Capicua by Sergio Botero, Colombia

2016: Mobility For All.

 

Designer:

Sergio Botero
Medellin, Colombia

Biography:

Sergio Botero is a Product Design Engineer who graduated from EAFIT University in Medellín, Colombia in March of 2007. He worked as an intern, engineering assistant and project engineer in Ascensores Andino (Andino Elevators), now property of Schindler Elevator Corp. where he designed aerial ropeway and elevator components, drafted mechanical drawings and created bills of materials for them. Sergio also studied at Gnomon School of Visual Effects where he took courses related to concept art and computer graphics. Currently, Sergio is working as a freelance illustrator and developing a portfolio on modelling and concept art for the film industry.

Description:

In third world countries, conditions are rough, resources are limited and people have difficulty growing their business, therefore cargo delivery entrepreneurs must advance by taking one step at a time.

Capicua is a vehicle that makes it possible because of its modularity: The user could start by adapting one Capicua set of power wheel and control to the cart of his choice. Then he could purchase the Capicua vehicle with a set of two power wheels, and finally adapt a second set of them plus a tent.

Capicua is a utility vehicle intended to be used as a small, but flexible and handy freight truck in African and South American popular markets for the delivery of fruits, vegetables, meat, fish or eggs among other staple foodstuffs. In these places, there are rough rock or soil grounds, puddles, narrow passages and sometimes the user will need to drive in reverse towards the opposite way or make narrow turns. Because visibility is essential in order to not stumble upon or crush into boxes or bags of goods, the user rides the vehicles in a standing position, the way it is done with some small fork lift trucks. Thus, he will be able to get on and off easily and constantly during his work.

The vehicle is named after the Catalonian expression “Cap i Cua” or Capicúa in Spanish, which means “Head and Tail” and is used to denominate objects and numbers that seem the same if looked at by either of two sides. Capicua may be driven in either direction, therefore its name.