2003: France.
Drawings on Display at Michelin Challenge Design™
Biographies:
Farhad VEDAD was born in Mashad (Iran) on January 30th 1963. He has a B.S degree in atomic-applied physics from Tehran Polytechnic University, and his thesis work was Q-switch for Nd:YAG laser at the Laser Research Center of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. He continued his education as M.S in the field of Environmental Engineering at the Science & Research branch of Azad University in Tehran. Meanwhile he did short courses in the field of Mechanics and Electronics at private institutes and HVAC at Elm-va-sanat University. He has worked with different CAD systems since 1988. He is now resident in Sweden. He has worked as Alias-surface designer for SAAB and Volvo Cars Design Center.
Juanjo ESPINOSA was born in Barcelona (Spain) on November 9th 1972, and studied mechanical engineering at E.E.S. Clot, in Barcelona. Meanwhile he worked as technician engineer with IcemDDN, ProEngineer and CatiaV4 for Seat. He has been supplying services as A-Class Surface Modeller in IcemSURF since 1995 in several projects such as Citroën PLURIEL, Audi A4, Volkswagen POLO (exteriors) and Volvo XC90, Seat IBIZA MKII and III (interiors). Currently living in Sweden, he is contracted as a consultant by Volvo Cars and fully envolved in S60, S80 and XC70 models.
Vincent BARBEREAU was born in Tours (France) on January 12th 1976, and he has been living for the last three years in Versailles. After studies of automotive body and design at evenings, today he is employed by EDAG Sarl in Paris as a consultant for PSA Group (Citroën-Peugeot), at their Design Division. He is impassioned about cars since he was 10. It is at this age when he started sketching. Nowadays he works besides some of the best car designers, thus he has partly carried out his dream.
Conny Ewe BENGTSSON was born in the Swedish capitol Stockholm on Aug 21st 1971. He initially studied mechanical engineering at Rinmanskolan in Eskilstuna Sweden, which led to a technical illustrating course at Mälardalens Högskola, Eskilstuna Sweden, before the goal was set to design. 2 years of Design studies at Bournemouth & Poole College of Art and Design, in UK, and a final MA in transportation at institute of Design at Design högskolan in Umeå, Sweden, led to his current career. He has in between Design studies worked as an illustrator at Ericsson Radio Systems in Sweden for some 3 years, and is currently working as a Designer at Volvo Cars.
Description:
Farhad Vedad received the e-mail about “The Michelin Challenge Design- North American International Auto Show” (NAIAS) at the beginning of April 2002, and started to think about what kind of car could fit the subject. So he thought about a new version of the 2CV and found it to be an attractive concept. But he wanted an innovative shape so it would not be similar to any other car but the original 2CV.
The start!
The work in the group started with Juanjo Espinosa, who works as a consultant for Volvo Cars. He showed a sketch to Vedad that suited his ideas. That sketch was from a very good Espinosa’s friend, Vincent Barbereau, a French stylist who is working for PSA Group in Paris. From that moment, they could start developing the Alias model. The concept was born.
From the beginning there was a good proposal for the front-end and the side on Barbereau’s sketch, but not any optimal solution for the rear end of the car. It was at that moment when the team “absorbed” a second stylist: Conny Bengtsson. Due to difficulties to have proper discussions with Barbereau (he is living permanently in Paris and only speaks French, so only Espinosa could speak with him) Bengtsson resolved what was to be the shape of the rear end. Anyway a major part of the decisions of the car development were taken with the help of Bengtsson.
Split of tasks
Farhad Vedad: Head of the project, Development of the concept, Surfacing in Alias, Rendering in Alias
Juanjo Espinosa: Package in CatiaV4, Surfacing in IcemSurf, CD booklet and media design, Text composition and edition
Vincent Barbereau: Concept Designer
Conny Ewe Bengtsson: Design Refinement