DesignerTechniques Competition 3

The truck (or HGV, LGV or lorry as it is also known) is used the world over to transport goods, and for a transport designer can offer some interesting challenges. Which other tool of work also must be a fully functioning living space for up to a week or more at a time? As a working tool, you will also have to concentrate on finding ways to improve the functionality of the vehicle. It for example goes without saying that the vehicle should be capable of hauling large and, or, heavy loads over great distances.

There is however a twist to the brief! We want you to pick a non automotive brand, and design the truck in such a way to reflect the values of that brand. For example, if you choose Microsoft you would have to reflect their brand values and ideals in your design. The intention is that by doing so you will learn how to interpret a brand, and learn how to echo this in your designs. This will of course be an important skill when you find employment. This should also provide an interesting aesthetic counterpoint to the functionality required of the brief!

Introduction

Whilst becoming a “car” designer is the goal of most students enrolled in automotive design schools, there are however a whole range of other possibilities. Studying these brings the benefit of widening your thought processes, and introducing fresh ways of thinking. It of course also widens your employment prospects upon graduation. With our third design competition DesignerTechniques aims to encourage a look into an automotive design field which seems underrepresented in today’s design schools, especially given its importance in the supply chain of virtually every modern society in the world.

DesignerTechniques Competition 3

For our third competition DesignerTechniques has teamed up with Letraset, Commercial Motor Magazine and DesignSketching to bring you an interesting and unusual design brief, as well as some fantastic prizes. Letraset, a company with strong following in automotive design, has offered a fantastic selection of equipment for you to win, including markers from their very popular Tria range. The winners will also see thier work featured in Commercial Motor Magazine, a popular UK weekly trucking publication. Of course we also have author signed copies of DesignSketching from our long time sponsor, Keos Publishing. As if this was not enough the first placed winner will also receive the fantastic opportunity to send their folio to Kristofer Hansen, Chief of Design at Scania AB for personal feedback, suggestions and guidance. With many years experience leading the design of one of the worlds most succesful heavy truck brands his advice should prove invaluable in improving your work.

As you may have already guessed, our competition is based on commercial vehicle design. So read on and find out how to enter and win!!

THE BRIEF

Pick any non automotive design brand (for example Apple, Sony, Nike, Google or Starbucks to name just a few), and research that brand until you understand the values it stands for. At the same time research the requirements of the typical truck (this can be in any world market). You must then create a truck design that offers improvement to what is on the market today, and do it in a way that represents your chosen brand. Besides this you are free to be as creative as you wish.

A.    A text description of your design, explaining what you tried to achieve with your design, and why you chose the brand you did
You should explain how your design represents your chosen brand, as well as what improvements you think your design offers in relation to today's trucks.

B.    1 Board showing your research into both trucking, and your chosen brand
This can include for example, mood images, images of current vehicles on the market, driver studies, etc. etc.

C.    1 Board showing your development sketches and thoughts
This should include a selection of your key sketches and thoughts during your design development process. We want to see how you progressed your design during the project.

D.    1 Board showing your final design exterior
A front three quarters view and a side view are required, with any other detailed explanation sketches being desirable

C.    1 Board showing your final design interior
A full interior perspective sketch is required, with any other detailed explanation sketches being desirable

Each board should be submitted in Jpeg format at a size of 45cm by 120cm at 120DPI, and the text description must be written in your e mail, along with your name, age and design experience.

PRIZES

For our third design competition DesignerTechniques has teamed up with Letraset, Commercial Motor Magazine and DesignSketching who together have donated a variety of interesting prizes. Letraset have sponsored the competition with a wide range of equipment from their professional range including Tria markers, Bleedproof marker pads and Folio cases. The finalists will also have their work published in Commercial Motor Magazine, a magazine with a worldwide circulation of over 18000 per month. And of course DesignSketching our longest serving sponsor is again providing author signed copies of their very popular and well regarded book.

In addition to this the first placed entrant will also be given the rare opportunity to receive personal feedback on their entire folio of work from Kristofer Hansen, Chief of Design at Scania AB. With many years experience of steering the design goals of one of the most successful heavy truck brands in the world, Kristofers advice should prove invaluable in helping you improve your work!

FIRST PRIZE

Feedback, advice and suggestions on the winners full portfolio from Kristofer Hansen, Head of design at Scania AB

www.letraset.com
Letraset Tria Marker 24 Pen Set - Product Design, Letraset Tria Marker 12 Pen Set - Cool Greys, Two Letraset Bleedproof Marker Pads, Letraset FineLiner Pen Set, Letraset Tria Marker Ultra FineLine Customising Kit, Letraset Display Portfolio

www.designsketching.com
An author signed hard copy of DesignSketching

OTHER RULES

- By entering this competition you must have read all of the rules and agree to them fully.
- By entering you agree to let DesignerTechniques publish on this website any submitted work.
- By entering you agree to let any of our prize sponsors use for their own promotional purposes any submitted work.
- Any work you submit must be your own, and DesignerTechniques is not responsible for any copyright infringements on your part.
- The editors decision in the judging of the competition is final, and no correspondence shall be entered into in this regard.
- Only one entry per person is permissible.
- Only JPEG attachments will be opened.

JUDGES

Allan Macdonald    - Editor and creator of DesignerTechniques
Kristofer Hansen   - Chief of design Scania Trucks AB
Brian Weatherley   - Editor in chief Commercial Motor Magazine
Klara Sjölen            - Co Author of DesignSketching

HOW TO ENTER

The competition is open to anybody who wishes to enter, regardless of age or experience. We only ask that first of all make sure you have read all of the brief and the submission requirements, then when you have your completed work send it to,

competition3@designertechniques.com

The closing date for receiving entries is midnight March 31st 2009 GMT (UTC)

Our competitions in the past have proved very popular, so we really hope you enjoy this one....and of course we really look forward to seeing your work!!

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Would your chosen brand be recognizable even if all the badges were removed?
How would you feel about having to live in your vehicle for up to a week at a time?
What will the general public feel about your chosen design if they saw it on the road?
What would the environmental impact of your design be?
What improvements in working conditions does your design bring?

DELIVERABLES

How you submit your entries is very important. The judges are going to need to see evidence of your understanding of the brief and the problems it is asking you to tackle. We of course also want to see evidence of your design thinking and sketching ability. As a designer your job is to both come up with ideas and to communicate them efficiently. Because of this the deliverables are very clearly defined below, and we ask you to pay particular attention to them.