German Car Forum

You just wanted the Karmas didnt you.....Given,.....



Farouk

please come back...many people dont to value

This is gold stuff.

I met Chris Bangle few weeks ago in Stuttgart and talked to him for the first time - I met him before at BMW but never talked to him till that day.
He did a presentation at the Art Academy in Stuttgart about the Gina concept principle. Very intertaining and informative stuff. He is without a doubt one of the smartest and most visionary persons to ever work in the automotive industry.

He said -among other things- that he asked BMW to take the GINA idea with him. he said that his vision is to found GINA studios all over the world. These Studios won't only be specialized on Design, but also on architecture and other creative fields.

He also explained the design of the E65 7er and why the rear looked that way. Unfortunately I can't remember every aspect of that explaination so before I say something wrong, I'm not gonna say anything.

After the presentation I went to the front and seeked a conversation with him. I also took the chance to show him my portfolio and ask him for a feedback. And now as many of know me, I'm gonna show off a bit

I'm the green guy and that is my portfolio in his hands.

^would love to hear his comments on your work..

Yeah and maybe an odd question but did you speak in english or german guys ? Any slight idea on the real reasons of his departure Hussein ?

it's freakin hard to impress him. He thought the work was nice. he liked the sketching style and some ideas.. he actually liked the space ships stuff I did (it's what he's pointing at in the 2nd pic) and said that people were laughing at him when he used to do such stuff during his studies
I asked him for a signature (yes! I'm a fan!) He gave me one, and wrote on the cover of my portfolio:"Ok.. I've seen it and enjoyed it"

well he was speaking Banglish
This is an existing term amongst designers and journalists to describe the confusing (but not confused!) mixture of English and German he talks!
I was so nervous when I talked to him that forgot that he understands German perfectly so I was talking English most of the time, while he responded in Banglish!

The reasons he gave for his departure were the same you can find above in EnI's post.

Lol

Did you bring your MB scetches?

Yes, Chris is epic.

I can see Anders (Warming) going Bangle way - at least when it comes to communication, language & visions. Although Anders definitely posses no such charisma as Chris do. Adrian is a different material though. Although sharing visions with Chris, he has a completely different style than Bangle ... I don't know. But I found Adrian a bit snobbish - perhaps because he feels a bit distant & cold when you talk to him. Chris especially was on the other hand very accessible & warm.

And if Chris was more into art, Adrian is much more into fashion.

What I'm not sure is how good Adrian will be at defending the designs in front of the Board. Since Bangle was crazy, and was able to defend even the most crazy design. While Adrian is much more into dialog - and therefore more submissive to suggestions. I hope the Borad won't take advantage of that.

We shall see ...


PS: Hussein, I'm glad you've talked to Chris ... He is always such an entertainer. And a great guy to talk to - since he is very intellectual, and many do not understand his concepts & visions - although he is persistent, and is able to describe his thoughts in a way even a 6-year old would understand them.

I need to meet Adrian van Hooydonk now, and have a little chat with him in Dutch

I'd love to be able to see CB talking about design. I hope I'll be able to attend his lectures at Scuola Politecnica di Design at Milan in September, but I really doubt, since my work and studies don't leave any free time at all. I envy you Hussein

PS. EnI have you met CB or AvH?

That would interest me too, because Adrian is anything but "snobbish"

I can sure handle that. Hopefully I'll have an encounter with him at the Frankfurt auto show. My love and enthusiasm for design is beyond measurability, and I look forward to attending an autoshow which will hopefully be attended by the finest designers in the auto industry. I'm keen on talking to Frisker and Bangle off course.

As I said: I found him a bit distant. A bit cold. Something I usually associate with snobbish people. Although he is very simple indeed.
But I found Chris much warmer & approachable.
But it's hard to judge a person from a single encounter only.



Of course, H, you've had longer relationship with Adrian so you definitely know him better.

Perhaps he just wasn't in the mood on that particular day.

Otherwise BMW staff is very accessible at autoshows. You just have to find the right moment where there's no too much "traffic" around them.

I would not consider Adrian Van Hooydunk to be snobbish , but at motorshows the pace is relentless as soon as the press conference is over it's like opening the lion enclosure gate.

But he is a lot more technical and clinical in his approach when discussing BMW design , with Chris Bangle a discussion would be in usual Chris speak with added emphasis where AVH talks about a design element he describes where it starts and where it stops , Chris just does the hand signals "woosh" down the side of the car . Which is good because he knows you will be paying attention.

The key important is that you understand what the designer is trying to communicate that is why there is a lot more emphasis in BMW's marketing regarding the latest designs because in the past we never really communicated our ideas just leaving it for you to decipher yourself what the intention was. So now we talk about the design , take you to the studio , describe elements and give the viewer a sort of personal introduction so they know what they are going into.

Something i am dying to see and that you guys can make it happen is some behind the scene shooting, where you film the design genesis of some model by filming what happen in the design studios, specifically when all the designers debate. i really really would like to see the interaction between the chiefs and the other designers.

Laurenz Schaffer New President of BMW DesignworksUSA



Germany, California, Germany, and back to California again: Laurenz Schaffer, Director of the Munich Studio of BMW Group DesignworksUSA since the year 2000, will be taking over the position of the President of BMW’s Subsidiary in Newbury Park (Los Angeles) in California on 1 December 2009.

“With his many years of experience in numerous areas of design, Laurenz Schaffer has made a significant contribution in recent years to strengthening DesignworksUSA as an international driving force in BMW Group Design and in making the Studio an appealing partner also for external customers. The success of our concept of inter-acting, interdisciplinary transfer of know-how to the mutual benefit of both the BMW Group and external clients of Designworks is largely attributable to Laurenz Schaffer,” states Adrian van Hooydonk, Director BMW Group Design. “Working for our brands BMW and MINI and for companies such as Siemens, HEAD, Sony or Starbucks, he and his team in Munich have consistently paved the way for innovative products and strategies.”

Schaffer, born in 1967, first worked as a product designer with renowned design studios in Stuttgart, Munich, and San Francisco, before joining the Munich Studio of BMW Group DesignworksUSA in 1998. In the year 2000 he took over management of the Munich Studio.From the start, Laurenz Schaffer was fascinated by the concept of this unique Subsidiary which, with studios in California, Munich and Singapore, has acquired international renown in the world of design. “As an external studio, we are able in cooperation with the BMW Group and its brands and with customers outside of the company, to acquire know-how in many different areas. This benefits both sides”, says Schaffer.

In his new function Laurenz Schaffer will focus in particular on the ongoing development of DesignworksUSA as an international agency for strategic design, for product, automotive and transport design, and as a specialist in brand strategy.

DesignworksUSA was established in 1972 by design legend Chuck Pelly and was taken over by BMW in 1995. Today DesignworksUSA comes under the responsibility of BMW Group Chief Designer Adrian van Hooydonk, who himself was the President of this BMW Subsidiary in California from 2001 – 2004.

At DesignworksUSA, designers, engineers, multi-media specialists and model builders form an international team of more than 135 specialists developing the interior of business jets and yachts, mobile telephones, sports equipment, medical/technical equipment, entertainment electronics as well as solutions for graphic and interface design on behalf of customers such as Embraer, Hewlett Packard, and Microsoft.

Laurenz Schaffer is succeeding Verena Kloos as the President of DesignworksUSA in California, who had been in charge of the company since September 2004. Kloos who, after working for Volkswagen, Mazda and DaimlerChrysler Advanced Design, joined BMW and DesignworksUSA, will be responsible from now on in Munich at BMW Group Design for the Department of Context Design and Advanced Development.

Starting on 1 November 2009, Niko von Saurma-Jeltsch will be taking over the Munich Studio. Until 2008, von Saurma-Jeltsch was the successful President of the newly established DesignworksUSA Studio in Singapore, after which he given responsibility for design strategy in Munich.

Laurenz Schaffer New President of BMW DesignworksUSA

Is the bold part refering to the advanced design dep or is it something else ? Wasn't Verona retrograded in this process ? and once more time, can you guys confirm to me that there are two Munich studio ? One for BMW and one subsidary of designworks ? What has been done in the singapore studio since it started ?

No, Verena Kloos is named head of Design Strategy & Advanced Development - and so she will become a member of BMW Group Design Management team. Meaning she will be responsible for design strategy proposals & ideas (done by advanced design studio) for ALL BMW Group brands (incl BMW & Husquarna bikes).

So, no - she was no demoted but very much promoted: heading Design Strategy & Advanced design for BMW Group design is a huge promotinon IMO. And being a part of BMW Group design menagement team he is now able to co-decide about new design philosophy & strategy of all BMW Group brands: together with other design chiefs within BMW Group (Hooydonk, Cameron, Hildebrand etc).




But ... Head of Design BMW Automobile position is still empty ... Is Chris Chapman (E53 X5, x-coupe concept, CS1 concept, E87 1er hatch) coming to Munich (now head of automobile design @ Designworks)?


Regarding DWUSA studios - there are 3 of them: in Newbury Park / LA (CA, USA), Munich (Germany) & Singapore. The Munich studio is not the same one as the BMW Automobile design studio! Since the DWUSA Munich studio not only work on automobile desugn but also other automotive prducts, and other industrial design (consumer electronics, sports equipments, etc) .

So whose position will Verena Kloos take? And which positions do Joachim Kolling and Thomas Plath now hold?

Frau Kloos position will be Director of Design Strategy and Advance Development. That will make her a member of BMW Group Design Management team.

Herr Kölling was a head of Advanced design studio ... But lately I've seen he's position title has been changed: "Head of design Project i" - basically meaning he is head of design for the new BMW sub-brand (similar to Head of design M cars position).

Herr Plath (ex head of Design strategy, steering & advanced development) position is now called Head of Model Techniques & Process management - which basically is Head of prototyping.



Not sure who is now the boss of advanced design studio.

Way to go people.

Eni, So what cars, if any is this Laurenz Schaffer responsible for?

I believe he was mainly involved in non cars projects at designworks USA.

This is something i come across when i was searching for the marble sculture, very interesting, it's from 2008.

Dezeen Blog Archive Chris Bangle podcast interview