bmw group – DesignApplause

all-electric mini aceman concept hits the street.

Jun 1, 2024

mini has revealed the aceman, a new electric-only production model that looks much the same as the aceman concept car. the aceman fits in between the cooper hardtop and the countryman suv in terms of size. it’s not yet confirmed for the u.s. market, but we think it will come here.

fully electric go-kart feeling.
the new mini aceman is only available with a fully electric drive, giving locally emission-free mobility combined with the driving fun that only mini can give. the new mini aceman will be launched on the market in the mini aceman e version and as the enhanced performance mini aceman se. the mini aceman e achieves a range of 310 kilometres in the wltp test cycle. the high-voltage battery in the mini aceman se enables a range of 406 kilometres according to the wltp. charging is quick and easy with alternating current at 11 kw or with direct current in the mini aceman e at 75 kw and in the aceman se at up to 95 kw. this charges the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in just under 30 minutes at an appropriate fast-charging station.

new mini design language: “charismatic simplicity”.
the entire new mini family features a reduced and clear design. the minimalist design language is also expressed in the mini aceman: “the minimalist design style of the mini aceman also powerfully conveys its progressive character. the mini aceman is a strong character with his own young personality within the new mini family. it has an independent design language, is compact and looks agile. with its distinctive expression, it is the perfect everyday companion for those who value individuality in urban areas,” emphasizes oliver heilmer, head of mini design.

the exterior features a streamlined front, short overhangs and a functional two-box design. the “clever use of space” design principle, typical of the brand, takes on a new form. the front of the mini aceman has a distinctive design and reinterprets typical mini elements such as angular headlights and an octagonal front grille. the daytime running light elements of the led headlights display three different modes, individualising the front view of the new mini family member. the eye-catching design of the mini aceman makes a progressive statement, while at the same time paying due homage to the brand’s history and marking the vehicle out as a mini at first glance.

immersive experience in the interior.
the interior design also pursues a consistent reduction of alec issigonis’ original idea: the cockpit invokes three central design elements of the classic mini with the practical steering wheel, the round oled display in the centre and the redesigned toggle switch bar. a knitted recycled polyester material covers the surface of the dashboard. structure and colour lend the interior a homely character with accentuated colour contrasts. this effect is enhanced by light projections displaying different patterns and colours on the surface of the dashboard. these are part of up to eight mini experience modes. they all provide an immersive driving experience with light, sound, and graphic design in the oled display.

innovative infotainment through oled display and new operating system.
the round oled display is the central control element for the innovative infotainment in the interior. when combined with the mini operating system 9, it makes intuitive touch operation possible, based on smartphone menu navigation. the operating system is an in-house solution and demonstrates the software expertise the bmw group has developed – also in terms of over-the-air software updates. with over 7 million vehicles, bmw group has the largest completely upgrade-enabled fleet in the industry. as such, in future new mini models will also receive regular remote software upgrades, so that the vehicles are always fully updated. the mini operating system 9 also features the mini brand’s first fully-fledged voice assistant. animated graphic elements, typography and an avatar are used to visualise voice-controlled interaction on the oled display.

photos courtesy of bmw group

[ mini aceman ]

bmw i vision of the future concept does just that. ces 2016.

Jan 5, 2016

several years ago, with the debut of the i3, bmw offered the most refined of the electrics and in 2016 presents yet another evolved look, this time of a fully autonomous car.

at ces 2016, the bmw group is introducing a new concept known as the i vision future interaction. the statement, vehicles with highly automated driving are an important milestone on the road to vision zero, the idea of accident-free individual mobility. the i vision future interaction is based on the i8 concept spyder that was shown at the 2012 edition of the beijing motor show, and it was built to highlight what the sports car of tomorrow could look like inside.

above/below> ces16 concept is doorless and topless so you can enjoy the goods

above/below> most new features are centered around a technology called airtouch that lets the driver control the car’s navigation, entertainment, and connectivity functions with simple gestures made with a flat hand. the driver receives pivotal information on the heads-up-display ‘hud’ – a panoramic 21-inch screen, which shows speed and speed limits and navigation within the field of vision on the front windscreen.

there are three driving modes – pure drive, assist and auto. pure drive creates a driver-focused environment while in assist mode, the car is driven manually but the driving aids automatically kick in if they sense that a collision with another car or with an object in the road is imminent and unavoidable. in auto mode the interior creates an opportunity to relax and unwind thanks to innovatively designed seats and expanded content is available on the central information display.

surely the focus is on the i vision future interaction technology as the i8 concept spyder at the show is not equipped with doors. there’s no technical details on engine so we don’t know if this i8 is powered by a gasoline-electric plug-in hybrid.

the concept car combines intelligent lightweight construction with the advanced drive technology of bmw edrive. it is finished in e-copper orange exterior paint, with highlights being accented in frozen grey (kidney-shaped grille, tank cover and front and rear sills), and in high-gloss black below the entrance. the bmw i vision future interaction uses the lifedrive architecture with the carbon-fibre reinforced plastic life module producing a very lightweight passenger cell.

click on above picture to engage lightbox | 12 images

[ official press release ]
“vehicles with highly automated driving are an important milestone on the road to vision zero, the idea of accident-free individual mobility. this increases the aspirations of drivers for the user friendliness of vehicles, for the presentation of information and for digital networking of the information. occupants are increasingly also wanting to communicate with the outside world supported by unrestricted quality and in the scope they are normally accustomed to.

at the ces 2016, the bmw group is using the concept car bmw i vision future interaction to show what the user interface of the future might look like – including support from high-resolution vehicle displays where the content responds to the situation. in order to make the interaction of the passengers with the vehicle as intuitive as possible, all functions are controlled using touch-sensitive surfaces, gestures and voice.

interior compartment responds flexibly to the demands of the future. the vision car is based on the bmw i8 concept spyder. the interior has a thoroughbred, sporty and flexible profile. on the one hand, it supports the driver in manual driving mode with a clearly defined focus. on the other hand, when the vehicle is in its highly automated mode, the interior provides an opportunity to relax in the innovatively designed seats and to make proactive use of the time gained through the expanded content available on the central information display.

just as the vehicle adjusts automatically to drive mode and the surrounding environment, the digital content is optimally presented at any given time. drivers look at data such as the charge status of the vehicle batteries or the routes offered before commencing the journey on their smart phone, smart watch or mobility mirror. these are then automatically transferred to the appropriate menus, map displays and driver information on the panorama display in the bmw i vision future interaction. the transition from mobile device to display in the vehicle takes place seamlessly. innovative instruments, panorama displays, 3d views.

the bmw i vision future interaction

the driver receives key drive information on the high-resolution head-up display, which reflects the most important data such as speed, speed limits or navigation information within the field of vision on the front windscreen. the instrument cluster is located directly behind the steering wheel and information is shown here in three-dimensional display (autostereoscopically). as well as the usual information about speed, consumption and range, the driver is also provided with information here about vehicles on the road ahead or oncoming vehicles which are not yet in his or her field of vision. the driver is consequently able to respond at an early stage to all conceivable traffic situations. this also applies during highly automated driving. if the driver needs to take over command of the vehicle, the system provides an appropriate alert. the technology acts predictively so that the driver has at least five to seven seconds to respond.

information prepared to suit the situation

the central panorama display is the most striking interaction element of the bmw i vision future interaction. it extends from the centre console across the entire passenger side and appears to flow harmoniously out of the dashboard panel. the display height of eleven centimeters means that the dashboard panel is not higher than in the bmw i8 and it permits an optimum view to the front of the vehicle. the high-resolution panorama display in the bmw i vision future interaction is almost 40 centimeters wide while the screen diagonal is 21 inches.

when the driver gets into the vehicle, this panorama seamlessly displays the content which is provided by the vision of the open mobility cloud from bmw and it can also be seen automatically using the bmw connected app on a smart phone or other digital end devices. the display adjusts automatically, in response to the drive mode of the bmw i vision future interaction. in future, for example, the system could switch automatically from pure audio to video transmission during phone conversations, if vehicles are driving in fully automated mode. drivers and passengers also have the option of unrestricted access to web content, mails or audiovisual offerings.

while the driver remains active at the steering wheel, information in reduced scope is displayed on the large panorama display in order to minimise distraction and maintain the focus entirely on what is happening on the road. the number of control elements is reduced to a minimum in the bmw i vision future interaction. the most important of these elements – the drive mode selector switch – is located on the left-hand side of the steering wheel. this is used to select between the three drive modes. the “pure drive” mode meets the typical bmw high aspiration for sheer driving pleasure at all times.

assistance systems are used passively here and they only give warning alerts without actually intervening in the control of the vehicle. the “assist” setting provides optimum networking with the surrounding environment.

the best route is calculated in real time and fed into the navigation system. the vehicle supports the driving performance of the driver and intervenes actively if there is danger of an event such as a shunt accident, or if an obstacle on the road appears to be a safety risk. when the vehicle is in “auto mode”, the vehicle itself takes over control of sideways and forward orientation, accelerates independently, brakes and steers – without the driver having to intervene at all.

in the near future, this could already be permitted on certain approved stretches of road, for examples sections of german motorways or in car pool lanes in the usa.

the bmw i vision future interaction proactively gives drivers an alert if they are in a zone for highly automated driving. the driver can then change the drive mode as appropriate. the steering wheel is illuminated in blue in the highly automated drive mode. the colour scheme therefore provides a visual cue that the driver is in this drive mode. if the vehicle leaves the approved lane for highly automated driving and has to take control of the steering wheel again, a red light signal conveys this requirement. the bmw i vision future interaction is therefore already providing an indication today of what the control functions might look like in the future in highly automated vehicles. interaction with airtouch, sensitive surfaces and voice.

the development engineers are using new human-machine interfaces to control and select the content on the large panorama display, and this offers a large number of new options for interaction. one of them is airtouch, gesture control for all communication, information and entertainment functions in the vehicle. it allows the big screen to be operated like a touchscreen – without actually having to touch it.

sensors are installed in the area of the dashboard panel which responds to hand movements. a movement of the hand can be used to go to a position on the panorama display and the selected icon is highlighted visually. if the hand is moved forward (push gesture), the icon is activated or the menu displays the next level.

airtouch has a second option for carrying out this confirm action. an airtouch switch is located on the steering wheel which briefly illuminates if a menu or icon can be activated. a tap is sufficient to select the desired program in this way or to select a preset. there is also a similar button for the passenger located on the side panel. this enables passengers to use one hand to navigate through the menu and very quickly confirm inputs with the other hand.

the menus in airtouch are not in the form of lists but appear as large tiles. four of these tiles are located beside each other on the display. the system provides car occupants with context-sensitive option menus – for example, if music is currently running on a streaming service, buttons are displayed on one of the tiles that allow you to go forward or backwards to titles, stop playing or start again. the intelligent menu control of airtouch reduces selection steps. airtouch recognizes which control steps are necessary next and shows these in the display. this allows the driver to concentrate on what is happening on the road or offers additional convenient control options if the vehicle is driving in highly automated mode.

touch-sensitive surfaces in the wide and generously proportioned central console offer an additional control element. a sensitive control surface is provided beneath the leather upholstery which can be used by the driver or passenger in order to navigate through the menus or option lists by tapping, swiping or sliding movements – as in a smart phone or tablet. the entertainment and information systems in the bmw i vision future interaction can also be conducted by spoken control commands, in other words by recognition of natural language.

the character of the interior changes depending on the drive mode. if the driver changes to highly automated mode, the color of the steering wheel is not the only thing that changes. when the vehicle takes over control, lots of additional space suddenly becomes available for the people inside. the steering wheel moves forward by several centimeters and this opens up more space. at the same time, the contoured, sculpted sports seat changes its character. elements in the side upholstery give the seats a lounge profile which enables the driver to turn more to the right in order to look at the panorama display in a more relaxed position. the new freedom of movement is also supported by an extended headrest and the generously dimensioned central armrest.

the objective is to enable drivers to make relaxed and effective use of the freedoms offered by highly automated driving – and when drivers want to take the wheel themselves and enjoy sporty driving fun, the ideal enablers typical of bmw are provided in the ergonomic design of the seat and steering wheel. this extends through to support from vehicle technology which shows information like the ideal line or braking points on a selected stretch of road in the bmw head-up display.

open sportiness of the bmw i vision future interaction

the athletic design of the bmw i vision future interaction reveals the qualities of an open two-seater which unites dynamic driving, efficiency and visual elegance with a rather special aesthetic appeal. the concept car combines intelligent lightweight construction with the advanced drive technology of bmw edrive. it is finished in the exterior color of e-copper orange, with highlights being accented in frozen grey (kidney-shaped grille, tank cover and front and rear sills), and in high-gloss black below the entrance. the bmw i vision future interaction uses innovative lifedrive architecture which is structured with separate function units that operate independently of each other.

the life module made of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (cfrp) forms the very lightweight passenger cell. meanwhile the drive modules, which are primarily manufactured from aluminum – drive train, chassis and safety structure – take over the functions relevant for driving. the characteristic binary division of the lifedrive concept is also reflected in the design and deliberately emphasizes the basic elements. highly expressive surfaces and precise lines create a harmonious transition from one module to another.

the headlamps designed with bmw laser light technology are a defining element at the front. they are configured in the u-shaped design of bmw i. the flat engine bonnet is styled with a v that opens up to the windscreen. it forms the starting point for the typical black belt, which continues on the rear cover and constitutes a characteristic feature of the bmw i models. the side view is defined by the short overhangs typical of bmw vehicles. they combine with the wedge shape of the sills to generate the athletic character – contours and lines create a sense of strong forward motion even when the vehicle is at rest. similar to the front, the rear of the vehicle is flat, while a powerful rear diffusor, air vents in a three-dimensional design and the u-shaped tail lamps with led technology give the impression of exceptional breadth to the bmw i vision future interaction and define its sporting aspirations.

a top priority for designers was to integrate the architecture of the large panorama display into the basic concept of the interior design and to accommodate elements in the surface structure which are typical for bmw i vehicles. the instrument dashboard therefore has a structure which is comprised of overlaid pentagons and hexagons. this design is a hallmark of bmw i and is simultaneously a symbol for the seamless networking of the bmw i vision future interaction.

the interior compartment is styled with a mix of color and material made up of plastic, carbon and leather, which creates an aura of high quality, emotionality and thoroughbred pedigree. the seats are upholstered in leather amido and textile, and a leather core made of natural leather. the same leather is also used on the dashboard, combined with a monofilament technical textile which also provides the floor covering for the bmw i vision future interaction. dark leather amido is combined with semi-aniline leather in ice grey to cover the central console. buttons on the steering wheel made of polished aluminum emphasize the high-tech character of the bmw i vision future interaction.

[ bmw group ]

bmw vision future luxury. 2014 beijing auto show.

Apr 20, 2014

BMW shows its Vision Future Luxury concept at Beijing auto show. A long limo with center opening doors and comfort backseat as well as front.

[ official release ]
Beijing/Munich – April 19, 2014 6:00pm EDT/3:00pm PDT. . .The BMW Vision Future Luxury furnishes a long-term outlook on the perception of modern luxury for the BMW brand. It stands for a forward-looking fusion of exclusivity and innovation, for a driving experience that is at once emotional and exclusive. All this is conveyed through the outstanding exterior and interior design of the BMW Vision Future Luxury along with its innovative technology, a pioneering lightweight engineering concept and a seamlessly integrated user interface and driving experience that caters optimally to the needs of all occupants. The BMW Vision Future Luxury makes its world debut at the 2014 Beijing Motor Show.

“Innovative technology and modern luxury have always been an important part of BMW’s brand DNA,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design. “We use visionary concept vehicles like the BMW Vision Future Luxury to show where we may be going with these themes in the future, and to give us new inspiration and motivation. The BMW Vision Future Luxury – with its innovative technologies and with meticulous precision and quality in every detail – takes our thinking on modern luxury a logical stage further.”

Heralding a new approach – the design.
“The design of the BMW Vision Future Luxury is the messenger of our philosophy of modern luxury, one in which innovative technologies play a key and vital role. These innovations deliver a new, multifaceted luxury experience that spans intelligent lightweight engineering, innovative interior design and a radically new user interface design,” says Karim Habib, Head of BMW Design, summing up the design approach to the BMW Vision Future Luxury.

This approach is particularly tangible in the interior. Throughout, the design expresses both form and function of the innovative technologies. For example, the intelligent lightweight engineering concept of the BMW Vision Future Luxury is expressed in the design principle of subtractive modeling. That is to say, the specific geometry and functions of an individual component are created from one and the same layered composite structure, comprising many different levels and materials. An initial base layer of fine carbon fabric is followed by a functional level featuring user interface components, control and display interfaces and lighting functions, which in turn is followed by a further structural, load-bearing layer of aluminum for additional strength. Finally, the top layers comprise wood, then leather, to create a warm and comfortable ambience. In a given area of the interior, the multi-layer structure is “milled down” to the appropriate depth depending on what surface material and what function is required. Since the interior geometry is therefore always pared down to essentials, this cuts total weight substantially. This treatment also makes for virtually seamless transitions and very elegant, fluid surfaces.

The unrivalled characteristics of carbon as a material – both individually and in combination with its surrounding materials – are optimally utilized in this rigorous lightweight design concept. The carbon underlying layer is visible in the doors, under the seats and especially in the innovative, pared-down B-pillar. A full B-pillar as used in the past is dispensed with. The carbon construction allows the seat frames to be integrated into the load-bearing structure. There are also connections to the door sills and centre console, which means only a very small and unobtrusive B-pillar is required. The BMW Vision Future Luxury’s wide-opening coach doors would not have been possible without this new carbon B-pillar solution.

New-style user interface design and exclusive BMW ConnectedDrive services.
In the driver’s and front passenger’s area, precisely defined lines and surfaces create a sense of exclusive dynamism. The design of the instrument panel closely complements the design of the displays themselves. The driver is surrounded by a wrap-around cluster of three intermeshing displays, creating the typical BMW driver-centric cockpit. The three-dimensional display technology means that at the visual level the instrument panel styling appears to carry over into the displays themselves. In other words, to the eye the interior space seems to continue into the solid structures of the instrument panel, generating an impression of unprecedented depth and spaciousness.

The left-hand display mainly presents vehicle-related information, while in the centre a programmable cluster displays speedometer, rev counter and other information, as well as context-adaptive supplementary data, which is displayed as and when relevant. Meanwhile, the right-hand display – the Driver Information Display – provides additional infotainment information. The driver also has the option of controlling all these functions by voice command.

BMW Vision Head Up Display.
The primary driver display, however, is the “contact-analogue” BMW Vision Head Up Display. This display augments the driver’s view of the real world by projecting information directly in the driver’s line of sight onto the road. Buildings, traffic signs or hazards can be highlighted directly in the real-world environment, selectively directing the driver’s attention to specific information which is particularly important at any given time. This technology gives a new dimension to driver assistance functions such as Speed Limit Info, where road signs can be identified and highlighted in the driver’s field of view, or the Traffic Light Assistant, which provides real-time information about traffic light phasing.

In place of a central shared information display for driver and front passenger, the BMW Vision Future Luxury offers front passengers their own Passenger Information Display. This display is connected to the Driver Information Display via a touch-sensitive panel, where information can be exchanged between driver and front passenger using swiping movements. Applications like booking opera tickets online direct from the vehicle via the BMW ConnectedDrive Luxury Concierge service can be displayed in the Passenger Information Display, where they don’t risk distracting the driver. The relevant functions can be conveniently controlled by the front passenger using the iDrive Controller with touch-sensitive interface.

Rear Seat Touch Command Tablet.
In the back, two Rear Seat Displays set into carbon surrounds, and a detachable Rear Seat Touch Command Tablet, put the finishing touch to the integrated user interface concept of the BMW Vision Future Luxury. These displays can communicate with the front displays and also with the BMW ConnectedDrive services. Everything from trip-related information like speed and journey time to information relating to the Luxury Concierge Services can be displayed here in simple and customized form. It is also possible to use online entertainment content like internet-based video and music streaming as well as gaming. All content and functions can be controlled from the rear seats using the detachable Rear Seat Touch Command Tablet in the centre console.

Personal space at the rear.
For the occupants of the rear seats, the BMW Vision Future Luxury offers a luxurious haven of personal space. Two large, deeply contoured single seats add to the appeal, inviting passengers to retire into their own personal “comfort zone”. A retractable table, the angled Rear Seat Displays and the rigid backs of the front seats create a very private ambience, sectioning this area off from the rest of the interior. The sense of privacy is accentuated by modern, flowing geometry and the use of select materials, with lavish wood surfaces extending from the rear parcel shelf to enfold the rear seat occupants in a cosseting three-dimensional space. Strategically placed lighting slats integrated into the wood echo the surrounding styling and, with their warm glow, accentuate the modern and cozy ambience. Finest-quality aniline leather in Batavia brown and a lighter Silk shade, Silk nubuk leather and the warm brown, layered lime wood all have a natural aura which offers unique visual appeal and quality. The division between darker materials in the upper areas and light materials in the lower areas creates a feeling of warmth and a luxurious sense of space. A deep-pile pure silk carpet rounds off the exclusive array of materials in the interior of the BMW Vision Future Luxury.

Exclusiveness and elegance – the exterior design.
In side view, perfect proportions – precise, uncluttered and elegant – convey the exclusiveness of the BMW Vision Future Luxury. The long wheelbase, short overhangs and low, set-back greenhouse lend the stretched silhouette a refined dynamism. In hallmark BMW style, a finely sculpted contour line creates a taut arc along the side of the vehicle, and the opulent surfaces underneath this line have, as always on a BMW, been shaped by seasoned modelers. This hand-sculpted design gives the surfaces a special emotional appeal that would be beyond the capabilities of a computer. The effect is further enhanced by the Liquid Platinum Bronze exterior paintwork, which generates a warm, shimmering effect. An exclusive flourish at the side of the vehicle is the side mirror, which appears to grow organically out of the chrome window trim. Designed as a visual continuation of the chrome trim, its slender stalk is attached to the mirror from below, giving it a graceful and effortless appearance, almost as if it were hovering in mid-air.

BMW EfficientDynamics: honed aerodynamics and intelligent lightweight engineering.
The exterior design perfectly showcases the advanced aerodynamics and innovative lightweight engineering of the BMW Vision Future Luxury. The coupé-style roofline and sloping boot lid, for example, significantly reduce drag. Underlying the tautly sculpted exterior surfaces, equally refined solutions provide optimal channeling of the airflow. They include the Air Breather system at the rear of the front wheel arch, a C-pillar with internal air channeling, and openings in the rear apron which vent air from the wheel arches. An elegant carbon strip in the door sill area alludes discreetly to the innovative lightweight engineering concept based on aluminum and carbon. Both these lightweight materials are used in the vehicle in exactly the right places to achieve maximum effect – both individually and in tandem.

BMW Laserlight at the front.
Clean and simple in design, the traditional iconic BMW front-end design cues – the twin kidney grille and twin headlights – instantly proclaim the brand identity of the BMW Vision Future Luxury. The lean contours of the headlights also hint at the innovative technology sheltering behind them: BMW Laserlight. This new technology not only paves the way for a very flat and dynamic interpretation of the typical BMW twin round headlamps, it also sets completely new standards in terms of brightness, range and intensity. The concentrated, parallel light beam is up to ten times more intense than that of an LED system. The reduced energy consumption and packaging requirements of laser lights make this technology a prime candidate for use in future vehicles.
Underneath the headlights, the assertive multi-material front apron accentuates the elegant front-end styling. At the outboard ends of the apron, graceful carbon air deflectors conceal a range of BMW EfficientDynamics aerodynamics features. The thin-walled air deflectors are made of carbon, a further reminder of the intelligent lightweight engineering concept of the BMW Vision Future Luxury. A slender chrome strip on the air deflectors highlights the airflow system.

OLED lighting at the rear.
The horizontal lines of the side profile glide gently away at the rear in a final expansive flourish. As at the front, the body styling in this area is deliberately understated, allowing the innovative, narrow and slender lights to make a powerful statement. For the first time on a BMW the rear lighting is provided by organic LEDs, paving the way for a completely new treatment of the typical BMW L-shaped lights. The BMW Vision Future Luxury’s L-shaped rear lights comprise a large number of small, likewise L-shaped OLEDs.

An organic LED consists of wafer-thin organic semiconductor layers positioned between two electrodes. The light-emitting polymer layer is only approx. 400 nanometers thick, making it roughly 400 times thinner than a human hair. Organic LEDs are not only extremely thin, as well as flexible, they also produce very uniform illumination over their entire surface. Due to their very thin dimensions, and since they do not require reflectors in order to produce the desired broad light dispersion, they open up completely new ways of using light in and around the vehicle.

With its arrival in Beijing, the BMW Vision Future Luxury furnishes a long-term outlook on the perception of modern luxury for the BMW brand.

BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 and X3 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 339 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 139 BMW motorcycle retailers, 119 MINI passenger car dealers, and 35 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

about phil patton

participatory city: 100 urban trends from the bmw and guggenheim lab.

Oct 12, 2013

BMW’s three year collaboration with the Guggenheim museum explored the subject of the city and established urban labs in New York, Berlin, and Mumbai. Now some of the results are being displayed at the Guggenheim’s building in New York. There are objects, like the water saving park bench from Mars architects, and images, like smart data maps.

MARS architects (neville mars) was commissioned by the BMW guggenheim lab to participate in the think tank’s long-term vision to develop interventions that would benefit our cities and greater urban environments. for their participation, the international firm focused on water concerns, creating an outdoor piece of furniture that collects and stores rainwater through functional cushions

The exhibition also features prototypes of the Water Bench, a project developed during the Mumbai Lab by architect Neville Mars of MARS Architects. Created to address water scarcity and the need for leisure space in Mumbai, the Water Bench collects rainfall for re-use in irrigation and provides public seating. A prototype of the Water Bench is planned for First Park in New York, the original site of the Lab, and six more currently are installed throughout Mumbai.

[ water bench ]

smart map

[ official bmw release ]
Participatory City: 100 Urban Trends from the BMW Guggenheim Lab, an exhibition summing up the experiences and concepts generated during the two-year run of the BMW Guggenheim Lab, will be presented from October 11, 2013 to January 5, 2014, at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. The exhibition is the culmination of the Lab – an urban think tank, community center, and public gathering space – that traveled from New York to Berlin and Mumbai to inspire innovative ideas about urban life and new ways of thinking about cities. Tens of thousands of participants engaged with the Lab’s free public programs, urban projects, and research initiatives, both on-site and online, which informed and helped shape the exhibition. The BMW Guggenheim Lab is a co-initiative of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and the BMW Group.

“With the BMW Guggenheim Lab, we have extended our mission beyond the walls of the museum, providing the Guggenheim with new ways to engage directly with the public and demonstrate our commitment to innovation in the fields of architecture and urbanism,” said Richard Armstrong, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation. “The Lab ignited an important conversation about the differences and commonalities of urban environments and the power of cities as idea-makers. The Participatory City exhibition brings together the ideas found along the way, celebrating this journey and showcasing the extraordinary people and places we encountered.”

“With the New York exhibition, the BMW Guggenheim Lab adventure comes full circle. During its travels, the Lab connected people from around the world to address the challenges that so many megacities face today and in the future. Each and every one of these people who actively participated in this project, be it online or on site, are the reason for the Lab’s success,” said Maximilian Schöberl, Senior Vice President, Corporate and Governmental Affairs, BMW Group. “The exhibition allows us the opportunity to reflect on the Lab as a whole to better understand how this thinking will continue to inform urban life.”

Participatory City is organized by Maria Nicanor, Curator of the BMW Guggenheim Lab and Associate Curator, Architecture and Urbanism.

[ exhibition overview ]
Participatory City is inspired by 100 of the most talked-about ideas in urban thinking explored at the Labs in New York, Berlin, and Mumbai. The terms, or trends, featured in the exhibition have been selected from 100 Urban Trends: A Glossary of Ideas from the BMW Guggenheim Lab, which includes a total of 300 terms compiled from the three Lab venues. New and old, established and of-the-moment, these terms all relate to the ways we understand, design, and inhabit cities. Each term references a particular Lab event or experience, highlighting participatory programs, tours, talks, workshops, film screenings, and urban research projects offered in each city. Projections of these terms alongside drawings, sketches, and short videos representing the terms will continuously loop on the gallery walls in an all-digital installation. Videos and images from each of the three cities will bring the Labs to life throughout the exhibition. In addition, a global roster of architects, academics, designers, and artists have created digital responses to the 100 Urban Trends, available at youtube/bmwguggenheimlab

Participatory City examines a wide variety of trends, a number of which address how we interact with cities. These include:

Participatory Urbanism, a concept integral to the programs in New York, Berlin, and Mumbai, in which citizens are empowered to collect data and contribute ideas to urban decision-makers;
Ostrich Effect, a topic discussed in Mumbai that describes how individuals convey their indifference to the harsh conditions of everyday street life;
Collaborative Urban Mapping, an example of a small-scale intervention in an urban environment, which was produced through collaboration and open-source data in Berlin to map elements of the food supply chain;
Suburban Sprawl, representing outward urban growth;
and the concept of Happy City and psychological well-being in urban environments.
Other trends include the 3D Printer revolution that has led to increased Customization; Arduino, hardware developed for operating robots; and urban concepts such as 10,000 Honks, Bottom-Up Urban Engagement, Collective Memory, The New Architect, Eviction, Food Distribution, Gentrification, Infrastructure of Waste and Non-Iconic Architecture, among others.

“Cities are concentrations of buildings, streets, transportation systems, and physical infrastructure, but it is people who are at the center of urban discourse and it is people who, through participation and interaction, continue to make cities vibrant centers for the generation of ideas that shape our world,” said Nicanor. “It is this sense of participation that continues to empower urban progress one idea at a time. Participatory City documents the BMW Guggenheim Lab’s journey to identify some of the most urgent challenges for cities today and the ideas that could help improve them.”

[ public programs ]
Throughout the run of Participatory City, a series of public programs focusing on a selection of the 100 Urban Trends expand on the issues and projects explored by the BMW Guggenheim Lab.

Fri, Oct 11, 6:30 pm / Urban Data: Michael Flowers and Mayor Bloomberg’s Office of Policy and Strategic Planning
Michael Flowers, Director of Analytics for Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Office of Policy and Strategic Planning, talks about the role of urban data in New York, and how untapped information and data sets can be harnessed to improve the way the city runs.

Sat, Nov 2, 8:30 pm / Happy City: Charles Montgomery
Charles Montgomery, former Lab Team member and author of Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design, (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2013), launches his book and presents fun experiments in trust and play, looking into the striking relationship between the design of our minds and the design of our cities.

Sun, Dec 1, 6:30 pm / Rainwater Harvesting: Neville Mars
Neville Mars, architect, founder of Dynamic City Foundation, and former Lab Team member, discusses his interest in design solutions that conserve water and how it led to the creation of the Water Bench, an urban bench that collects rainwater for re-use.

Fridays, Oct 11-Jan 3 (except Nov 29), 3 pm / Film Series: Cinematic Sites
Selected by Paul Dallas, organizer of the BMW Guggenheim Lab’s film program in New York in 2011, this series examines the relationship between the urban environment and cinematic storytelling. The series includes films set in the Lab venues of New York, Berlin, and Mumbai as well as other cities around the world including Cairo, Chengdu, Los Angeles, Recife, San Francisco, Tehran, and Vienna.

Programs are $7, $5 for members and free for students who RSVP. Films are screened in the New Media Theater, Lower Level and are free with museum admission. [ details ]

[ bmw guggenheim lab ]
A co-initiative of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and the BMW Group, the BMW Guggenheim Lab launched in New York (August 3 – October 16, 2011) with a focus on the theme “Confronting Comfort;” traveled to Berlin (June 15 – July 29, 2012), with the theme “Making,” emphasizing citizen participation in shaping cities; and finally opened at multiple sites in Mumbai (December 9, 2012 – January 20, 2013), where projects and programs explored the theme of “Privacy.” Participants from more than 160 countries and territories around the world participated in the Lab’s nearly 600 public programs, workshops, lectures, and research and urban projects, both on-site and online. The BMW Guggenheim Lab’s global program concludes with the exhibition Participatory City: 100 Urban Trends from the BMW Guggenheim Lab, on view at the Guggenheim Museum, New York from October 11, 2013 to January 5, 2014. The BMW Guggenheim Lab was curated by Maria Nicanor of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and David van der Leer.

The mobile structures for the Lab were designed by the Tokyo architecture firm Atelier Bow-Wow, including a novel carbon-fiber structure used in New York and Berlin and a set of bamboo structures installed at multiple locations in Mumbai. The graphic identity of the Lab, which included an interactive logo, was developed by Seoul-based graphic designers Sulki & Min. Together with Guggenheim curators, three Lab Teams composed of individuals from a variety of disciplines developed programs specific to each city.

The project’s blog, Lab | Log, features interviews with BMW Guggenheim Lab contributors and includes coverage of the Lab’s activities. The public is invited to join the BMW Guggenheim Lab’s dedicated social communities on Twitter @BMWGuggLab and #BGLab, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and Foursquare, and to subscribe to the Lab’s e-newsletter.

[ about the Lab ] [ 100 Urban Trends: A Glossary of Ideas from the BMW Guggenheim Lab ]

[ bmw’s cultural committment ]
For over 40 years now, the BMW Group has initiated and engaged in more than 100 cultural partner-ships worldwide. The focus of this long-term commitment to culture is modern and contemporary art, jazz and classical music as well as architecture and design. BMW has worked with artists such as Ger-hard Richter, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Olafur Eliasson, Jeff Koons, Zubin Metha, Daniel Baren-boim and Anna Netrebko and commissioned architects such as Karl Schwanzer, Zaha Hadid and Coop Himmelb(l)au. In London, BMW in partnership with the London Symphony Orchestra, hosts the BMW LSO Open Air Classics, a yearly live concert free of charge in Trafalgar Square, and supports Frieze Art Fair. The BMW Group takes absolute creative freedom in all the cultural activities it is involved in for granted – as this is just as essential for groundbreaking artistic work as it is for major innovations in a successful business. [ details ]

The BMW Group
[ the bmw group ]
The BMW Group is the leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 28 pro-duction and assembly facilities in 13 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 coun-tries.

In 2012, the BMW Group sold about 1.85 million cars and more than 117,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2012 was euro 7.82 billion on revenues amounting to euro 76.85 billion. At 31 December 2012, the BMW Group had a workforce of 105,876 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy. [ details ]

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DesignworksUSA creates next generation first class seats.

Jul 10, 2013

click > enlarge

Nice. BMW Group subsidiary DesignworksUSA had been asked by Singapore Airlines to deliver more luxury to its First Class passengers. The next-generation First Class Design for the Asian airline has just been released.

images courtesy of designworksUSA

[ official release – edited ]
The BMW Group subsidiary DesignworksUSA and Singapore Airlines take off together. Design for the next generation of seats in First Class, Singapore Airlines delivers a lounge vibe with comfortable armchairs, high quality materials and soft colors.

Not new territory for the creative teams of DesignworksUSA: With its interior design for Boeing Business Jets, Embraer and Dassault Aviation, DesignworksUSA has given the industry a new impetus in recent years. The modernized design for seating and booths will be on display in September for the first time aboard the new Boeing 777-300ER on flights from Singapore to London.

Luxury atmosphere above the clouds.
Design challenges of a special kind align with today’s requirements in aviation with its high security standards, the luxury preferences of the passengers to reconcile. The overall atmosphere was redesigned, with more privacy and more personal storage space for luggage and travel accessories. Laurenz Schaffer, President of DesignworksUSA says, “In this project we were working studios in Los Angeles, Shanghai and Munich together very closely. Our global presence and our long-standing presence in Asia helped us to meet the requirements of Singapore Airlines to connect with the expectations of international passengers.” DesignworksUSA brings the expertise from many years of cooperation with premium customers from different areas of mobility, including BMW and Rollce-Royce Motor Cars, Yachts Intermarine and Zeydon.

Seats to lounge Islands.
The First Class passengers can indulge in lounge Islands now. In order to shield visually and acoustically, the outer walls of the seating area has been increased. The wall encloses the passenger seat like a protective arm. To sleep the chair is transformed into a generous bed where you can lie comfortably on the side. No matter what position – ergonomic perfection characterizes the new generation of seats. With a width of just 89 centimeters and a length of 208 centimeters, is now the seat of one of the most spacious in the new market. Much inspiration came from the interior design of the automotive industry with its terms of passenger comfort, interior design and usability. The design team brought calm with large and elegantly curved lines, with warm, modern shades of brown in the seating islands that convey a sense of living. Cool gray and metallic shades outside the boundaries privacy clearly from the environment.

The seat is upholstered with fine leather. The atmospheric lighting is discreetly incorporated into the design. Extensive testing with partners helped to optimize the light color and intensity. A series of personal storage compartments with bold colors inside makes moments of surprise. Elegant tables require no folding mechanism and can be easily and silently open and close.

[ DesignworksUSA ] is a creative consultancy that’s been driving innovation for forty years. Acquired by BMW Group in 1995, DesignworksUSA enables its parent company as well as internationally-renowned clients outside the automotive industry to grow their businesses through design and a portfolio of creative consulting services. With clients including Coca Cola, Dassault Aviation, Embraer, HEAD, HP, Intermarine, John Deere, Microsoft, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), Siemens and Varian Medical Systems, DesignworksUSA is deeply immersed in a broad cross-section of industries. Combining cross-fertilized knowledge with strategic long-term perspectives and global context provided by studios in Los Angeles, Munich, and Shanghai, DesignworksUSA draws upon its unique and vibrant resources to create the future.

[ Singapore Airlines ] Founded in 1972, the company began with a fleet of only ten aircraft, the airline has established itself as an airline in the world elite. Today there are more than 100 passenger aircraft going to 22 cities in 18 countries. The route network includes Singapore Airlines Cargo and SilkAir and covers 106 cities in 40 countries. In October 2007, the airline wrote aviation history. As the first company to put the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380, into regular service. In 2004, the A340-500 flew for the first time the longest non-stop scheduled flight in the world between Singapore and New York.

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