First-class cabins to drones: The unlikely BMW-designed projects

“Everyone wants to hear BMW’s interpretation of the future of the car, but that’s not what this is about,” says Hampf. “This is about immersing ourselves in another world so that we have thought leadership in getting from A to B by other means.”

The biggest challenge, says Hampf, is getting the weight down so that the drones can lift the pod and passengers: “Battery electric would never have worked, but liquid hydrogen is interesting. There is some serious investment behind that technology.”

Possible insights: Lightweight materials, hydrogen power, customer acceptance of new tech, ride-hailing insight, design reassurance.

USOC Paralympic wheelchair

Sport is rarely just about physical endeavour: be it a swimming suit, running shoe or racing car, there are always variables that distort the balance. In most sports, that’s actively encouraged, including in Paralympic wheelchair racing.

“We started as an Olympic sponsor in 2010 and started working with Team USA,” says Hampf. “From a design perspective, it was interesting to conceive everything from the perspective of function over form – but never to the abandonment of form.”

Perhaps inevitably, that led initially to the wind tunnel and carbonfibre workshop, and then on to a chassis redesign and insights into making customised chairs for each athlete, designed following 3D body scans, to reduce drag and achieve perfect weight distribution.

“The beauty was the passion of our clients,” says Hampf. “They wanted perfection and the outcome was very rewarding." 

In 2012, Team USA won seven medals and set four Paralympian world records. Designworks continues to perfect the chairs today, as well as working on a bobsleigh design and improvements in prosthetics for athletes.

Possible insights: Prototyping, lightweight materials, ergonomics, mobility challenges.

Ionity charging station

You are likely to have heard of Ionity, the firm initially set up by BMW, Daimler, Ford and Volkswagen to roll out fast-charging stations for electric cars and taking on new automotive partners all the time as its ambition gathers momentum.

Given the competing brands, settling on a design for the charging stations could have been a political nightmare. Step forward Designworks. “The initial thought might be it’s a box in the ground, but think deeper and it is the touchpoint between our brand and our customers,” says Hampf. “So the brief was actually quite complex: it had to convey quality but be durable and deliver the easiest user experience possible.”

The result is rolling out for all to see: a clean, futuristic design that incorporates a touchscreen and LED lights. Four hundred Ionity charging stations will be installed in Europe by the end of the year.

Possible insights: Prototyping, industrial design themes, user interaction and experiences.

The North Face Futurelight Camper

The trend towards underlining just what a future-thinking car company you are by attending the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas each January began about a decade ago. But while many car companies made their point by getting senior leaders to give keynote addresses, Designworks and its clients have been displaying real concepts.

Futurelight is currently used for high-end North Face clothing and billed as the world’s most advanced breathable waterproof outerwear. In other words, it can allow airflow in and out but keep water out. Designworks took the material and applied it to a camper concept, stretching the material over a dome that could provide protection in any environment – all of which were displayed in a virtual reality environment.

Possible insights: Business strategy, industrial design, virtual design techniques.

Singapore Airlines first class cabin