NathWilliamsDesign
Design Portfolio
design@nathwilliams.co.uk • 1
Contents
ABOUT About Me, Influences and Goals For as long as I can remember I have held a fascination with all that is automotive, from the visceral attraction to the noise and smell of motorsport to appreciating the unique appearances of everyday vehicles. From there it's only a short step for an inquisitive child to put pen to paper and create their own, and once I realised this could be the foundation of a future career both my heart and mind were set. Of course by the time I reached university my interest in design had expanded beyond purely automotive, helped by my course being very closely aligned to its sister course in Product Design. These days I regularly work with clients in multiple industries and gained valuable experience working with the Solar Bear team in 2014.
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About & Contents Solar Bear Alfa Romeo Alfetta Sentinel NathWilliams Design CV
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Solar Powered Polar Exploration Vehicle Designed to conquer the snow and ice of the Antarctic, Solar Bear was to be the first vehicle to reach the south pole powered purely by Solar generated electricity. This was a brief extended to students across the UK by polar explorer Jason de Carteret and Solar Dog, an organisation based in Melbourne. This proposal was finished in under 4 weeks and was chosen for further development by the team in Australia.
Solar Bear with both 8m2 panels facing the sun for a full 8 hour recharge 2 • design@nathwilliams.co.uk
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‘Polar’ the record breaking polar expedition vehicle
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a Solar Bear was extended
brief to students across the whole of the UK and came to me while studying Ma Transport Design at Swansea Metropolitan University. Team Solar Dog/Solar Bear was a Melbourne based organisation looking to take a solar powered vehicle to the South Pole. The team consisted of leading solar specialists, ex aerospace engineers and polar explorer Jason de Carteret and his crew. Due to a delay in receiving the full brief rough ideas were put down immediately, and while some
were influenced by the hardware used on de Carteret’s previous record breaking vehicle, the Toyota based “Polar”, others were quite experimental using a variety of tracks and layouts. Of these, one with potential was an articulated six wheeler, with crew and batteries in the main forward section of the vehicle with a fold out sleeping quarter suspended out back. It was intended to give exceptional wheel articulation and rock/ice climbing abilities while reducing the heat requirements inside.
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Solar Dog development vehicle
Scale:1:20
4670 mm 11" Wheel Dia mm
TYRE DIA 783
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90
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The Brief
arrived with very specific drive-train and dimension requirements, was to be heavily based upon the teams Solar Dog development vehicle, and to feature 10 ATV wheels propelled by individual hub motors and utilising a skid steer system.
Other requirements included the ability to be shipped in a standard 20ft container, removable/ repairable body panels, light weight, an internal eating/sleeping compartments for the crew and extensive use of components that the team had already acquired.
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The Proposal
was completed in under a month and consisted of a lightweight CFRP tub and safety cell sat in a simple aluminium frame. The outer skin consisted of multi-layered polymer panels with thick insulation, any damage to the panels could be repaired quickly and simply using expanding insulation foam and duct tape. 16m2 of solar panels are mounted on the chassis and are linked via cables that run from the chassis through a roof mounted tensioner, these allow enough movement of the panels in string wind to prevent strain and possible breakage. There’s a crevasse bar out front with four high powered LED lamps and a winch which can be mounted on the front and rear of the vehicle. There were two roof mounted turbines but they were dropped later in the development. The vehicle has a walk through cabin with the door situated at the rear, seats are in tandem and both swivel and fold away.
Seating and controls 8 • design@nathwilliams.co.uk
Rear view showing entry point The front occupant is flanked by a pair of joysticks and has view of a screen displaying vehicle information and the ice penetrating radar. There is a large windscreen and two portholes giving a clear view of the terrain directly in front of the wheels. The interior is brightly lit to compensate for the lack of windows on the side of the vehicle, which would be rendered useless due to the side mounted solar panels. Their absence also saves weight and complexity. There are shovels, tool boxes and storage mounted externally and all latches and handles can be manipulated whilst wearing gloves.
Front minus solar panels
Winch detail
Frontal view showing the 2 “portholes” allowing the driver to see the terrain directly in-front of the wheels
It’s a surprisingly tough challenge to fit a vehicle of this size in a standard 20’ x 8’ x 8’ shipping container, Interestingly the same brief that set the width at 2590mm also desired the ability to drive straight on and off the container. design@nathwilliams.co.uk • 9
Solar Bear proposal as first submitted 10 • design@nathwilliams.co.uk
Cable secured panel array and turbine generators
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the team and a meeting with one of the engineers led to a Feedback from comprehensive round of changes that led to the vehicle pictured on the left. Amid some disagreement and indecision there were a few major concerns. It became apparent the explorers preferred to sleep in tents outside the vehicle for safety reasons so the internal sleeping area was no longer required. Also the crevasse bar was dropped in the name of weight saving. There were changes to the wheel dimensions and transportation plans under discussion too, the wheels could potentially increase in size to that of the earlier Polar vehicle (and remarkably similar to my first sketch ideas) with the whole construction transported by Russian aircraft instead of shipping container, both further complicating already tight packaging constraints. Unfortunately at the time of writing Solar Bear has all but disappeared, most likely due to funding shortfalls in Australia.
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A L F E T TA Alfa Romeo Sporting Saloon Not a project in itself, the Alfetta shows a desire to return to sketching after the time spent on CAD models and presentations with the Sentinel project. A 'timeless' design represents a great challenge and one I would relish taking on at some point in the future.
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superfluous and fast aging In an age ofdesign details there's something satisfying about a well proportioned four door car. Not a project in itself, more an excuse to play with a slightly different and looser rendering technique, the Alfetta is intended to represent a delicate balancing point between head and heart.
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SENTINEL Modular Rescue Vehicle Sentinel formed my major whilst studying the bachelors Automotive Design course at Swansea Metropolitan University. I have always been fascinated with the idea of modular vehicles and something very much function led. At the time I was also determined to work on something a little different from the standard university project which primarily consist of supercars and inner city transportation.
Sentinel in Mountain Rescue and 6 wheel heavy load configurations 18 • design@nathwilliams.co.uk
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Lifeline Supply 20 • design@nathwilliams.co.uk
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“Survival in entrapment rarely lasts longer than 48 hours: 85-95% of persons rescued alive from collapsed buildings are rescued in the first 24-48 hours after the earthquake.” - World Health Organisation
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natural disaster or When disaster strikes, beoneitofaman’s own making, it is important for rescue teams to have the necessary equipment on hand that allows them to work quickly and efficiently. The concept behind the Sentinel is that of a multi-role vehicle that can be adapted for use in a wide
MOD Search & Rescue 2011
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range of environments across the world. To do so it needs the ability to traverse rough terrain, transport people and equipment, provide power for tools and work as a base for operations as diverse as communications, aid supply, search and rescue and the provision of shelter.
From April to September 2011, the (American) Red Cross responded to: 25 large multi-family fires 14 floods 15 hurricanes or tropical storms 21 tornadoes 6 wildfires 7 combined floods and tornadoes and 4 other storms 1 earthquake Launched 93 disaster relief operations in 42 states and territories Opened 899 shelters Had 121,854 shelter overnight stays Provided 2,337,542 bulk items Provided 106,732 clean up kits and 107,077 comfort kits Served 1,864,065 meals and 4,462,684 snacks Provided 59,646 mental health consultations and 69,235 health services consultations Deployed 24,178 Red Cross workers source: American Red Cross
Major Earthquake, Volcano and Wildfire activity 9-16 Feb 2013
source: ESRI.com
Vehicle Requirements:
•To be of modular construction allowing for the addition of specialist equipment as and when needed •To be able to carry a team of 5 plus equipment or 3 with heavy equipment •To utilise a serial hybrid for motive power and the operation of hydraulic pumps and machinery •To be compact and highly capable of traversing rough or damaged terrain as well as quick response on tarmac •To have sustained wading ability •To allow for rapid movement of full units and modules through own power, overland via train or truck or even by helicopter •To allow for a ‘lazy axle’ including the addition of a 5th and 6th wheel for increased payload
included a novel drive system from The Design ofthetheverySentinel start, with a segmented wheel containing an oversized track that can alter its profile to mimic either wheels for on road use or tracks for off road. The aesthetics began as a combination of simple shapes, a box at the rear for load capacity and a large sweep of the glass at the front, inspired by observation decks and viewing platforms to convey authority but also transparency.
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The oversized wheels', exposed components and modular set up that was taking shape would never be classically beautiful but was already starting to take on a very distinct character that would remain until the end of the project and the final presentation. Note that at this stage the Sentinel was intended to wear a Land Rover badge, so took inspiration from the classic Land Rover shape, though this decision was to be dropped later in the project.
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of a rubber tracked system mounted upon a The Wheels consist segmented rim. For on road use the rim maintains a circular profile to imitate a standard wheel the best they can. The motor used to power the tracks is situated on the rim itself and is also used to rotate
the entire assembly 180°, raising the vehicle and allowing the deformation required for optimal tracked use. Each track and it's deformation can be independently controlled ensuring continued ground clearance and even allowing for moderate climbing ability.
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1) Hub locked 2) Motor #1 driving track 3) Motor #2 driving track 4) Track revolves around fixed rim
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1) Motor #1 drives pistons apart 2) Pistons pulled inwards 1) Tread locked 3) Rim reshaped and flattened at base 2) Motor #1 revolving entire rim around hub 4) Rim divided into 5 main segments Rim Segments: a: fixed b: allows slight outward stretch c: flexible and shock absorbent d: fragmented allowing large deformation
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The Drone
is a tricopter design that can be operated either manually or semi-autonimously using ultrasonic ranging, sonar was chosen over radar due to the latter’s inability to work efficiently in dust laden environments. The drone utilises hybrid cameras to relay both visual and infrared images to the crew allowing them to see 3D mapping with a thermal image overlay. It also incorporates a small tannoy and two way communications allowing the crew to advise and reassure people before their physical arrival.
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the Sentinel centres around a rigid aluminium Construction ofsafety cell cradled within a simple steel ladder frame. This combined structure contains a micro turbine and battery pack as
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well as forming the hard points to attach tracks, ancillaries and body panels. The chassis can facilitate a bolt on extension that allows the fitment of two extra wheels for added payload and cargo capacity and can carry a wide variety of modular extensions, most of which could be designed and constructed by regional independent specialists.
Pop Top roof Aluminium safety cell Polymer panels Hydraulic pump & winch Micro gas-turbine
Deformable wheel - Road
Construction
Deformable wheel - Off road
Battery packs Steel ladder frame chassis
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Packaging & Clay Development A major part of the Sentinel project was the quarter scale clay, this was developed alongside the CAD model and became a great help in refining what was a fairly bulky and simplistic shape. Working in the studio with others on the course was a great chance to bounce ideas off one another as most spent at least four months working on their clay. Due to work commitments whilst on the course it became apparent there would not be the time to produce both CAD model and physical model to the necessary high standard. At this time the CAD had progressed further and had been receiving praise from lecturers and other students alike, so it was that route chosen to pursue.
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central to the projects form a very C.A.D Modelling became early stage, CAD was used extensively for early packaging layouts and to assess rough models. All models were constructed using Autodesk Alias, with rendering on Showcase. A lot was learnt over the duration of the project and as such the quality of some of the smaller details such as the strap section and embossed symbol for the winch, the drone and the rear mounted folding stretcher are of higher quality than the earlier work which makes up a lot of the basic structure.
Search and Rescue livery
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Shown here with additional tracks for heavy load and water purification module
The model was integral to the final presentation and degree show at university as it was used as part of an augmented reality showcase of the design. By standing in front of a camera and rotating a flat image visitors could 38 • design@nathwilliams.co.uk
Plan view
view the vehicle in 360 degrees on screen. Although far from perfect the experience gained over the duration of the Sentinel project gave the confidence needed to utilise CAD to a greater degree in future projects.
Sentinel in UK Mountain Rescue livery
Winch detail
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NATHWILLIAMSDESIGN Graphics and Other Non Automotive Design While at university I felt the standard of my automotive design projects was often let down by the quality of layout and graphic design used for presentation. But I always love the chance to dive into learning a new skill and, when given the opportunity to develop the branding for a new start business in 2013, I found it was something I could take further. Now, thirteen clients and nearly four years later I have found myself far more comfortable both with my presentation, as well as pitching ideas and pushing to influence a decision maker.
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Selection of menu designs for Coast Italia design@nathwilliams.co.uk • 43
Coast Italia An example of branding and marketing for a Italian restaurant based in Swansea. The original logo commission soon expanded to include menus, further literature, market stall proposal and eventually, the website. As a project it had its challenges, a client who was unsure of direction and was not proficient in English, but the final result achieved all its aims and more. 44 • design@nathwilliams.co.uk
Cappuccino Girls Cappuccino girls by composer and screenwriter Mal Pope is the longest running British musical outside of the West end. As well as a 20 page programme for the show there was also advertising work, and finally, the refreshed logo for the sequel.
THE
PARADOX OF
CHOICE COMING SOON
SUMMER 2016 Cappuccino Girls programme
No Sign Wine Bar As a well known and highly regarded bar in Swansea the No Sign Bar provided a lot fo work over several years, giving me the opportunity to really find my feet in regrards to working with a client over an extended period of time. Over three years a series of menus, posters, publications and other promotional materials were used both by No Sign Bar and it's sister venue, the Vault, to refine and cement their respective brands.
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The Vault Although a part of the same business, the Vault is an underground vaulted music venue run semi independently of the No Sign Bar and as such needed separate branding. Bold colours and typeface were used for clarity.
The monthly band listing pictured in the background image was particularly challenging as it requires a lot of information (6 bands a week spread across 2 venues) yet still be easily read from a distance.
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No Sign Wine Bar drinks posters
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Restaurants, Bars and Other Small Projects A wide variety of branding, menus and other promotional material for a bars, restaurants and beer festivals across Wales. Shown on this page is a bi-lingual menu for a restaurant in Caernarfon, North Wales, that was required to reflect the towns long print and newspaper heritage.
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Shown on the right is a promotional card for a Caribbean restaurant and take away. It had to be vibrant, with bright, warm colours and a less structured feel.
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Lessons Learnt JEBB Electrical was my first contract, the result wasn't great and is a reflection of my inability at the time to truly sell an idea and erhaps giving the client options that should not have left the drawing board. The Coast Italia logo on the left is a far more resolved piece of work, I knew exactly what the logo had to stand for and what it had to do. This is a lesson that could have served me well during my time at university with the Sentinel project and also when working with the guys from Solar Bear. In both instances the confidence to successfully pitch my ideas and aim to achieve what a client needs rather than merely what they want could have prevented issues further down the line.
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