Samuel Johnson Portfolio 2013
samuel-johnson.tumblr.com
Sodalis project City Bluesmith Audi E-flux Tata airflow Jaguar @ Clerkenwell Hitachi crossrail Cmmwlth Sketch Session
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CONTACT N - Samuel Johnson T - 07796 960531 E - samuel.johnson@network.rca.ac.uk
ACHIEVEMENTS 2013 - Salon Prive , London 2013 - Pilkington Glass prize, Commondation 2013 - Degree Show exhibition, RCA, London 2013 - Jaguar Clerkenwell competition, 2nd Prize 2013 - Work in progress Show, RCA, London 2013 - Tata / Exa Airfolw project, RCA, London 2012 - The Natural Audi exhibition, Audi, Inglostat
EXPERIENCE 2013 - Bluesmith / AutoDesk - July - present - Uk 2012 - Ford (Ingeni): August - September - London, UK http://www.ford.co.uk/ 2011 - Fredrikson Stallard: March – July 2011 – London, UK, thttp://www.fredriksonstallard.com/ 2010 - Freelance Designer / Modeller 2010 - Commonwealth Studio: June – August - New York, USA, http://www.commonwealth.nu/
2012 - Coachmakers competition, 1st Prize 2012 – Hitachi Tube project finalist, Selected work. 2012 – The Natural Audi exhibition, Audi West London 2012 – Autocar Magazine competition, runner up. 2012 – Work in progress Show, RCA, London
2008 - The Design Hub: April - July - West Midlands, UK 2003 - Red Rocket Design: June - Wiltshire, UK http://www.redrocketgraphicdesign.co.uk/ 2001 - Carter & Wong Design: May - London, UK http://www.carterwongdesign.com/
2011 – The Natural Audi project finalist, Selected work 2009 - Coventry University degree show exhibition
EDUCATION
2008 - Innovits Advance competition, 1st Prize
Royal College of Art: 2011 - 2013 - Vehicle Design Masters Course Coventry University: 2005 – 2009 Classification: 2.1 - BA (Hons) Transport & Product Design with Professional Enhancement Swindon College: 2004 – 2005 - Graphic Design (foundation) The Ridgeway School: 1997 – 2004 - A levels: Graphic & product design, Fine art & print making
Sodalis
Inspiration for the Sodalis project was to look at our emotional connection to our possessions and how we now view the car. Due to increasing costs, congestion and environmental concerns, our relationship with the automobile has changed dramatically. As a result, I think our love affair with the car is coming to an end. Using this as a starting point, I wanted to explore what objects we are attached to and why and how this could be applied in an automotive arena. We naturally develop, evolve and age as time passes by. My project looks at how we can create a vehicle that has the ability to evolve with us. Sodalis, meaning companion allows external surfaces of a vehicle to change their form over time, which results in the car being a reflection of its owner. The vehicle’s form will be defined depending on what climate the car is kept in, and how the user maintains and drives the car. Over a
The chassis of the vehicle is manufactured but not finished; a basic package is then sent to the dealership. The vehicles exterior surfaces are chosen by the customer and applied locally. He is invited along to see the car being assembled. The customer can choose what material to have the exterior made from. Bio plastics and corn starch based materials can be cast, however in this case a wood exterior has been chosen. Over time surfaces wear in relation to how the vehicle is kept, how often it’s driven. The vehicle evolves and ages along side the owner. Each car is different depending on how it has been looked after, making it unique to the individual. After the seven year cycle comes to an end the user returns the vehicle to the manufacturer for a refurbishment.
INFINITI
(for example) has the highest emotional attachment among car brands...
7 YEAR CY
BRAND LOYALTY
is predicted to decrease in the coming decades across the market place.
My inspiration for the Sodalis project was to look at our emotional connection to our possessions and how we now view the car. Due to increasing costs, congestion and environmental concerns, our relationship with the automobile has changed dramatically. As a result, I think our love affair with the car is coming to an end. Using this as a starting point, I wanted to explore what objects we are attached to and why and how this could be applied in an automotive arena. We naturally develop, evolve and age as time passes. My project looks at how we can create a vehicle that has the ability to evolve with us. Sodalis, Meaning companion allows external surfaces to change their form over time, which results in the car being a reflection of its owner.
YCLE
progresses with us
can we reverse this trend by producing a car that is designed to
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Damp climate
Dry climate
The vehicle’s form will be defined depending on what climate the car is kept in, and how the user maintains and drives the car. Over a period of seven years selected surfaces erode away exposing new features of the vehicle. At the end of the cycle the car is returned to the manufacturer, where it is refurbished to allow the cycle to start again. This will allow greater potential for contact time with the manufacturer giving the opportunity for a longer lasting relationship between owner and manufacturer.
The Sodalis project was developed using sketch and digital techniques and productionised using alias. Experimenting with different materials and manufacturing techniques helped me expand my understanding of technology. The way the vehicle erodes will depend on how where it is kept. For example in European the car would be more likely to darken quicker with the damp climate where as in hotter dryer climate the erosion will be closer to the model.
Using a sand-blasting machine I recreated the erosion that the car could experience. The softer summer wood erodes at a quicker rate than the winter wood allowing channels to open up along the length of the vehicle. This model will be exibited at Salon Prive leter on in the year as part of slected works from the RCA graduation show.
3100mm
This project was to design a ev city car with a compact size that could be used by Autodesk to explain how there software can be applied as well as the processes that can be used along side it. My primary role was as a exterior designer, taking a Toyota IQ as a starting point and allowing my working to be used as a reference.
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At 3120mm long the City Bluesmith is designed to sit in-between smaller cars like the iq and Smart and longer vehicles like the VW up. It is a two door two seater, which can provide a cabin with large interior space on a small platform.
This space is achieved by loosing the back two seats, this also give more room to exterior package allowing the bonnet to be longer and racked windscreen angel. Over all this allows the car to have greater presence on the road. Above sketches for light detailing for the front and rear lamps.
An alias model was produced along side the design work. It was important to test the design in 3d on a regular basis so it could be communicated by Autodesk at a later stage. This suited my process as I often use basic alias models to work out basic proportion, volume and scale.
The Audi e-flux concept was conceived from the exploration of transitioning air, light and sound from the surrounding environment to the vehicles interior space. Using this principle the e-flux reverses the trend of vehicle design which focuses on the interior rather than the outside world. This has allowed me to explore a new design direction whilst keeping the core identity of an Audi design. It was also an oppitunity to work with textile student Emma Sheldon who developed the fabric for the project.
I was inspired by structures that had a defined boundaries, whilst being open to the elements. I found a great example in the “Read between the lines� church by Gijs & Van Vaerenbergh and wanted to see if I could create a similar feel with the a vehicle. Using wire frame models and paper I experimented with transitioning light to see if the same sort of transitions could be achieved. This not only set the direction but also defined the overall form. From my observations I realised that the shadow created multiple layers in and around the structure. So to represent this, the e-flux needed to have a similar layered effect.
This layered effect came together in two ways. First by using slats of wood to create an interior environment that is effected by the outside world. The second was my collaboration with Emma Sheldon, who had developed a material that can expand, contract twist and react to the environment around it. So the concept evolved again so that the car lighting and feel is defined by the location, time and weather, not a trim option that is selected in a show room. So the driver is continually involved with what is going on around the vehicle by an interior and exterior that is continuous flux.
This key sketch defined the feel and direction for the project. It achieved the strength and power as well as conveying the lightness of the Ultra brand. Taking the Audi design language and distorting it in a different direction whilst keeping the core principles was key to my design as it allowed me to explore the brand as well as the “natural� aspect of the brief.
The profile of the car was defined by the lighting experiments and formed a mono-body. The simple surfacing was necessary to allow the fabric exterior the space in which to breathe.
Beautufel vs.
BRUTAL
The Tata airflow project was a brief set to Exa in collaboration with Tata to explore a vehicle typology for India, china and Africa focusing on aerodynamics. As a study of I wanted to explore a volume that had practical benefits like large interior space rather than chasing a traditional aerodynamic form. By defining an “un-aerodynamic� form allowed me to explore how small detail changes effect the over all efficiency.
The blue box represents the internal space of the vehicle. By demanding a large cabin space I pushed the design down a route where the aerodynamics do not compromise the practicality of the car.
Interior space - 2000mm x 1500mm x 1250mmi
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1st model
2nd model
Working with Computational fluid dynamics company Exa allowed me to refine and understand the form of the vehicle and see how tiny changes to surfacing can effect the drag coefficient of the car. Two models were analysed with the second having a CD of 0.398.
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Early design sketches show the car with a concave windscreen. This was designed to allow the bonnet to look longer on a compact package and allowed me to explore aerodynamics solutions for a “un-aerodynamic� shape.
Focusing on, aspiration, practicality and efficiency I wanted this car be be used for carrying goods, city commuting, families as well as off road durability. I wanted to maximise cabin space whilst retaining a bonnet – something that is sort after in China and India. The Interior of the vehicle was designed to be light and simple. Allowing for maximum interior space. The inspiration from the dash originally came from a wing.
The Jaguar Clerkenwell project was a brief set by Jaguar to create a sculpture that represents Jaguar at the 2013 Clerkenwell Design week. Working with Laurence Finnegan and Emma Sheldon we set out to create a sculpture that uses texture, colour and light to create a tactile form that encourages the audience to interact with the form.
The form of the object was designed to represent the reinvention of the Jaguar brand over the past decade. The monolith at the front of the chase represents the old with the form coming from it representing the new. Having the sculpture form a chase lounge allows the audience to sit and interact with the sculpture in a way you usually would not be able to.
Renders by Laurence Finngan & Samuel Johnson
This project was run with Hitachi to explore the concept tubes and Crossrail trains of the future. My concept was based around exploring trees, not in form but in structure.
Trees as structures
“T” Beam
“I” beam
“C” beam
The original core concept is derived from using a central “I� beam structure at the heart of the train which would allow all major components to be counter levered from this central structure. Smaller modular components would be hung from the ceiling, creating a clutter free tube that is a more enjoyable space to be in.
After experimenting with the “I” beam layout I found that the carriages interior space was not being maximised. So moving away from the “I” beam concept towards the “C” beam was a natural progression. This freed up the interior space allowing for a much more welcoming environment. The “C” beams structure is alternated from between each carriage to differentiate between each carriage whilst allowing a unique graphic to run down the length of the train.
See previous page for carriage layouts.
The interior space was part of a collaboration with RCA student Marcus Classen. As the Crossrail train is to be used as both a commuter train and a tube we concluded that it needed two types of carriage. One for shorter journeys (carriage 1), that uses the seats and floor graphics as a funnelling system to encourage people to move down inside the carriage. The longer journeys (carriage 2) we designed a more open carriage that provides more seats, allows more space for baggage and, as Crossrail will spend most of it time outside, it gives a view of the outside world for the longer distance passengers.
A model of the c-train was displayed at Innotrains 2012 exhibition in Berlin on the Hitachi Rail stand.
During the summer of 2010 I interned at Commonwealth Studio in Brooklyn, NYC. Who specialise in the design and production of low volume, high end furniture. During my time there I learnt a wide range of manufacturing techniques design skills and software. One of the projects I worked on was a coffee table prototype for a potential range of furniture. Made from plywood it is to go with a range of other products following a similar form. I took the cad data through sectioning, nesting, tool pathing and the manufacture of the prototype using the in house 3 axis mill.
Pictured left is the prototype coffee table. Manufacturing this table in house allowed me to learn a whole range of skills, particularly in the area of manufacturing. Above is a render of the second generation coffee table. Amendments included flattening some distorted surfaces, stitching and the addition of a second hole.
Sketch session
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Aged
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New
Thank you samuel-johnson.tumblr.com