FORD
Brief was to explore how Chinese fundamental aesthetic principles, artistic elements, and local cultural insights can be creatively infused into future Ford products in a way that excites and resonates with the Chinese customers. My goal was envisioning a new vehicle and design style that reflects my chosen cultural story, and that brings excitement & passion to the brand and next  generation of products for Ford in China.
I embarked on a comprehensive and rigorous research process. This research was multifaceted, beginning with an in-depth study of traditional and contemporary Chinese art and design, focusing on fundamental aesthetic principles such as balance, harmony, and the use of symbolic colors and motifs. I delved into historical and modern sources, analyzing how these aesthetics have evolved and are perceived in today's cultural context. Additionally, I conducted extensive market research to understand the preferences and expectations of Chinese customers, including surveys and focus groups. This thorough research approach ensured that the design solutions I developed were not only culturally relevant and aesthetically appealing to the Chinese market but also aligned with Ford’s brand identity and innovation goals.
Drawing from the rich insights gathered during the research phase, I started then exploring various ways to integrate traditional Chinese elements with contemporary design in a manner that would resonate with modern Chinese consumers.
I began refining these sketches, focusing on those ideas that most effectively balanced cultural elements with functional design. From the refined sketches, I selected the most promising concepts to develop into detailed designs. Each design was scrutinized for feasibility, taking into account factors like aerodynamics, safety standards, and production costs. Once the detailed designs were finalized, the next step was to bring these concepts into a 3D digital environment using Solidworks.
Final touches...
I collected feedback for any final adjustments, this feedback came from various stakeholders. Incorporating this feedback made the necessary tweaks to the CAD model, ensuring that the design was not only aesthetically pleasing and culturally relevant but also practical. This journey from the research stage to a CAD-rendered model was meticulous and iterative, ensuring that every detail was considered and refined to create a design that was both innovative and deeply rooted in Chinese aesthetic values.
