful concept inspired by the motorcycle culture and how birds play and interact in a herd. Made: Spring 2012
I started the creative process by making experimental collages in order to come up with some new interesting ideas by combining structural-, dynamic- and interactive elements
Shading in the most interesting thumbnail sketches, trying to look for the greatest potential
More ideation based on the selected concept Soft exchangeable top cover with some dynamic properties like changing colour or transparency mounted on a thin flexible frame (almost like a tent). The top cover will be in great contrast to the advanced technical, maybe organic, exposed frame revealed in the bottom part of the vehicle. Integrate plants as a dynamic and contextual design element
15
At this stage in the process I worked parallel with sketching and CAD to evaluate side and top view, trying to find the right stance. I also had to make sure that the package fitted two people in a tandem position and that it was enough space for all the technology and cargo. Eventually I decided for proposal number two.
At this stage I tried to combine some of the ideas from my moodboard that appealed the most to me. Could plants be used as air filtration as well as being a dynamic, contextual ever changing element that connects the car to the geographical place it is being used? Should I use swing arms with pneumatics that mimics animal legs and make the car able to jump and climb?
01 The theme for this project in collaboration with VW was: “The car as an event.� My goal was to make personal commuting more attractive for a young target group. This resulted in Volkswagen Freebird, a three wheeler that gives you a natural adrenalin rush, unites you with the surroundings and lets you share the joy of driving with others. Freebird is a playful concept inspired by the motorcycle culture and how birds play and interact in a herd. Made: Spring 2012
Belonging to a community, but keeping individual freedom
Valuing real life action, not digital
Value experiences, more than money
Affordable freedom
Social promoter VW for me
Responsible fun
Personal vehicle
Community
How can I make driving fun again?
An active ride
Play and interact
Exploring design possibilities aiming for an sporty and expressive design without deviating to much from the original thumbnail sketch
Concept 1: Super Motard
Concept 2: Off Road
Visual inspiration
Interior Concept: In control over the extreme
02 INTO THE WILD
This concept is inspired by the Norwegian way of embracing nature and using it actively in recreation. I wanted to create a concept that offered people in the mega cities of the future a fun and unique way to get out of the cities and into the wild nature. The autonomous android is inspired by quadrocopters and insects and is carefully carrying the passengers while flying through beautiful nature.
Made: Fall 2011
Detailing
The androids are autonomous, but the passenger have the opportunity to influence the trip by communicating with the android while they are flying. This communication is made possible through a brain-machine interface technology that enable the driver to communicate with the android by human thoughts only. Sensors are sewed into the hat worn by the driver.
Into the Wild
03 VOLVO SYNERGY
In this project I wanted to create some totally new and unexpected forms by generate random shapes and use them as inspiration for a vehicle. At the initial state of the project I was not told the brand so I wouldn’t be distracted by existing Volvo design language. Inspired by the idea of playing with light and shadow I took photos of a light bulb hanging from a stance inside a dark room. This gave me the raw material I needed for some fun in Photoshop. Made: Fall 2012
Details:
Side view
Original photos
Top view
After taking the photos I went into Adobe Photoshop and played around with the photos. I didn’t sketch in this stage, but cropped, blended and tweaked the contrast so that interesting shapes where created, more and less by chance. When I started sketching I tried to develop a Volvo car without deviating to much from the inspiring Photoshop work.
Key lines
Volvo is for me closely connected to functional styling. A new manufacturing technique would therefore result in a new design language. By using 3d printing as a production method I could play with complex surfacing that makes the cars stiff and rigid, making the body itself work as a frame.
04 This interior project was done in collaboration with Volvo. The aim was to envision how Volvo’s brand values could be translated into integrated functionality for the occupants of a car in a future mobility scenario. I investigated how Volvo could deliver a luxurious experience for the Chinese market in 2030. Integrated functionality and a user experience that involved more senses was essential for my project. Made: Fall 2012
How will luxury be defined by a urban mother in China year 2030? “Privacy, time to relax and spending time with my daughter is luxury for me...�
Multifunctional focal point
Inspiration is drawn from: - Scandinavian churches - Chinese spas - Chinese ice caves - Hartworts “Calm space�
It is said that if you surround yourself with purple you will get peace of mind
Samsung Smart Window - Displaying information and providing the different moods
Focal point - Communication unit and key to access entertainment moods
Ingress/Egress, Hall - User take of shoes and leave all electrical devices here
1,5 seat Cosy place for mother and daughter
Ice cube inspired design - Hard and protective exterior. Warm and soft wool interior
05 Extras!
I love to sketch and paint. Not only cars, motorbikes and crazy vehicles, but also characters, grafitti, cartoons, architecture and doodles in my Moleskin book. On the next few pages I would like to show you some of the things I do. Because it is fun and I love it:)
Made: 2010-2013
Armand Bentzen
E-mail: armandbentzen@gmail.com Mob (NO):0047 476 45 456 Mob (SE) 0046 (0) 72 910 35 31