28th December, 2003

Ingolstadt/Munich

"Concept Design Munich", the studio responsible for developing creative concepts for the Audi group, was opened this month by Walter Maria de'Silva, Head of Design for the Audi group.

This newly-opened studio will develop creative concepts for the entire Audi group (that's Audi, SEAT and Lamborghini), looking well ahead into the future.

The building, housing around 800 square metres of floor space, accommodates 20 workplaces for international designers, engineers and trend specialists, as well as some 15 modellers working on the vehicle concepts and designs of the group's future product generations.

"Here, at the heart of Munich's Schwabing district, surrounded by residential buildings, boutiques and restaurants, we are able to experience trends and lifestyle in an urbane environment. Concept design needs this liberty to keep subjecting established ideas to renewed scrutiny, develop creative potential and thus practise forward thinking," remarked Walter Maria de'Silva.

"The emphasis is on developing a wide range of independent, futuristic visions and designs. Only later do we decide whether these ideas are to be pursued further and implemented. Concept Design Munich consequently acts as a source of intellectual guidance. The design studio's clients are the brand designs which translate the visions forged here into vehicle models for volume production," commented de'Silva, in defining the role of the concept studio.

Basing Audi design activities in Schwabing is not an entirely new idea. The first Audi Design Studio was established some 20 years ago on the premises of the former car workshop "Kurfürstengarage Schwabing", as an outpost of Audi's Ingolstadt design department. This was where such ideas as the Avus study (1991) took shape.

The decision to redesign the studio was taken last year.

The two construction phases since May of this year have seen the completion of the modelling hall, where new models are refined and presented, a well-lit penthouse acting as a studio for the designers' graphic art and screen workplaces, and conference rooms equipped with ultramodern multimedia technology. These areas are linked by "La cucina", a communication and casual zone.

This arrangement is based on de'Silva's ambition to use the studio as an interdisciplinary platform for communication and to invite creative, technology and trend experts, opinion leaders and students to Munich so that they can share ideas and work together. de'Silva particularly wants to see closer relations with universities around the world. Klemens Rossnagel is in charge of the new "Concept Design Munich".

An important area of work for the Audi "Concept Design Munich" is Product Design, in addition to the areas Automotive Concept and Concept Innovation. Five designers work here creating lifestyle articles such as watches, tie pins, key rings and even cycles to reflect the brand universes of Audi, SEAT and Lamborghini.