Geely teases new Milan studio
There’s not much to work with just yet, but Geely assures us its new Milan studio will play a major role in its global design strategy moving forward
Geely has announced that it will open the Innovation Design Center Italy as a “new hub for creativity and design.”
There is a reason why this is not classified in the typical manner of “advanced design” or “production design” – the studio will work on both show cars and series models, and will ultimately act as a think tank for cars on a global scale.
Now that the site is operational, the first job will be sourcing talent and not necessarily from automotive but from wider creative fields. There shouldn’t be any shortage of that in Milan, a smelting pot for designers in fashion, furniture, textiles, architecture and art. While local expertise will surely be tapped, the site should also attract those from further afield. The news comes on the back of GAC revealing its first European outpost in Milan in 2022.
Geely says the Innovation Design Centre “will be a very attractive place to work,” and “plans to become a renowned talent incubator, where the mix of many cultures can catalyse and consolidate creative energies.” Stefan Sielaff, head of Geely design, recently spoke to Car Design News about the importance of having a mix of skills and backgrounds. “Diversity is a key subject for us,” he said. “I am very keen on having lots of individual expressions.”
We will have to see how that materialises in the make-up of the new Milan studio, which will be tasked with pushing the boundaries of design and challenging conventional notions of what a car is. For an indication of the kind of projects catching Geely’s eye, take a look at some of the winning designs of the 2022 Student Awards China. See also the super-futuristic Vision Starburst concept released in 2021. Not long after GAC revealed its first European outpost in Milan, another Chinese carmaker has followed suit.
It is very early days and the Milan project is only just getting off its feet. Details are thin on the ground at the moment (the lead image for this story is of Geely’s Shanghai studio) and, perhaps understandably, the Geely design team is keeping its cards close to its chest. We will follow the story as it unfolds, with a formal launch expected within the next couple of months.