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STANCE20

STANCE 2020

June 2020​ – This year we celebrated the graduation of students that started their studies in the autumn of 2016. Because of the global COVID-19 pandemic the Institute of Design Degree Show could be organised this time only on social media platforms. The Institute of Design Degree Show was titled SPECTRUM. The STANCE20 show was held side-by-side with the MI Degree Show on STANCE social media channels.

All graduating students of 2020 were invited to display their graduation projects on the virtual STANCE2020 show. The show drew some valuable attention, although without an actual exhibition display, reaching a local audience turned out more difficult than usual. Some of the Vehicle Design projects were on display at the MI Degree Show, but the STANCE2020 show exhibited a total of 9 different vehicle design graduation projects. We were proud to show a large variety on the graduation projects; from entry-level super cars and specialised vehicles to production-ready trailers and service design concepts. These are the projects in our student’s own words.

Matias Pekkonen

KORG MEW/40

KORG MEW/40 is a shared mobile workspace for electronic music. It provides tools for extensive music and sound creation as well as sharing and streaming. The vehicle is targeted at a niche demographics of professional and amateur musicians.

MEW/40 uses visionary technology such as haptic hologram touch-control and a generative music tool. The concept emphasizes KORG’s impact on sound technology over the last 40 years and envisions the brand’s future identity, while assessing the possibility of a vehicle concept.

Antti Tirri

Yoga Balasana

Yoga Balasana is a vehicle concept for a city in 2040. This project goes through current and upcoming trends in our society. The concept is visually based on slow living and yoga. The final product is a 3D model and renders of an autonomous vehicle, where one can practise yoga inside.

Jarkko Salonen

Polestar Prebike

Polestar Prebike is an all-electric motorcycle concept for the year 2025. The electric car manufacturer Polestar was chosen as the brand for the project. Polestar is a pioneer in technology and sustainability in its field.

In this scenario, Polestar wants to expand into the motorcycle market by creating new innovative solutions and developing already existing technology into a smaller and more efficient form. In the project, I study how Polestar’s values, technology and new design language can be brought to motorcycles.

Julius Ranta

2030 MITSUBISHI Urban EV Concept

2030 Mitsubishi Urban EV Concept is an urban car concept for the year 2030. The concept car shows what a small urban vehicle could look like in the future and what new possibilities future technologies bring.

Mitsubishi Urban EV Concept is a four-seater electric vehicle powered by two electric hub motors inside the rear wheels. The hub motors free up space from the front which gives more space for the interior. The objective was to have as large an interior as possible in the smallest exterior dimensions.

The design of Mitsubishi Urban EV Concept emphasises functionality and user-friendliness. It prioritises interior space and comfort, which is made possible by an intelligent layout, large smart window surfaces and a partial autonomous driving system. The concept has an advanced driving assist system for driving in urban streets, and on rural roads it can drive completely autonomously. The steering wheel can be folded behind the dashboard and the front seats can be rotated 180 degrees when the vehicle is driving autonomously. The large smart windows can display information for the passengers as well as change the tint and cloudiness of its surface. During parking, the windows can be made opaque to block the visibility inside the vehicle.

Tuomas Tolonen

DÆRK DRAGON

The task of DÆRK DRAGON project was to design an autonomous luxury vehicle for the Chinese market. The goal was to create a symphony of new technology in a luxurious environment. It includes new features such as hybrid hydrogen fuel cell drivetrain and hologram & gesture control. As a result of this project, a 3D model was made.

Matias Laaksonen

Lunaliner Concept Car 2030

I did my Graduation Project for Oy Lunawood Ltd which is a global marketing leader in Thermowood manufacturing. In this project I studied the suitability of Lunawood materials for a car and especially for its interior while implementing the best possible concept car to market Lunawood’s products.

The concept car to be implemented is set for 2030 when increased population growth will significantly increase traffic jams. At the same time, the concept is a solution for replacing time lost in traffic jams and utilize it with the benefits of the concept car. In this project, I testified that making a car is more environmentally friendly with the help of right materials and design.

Nicklas Sundvall

Weckmann WS90M

In this graduation project I deal with the re-design of Weckman Steel Oy’s M-model series WS90M trailer. The purpose was to improve the overall appearance of the trailer by visually modernizing the look with new components, colors and graphics. In addition to the above, the trailer should be kept as cost-effective and easy to manufacture as possible, in order to be competitive in price. As a result, a 3D model was made that can be used to make a prototype of a trailer.

Jaakko Järvinen

GACHA Robot Bus Service Design Concept

The main goal of this thesis was to produce a service design concept for Sensible 4 and Nokia to visualize scenarios that the GACHA robot bus could face in the area of Karamalmi Espoo. The scenarios were dedicated evenly between Sensible 4 and Nokia.

Esa Mustonen

RAW by Koeniggsegg

RAW by Koenigsegg is a digital concept car created by Esa Mustonen for RAW Design House as his Graduation Thesis. The work was carried out under supervision and support of Christian von Koenigsegg and Sasha Selipanov. The concept car envisions a futuristic entry-level hyper car under an imagined “RAW by Koenigsegg” sub-brand.

RAW by Koenigsegg makes use of the world famous Koenigsegg technologies and know-hows. Mounted behind the innovative 3 seat carbon fiber occupant cell is the 3 cylinder Freevalve TFG engine which was first shown to the world in the Koenigsegg Gemera. Our ambition was to use Koenigsegg Automotive’s vast composite and light-weighting experience to aim for an unprecedented 700hp and 700kg, a new interpretation for the 1:1 power to weight ratio. On top of this, RAW by Koenigsegg has a strong focus on innovative aerodynamics with its flow-through architecture and jet fighter afterburner inspired articulated rear diffuser.

RAW by Koenigsegg offers a new type of user experience as it can be used in both the real and the virtual world. The car allows its user an opportunity to experience its performance and influence its setup in either real life or digital states using already existing highly correlative racing simulators.

RAW by Koenigsegg is an exciting vision of what a light weight entry-level hyper car of the future could look like.

The 2020 Stance Award is awarded to Esa Mustonen for his outstanding entry-level super car project at Koenigsegg.

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AiGO – – GACHA project

https://youtu.be/4NWvw_RovKY
March 2019 – World Premiere of GACHA bus – which began in 2017 as the AiGo research project.

aiGO Autonomous Bus Design Project 2017 – 2019

aiGO (A.I- Go!) was a 1 year design project integrated into Lahti Institute of Design learning processes, with multiple teams working on this funded client project.

Project manager Lee Walton decided to separate the design process for this ambitious project (to design and build a unique vehicle in 12 months!) into 2 distinct paths. Both processes began in September 2017. In total 37 students from various year groups, and specialities within Lahti Insitute of Design worked on this project.

Path 1: User Centred Interior and Exterior design for aIGO prototype vehicle. 

This design path was taken by a small group of 2nd year students (12 total) of Vehicle Design, under the close direction of Lee Walton and experienced vehicle designer Timo Suomala (representing Sensible4 directly). The chief aim of this path was to create a 1:1 sized mock-up model of the bus interior, and to design the interior and exterior appearance and functionality of the prototype vehicle (to be constructed in 2018). The launch of the finished vehicle was very ambitiously scheduled for early 2019.

Path 2: User Centred Service and Strategic Design concepts, for aIGO steering group.

This design path was taken on by a multi-discipline group of 4th year Vehicle Design, Industrial Design, and Packaging & Branding Design students (25 students in total). This large group was split into 5 smaller groups who generated strategic product development concepts from in depth user research and detailed service design scenarios.

Some key milestones:

Kick-off to the project was in Helsinki on 14.9.2017 at the client Sensible 4 offices. Students were introduced to the engineering layout and ergonomics brief on 18.09.2017. I will explain results of each path in reverse order, as Path 2 was shortened at the request of our client.

User Scenarios – Path 2

A workshop day was arranged for 25.6.2017. A number of key clients to the aIGO project were invited to Lahti to take part in interview based workshops with our students. 6 Clients attended, and each client was placed with a small group of students. 25 students were divided equally among clients. Each group intentionally contained students from all 3 design specialities, Vehicle Design, Industrial Design, and Branding Design. Below you can see those client interviews in process. This day also enable all students to meet our main design client, the CEO of Sensible4, who formally presented the project to all involved.

Figure 1. The beginning: User Scenario workshops 2017

The client workshop yielded 6 interesting scenarios, but this was reduced from 6 to only 5 due to a couple of scenarios being very similar. This enabled us to propose to our client, that we develop 5 very different product concepts. Students re-arranged themselves into topics that interested them. Group sizes were not equal, as they were based on motivation. Path 1 participants were much more experienced 4th year students who were given more freedom and autonomy in their work. Only a few key dates were scheduled for check-ups on their progress. The end results of their projects were presented to the client in person, on 28.11.2017. Below are a couple of examples from slideshows presented by students. Figure 3 shows a ski-bus scenario- privately rented and controlled by a group of friends, and Figure 4 shows how the bus could be implemented in the city of Tampere for an older generation of users. An enormous amount of information was presented by 5 groups.

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Figure 3
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Figure 4

Prototype Design – Path 1

Path 2 was much more intense and much more heavily guided by project design managers and the client. Sensible4 provided CAD data and confidential information for their technical solutions. They also invited students to visit their office and see the technology for themselves. The process consisted of planning around the users, and potential passengers of this bus. This 2nd year group of students was tasked with measuring and creating dimensioned and accurate layouts for the ergonomic requirements of the vehicle. The client dictated some basic limits, and mechanical layouts, and students needed to package people around this. Creative ideas began the process, but the most important achievement was to build a wooden mock-up of the bus interior. Students started with a very rough layout idea, see figure 5.

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Figure 5 – Quick interior layout ideation

After client feedback, 2 different seating layouts of the vehicle were chosen and students very quickly constructed a full size wooden mock-up of the bus interior showing both layouts. This was viewed by all participants in the project, and our client was very impressed and pleased to sit in his bus! This mock-up was carefully measured by the CAD team of Sensible4 and directly affected the prototype layout. The design of our students was implemented almost fully by the client. The mock-up proved to be incredibly valuable for the design process. This mock-up was available for a highly secretive visit by Japanese designers representing MUJI. They were so impressed they funded the project, and later took over design management from us. Figures 6 and 7 show the large scale of the mock-up (still a very small bus).

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Figure 6 – Wooden interior mock-up
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Figure 7 – testing accessibility

I am unable to share confidential data in this blog post (regarding actual dimensions and design drawings) but I can share images of our happy client sitting in his bus design. See Figure 8. After completion of this task on 31.11.2017 the students began designing the exterior of the bus. The user centred nature of public transport design dictates that it should always be designed from the inside outwards.

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Figure 8 – Sensible4 CEO lunch break
Figure 9 – Young testers too..

Students from Path 2 were presented with information from Path 1. The crossover of ideas worked in terms of user research, which helped inform many discussions for the project. A welcoming and friendly design was needed, and accessibility of the interior was a concern. The process consisted of individual design development by all students, in competition with each other, at all stages of Path 2. Eventually the exterior designs in particular, were narrowed to just 2 key design themes. The students that created these were placed into an Exterior design team (just 3 students) while all others (9 students) were selected to develop the more complex variations within the interior design. Each lesson was conducted with our client representative design manager Timo Suomala, and some sessions included our client via teleconference. Just before creating ideas for the exterior design, students visited the client to hear about the sensor technology that must be integrated. Figure 10 shows that client meeting, and then Figure 11 is an example of a design review day, for exterior concepts.

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Figure 10 – client meeting (sensor integration)
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Figure 11 – Students prepare a sketch presentation to the client
Figure 12 – Example ideation sketch

Final presentations of Path 2 were on 14.12.2017. Interior and Exterior designs were shown, and many details were discussed at great length (the whole day) with our client via their design representative and on teleconference. All materials were shared with our client at all times. The results (the chosen designs) are confidential and omitted from this article.

2017 ended with 2 clear exterior design directions (very subtle detail differences) and some excellent requests from our client, for clarification on a number of points. The interior design task is huge, and the results were fantastic in terms of range and scope. The task for 2018 was to finalize those we can do, and those that we cannot. Our client aimed to begin construction of the framework, early 2018, and our exterior design plans were planned to be developed into usable CAD data during 2018. Interior has a similar path, running slightly behind the exterior timeline.

Figure 13 – Exterior development in clay (client viewing).

This is about the time that our previous secret visitors decided to invest heavily into the project, and to take over design responsibilities from us (only Sensible 4 know exactly when the MUJI deal was signed). This was a huge success story for a start-up such as Sensible4 and added massive funding and expertise to the project. The later stages of the design were led by Timo Suomala (and not Lee Walton) as the design school stepped aside and let MUJI and Sensible4 focus on producing the running prototype for the start of 2019! Two of our students were chosen by Sensible4 to work as interns during the summer of 2018, to assist Timo and MUJI with the final design and build process. Those talented individuals were Jaakko Järvinen and Jarkko Salonen (see fig. 14). They worked essentially as the internal design team for Sensible 4, while externally the project was managed by MUJI Design. This proved to be an ideal situation for the project, but collaborating with a remote Japanese studio, while based in Helsinki can not have been easy! The team grew in size, and did an amazing job as the project came closer to reality.

Figure 14- Our bearded interns at work… (Jarkko left, Jaakko on the right). Image from GACHA presentation in March 2019

MUJI GACHA 2018 – 2019

Officially, GACHA is a collaboration between Japanese furniture company MUJI and Finnish autonomous driving company Sensible 4. It is designed to be a ‘self-driving’ bus that functions under all weather conditions. MUJI take full credit for design of GACHA (copyrights were transferred to Sensible4 from the very beginning, and MUJI invested heavily into the project).

Figure 15 – World Premiere presentation
Figure 16 – MUJI design image – mobile shop concept

The final prototype build of the MUJI GACHA was guided by Timo Suomala and design work was done by Jaakko Järvinen at Sensible 4 (Jaakko continued to work on the project well into 2020!). The conceptual idea of a “Gacha” was a stroke of genius from MUJI design team, with cultural and aesthetic reference to the Gashapon capsule toy craze in Japan. These are vending machines that give out plastic capsules with random toys inside (see figure 15-17). The idea was, that the anonymous and versatile shape of the autonomous vehicle created by Sensible 4, could be used to “capsulise” and transport anything, not just passengers- was brilliant and really sets the GACHA bus apart from other concepts. Toyota later revealed a very similar direction for their own autonomous vehicle technology. A versatile platform, not just one vehicle.

Figure 17- Inspiration of GACHA bus design. A capsule.
https://youtu.be/W0oxz9KpiIY
Figure 18 – Official MUJI video presentation

Results were stunning.

One of the most exciting parts of the process happened in March 2019. The vehicle project became a fully functioning reality- and was unveiled to the world’s press on 8th March, at Helsinki Oodi library. Thanks to the MUJI brand, and their plans to open a store in Helsinki that same year- the press coverage was extensive. Project manager Lee Walton attended the premiere, and actually got to ride inside the bus. After testing the initial interior mock-up a year before, the similarities were very apparent. Our project kick-starting exactly the right user experience and mood that made it all the way to the final vehicle. The bench seats in particular- inspired by Finnish sauna culture and community seating layout were a standout feature. This interior aspect was talked up by MUJI chief designer in his presentation at the premiere, referencing the sauna influence. The bus drove smoothly on our test drive, in snow and ice. The interior ambience was particularly light, friendly and spacious for such a small vehicle.

Figure 19 – World Premiere test rides- LAMK logo in foreground.

During 2019 Sensible4 have received many accolades, such as Start-up of the year etc. The GACHA vehicle itself gained lots of attention, and universal praise for MUJI design. The bus won a very prestigious design award, from the London Design Museum within the transportation category for 2019. We couldn’t be more proud, as our student’s contribution was valuable right until the end of the project. We would also like to thank CEO Harri Santamala for approaching us and having the foresight to involve our young inexperienced design students. We are extremely happy that Lahti Institute of Design was the first place that came to his mind when attempting such an ambitious project. This is why we do what we do- and the success of this project gives us huge pleasure.

https://designmuseum.org/exhibitions/beazley-designs-of-the-year/transport/gacha-self-driving-shuttle-bus

https://www.designboom.com/technology/muji-self-driving-bus-gacha-sensible-4-03-13-2019/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nargessbanks/2019/03/15/muji-gacha-electric-autonomous-bus/#24c85773a010

https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/news-in-brief/17007-espoo-s-robot-bus-wins-london-design-museum-s-best-design-award.html

Figure 21- CONGRATS! MUJI + Sensible4 design team – our own student Jaakko is missing due to illness sadly

List of student participants:

Path 1

  1. Casimir Smitsmans
  2. Jenna Salminen
  3. Sarianna Kymäläinen
  4. Katja Efremova
  5. Daria Ivanova
  6. Petra Paatero
  7. Outi Saukkonen
  8. Inga Tammivuori
  9. Minttu Kettunen
  10. Emmi Putkonen
  11. Tomi Koskimäki
  12. Tatu Konttinen
  13. Mikke Leinonen
  14. Ruusu-Maria Laihonen
  15. Peppi-Emilia Salmi
  16. Sanna Jaakkola
  17. Ivo Mukkulainen
  18. Teemu Paavola
  19. Olli Koivumäki
  20. Sonja Esken
  21. Anniina Mäkelä
  22. Vilna Orrenmaa
  23. Perttu Susi
  24. Oona Räyhäntausta
  25. Julia Töyrylä
Figure 22 – Path 2 students with Harri Santamala CEO of Sensible4

Path 2

Exterior group

  1. Jaakko Järvinen
  2. Jarkko Salonen
  3. Nicklas Sundvall

Interior group

  1. Antti Tirri
  2. Inka Tiikainen
  3. Julias Ranta
  4. Matias Laaksonen
  5. Matias Pekkonen
  6. Mikko Huusko
  7. Mikko Leppänen
  8. Tuomas Tolonen
  9. Kenshiro Ohtu