Design is, in abstract terms, a sum of individual signals, which combine to produce a powerful overall signal. Good design is by no means the result of purely rational thoughts. And that’s what makes our mission so difficult. After all, design is always the reflection of attitudes towards life, views and convictions.
Visiting and view art in galleries is one of my favorite activities, so with this project in mind I have been trying to find the right person and place to do a bit more in-depth research on a do this write up. While browsing the Lawrence gallery in portland I found a few artists who I found particularly interesting and had begun to look into them but, as my father took me away to do a bit of test driving for my new car... the gallery at Audi stole my heart. Unlike most car dealerships, Audi truly embraces the concept of design, lines, and experience and they take that into account from the second that you step into the storefront. This is an installation of sorts, preparing you to see and experience their beloved vehicles.
As all their cars are quite elegant and the TT and R8 steal the 'show', the new audi A5/S5 series truly came through as a unique creation and what I will be describing. Currently there are a lot of coupes on the market, each with their own look, but many can fit into a basic category... muscle, luxury, cheap... the list goes on, but the A5 looks aggressive, and mean, its lines smooth and elegant, very james bondsy. It is rare that I like a car all the way around, but this one made me get up close and personal, trying to get every angle to understand the lines, the shapes. Audi has been progressive in the last few years about limiting there boxyness and this is a prime example. The car grows from front to back and then pulls into a very refined rear. The interior you can tell was a place of great innovation as well, pulling several lines from the exterior into the interior while focusing on minimalism and style. There are many cars on the market right now, but none in this lower eschelon of pricing can truly be considered artistic throughout... R/D just makes it to hard to have it all.
To research more, I wanted to know about the designer himself. The showroom told me his name was Walter De'Silva and he had taken over Audi design in 2003 and was the lead designer for Lamborghini as well. Through a bit more background checking I found that he was born in Lecco, Italia during 1951 and had started his career at 21 with Fiat in Turin, Italy. After a few years he moved to Studio Benetto in Milan where he focused on interior building design. In 1986 De'Silva joined the Alfa Romeo Design team where he worked until 1994 when he took over for both Fiat and Romeos design. In 2000 he shifted to Volkswagen and in 2003 he took over for Audi and Lambo.
What makes De'Silva so interesting is his ability to think beyond cars and towards larger ideas, something I think that many car companies have forgotten... in an interview with Car and Body Design in 2006 he said, " A further task for me was to establish a strong family resemblance within the growing model range, whilst emphasising the individual characters of our cars. Although this appears to contradict itself, nature has already provided a brilliant solution to this problem. We took the analogy with real human families seriously and, in doing so, defined the genetic building blocks of the brand, the DNA, as it were." His vast experience in many fields allows him to pull experiences, meanings and connectivity into the creation of his artwork. In connection to the A5 he has said, "I am convinced that the Audi A5 is the most beautiful car I have ever designed in my career." This vehicle is true work of art
With the development of further knowledge. looking at the A5 only makes it appear as more of a work of art, than a vehicle. Each line has meaning beyond aero dynamics, his inspirations pull far beyond the desire to sell a vehicle and its uniqueness is quite impressive. As industrial designers get more and more freedom and our technology allows them to conquer their dreams, I am quite excited about the future of modern design.
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