Pforzheim students put on a transportation design masterclass

With an exceptionally busy turnout and students across two floors, it was at times a ‘wait your turn’ affair for the 2024 Pforzheim degree show.

As we wrote in our quick trend report, the vast majority of final thesis projects were created in partnership with OEM sponsors. For others earlier in their studies, it was about showcasing the progression of their sketching and unique style. In addition, Opel and Mercedes-Benz had curated separate briefs for students mid-way through their studies.

Opel’s theme revolved around three terms: Detox, Modern German and Greenovation. For exterior projects, the task was to create an iconic Opel for 2040, while interior projects had to create a “Pure Experience” cockpit for 2040. Meanwhile, the Mercedes theme was ’Iconic Luxury’ and encouraged students to explore how that might look in 2030-2050.

Below is an overview of the students that CDN took the time to speak to and understand in more detail, but the list is not exhaustive. A second installment will be on the way.

Charles Jacob – Spirit of Avantime

With thesis students given an open brief for their final projects, Jacob chose to reimagine the iconic Renault Avantime people carrier. The pillarless design and quirky, french volumes feel instantly familiar, and the scale model shows remarkable detail – including a door that hinges at the centre, opening up for both sets of passengers in one movement.

The project began with the interior, explains Jacob, with the idea that no passengers would feel like they are sitting on their own. “Everyone feels together,” he says. The door ”seamlessly integrates interior and exterior spaces, offering users a versatile road trip companion.”

Working with Renault and even visiting the Technocentre studio in Paris, the Spirit of Avantime follows similalr themes showcased in recent production models, in particular the monochromatic colour theme that is contrasted with bright lime highlights. Jacob would ideally like to land a job in exterior design once graduating.

Chihchi Chang – VIP Oasis

This luxury vehicle is designed for wealthy creatives – artists, musicians, writers and the like – who sometimes struggle with motivation, concentration and inspiration. Just as some of the best ideas come to mind while you are driving or in the outdoors, Chang envisions a vehicle that can become a place of calm, reflection and creativity.

He was partly inspired by the Taichung Musical Theater, which houses a special venue for music performances that relive stress. Created for the brief set by Mercedes, Chang says the Oasis concept fits nicely within the theme of luxury and meeting the needs of ”higher class creative people.”

The exterior takes design cues from both a grand piano, which combines a flowing line with an abrupt cutoff, but also jewellery and fashion. The rear end, for example, is partly inspired by a luxury bag, while the front end follows the form of a luxury perfume bottle.

Chang says his mentors from the Mercedes design team were incredibly helpful, and proved particularly useful when it came to defining the rear proportions of the car. While he is open to all opportunities, he would ideally land a spot at an advanced design studio.

Gyeongmin (Michael) Cho – The Porch

Hailing from South Korea, Cho came up with the idea when thinking about his time spent on the veranda – or porch – with family and friends, eating together, playing and creating memories. It’s about relaxing in a space that blends indoor and outdoors, he explains. ”These emotional and valuable experiences inspired me to develop this concept… To recreate the feeling of being on a porch while in a vehicle.”

With this in mind, the interior is split into two separate zones (taking cues from architecture and interior design) where the front is about work and recreation – the Spirit zone – while the rear is all about calm and tranquility. The front is more technical and sharp in its design, while the rear space is softer with a luxury lounge chair, which he admits was inspired by the iconic Eames lounger.

The type of project Cho went for is a good indication of where he plans to end up: interior design. Reflecting on his time at Pforzheim as a Transportation Design student, he describes it as “the best period of his life so far.”

Henry Menges – sketches board

We saw Henry’s work on show in the foyer of the CCP conference building where the degree show was held, and had a chat about the course, where he wants to end up and how he approaches sketching. Menges is the first to admit that at first his sketches were “kind of crappy” but the course has progressed his skills to completely new levels. “It’s partly the ability to sketch from cues that you are being given, but it is also great to have your own style and showcase your artistic talent,” he notes.

He is clearly an accomplished sketcher and despite a flair for exteriors, he is mostly interested in the emerging UX space. He recalls being particularly inspired by a guest speaker who described how the user should be at the centre of the design.

Hyunsik Moon – Mercedes AMG One+One

The ONE+ONE concept is a vision of how future AMG performance models might look, blending sleek exterior designs, racing-inspired details and an inherent sense of luxury – in this case enabled through autonomous driving functionality. He explains that performance will become more valuable in future as the majority of cars begin to drive themselves; those that can still be driven thus become opportunities for true driving thrills.

The name is derived from the 1+1 seating arrangement, which allows driver and passenger to tag in and out of the driving experience by moving the steering wheel across the dash. is a package for the vehicle. Moon describes these two modes as ‘Beta’ and ‘Alpha.’ A central part of the design is its powertrain, which uses an as-yet-unavailable “power dome battery” which is exposed on the front mask and flows through to the rear, empahsised by the boat tail design.

Moon has previously studied industrial design at Kookmin University in Seoul, but following his studies at Pforzheim woud like to specialise in exterior design. “It’s something I just feel more passionate about,” he told CDN during the visit.

Joosua Kuusela – CLAAS Cyberion

“I wanted to do something completely different,” says Kuusela, and the CLAAS CYBERiON certainly does that. He says it fits within a new vehicle class – Königsmaschine, or King-Machine in English – which would be able to navigate smart farms but also perform better on public roads. It is no secret that today’s agricultural vehicles hold up traffic, straddle both lanes, but this concept is far more compact.

The vehicle is electric with 100KW power output, and can be used as a mothership from which to control the entire ‘Smart Farm’ in future. The cabin is a mobile workshpace, but has been integrated cleverly within a sleek, fast exterior design; Kuusela uses words like “sculptural” to describe the project.

As the name would suggest, the project was completed in collaboration with tractor company CLAAS, where we understand Kuusela has already secured a placement after his studies.

Juyoung Jang – M_Vision

In the year 2045, Martian tourism will be the next big thing. That’s according to Jang, whose project ‘M_VISION’ expands on the idea of what a Mars rover could be. It is not simply about exploration and existence in what is a punishing environment – it is about adventure, enjoyment and creating memories. The vehicle would allow this in the first instance through the fact it is enormous. Do not let the model fool you, this is an apartment on wheels, and Jang says it is designed to let four passengers live comfortably.

The vehicle would not only drive and explore, it would also cultivate. Jang sees an opportunity to plant genetically-modified seeds and water while on the go to create an Earth-like environment on Mars. Powered by hydrogen (due to the natural abundance of hydrogen in the Martian atmosphere) the vehicle should be able to operate continuously without technically stopping to ‘fill up.’

Rather than the typical boxy appearance of a motorhome, Jang took inspiration from the Mercedes SLR with a long bonnet and sleek cab pushed toward the rear. Indeed, this is another project created for the brief set by Mercedes-Benz, and the design language seems to take the silhouette of the SLR with the boxiness of Bruno Sacco’s W124 series. Jang would like to pursue a career in exterior design, and finds himself doodling sketches in his free time.

Luca Baumann – Fluid Expansion

Alpine has built its brand around racing heritage, focussing on compact, superlight sports cars. Baumann worked with the Alpine design team for his thesis project, and came up with the idea of an innovative hydrogen engine, which directly influences the layout and design of the entire vehicle.

So-called ‘Powerpaste’ (worth researching in your own time!) is used in place of conventional fuel, with storage tanks integrated within the interior. At the rear, the hydrogen engine itself is exposed beneath a clear screen, while a hollowed out central tunnel runs underneath the car and through the rear mask.

Baumann explains that as a result of this unique powertrain layout, water (a byproduct of hte hydrogen engine) would spray out of the back in a mist, almost like a jet ski. And given Alpine’s parent company Renault, the use of ‘starkle’ material (arguably made famous by the Dacia Manifesto) can be seen on different areas of the exterior.

With access to the entire Alpine design team during this project and “a lot of creative feedom” afforded by the brief, Baumann explained that he would like to land a role at an advanced design studio where similar opportunities might arise.

Maren Brettschneider-Làzaro – A Youthful Tide

The concept of ‘holistic design’ is something Brettschneider-Làzaro is passionate about, and for her thesis project worked with Volkswagen’s Future Centre in Potsdam where this kind of thinking is encouraged. The concept takes into account not only the vehicle – shown below with butterfly doors and an SUV-coupé feel to it – but also the nature of its use, and the wider infrastructure around it.

‘A Youthful Tide’ was partly inspired by a visit to India, where around 50% of the population is under 25 and currently has a clash of desires, she explains. “This generation wants SUVs and aspirational purchases, but also value for money and universal access to mobility. The idea is that this vehicle would be made available under a mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) programme, rented out by multiple users during the day and never explicitly owned by one individual.

The project is indeed holistic in its apprach, with detailed research into user demographics, exterior design, interior layout and different CMF themes. Brettschneider-Làzaro underlines that concepts are always fun explorations, but that there must be a reason behind them – pinning down the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’ and believes she would contribute a different way of thinking within a wider design team. “I always wanted to be a car designer, ever since I was six,” she says.

Seung-Jun (John) Kim – Neuron Link - Cognitive Shared Experience.

Initially, we were slightly taken aback by Kim’s explanation of the concept: “Capturing the climax of a moment and sharing it swiftly in first person.” However, he explains that the idea is about sharing poignant, iconic memories experienced when driving the car with the outside world, almost like a form of social media. This would be performed through a neural link and is a utopian view of how breakthrough technology might read our minds for the good. “I wanted to try and blend academic thinking with stylistic design,” he notes.

The project was created for the brief set by Mercedes, and as such carries a luxury theme, evident immediately by the sculptural, technology-led interior design. Even the roof lining has been re-thought. ”This is usually just a flat, boring design, but with this there is a vertical interplay with the rest of the interior.” There is also a nice nod to the past glory of ICEs, with two ranks of four switches on the centre console performing a V8 running order upon startup. Like his peers, Kim describes how designers from Mercedes dropped in and gave valuable advice and guidance during the project.