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Royal College of Art students imagine Fiat icons of the future

05 Oct 2013|3,402 views

Fiat challenges the Royal College of Art Vehicle Design students to imagine how Fiat's iconic 500 and Panda will look in the future.

To assist the Master's students, a series of live lectures are planned at the RCA by Fiat-Chrysler's top designers, including Head of Design (EMEA region) Roberto Giolito and Head of Global Design Lorenzo Ramaciotti

The 'Two of a Kind' project focuses on the two models that best characterise the Fiat ethos of making cool cars - infused with Italian effervescence - for real people: The iconic, stylish and much-loved Fiat 500 and the distinctive, charming and practical Fiat Panda - very different vehicles but both quintessentially Fiat. 'Two of a Kind', you might say.

Placing Fiat's brand identity at the centre and using its design language as a starting point, 14 teams of four students will be challenged to develop concepts that explore innovative 'outside the box' ideas while taking interactivity, digital interface, sustainability and global appeal in account.

Fiat will deliver six RCA lectures in total, with each lecture focusing on a different theme. The final portion of each lecture will see the students share and receive feedback on the status of their 'Two of a kind' project. The series culminates on December 11^th 2013 with final student presentations, with the winning projects to be judged by senior Fiat designer heads, RCA department heads and Fiat U.K.'s Managing Director, Steve Zanlunghi.

In early 2014, the winning students will then take their final designs to the Fiat Centro Stile (Styling Centre) in Turin where they will meet with the model makers to brief them on how best to turn these designs into clay models. These models will then be prepared and unveiled at the students' RCA degree show in June 2014. In addition, these students will also be offered internships at Fiat's Centro Stile between July 2014 and February 2015.

Professor Dale Harrow, Head of Vehicle Design and Dean of the School of Design, Royal College of Art, noted, "One of the benefits of studying Vehicle Design at the RCA is that students have the opportunity to grapple with real design challenges and see their ideas become part of the solution. It's great to have this relationship with Fiat, and to have these iconic designers giving lectures here."

Fiat is challenging Vehicle Design students at the prestigious Royal College of Art (RCA) in London to explore how FIAT's most iconic models might look in the future, via a new initiative entitled 'Two of a Kind'.

The 'Two of a Kind' project focuses on the two models that best characterise the Fiat ethos of making cool cars - infused with Italian effervescence - for real people: The iconic, stylish and much-loved Fiat 500 and the distinctive, charming and practical Fiat Panda - very different vehicles but both quintessentially Fiat. 'Two of a Kind', you might say.

Placing Fiat's brand identity at the centre and using its design language as a starting point, 14 teams of four students will be challenged to develop concepts that explore innovative 'outside the box' ideas while taking interactivity, digital interface, sustainability and global appeal in account.

Fiat will deliver six RCA lectures in total, with each lecture focusing on a different theme. The final portion of each lecture will see the students share and receive feedback on the status of their 'Two of a kind' project. The series culminates on December 11^th 2013 with final student presentations, with the winning projects to be judged by senior Fiat designer heads, RCA department heads and Fiat U.K.'s Managing Director, Steve Zanlunghi.

In early 2014, the winning students will then take their final designs to the Fiat Centro Stile (Styling Centre) in Turin where they will meet with the model makers to brief them on how best to turn these designs into clay models. These models will then be prepared and unveiled at the students' RCA degree show in June 2014. In addition, these students will also be offered internships at Fiat's Centro Stile between July 2014 and February 2015.

Professor Dale Harrow, Head of Vehicle Design and Dean of the School of Design, Royal College of Art, noted, "One of the benefits of studying Vehicle Design at the RCA is that students have the opportunity to grapple with real design challenges and see their ideas become part of the solution. It's great to have this relationship with Fiat, and to have these iconic designers giving lectures here."