i love design of any kind - well clever design that is - that grows from a concept removed from any sort of discussion around “niche market”. not that good design doesn’t come out of deliberately planning, developing, and promoting something specifically geared toward a group of people but it’s nice to know that in a time when it is hard to sell the almost irrational, off centre, simply clever ideas that are emerging in response to the need for greater fuel efficiency and environmental considerations, someone is stepping out of the box and allowing truly creative design to happen. that it is unfettered by the usual restrictions that prevent both the practical and aesthetic needs of the world that is slowly working its way towards us to be addressed is also refreshing.
one such design that i came across recently is the mazda taiki. outwardly similar to designs developed by colani (see below), the taiki, is a mazda concept vehicle designed around the concept of "flow" which as you can see in its styling has as much to do with water or air as it does with the movement of clothing. “taiki” in japanese means atmosphere, with the design inspired by the flowing robes known as hagoromo. japanese theatre is filled with plays whose plots revolve around hagoromo as intermediaries between celestial maidens and simple men. nice metaphor.
this very lovely two-seater sports coupe features a next-generation rotary engine, in a front-engine, rear-wheel drive format.
i mentioned colani earlier and i think that if the taiki appeals to you in any way, or even if it makes you wonder at the thinking behind that sort of design, then go here:
http://www.colani.ch/movie.html
in this movie you will see and hear colani himself - apparently a “mad inventor” but be warned - the exterior presence of colani is a sham. this is a brilliant and very successful man.
go here for his “visions”: http://www.colani.ch/visions.html
go here for products bearing his style stamp: http://www.colani.ch/projects.html
go here for a colani transportation exhibition: http://www.ebong.org/gallery/colani/
