Audi: Support to the "Transportation Design" course

Audi is lending its support to the “Transportation Design” postgraduate course at the renowned Italian School of Design, Scuola Politecnica di Design, in Milan. Between 20 October 2005 and June 2006, 30 students from all over the world will have the opportunity to demonstrate their creative skills on the “Symphony No. 1 Avant” project. The success of the Audi Avant confirms the strength of Audi’s design philosophy – and talented young designers will be able to contribute their design ideas too during the coming winter semester. The students will be overseen by Walter de’Silva, Head of Design for the Audi brand group, and Marco Bonetto, Head of the Transportation Design Department at the Milan School. Aimed at postgraduate students, the course provides the opportunity to gain valuable practical experience during the project, enabling the students to obtain an additional design-related qualification. Audi is providing the School with a five-figure sum to implement the project.

“This project is an outstanding opportunity to combine young talent and many years of expertise. Through our cooperation with the School, we want to promote cultural exchange from a creative point of view. There are no limits to creativity. For Audi, the aim of the partnership is to develop the topic of ‘Avant’ and to seek inspiration from the next generation of designers”, explained Walter de’Silva. At the same time, the student designers will be able to acquire new experience, namely, the integrated design of a car from the preliminary sketches through the editing of data to the production of a 1:4 model.

The course is a postgraduate programme leading to a Master’s Degree. The project work is full-time and takes place at the School in Milan. At the end of the semester, the students will present their complete design concepts, and 1:4 models will be made based on the best concepts.

The deadline for applications is 15 September. Young designers may apply by e-mail to admission@scuoladesign.com, and must submit a curriculum vitae, portfolio and a letter describing their reasons for applying (ref.: “Audi Scholarship”). Audi will sponsor four selected designers, two with full scholarships and two with part scholarships.

This is the second project implemented in collaboration with the famous Italian Design School. Last year, 20 students breathed new life into the legendary Lamborghini Espada, created in 1986. With the work overseen by Walter de’Silva and Marco Bonetto, complete design concepts were developed over a period of nine months and then presented to the trade press and designers.

The Scuola Politecnica di Design was founded in 1954 and was Italy’s first School of Design. It is now one of the leading establishments for visual and industrial design in Italy. Located in Milan, the School offers selected courses in the areas of Interior, Industrial, Transportation and Car, Visual and Web Design.