Urban PROJECT PORTFOLIO BRYCE GAMPER INDUSTRAIL DESIGN
X
PROJECT: URBAN X COMMISSIONED BY: FORD MOTOR CO. YEAR: 2025 DESIGNER: BRYCE GAMPER AFFILIATION: LAWRENCE TECH UNIV. CLASS: INDUSTRIAL DESIGN ‘11
URBAN X | TABLE OF CONTENTS Ford History
5
Project Brief
27
Inspiration
47
Concept
63
Final Design
85
Branding & Marketing
101
CHAPTER
Ford History
1
FORD HISTORY Ford has been the motor company for the people. From the introduction of the Model T in 1908 to the re-invention of the Fiesta in 2010 to meet new consumer demands, Ford has designed for the masses and for what it’s consumers need. Throughout it’s history, Ford has re-invented itself and its factories to coincide with the needs of America.The company has designed everything from cars to planes in relation to the demands of the nation, even stepping up during war times to help the countries’ military efforts. This chapter will research into the history of Ford to create an accurate representation of the company as a stepping point for the project.
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FORD TIMELINE JUNE 16, 1903 Henry Ford incorporated with 11 original investors to sign articles of Incorporation for Ford Motor Company in Michigan. From there, 1,708 Ford cars are produced. YEAR 1906 8,729 Ford cars are produced and it becomes top selling brand in United States. OCT. 1, 1908 Ford introduces “Model T�, which is one of the most popular cars in the world. Ford Model T production ended in May 1927 and the total production was 15,458,781. OCT. 7, 1913 The Highland Park plant in Michigan begins operations as the first moving assembly line and making Model T production 8 times faster.
9 THE MODEL-T The next year, Henry Ford introduced the Model T. Earlier models were produced at a rate of only a few a day at a rented factory on Mack Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, with groups of two or three men working on each car from components made to order by other companies (what would come to be called an “assembled car”). The first Model Ts were built at the Piquette Road Manufacturing Plant, the first companyowned factory. In its first full year of production, 1909, about 18,000 Model Ts were built. As demand for the car grew, the company moved production to the much larger Highland Park Plant, and in 1911, the first year of operation there, 69,762 Model Ts were produced, with 170,211 in 1912. By 1913, the company had developed all of the basic techniques of the assembly line and mass production. Ford introduced the world’s first moving assembly line that year, which reduced chassis assembly time from 12½ hours in October to 2 hours 40 minutes (and ultimately 1 hour 33 minutes),[8] and boosted annual output to 202,667 units that year. After a Ford ad promised profit-sharing if sales hit 300,000 between August 1914 and August 1915, sales in 1914 reached 308,162, and 501,462 in 1915; by 1920, production would exceed one million a year.
CHAPTER 1
FORD TIMELINE JAN. 5, 1914 Ford introduces $5 (the inflation equivalent to $108 in year 2009) per day for eight-hour work. The previous wage was $2.34 per day which is almost half of it. YEAR 1919 Son of Henry Ford, Edsel Ford succeeded Henry Ford as president for Ford Motor Company. YEAR 1921 Ford production exceeds 1 million cars per year and it has become next biggest selling brand. YEAR 1925 Ford introduces Ford Tri-Motor airplane for airline services
11 FORD TRI-MOTOR Ford, like other automobile companies, entered the aviation business during World War I, building Liberty engines. After the war, it returned to auto manufacturing until 1925, when Henry Ford acquired the Stout Metal Airplane Company. Ford’s most successful aircraft was the Ford 4AT Trimotor — called the “Tin Goose” because of its corrugated metal construction. It used a new alloy called Alclad that combined the corrosion resistance of aluminum with the strength of duralumin. The plane was similar to Fokker’s V.VII-3m, and some say that Ford’s engineers surreptitiously measured the Fokker plane and then copied it. The Trimotor first flew on June 11, 1926, and was the first successful U.S. passenger airliner, accommodating about 12 passengers in a rather uncomfortable fashion. Several variants were also used by the U.S. Army. Henry Ford has been honored by the Smithsonian Institution for changing the aviation industry. About 200 Trimotors were built before it was discontinued in 1933, when the Ford Airplane Division shut down because of poor sales during the Great Depression.
CHAPTER 1
FORD TIMELINE YEAR 1932 Ford introduces the one-piece cast V8 block. It makes the Model 18 the first low-priced V8-powered car. In London Royal Albert Hall the Model 19, or as it was marketed Model Y, are introduced February 19. The first of a long line of small European Fords. YEAR 1936 Lincoln-Zephyr is introduced. YEAR 1939: Mercury division is formed to fill the gap between economical Fords and luxury Lincolns. Operated as a division at Ford until 1945.
13 LINCOLN ZEPHYR Lincoln-Zephyr was a brand name for the lower priced line of luxury cars in the Lincoln line. Lincoln-Zephyr and Mercury bridged the wide gap between Ford’s DeLuxe line and the exclusive Lincoln K-series cars. This served a purpose similar to Cadillac’s smaller LaSalle “companion car”. Introduced in November 1935 as a 1936 model, the LincolnZephyr was extremely modern with a low raked windscreen, integrated fenders, and streamlined aerodynamic design. It is noted for being one of the first successful streamlined cars after the tall and gawky looking Chrysler Airflow market failure. In fact, the Lincoln-Zephyr actually had a lower coefficient of drag than the Airflow, due in part to the prow-like front-end on the Zephyr. The Lincoln-Zephyr was extremely successful in reigniting sales at Lincoln dealerships in the late 1930s, spawning the Continental line that would replace the aging K-series by the end of the decade. By 1941, Lincoln-Zephyr, Continental, and the Zephyr-based Custom line were the only models offered at Lincoln dealerships. The Zephyr name, however, was no longer used after 1942, with the cars simply called Lincolns.
CHAPTER 1
FORD TIMELINE YEAR 1941: The Lincoln Continental is introduced. Ford begins building general purpose “jeep� for the military. First labor agreement with UAW-CIO covers North American employees. YEAR 1942: Production of civilian vehicles halted, diverting factory capacity to producing B-24 Liberator bombers, tanks, and other products for the war effort. YEAR 1943: Edsel Ford dies of cancer at the age of 49, Henry Ford resumes presidency. YEAR 1945: Henry Ford II becomes president.
15 B-24 LIBERATOR The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft Company of San Diego, California. Its mass production was brought into full force by 1943 with the aid of the Ford Motor Company through its newly constructed Willow Run facility, where peak production had reached one B-24 per hour and 650 per month in 1944. Other factories soon followed. The B-24 ended World War II as the most produced Allied heavy bomber in history, and the most produced American military aircraft at over 18,000 units, thanks in large measure to Henry Ford and the harnessing of American industry. It still holds the distinction as the most-produced American military aircraft. The B-24 was used by several Allied air forces and navies, and by every branch of the American armed forces during the war, attaining a distinguished war record with its operations in the Western European, Pacific, Mediterranean, and China-Burma-India Theaters.
CHAPTER 1
FORD TIMELINE YEAR 1945 Lincoln and Mercury are combined into a single division. YEAR 1946 Former US Army Air Force officers, are hired to revitalize the company. Automobile production resumes. YEAR 1948 F-1 Truck introduced. Lincoln Continental is introduced. YEAR 1949 The ‘49 Ford introduces all-new post-war era cars. The “Woody” station wagon is introduced.
17 THE “WOODY” A station wagon or estate car is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door (the liftgate or tailgate), instead of a trunk lid. The body style transforms a standard three-box design into a two-box design — to include an A, B & C-pillar, as well as a D pillar. Station wagons feature flexibility to allow configurations that either favor passenger or cargo volume, e.g., fold-down rear seats. The American Heritage Dictionary defines a station wagon as “an automobile with one or more rows of folding or removable seats behind the driver and no luggage compartment but an area behind the seats into which suitcases, parcels, etc., can be loaded through a tailgate.” The dictionary also calls the term an “Americanism.” When a model range includes multiple body styles such as sedan, hatchback and station wagon, the models typically share their platform, drivetrain and bodywork forward of the A-pillar. In 1969, Popular Mechanics said “station wagonstyle follows that of the production sedan of which it is a counterpart, most are on the same wheelbase, offer the same transmission and engine options, and the same comfort and convenience options.”
CHAPTER 1
FORD TIMELINE YEAR 1954: Thunderbird introduced as a personal luxury car with a V8. Ford begins crash testing, and opens Arizona Proving Grounds. YEAR 1956 $10,000 ($81.7 thousand, adjusted for inflation) Lincoln Continental Mark II introduced. Ford goes public with common stock shares. Ford’s emphasis on safety with is Lifeguard option package, including seat belts and dash padding, earns the company Motor Trend’s “Car of the Year” award. YEAR 1960: Ford Galaxie and compact Ford Falcon introduced. YEAR 1964: Ford Mustang creates pony car segment, Ford GT40 challenges Ferrari and Porsche at LeMans. YEAR 1965: Ford brand US sales exceed 2 million units.
19 FORD THUNDERBIRD Evoking the mythological creature of Indigenous peoples of North America, the Thunderbird entered production for the 1955 model year as a sporty two-seat convertible. Unlike the Chevrolet Corvette, it was not marketed as a sports car. Rather, Ford created a new market segment, the Personal Car to position it. In 1958, the Thunderbird gained a second row of seats. Succeeding generations became larger until the line was downsized in 1977, again in 1980, and once again in 1983. Sales were good until the 1990s, when large 2-door coupes became unpopular; production ceased at the end of 1997. In 2002 production of the Thunderbird started again, a revived 2-seat model was launched, which was available through the end of the 2005 model year. From its introduction in 1955 to its most recent departure in 2005, Ford has produced over 4.4 million Thunderbirds.
CHAPTER 1
FORD TIMELINE YEAR 1968: Lincoln Mark Series is introduced as the company’s first personal luxury car to compete with the Cadillac Eldorado YEAR 1970: Ford Maverick are introduced. Ford establishes Asia Pacific operations. YEAR 1973 Ford US brand sales reaches an all time high of 2.35 million vehicles produced. YEAR 1974 Ford Mustang II debuts as a smaller more economical pony car. YEAR 1975 Ford Granada and Mercury Monarch introduced, Maverick continues YEAR 1979 Ford acquires 25% stake in Mazda.
21 FORD MUSTANG The oil crisis, rising insurance premiums and tighter emission control standards helped bring the era of high-performance muscle cars to an abrupt end in 1973, and Ford responded with the second generation of the Ford Mustang – the smaller, more fuel-efficient Mustang II, which debuted in 1974. The Mustang II – built on a derivative of the “Arizona” platform that gave Ford the Pinto – was 19 inches shorter and 490 pounds lighter than the 1973 Mustang. The 1974 model year was the first ever that a V8 was not offered in the Mustang, and the Mustang II years never saw a convertible option. Despite its smaller size, the Mustang II brought back traditional Mustang design cues, such as the side scallops from the ‘60s. It also retained classic Mustang traits, like three-place taillights, setback headlamps and the running horse in the grille.
CHAPTER 1
FORD TIMELINE YEAR 1985 Ford Taurus introduced with dramatic “aero design” styling, along with Ford Aerostar minivan. YEAR 1991 Ford Explorer is introduced, turning the traditionally rural and recreational SUV into a popular family vehicle. YEAR 1992 Ford Taurus becomes America’s top selling car, displacing the Honda Accord. YEAR 1995: Ford’s first front wheel drive V8 sedan is introduced, the 4.6L V8-powered Lincoln Continental. YEAR 1995: New front wheel drive Ford Windstar minivan is introduced. Aerostar remains in production. Redesigned Ford Explorer released, now with standard safety features such as dual air bags, 4-wheel ABS as standard equipment.
23 FORD TAURUS The first-generation Ford Taurus is an automobile that was produced by the Ford Motor Company as the first of six generations of the Ford Taurus. Introduced in December 1985 as a 1986 model, the front-wheel drive Taurus was a very influential design that is credited with saving Ford from bankruptcy, bringing many innovations to the marketplace and starting the trend towards aerodynamic design for the American automakers. Development for the first-generation Taurus started in the early 1980s to replace the Ford LTD, at the cost of billions of dollars, with a team led by vice president in charge of car development Lewis Veraldi dubbed “Team Taurus”. The Taurus’ development employed a strategy of teamwork and customer communication that would prove very influential for the automotive industry, as it consolidated all of Ford’s designers, engineers, and marketing staff into a group who worked on the car collectively. The Taurus’ development was initially kept very secret by Ford, and not much was revealed about the final Taurus until it was unveiled in 1985. After its release, the Taurus became a strong seller, as over 200,000 would be sold in the 1986 model year, and over a million were sold by 1989.
CHAPTER 1
FORD TIMELINE YEAR 2000 Ford purchases Land Rover brand from BMW. Lincoln LS and Jaguar S-Type are introduced, along with a refreshed Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. The Lincoln LS becomes the 2000 Motor Trend Car of the Year. YEAR 2001 Retro-styled Ford Thunderbird is introduced, based on the Lincoln LS/Jaguar S-Type DEW98 platform, and is also named Motor Trend Car of the Year for 2002. YEAR 2003 Ford Motor Company’s 100th Anniversary. The Ford GT is released, along with limited Centennial editions of some Ford vehicles. YEAR 2005 Ford Mustang redesigned with retro styling reminiscent of the 1960s models.The Ford Five Hundred, Mercury Montego, and Ford Freestyle are introduced. YEAR 2007 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX introduced. The Lincoln Zephyr is replaced with the Lincoln MKZ. Ford unveils the Ford Interceptor and Lincoln MKR concept cars, and a preproduction Lincoln MKS is introduced.
25 FORD FUSION The Ford Fusion is a mid-size car produced by the Ford Motor Company since the 2006 model year.The 2010 model was awarded the Motor Trend Car of the Year and its hybrid version won the 2010 North American Car of the Year Award. The Fusion was the first production car to feature the “new face of Ford” three-bar grille, which (along with two matching bars below the bumper/fascia forming a five-bar design) was first seen on a retro V-10 powered rear wheel drive concept car called the Ford 427, unveiled in 2003 at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The look has since been used on most of Ford’s product line. For the 2010 model year, Ford significantly updated the Fusion, along with the Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ, with new front and rear end fascia designs and interior and powertrain revisions.
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER
Project Brief
2
MILLENNAIL GENERATION Millennials are the generation born between 1979-1995, and are a very outgoing, tech savvy and creative group of individuals. This generation is set to be one of the largest consumer groups in the future, but with consumer demand for “green design�, constant connection to the world, and technology demands that are never ending, how can this group be appeased? The Millennials project began as a research assignment into the generation, and developed into the creation of individual concepts based on group research and trend setting. The first step of the project was to interview a portion of the demographic to determine their wants, needs, and response to different design languages. The second portion of the project centered around the creation of a customer profile based on the research gathered to give a launching point for the direction of the concept. What will the millennial generation want in 15 years? The design portion of the project is set in the year 2025, with concepts centering around the projected needs of the millennials in the future. The project brief chapter looks into the underlying research for the concept and the original customer profile that was created.
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CHAPTER 2
CUSTOMER RESEARCH A survey of ten potential customers from the millennial generation gathered information from customers from different backgrounds to gain a wider perspective on the this generation of clients. This setion focuses on five of the members from this research survey. Through the use of picture pools customers choose from a wide range of categories to help identify the overall design attractions that millenials have. Customers were also asked a series of questions along with the photographs to help describe their attractions to certain designs and to also identify general wants and needs that these customers have for the items they purchase. From this research results were compiled and put into a report of the research that was used to create a new customer profile for the millennial generation.
31 Customer 1 Kevin Aziz - 20 - Royal Oak, MI • Kevin describes himself as soft spoken, genuine and artistic • Gets an exhilarating feeling while driving his V8 car and loves thespeed, but wishes it was even faster. • Wishes that his future car could fly in 2025, but would settle for a super-high-tech luxury vehicle. • Would love for his car to be able to drive itself, and come with bluetooth and navigation standard. • Believes that image is everything when buying a vehicle or any product, your vehicle is an aspect that defines you. • Never leaves the house without his smart-phone, and likes to be connected 24/7. • Craves a product to boost his energy and productivity. • Drives both short and long distances daily, for work and personal activities. • Considers the environment when purchasing products, and feels that everyone can make a positive impact on the environment with the right decisions.
CHAPTER 2
CUSTOMER RESEARCH CUSTOMER 2 DAVID HOA - 28 - VIETNAM • David describes himself as an active and honest kind of guy. • Feels comfortable in his car but wishes it could make him feel fast. • His family has always purchased sedans in the past, but David sees the future of transportation in small urban vehicles. • Wishes there were a way to block cell phone signals in vehicles to end driver distractions. • Attending design school and being a designer, he considers image when buying a vehicle or product to be extremely important. • Never leaves the house without his cell phone, but won’t use it while driving. • Would like to own a nice, fancy watch and would like to see a teleportation device created in the future. • Interacts mostly with his radio while driving, and likes to sing in thecar. • Makes longer commutes daily, especially for school. • Feels like he doesn’t have a good grasp on sustainability and doesn’t take the environment into concern when purchasing a car or product.
33 CUSTOMER 3 AMANDA JOSEPH - 27 - HATI • Describes herself as a very busy, full-time student. • Amanda likes the safe feeling she has while driving her car. • Sees transportation in the future as being more fluid and easy for commuters. • Does not consider image when buying her vehicles, she looks at the reliability of the car more. • Won’t leave her house in the morning without her laptop because she needs to be connected as much as possible where ever she is. • Wishes there was a design software available that helped you manage programs and suggest programs based on the task you need to achieve. • While driving Amanda interacts with her phone for calls, her i-pod for music, and her navigation system for directions. • Loves to listen to music and the news while driving and enjoy the scenery. • Makes both long and short commutes daily for personal, school, and work activities. • Believes she has an ok grasp on the idea of sustainability and thinks the environment matters when making purchases, but only if the price doesn’t change.
CHAPTER 2
CUSTOMER RESEARCH CUSTOMER 4 DEE HEWIT - 20 - GRAND RAPIDS, MI • Considers herself to be easy-going and soft-spoken, and is a diligent worker both in scholastics and at work. • Enjoys the feeling of control when driving her car, and the feeling of “competition” with other drivers. • Wishes that she could feel more relaxed in her vehicle and not in such a rush to get to her destination. • Sees the future of transportation revolving around sustainable cars with better MPG’s, but doesn’t see a popular alternative fuel source becoming common. • Wants to know how many MPG’s her car is getting at all times, and also wishes there was a way to text and drive safely. • Isn’t too concerned with image when buying a car because of her limited budget as a college student. • Won’t leave home without her Burt’s Bees chapstick. • Uses her cell phone while driving, and also likes to sing along to the radio • Makes mostly short drives instead of long commutes. • Always attempts to consider the environment in her daily life through recycling. • Feels that saving money when purchasing a vehicle or product is more important than sustainability.
35 CUSTOMER 5 MOULEE PATEL - 22 - INDIA • Describes herself as a busy college student with many different personalities. • Likes the feeling of driving her car but wishes she felt more “free” while driving. • Sees the future of transportation in more mass public transportation, or anything else to reduce pollution. • Wants a car that runs on something besides gasoline. • Wishes her vehicle could predict/inform her of bad weather or traffic. • Moulee also wants to have better access to the trunk and storage from inside the car. • Doesn’t worry too much about image when buying a car, but cares more about the functionality. • Always wants to be connected, will never leave home without her smart phone. • Always listens to the radio while driving and admits to talking on the phone a lot too. • Makes mostly short distance commutes, she lives close to work, school and other amenities. • Cares about the environment in all her purchases, from organic food to when she purchases her first vehicle on her own.
CHAPTER 2
CUSTOMER RESEARCH MILLENNIAL GENERATION CONCLUSIONS A NEW KIND OF CUSTOMER • The desire to be constantly connected, even while driving. • Customers want to feel comfortable yet fast in their vehicle. • Personal safety is extremely important. • A different, clean fuel source. • Image is important in every decision, including a car or product purchase. • Appeal towards sporty, fun, expressive vehicles & products. • The combination of form & function. • New technology, holograms, teleportation, etc. • Need for more space and storage from inside the vehicle. • Greater focus on price & economics versus the environment & sustainability.
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THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT CASE STUDY: DETROIT, MI High-density areas rely directly on their population to drive the city’s success and future. In the past some cities have lost large portions of their population to suburban sprawl and other housing issues. To take a closer look at this issue Detroit, Michigan was used as a case study, to look into the effects that loss of population can have on a once successful city. The research is used to further influence and propel the concept of the project. Detroit’s population dropped from almost 2-million city residents in the 1990’s to an estimated 850-thousand city residents as of 2003, and continues to decline. This movement left large portions of Detroit that were once densely inhabited now vacant.
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BENCHMARK RESEARCH STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION The first product genre that was looked into was different types of carrying options, focusing around the common backpack. Benchmarking was used to get a general idea for current technologies, trends, and types of backpacks that exist.
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BENCHMARK RESEARCH FLEXIBLE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY With the current rate of technological revolutions and inventions, the next big technology shift seems to be focusing on the advancement of flexible electronic screens. In the future these displays could be used for almost anything thanks to their maluable characteristics. Benchmarking was used to get a general idea for the existing technology for flexible display technology, its uses, and existing designs.
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BENCHMARK RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY & CLOTHING The final product genre that was looked into was a combination of fashion and technology. By merging two of the most common products consumers use daily a revolutionary design could possibly be created. Outer-wear became the main focus of the research. Benchmarking was used to gain knowledge on the current standing of the merge between fashion and technology.
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CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER
Inspiration
3
INSPIRATION FORM & SHAPE Form and shape help to influence both h the aesthetic qualities of a product as well as its ergonomics. There are multiple shape sources of inspiration for form and sh hape on various scales. These inspirational images were used d to divulge shape and form from different situations to inflflfluence uence the progress of the final product.
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INSPIRATION GRAPHICS & IMAGES Graphics and images offer the first chance to begin exploring ideas in color, materials, and general aesthetics. In the beginning stages of the project many different images and graphics were gathered as inspiration to start the creative thinking process. The mesh of graffiti art, bright colors, electronics, and free flowing shapes is what inspired a large amount of the work later in the project’s design phase.
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INSPIRATION GRAPHICS & IMAGES
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COLOR AND MATERIALS Color offers the best chance for the customer to add their own identity and expression to something that is mass produced. It is important to offer various options for color choices. A mixture of solid colors, black and white patterns, and multicolored patterns as different options for the product line is a must to allow this expression.
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MATERIAL AND TEXTURE Material and textures are important to give a feel to the product. The tactile properties of a product are what make a consumer want to have, touch, hold, and own anything that is on the market. The various products that are being for this project include a wide range of possible materials and textures, but there is a main focus. For materials, there is a concentration on high technology, metals, hard plastics, soft fabrics, and their juxtaposition together. Textures vary from smooth and glossy, to rough and bumpy for grip and traction.
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DESIGN METHODOLOGY The Design Method is a broad area that focuses on: DIVERGENCE Exploring possibilities and constraints of inherited situations by applying critical thinking through qualitative and quantitative research methods to create new understanding (problem space) toward better design solutions. TRANSFORMATION Redefining specifications of design solutions which can lead to better guidelines for traditional and contemporary design activities (architecture, graphic, industrial, information, interaction, et al.) and/or multidisciplinary response. CONVERGENCE Prototyping possible scenarios for better design solutions that incrementally or significantly improve the originally inherited situation.
59 SUSTAINABILITY Managing the process of exploring, redefining and prototyping of design solutions continually over time. ARTICULATION The visual relationship between the parts and the whole. The goal of design methods is to gain key insights or unique essential truths resulting in more holistic solutions in order to achieve better experiences for users with products, services, environments and systems they rely upon. Insight, in this case, is clear and deep investigation of a situation through design methods, thereby grasping the inner nature of things intuitively.
CHAPTER 3
FROM MILLENNIALS TO URBAN X The millennials project has been run through the design process multiple times in search of a solution for the proposed issue. The concept of the urban explorer was reached after much research was done into the population and residency trends that exist today and projecting those trends into the future. With this idea of where our consumers would be living in the future, the idea was abstracted through the case study on Detroit, Michigan. Here the city had been forgotten, but was just starting to be rehabilitated by its residents. Taking this idea into the future 15 years, and applying the shift in population I was able to come up with the idea of the urban explorer. But how do the urban explorer and the millennial generation relate to one another? The ideas were combined together using the consumer research files that were conducted through interviews of the current generation. The millennials are a group of people who are curious and adventurous, they are always looking for the next big thing, they like to collaborate in groups and discover new ideas, and they are open to new design forms and shapes.
61 By combining the characteristics of the millennial generation with the concept of the urban explorer I was able to create the consumer to produce a product for. Knowing that this consumer is open to new types of shapes and forms that have never been created before, I was given a lot more design freedom for the product that would be created. Applying design characteristics and inspiration from Ford vehicles and products as well as graphics and forms from other sources helped to give a direction to the design of the new product. With this information the design was pushed forward into its next stages that will be explored in the following chapters.
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER
Concept
4
CONCEPT BOARD The idea of the Urban Explorer was expanded into a visual representation by the creation of the concept board. Using visuals from inspiration to communicate the overal emotion and meaning of the customer and the concept.
Personality . Cus
In 2025 Ford will be the leader in auto-personalization techno their user better than ever. The urban explorer will be able to d help from ford products. Advances in flexible LED screens create infinite options in crea explorer can create their own custom graphics and colors to e In the past we have settled for necessity when buying what w between the product and the user that doesn’t exist when the have a bond with their product that is unbreakable.
Goal: use f
explo ord d rer e x
65
stomization . Desire .
ology, taking the brand to another level by making products that know discover the city in a new, more personal way through suggestions and
ativity and design for every product available through Ford. The express themselves through their products. we need, but desire creates a connection ere is just a necessity. The explorer will
desi xpergn lang ience uage throu to cre gh p ate a erso nalitproduct y, cu to e stom nha izatio nce t n an he urb d de an sire.
CHAPTER 4
CONCEPT BRIEF In the year 2025 the world’s population has shifted back ack to the high-density urban centers that were left behind during the years of suburban sprawl.The city has once again become ecome the hub of life, art, design, business and technology. It is now time to take back the areas of the city thatt were ents in forgotten, when the urban environment lost its residents en, and the years past, many building were abandoned, forgotten, lopers, left to decay. The new urbanites of 2025 are redevelopers, glect of reclaiming the city that they now live in from the neglect the past generation. Millennials are taking ownership of the city and creating new businesses and new hot spots to revive the urban social life. uct line With it’s roots in Detroit, Ford is developing a product to coincide with urban life. The car has its place in the urban center, but with the revival of mass transit and other forms of transportation in the city, cars are not as desirable for city nclude living. In response Ford has expanded its horizons to include products that enhance every day life in the new city.
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DETROIT REVIVAL A CASE STUDY Detroit, MI offers the greatest example of urban living and revival in 2025.The city lost a major portion of it’s population, and many historical and iconic building were left to decay in portions of the city that were forgotten. The revival began slowly as many independent designers, architects, photographers and artist returned to the city to take it back for the public. Detroit was rediscovered as a center of social life, culture, history, music and art. The city became the host of great music that drew people from all over back into the city, while festivals, parties and celebrations ignited the social life of the city. Detroit has once again become an urban hub and a world power city, thanks to the urban revival that has occured over the years. Now in 2025, there are still many places in the city that were once abandoned that can be explored and discovered. Thus the urban explorer has become a part of the culture in downtown Detroit.
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THE URBAN EXPLORER A NEW CUSTOMER The urban explorer is Ford’s newest customer to come out of the Urban Revival of 2025. The re-creation of the city has been left for the citizens to take control of, and the Millennial generation has taken up the call. The urban explorer (or urbanite) is a member of the Millennial generation who explores the lost, forgotten and neglected parts of the city to recover lost memories and artifacts from the decay. The urbanite is agile and tech savy, using technology to aid in their search through the old portions of the city. Urbanite’s are always on the move through the city, searching for the next spot to explore, and they need to blend in with the regular, day-to-day crowd. They are a mix between the artistic and rebelious, with a business and professional side as well. Mass transportation and biking are more common in the city now, so products have become more important than vehicles in the new city. To adjust to this new lifestyle, Ford dedicated a large number of it’s designers to develop the new Ford Urban Explorer brand of products to target this audience.
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SKETCH DEVELOPMENT The first sketch development opment focused on the concept of flexible display technology hnology aafter f er the research and ft benchmarking phase.
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SKETCH DEVELOPMENT
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SKETCH DEVELOPMENT The third sketch development focused used around the concept of high-tech couture and the fusion of technology and fashion.
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SKETCH DEVELOPMENT
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SKETCH DEVELOPMENT LOPMENT & FOCUS S The final sketch development ment stage focused around the first bench marking exploration n of storage and transportation of objects. This was the final design idea that was used for the urban veloped in the next chapter. explorer project and is developed
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SKETCH DEVELOPMENT & FOCUS
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CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER
Final Design
5
FINAL DESIGN DEVELOPMENT After focusing on the concept of a pack and protection system for the urban explorer the work for a final design and details began through more ideation and sketching.
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CHAPTER 5
FINAL DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
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CHAPTER 5
DESIGN FEATURES
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CHAPTER 5
INTERIOR CONCEPTS Using the design language from the urban x pack concept and apply it to a Ford interior. By using a similar color and material pallete for the interiors it is possible to extend the concept past the pack design.
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CHAPTER 5
TAPE DRAWING & FINAL RENDER
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CONTEXT RENDERINGS
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CONTEXT RENDERINGS
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Branding & Marketing
FORD IDENTITY Ford has been an ever changing brand that has identified with its consumers. The ford logo has been an ever updating representation of the company as a whole.The logo has changed along with the goals of the company to match the customers. It is important for the company’s logo to coincide with its identity and approach to the public. As Ford has grown and developed so has the logo, all the way to its most recent update in the new millennium.
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FORD DESIGN LANGUAGE One of the strongest parts of the ford design language is the front grille of the vehicle. The well known triple bar design that came around in the new millennium is being integrated into the new form of the trapezoid. Current models, and concepts that have been displayed for the future of Ford design incorporate the new grille design in different ways, distorting, resizing, and inverting the trapezoid form to apply the design language uniquely to each vehicle. This type of shape and design language can be converted and translated into the product line that is being created for Ford.
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FORD BRANDING Ford already has a strong brand identity that allows the company to sell products besides vehicles. This section includes some benchmarking for current Ford branding on multiple products and materials.
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FORDWARRIORS IN PINK The warriors in pink line of clothing and products represents another form of branding that Ford has introduced. The warriors in pink line represents how branding can be reinvented and applied to multiple objects and products. Although it is a brand associated with Ford, the Warriors in Pink line has separate marketing that is related to Ford but has its own identity. This is a great case of research for the project because it is an application of the Ford brand and identity into a different type of product marketing.
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URBAN X BRANDING By looking at the research of Ford branding and marketing from mutiple products it was possible to start the creation of a brand and identity for the UrbanX line of products.
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DESIGN THE FUTURE In the year 2025 the world’s population has shifted back to dense urban centers. With the new culture of the “urbanite” consumer there needs to be a new culture of design. How will the new new world world rediscover rediscover it’ it’ss cities? cities the