Using colours, shapes and materials to give soul to the new machines
You might not give a lot of thought to the combinations of colours and materials used in your car or truck, even if you ordered it new. But at some point, somebody — many somebodies, actually — did. The finishes and colours of every new vehicle, even inexpensive ones, are all selected with purpose, not just from a cost or safety aspect, but for the character and even emotional ambience they convey.
DesignworksUSA is a global design consultancy, a wholly owned subsidiary of BMW Group. It not only provides consulting services for BMW and its Mini and Rolls-Royce brands, but has also advised non-automotive companies such as Microsoft, Starbucks, HP, John Deere and even Nilfisk vacuums.
As part of BMW, Designworks is available to assist select customers who partake in the company’s “Individual Manufaktur” bespoke customization program.
Alexandra (Sandy) McGill has the windy title of DesignworksUSA’s lead designer of colour, materials and finish (CMF). She started early: While on a college trip to Designworks (in support of a multidisciplinary bachelor of arts degree in design from UCLA), she asked the tour guide about internships. She landed a job straight out of school, in 1991.
McGill found herself almost immediately working on BMW’s E2 electric concept, a distant predecessor to today’s i3. She has been directly involved with BMW’s 3 Series and Mini, and used her knowledge of the aviation industry and luxury material to aid BMW’s relaunch of the Rolls-Royce brand in 2003.
Here are some excerpts from a recent conversation:
It’s got to be difficult for you, to have two sort-of extremes. Mini is supposed to be sort of fun and frugal, cheeky, and then Rolls-Royce completely at the opposite end of the spectrum.
You kind of have to be a chameleon; you have to really appreciate and be knowledgeable about design generally, and understand all the esthetics.
How do you find inspiration? How do you keep current on the trends?
On the Internet, that’s for sure. There’s almost too many ways. Trends are so fleeting and fast. What happens with the Internet is that people are living in these virtual worlds, so materials actually become much more important. The physical world becomes so much more necessary, required and desired, because we spend so much time now in this virtual world. Eventually we want something comforting, tactile, soft, like the materials.
So how do you discover new materials, then? You can’t do that over the Internet, I wouldn’t think.
A lot of footwork around the world, pounding pavement, researching. Research trips — global research trips, trade shows, all industries.
Must get tiring at times.
Yes, but it’s exciting. It’s the hunt and gather and search. We do a lot of materials fairs at Designworks because I’m working in so many different industries. I can go to the aircraft show, for example, or I’ll go to leather shows — they’re great to go to. So a lot of trade shows, and we do actually work with some universities.
Do you see a general trend toward people looking more for a natural environment and more earthy tones?
Yes, you’re seeing a lot. Architecturally, you’re seeing a lot of unfinished woods on floors. There’s a great trend in reclaimed wood from sites, buildings that have been torn down anywhere in the world and then reused for architectural interiors.
How did you come to do what you do? As a child did you have a predilection, or did you morph into it?
Anything that had to do with colour and selecting patterns and design — what were these things called? Colorforms? — when I was a child in the ’70s. Little plastic reusable stickers called Colorforms, so they were shapes and colours . . . I used to enjoy playing with those, and then there was Spirograph, you know, anything that had to do with colour and shape and pattern. I was always intrigued by that, so it came naturally.
Did you know that was where you wanted to go, or did you have your sights set on something else?
No, I always wanted to go into design or architecture. I always say that the father on The Brady Bunch was an architect, so that was kind of like, “OK. That’s a benchmark. You could be an architect.”
If someone was interested in doing something in the field that you’re in, what are your recommendations in terms of background and education?
A design degree helps — well, it doesn’t help, you have to have a design degree. Or art.
What has been your favourite project? Have you had a favourite that stands out?
Mini. I did a Mini concept car in 2005, the first-ever Mini concept car. It premiered in Frankfurt, and then we did renditions of it for Tokyo, Geneva and Detroit.
It was exciting because it was the kind of pre-communication of the idea of the Clubman. It was the first Mini show car, so that was really exciting; it’s always great to work with the craftsmen in Europe. They are so skilled. And the (Rolls-Royce) Phantom, that was a great opportunity.