ROBBREPORT.COM 147
LEFT: ArtCenter students focus on both vehicle
exteriors and interiors in addition to alternate
transportation such as motorcycles, yachts, aircraft,
personal mobility and public transit. BELOW: A Lexus
concept by student Yohaan Nanji, created during an
internship with the marque.Founded in 1930, ArtCenter originally offered
programs in advertising, publishing and
industrial design. In 1948, the automotive-de-
sign program was formally organized on the
school’s old campus in downtown Los Angeles
and, because of its location at the epicenter of
California car culture, quickly became the incu-
bator for the industry’s top design jobs. “Back in
the 1950s, this was the only game in town,” says
Stewart Reed, dean of the transportation-design
program. “There are other schools, but none with
the legacy that ArtCenter College of Design has.”
As for the school’s approach to the automotive
arts, personal expression is at the core, according
to Marek Djordjevic, an adjunct professor who
designed the Rolls-Royce Phantom VII. “No
aesthetic is being pushed,” he says. “Quite the
contrary, the whole point of the design teaching
effort is to encourage originality and individual
creativity, both stylistically and conceptually.
Design is the balance of art and engineering.”
Michelle Christensen, lead exterior designerfor the second-generation Acura NSX, says the location was as much a draw
for her as the program itself. The best design schools share a closeness—
both in proximity and relationship—to the car-company studios around them,
and ArtCenter is no exception. “Many of the instructors I had were actively
designing and managing in the Southern California studios,” Christensen
says. “It provided exposure to people currently working in the auto industry
and created a great opportunity to develop relationships and understand real-
world processes and challenges.” Christensen, who graduated in 2005, says
ArtCenter taught her to test her limits and to keep it together when things
got heated. “For my role on the Acura NSX, staying cool and collected in a
pressure cooker was critical. It was an exciting and politically charged proj-
ect, with very high—and sometimes conflicting—expectations globally and,
of course, huge shoes to fill. My education taught me to stay focused on the
goal despite the noise.”Other notable alumni: Karim Habib Infiniti, executive design director; former BMW design director
Koichi Suga Lexus, general manager of design division Franz von Holzhausen Tesla, chief designer
Tisha Johnson Volvo, head of interior design Joann Jung Lucid Motors, head of interior design
Henrik Fisker designer of the BMW Z8 and Aston Martin DB9“ The whole point of the design teaching
effort is to encourage originality and individual
creativity, both stylistically and conceptually.”
ARTCENTER COLLEGE OF DESIGN COURSES: JUAN POSADAROBBREPORT.COM 147
LEFT: ArtCenter students focus on both vehicle
exteriors and interiors in addition to alternate
transportation such as motorcycles, yachts, aircraft,
personal mobility and public transit. BELOW: A Lexus
concept by student Yohaan Nanji, created during an
internship with the marque.Founded in 1930, ArtCenter originally offered
programs in advertising, publishing and
industrial design. In 1948, the automotive-de-
sign program was formally organized on the
school’s old campus in downtown Los Angeles
and, because of its location at the epicenter of
Californiacarculture,quicklybecametheincu-
batorfortheindustry’stopdesignjobs.“Backin
the1950s,thiswastheonlygameintown,”says
StewartReed,deanofthetransportation-design
program.“Thereareotherschools,butnonewith
thelegacythatArtCenterCollegeofDesignhas.”
Asfortheschool’sapproachtotheautomotive
arts,personalexpressionis atthecore,according
toMarekDjordjevic,anadjunctprofessorwho
designed the Rolls-Royce Phantom VII. “No
aestheticisbeingpushed,”hesays.“Quitethe
contrary,thewholepointofthedesignteaching
effortistoencourageoriginalityandindividual
creativity, both stylistically and conceptually.
Designisthebalanceofartandengineering.”
MichelleChristensen,leadexteriordesignerfor the second-generation Acura NSX, says the location was as much a draw
for her as the program itself. The best design schools share a closeness—
both in proximity and relationship—to the car-company studios around them,
and ArtCenter is no exception. “Many of the instructors I had were actively
designing and managing in the Southern California studios,” Christensen
says. “It provided exposure to people currently working in the auto industry
and created a great opportunity to develop relationships and understand real-
world processes and challenges.” Christensen, who graduated in 2005, says
ArtCenter taught her to test her limits and to keep it together when things
got heated. “For my role on the Acura NSX, staying cool and collected in a
pressure cooker was critical. It was an exciting and politically charged proj-
ect, with very high—and sometimes conflicting—expectations globally and,
of course, huge shoes to fill. My education taught me to stay focused on the
goal despite the noise.”Other notable alumni: Karim Habib Infiniti, executive design director; former BMW design director
Koichi Suga Lexus, general manager of design division Franz von Holzhausen Tesla, chief designer
Tisha Johnson Volvo, head of interior design Joann Jung Lucid Motors, head of interior design
HenrikFiskerdesigneroftheBMWZ8andAstonMartinDB9“ The whole point of the design teaching
effort is to encourage originality and individual
creativity, both stylistically and conceptually.”
ARTCENTER COLLEGE OF DESIGN COURSES: JUAN POSADA