UK automaker opens designing studio in Shanghai's old community
A British automaker has opened a designing studio in an old downtown residential community to offer a glimpse into future life.
Aston Martin has launched its first studio outside of the United Kingdom near the Anshan community, one of Shanghai's oldest workers community built around 1950s. The design house named "Aston Martin Lagonda Creative Lab, NICE 2035" was created in partnership with Tongji University.
It is part of a project initiated by the College of Design and Innovation of the university that helps startup companies and students open futuristic labs, workshops and eateries along the street.
The street, which is named N-ICE2035 and translates into Neighborhood of Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship toward 2035, gives the residents a chance to explore and experience restaurants, offices, entertainment venues that were built with new materials and technologies, including robots and artificial intelligence, according to the college.
Other projects include labs on fashion, materials, digital production, food, sound, office and robotic arms. A high-tech lab operated by China's home appliance maker Haier will open on the street by the end of the year.
The newly opened Aston Martin lab will focus on not only the automobile field but also art design, future community, traffic, luxury lifestyle and interior decoration. the lab's inaugural project will be "a collaboration on future interior designs for our sports cars and our first SUV, which will be launching in 2019," according to Aston chief creative officer Marek Reichman.
"I am sure this unique design studio has the potential to produce some truly inspirational ideas by combining the history of two century-old organizations, in the culture-rich city of Shanghai," said Lou Yongqi, the dean of the college.