NEWS

WORLD DESIGN DAY: LAMBORGHINI CENTRO STILE

Automobili Lamborghini’s super sports cars are born from the tip of a pencil on a blank sheet of paper expertly moved by a creative idea combined with technical know-how. Drawing is a very powerful means of communication, able not only to give shape to reality but also to surpass it in vision. On the occasion of the World Design Day, we are celebrating the value of this art form together with our Lamborghini Centro Stile, a team where multiculturalism blends with professionalism. Here are the points of view of three young colleagues who tell us about their experience and the value of design in everyday work.

Nikola - Exterior Design, 30 years old from Serbia/Bulgaria

How and when did you discover your passion for design?

The desire to create and be innovative has followed me since I was a kid. The way to express this was through drawing. On the other hand my passion for cars and Lamborghini was cemented when on a school trip I saw a grey Murcielago SV lurking through the streets of Monaco. Those things combined have led me on an exciting journey to pursue the career of car design.

What path did you take to arrive at this point? What are the necessary skills?

I have been part of Centro Stile exterior design team for six and a half years now, but before that everything I have done was carefully chosen moves to do so. Back in 2009 I started with a scholarship to study car design in Italy, worked through some design studios to get experience and chose a master degree where I could get a chance to showcase my skills to Lamborghini. In my experience you need to be versatile with your skills, drawing is a powerful tool, but only one of many. Be original, dedicated and flexible.

The value of design in everyday work? How does it integrate with technology?

In a fast paced environment of Lamborghini Centro Stile we often need to come up with quick and efficient design solutions. A sketch is always an effective way to communicate your idea and keep you mind fresh.

Carine - Color & Trim, 37 years old from France

How and when did you discover your passion for design?

As a child I already loved to draw, especially clothes and people. I studied fashion design at the Creapole school in Paris, where I learned not only drawing technique and knowledge of fabrics but I also discovered the different areas of design. That’s how I got interested in the automotive world, in which I later specialized.

What path did you take to arrive at this point? What are the necessary skills?

After my studies in the fashion industry, I had the opportunity to go and work in Japan for three years in the automotive field, then continued my experience in Milan and later in London. After six years in the industry, I decided to specialize in the luxury segment ad finally had the chance to start working at Automobili Lamborghini.
For Color & Trim, the essential skills are creativity, problem-solving, technical know-how in terms of the materials, intense attention to detail, teamwork and interfunctional collaboration between departments. These skills are acquired with experience, but also with lots of curiosity and therefore constant research and the desire to continue to learn and improve yourself.

The value of design in everyday work? How does it integrate with technology? 
In Color & Trim, drawing is used to represent graphic elements, textures, patterns to characterize the surface of colors and materials, and using software we bring our ideas to life. Drawing always contributes to finding new inspirations.

Massimo - Interior Design, 30 years old from Italy

How and when did you discover your passion for design?

I believe that I ended up as a car designer from the combination of construction games and Formula1, an aptitude for creating together with a passion for cars, which I have cultivated since I was a kid. Naturally, drawing is the main tool that lets children shape their ideas. What I like most about design is its “applied art” characteristic, not beauty as an end unto itself, but aesthetics applied to objects of everyday use.

What path did you take to arrive at this point? What are the necessary skills?

After getting my diploma, I attended IAAD in Turin and took a three-year course in Car Design. Over these three years I learned the basics of design and car technology, even if the only way to improve one’s technique is to practice continuously. We drew even 20 drawings a day to reach a satisfactory level of proportions and cleanness of lines. Our final thesis project was supported by Lamborghini, and this allowed me to make myself known at the company that had given me the possibility to begin an internship a few months later. I believe that in addition to technique, which improves with experience, also ideas and the attitude of a person at work are important to attain success.

The value of design in everyday work? How does it integrate with technology?

Everything starts from drawing by hand, there is no faster way to “fix” an idea, to solve a complex problem. I consider sketching something personal, between me and the project, a guide for the phases to come. With the complexity of today’s vehicles and the quality demanded, by now the “pure” design is no longer sufficient. It instead has to be digitized with the aid of the pen tablet. At Lamborghini, we have a very fast methodology, in which we turn the drawing into a 3D model starting from the very first steps, because what is important before the lines is establishing the proportions and checking with the other R&D departments on how to make our ideas more concrete. It is a long and exciting path that opens up new challenges every time to arrive at the result without losing the freshness of the original sketch.