Frank Stephenson enjoys sharing the passions of the folks he designs solutions for. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018) |
ArtCenter Meet-Up With Recognized Automotive Designer Frank Stephenson
An absolutely enthralling late morning and afternoon was spent with friends, scholars, fans and colleagues of "Rock Star" & ArtCenter College of Design educated designer of the BMW MINI, rebirth of the Fiat 500, BMW X5 SUV, certain models of Ferrari - Maserati - Alfa Romero, and for the last 7+ years Design Director at McLaren Automotive - Frank Stephenson.
Listing of the documentary that Salon Pictures, with a distribution partnership through Lionsgate, found as an active project on the Salon Pictures website. Image Credit: Salon Pictures (2018) |
A meet-up was arranged at ArtCenter for a few lucky folks to help give some background to a documentary being produced (Salon Pictures/Lions Gate) about Frank with a working title of ... My Design Life.
Beyond the engaging nature of Frank and the interesting design critiques of his own collaborative result of his produced road-worthy works, the breadth and nature of the people gathered stood as a testament in a most interesting wake trailing behind a designer's life lived.
Top of the line Fiat 500 Abarth brought to the meet-up by Grant Delgatty co-founder of the personal transportation device known as URB-E. Another winning design, another signed dash, and another story of the joy Frank's Design Life brings to all it touches. We all know - this is the easy part. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018) |
On the critique side, Frank took on a recently purchased McLaren 720S, owned by @garagegoals.official, that graced our meet-up. The critique was entertaining, informative and insightful given the nature of our gathering.
First, was the trailing "bubble" or accent-line indent just behind the front wheel and under the rear-view mirror. Frank's attitude from further reflection is that "less is more" and that the horizontal element that began at the wheel well accent curve should not be there - it was unnecessary and too busy. The finished look should be a continuation and fade out blending of the wheel well accent curve and that would be that.
Triangle in satin finish. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018) |
Second, the triangle support guide at the leading, or front of the door, where the cabin side window is mounted should have been covered in a gloss black, as opposed to a satin finish or murdered out black, in order to repeat the reflective nature of the glass. After-all, the pillar that forms the roof structure is gloss black - notice how it fades into the background. McLaren offered as the reason for not changing the finish of this triangle element ... cost.
Two-piece vent finish solution. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018) |
Lastly, along the McLaren's "signature" side body channel airflow vent access, this should have been a single defining piece, or cover. The two-piece cover that was the final solution leaves an eyebrow style edge or line that left the designer in Frank less than comfortable.
Ahhh, the ever-pursuing mind of a design perfectionist.
Frank Stephenson's next designing chapter will begin May 7th, 2018 for a Munich, Germany company who brought him on to shape a five seat version of their two seat prototype of a vertical takeoff and vertical landing 150+ mph autonomous air transport taxi.
As Frank was overheard saying when asked, Why? "Look up, there's a lot of room up there!" ... as he smiled and looked skywards.
... notes from The EDJE
TAGS: Frank Stephenson, @artcenteredu, Stewart Reed, @_Garagegoals, @simeonpanda, @urberides, Grant Delgatty, #FSACCD, #ACCD, #salonpictures #lionsgate #film #mydesignlife #la #california #design, @The_EDJE
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