ARCHITECTURE Commute in style11/20/2025They do exist: underground stations and railway platforms that are more than just functional constructions that you want to leave as quickly as possible. Seven examples have been honoured as the ‘World's Most Beautiful Stations 2025’ by the international architecture and design award Prix Versailles in collaboration with UNESCO. We present the projects to you.
MOBILITY Rethinking Traffic1/10/2023We take it for granted that roads and cycle paths are built to get us from A to B as quickly as possible. But does this necessarily have to be the case? And what happens if we no longer make saving time the uppermost priority in transport planning? New approaches are what journalist Thalia Verkade is pursuing in her book Movement, which she wrote together with the “bicycle professor” Marco te Brömmelstroet.
MOBILITY The country needs new trains11/11/2022How can the design of an interior be up-to-date when new trains are on the road for at least 30 years? DB's design should attract more guests to the tracks. A strategy was developed for this purpose that is now beginning to catch on.
MOBILITY With the bus into the future11/3/2022How should mass transit be designed to get people excited about it? Emission-free, autonomous, comfortable, elegant and futuristic? With Agora E, industrial designer Andrea Ponti is designing a vehicle of the future – and of encounters.
STYLEPARK DOPPELMAYR/GARAVENTA Multimodal Spaces9/13/2022The Câble 1 (C1) aerial tramway currently being built by Doppelmayr/Garaventa in the paris area is a prime example of what future transport spaces can look like.
MOBILITY Shaping the mobility of tomorrow8/12/2022What will mobility look like in the future and what role will design play in it? We talked to Peter Eckart and Kai Vöckler, both professors at the Offenbach University of Art and Design, about sustainable transport concepts and their implementation.
STYLEPARK MINI A feast for the senses8/4/2022With the “MINI Concept Aceman” concept car, MINI is adding a compact runabout with an unusually edgy design language to its dynamic family: a fully electric crossover model that offers a wide range of sensory features. As a study, incidentally, it also proves that an SUV does not have to be big.
STYLEPARK DOPPELMAYR/GARAVENTA Ride into the future5/30/2022Floriade Expo 2022 in Almere sees itself as a showcase for a green, healthy and livable city. Part of the concept is a ropeway from Doppelmayr/Garaventa that not only provides access to the exhibition site but also gives a preview of future urban mobility concepts.
STYLEPARK DOPPELMAYR/GARAVENTA New Forms of Connectivity5/24/2022In recent years, aerial tramways have increasingly been brought into play as a means of transport in urban areas. We spoke to Reinhard Fitz, Head of International Business Development at Doppelmayr, about aerial tramways for the city and the need for a new form of connectivity.
MOBILITY The Linking of Space3/16/2022Transport expert Stefan Carsten researches the future of mobility. In an interview he explained to us why networked concepts and a holistic view of urban, suburban and rural areas are essential.
MOBILITY Travel in style3/11/2022The Orient Express La Dolce Vita is set to revive luxury pleasure travel from 2023 with routes in Italy as well as connections from Rome to Paris, Istanbul and Split. The train design is by Dimorestudio.
MOBILITY Energy concepts2/22/2022"The 8 X Jeff Koons," a limited-edition interpretation of the "M850i xDrive Gran Coupé," is the result of a collaboration between Jeff Koons and BMW. We spoke with BMW designer Corona Döring and press spokesman Steven Wörns about the artistic intention for the car.
INTERVIEWS Tightrope act1/24/2022Seven new subway stations in Karlsruhe were completed in December 2021. The lighting concept for them was created by Ingo Maurer, whose design forms an exciting combination with the restrained architecture.
INTERVIEWS The sky under Berlin12/15/2021The starry sky in Berlin's new Museum Island underground station is dotted with 6662 point-sources of light. We spoke to the Max Dudler's office about the history of the structure and the lighting concept behind it.
MOBILITY The sum of all parts9/9/2021At this year’s IAA International Automobile Show, BMW is venturing a glimpse into the future and presenting the "BMW i Vision Circular", a concept car that seeks to unite the themes of luxury, electromobility, digitization and sustainability.
STYLEPARK MINI Perfect imperfection8/13/2021MINI has teamed up with British fashion designer Paul Smith to design the MINI STRIP. The result shows how aesthetic a successful pared-down product can be.
MOBILITY Algae instead of diesel6/10/2021To make its cars with internal combustion engines carbon-neutral, Mazda is supporting research into a biofuel made from algae.
MOBILITY Clean driving5/1/2021Heatherwick Studio with IM Motors has unveiled a fully automated electric-powered concept vehicle that uses a HEPA filter to clean ambient air while driving.
ARCHITECTURE Jörg Brüggemann – Autobahn3/24/2021Jörg Brüggemann captured the German autobahn with a camera and created a contemporary document that raises questions about both the past and future of Germany’s national concrete structure.
INTERVIEWS Less is More3/19/2021The idea of car-free centers in towns and cities is being discussed throughout Europe – with opinions divided for and against the idea. What do we need for a lasting change of heart? We put the question to Dr. Philine Gaffron, who researchers and teaches at Hamburg University of Technology’s Institute of Transport Planning and Logistics.
INTERVIEWS A changing city3/23/2021Torsten Becker is an urban planner and chairs the Municipal Urban Planning Advisory Council. He wants to achieve a new definition of public space for Frankfurt/Main. In the interview he explains to us why he is committed to a traffic-reduced inner city and to what extent the population could profit from the concept.
MOBILITY On course in style1/21/2021From 3D-printed cycle frames to E-BMX cruisers Stylepark presents a selection of extraordinary bicycles and accessories.
MOBILITY Wheels that Glide1/1/2021BMW is allowing us a first look at its BMW iX. And one whole year before this SUV is set to launch its design is already the subject of much debate.
STYLEPARK MINI A dream of space12/11/2020“MINI Vision Urbanaut” is the name of the current digital vision for a new MINI. A real new departure because the design boasts a completely different character from the models to date by this car brand.
DESIGN A green conscience11/10/2020Fine bag manufacturer Tsatsas has teamed up with architect David Chipperfield to design a suitcase that makes an elegant statement for travel in keeping with the times.
MOBILITY Electric Kartell3/24/2020Car makers Fiat have collaborated with the design brand Kartell to transform the new Fiat 500 full electric into a really special one-off.
MOBILITY Transformer3/9/2020With its “Morphoz” study, Renault presents an approach to the electromobility of the future, combining a city runaround and a luxury limousine in one.
MOBILITY The third habitat11/6/2019The vision of self-driving cars: How will the design of vehicles change once they take over control of the driving? And when will we be along for the ride?
MOBILITY Totally electrified10/16/2019smart is the first major manufacturer to pension off the gasoline engine and is now focusing exclusively on electromobility. Where do things go from here? We asked Daniel Lescow, Head of smart Brand and Product Management.
MOBILITY Between comfort and cold sweat10/15/2019The view on the automobile is changing and with it the automotive industry. The branch is embracing alternative drive systems and discovering new business models for networking.
MOBILITY An “Open sesame” for the digital age12/20/2019How will we move around buildings in future? Schindler’s answer to this question is the PORT system. It summons elevators, opens doors and likes crazy videos.
FEATURED Walking on art6/4/2019At the stations of the "Noord-Zuidlijn" metro line in Amsterdam, tiles from Mosa's "Quartz" collection set the direction.
MOBILITY Living and Driving9/15/2017At motor shows, and only there, do studies go on display that never actually make it into mass production. If you’re going to dream, then in style is the motto at Renault, where the “Symbioz” concept car comes with no less than a house as the display cabinet.
DESIGN Transferred benefits10/17/2018Suitcase manufacturer Rimowa is undergoing a comprehensive rebranding by its new owner LVMH
STYLEPARK MINI Unmistakable appearance11/16/2018Our interview with Oliver Heilmer, Vice President MINI Design, on the first all-electric MINI, David Bowie and the quest for maximizing quality in the tightest of spaces.
DESIGN Rendezvous with the car culture9/15/2017“Grand Basel” is the name of the auto salon that is setting out to attract more than just collectors and design aficionados as of next year. The concept was presented in Basel – along with the one or other dream of a car.
IAA 2017 The hitchhiker's guide to a mobile future9/14/2017“Volk ohne Wagen” (a people without a car) is the provocative title of a polemic by mobility researcher Stephan Rammler. What solutions does he actually have to offer for future mobility?
IAA 2017 Fridges on wheels?9/21/2017If car models become increasingly similar, then only the radiator grille and the marque logo remain to distinguish them.
FEATURED Gems beneath your feet10/10/2017For the creative design of the underground railway stations along the new “Wehrhahn” line, architecture firm Netzwerkarchitekten are making use of individually manufactured ceiling systems from Lindner.
ARCHITECTURE Concrete art, underground2/24/2016Düsseldorf’s new subway line with its six stations is persuasive in architectural, artistic and engineering terms.
DESIGN Alibaba and the Black Cloud9/13/2016The future belongs to e-mobility, that much is certain. Whereas in the Global North people are mostly complaining about low ranges, in the South an e-car’s battery can be charged using solar energy while parked.
DESIGN Parking guided by invisible hands9/12/2016Forget that endless driving around the block – soon cars will be finding their own parking spaces, all on their own.
ARCHITECTURE Sow multistory carparks, harvest traffic9/9/2016Multistory carparks are the storage medium of the automobile age. Here, traffic comes to a planned halt.
FAIRS & EVENTS Flashy, and with a steering wheel9/21/2015So what does it look like, the automobile inner world of the outer world of the world of interiors? Everyone’s talking about digitalization, yet the interior fit-outs remain surprisingly conventional.
DESIGN Pocket cars9/18/2015What do car keys look like in the age of digitalization? Have they finally ceased to be status symbols? We checked out a few of the latest examples at the Frankfurt International Motor Show.
DESIGN Stilista e carrozziere: Bertone, Giugiaro, Pininfarina und Zagato 8/31/2015They quite literally shaped automobile design and created the one or other icon to boot: Italian car body sculptors Bertone, Giugiaro, Pininfarina and Zagato.
ARCHITECTURE Tuk-tuks, daladalas and super-highways12/19/2014Africa is urbanizing faster than any other continent. But tends to be forgotten in the debates on ubran mobility. Perhaps because the challenges are too great? Or perhaps because we aren’t being imaginative enough.
ARCHITECTURE Sulky with a third wheel: the Bond Bug12/3/2014Must a car always have four wheels? Not at all. The “Bond Bug” not only proves that three’s enough, but also has quite a sassy feel to it. But the question remains – why is it that nature has not spawned any three-legged creatures?
DESIGN Auto-psy. Notes on automotive existence11/21/2014It seemingly moves of its own volition, creates its own cosmos, tells us what we have to do, plays the lead in movies, has its own sound, and everything about it has to be designed: Our relationship to the automobile and the automobile to us, proves to be astonishingly diverse.
DESIGN My colleague, the Robocar11/9/2014Many driving instructors enjoy the driver assistance systems in today's cars. The sector is not worried that piloted driving might one day cost them their job – to the contrary actually.
ARCHITECTURE “The traffic in Berlin is frustrating.”11/2/2014In Berlin, traffic often is challenging. In an interview, Susi Nestraschil talks about her own ways through the urban jungle and possibilities to improve them.
ARCHITECTURE Using the social status to help society10/26/2014Team Seoul uses the car to promote social engagement as a status symbol in Korea.
ARCHITECTURE Smart elevators as a model for autonomous transport10/5/2014Elevators, that know the destination of passengers, are highly efficient. Could this principle work for cars, too? Martin Lewicki talked to Paul Friedli about driverless transport systems.
INTERVIEWS Everything in life is a game9/21/2014Charlotte Malz talked to Tim Chang about gaming as part of human nature and how this can support an eco-friendly driving style.
ARCHITECTURE Playing on the roads9/15/2014Motivation is a central aspect of “gameful design” and intends to have a positive influence on user´s behavior.
ARCHITECTURE A car for your handbag9/7/2014The divisible car as a new interpretation of car sharing? Charlotte Malz talked to Prof. Fügener about concepts of future mobility.
ARCHITECTURE Budapest concrete5/26/2014Budapest’s fourth metro line opened this spring. Hopes of additional urban development projects are associated with this infrastructure project.
FAIRS & EVENTS Super interfaces and super trains5/21/2014Big Data, sharing systems and super-trains: At the “Mobilities in Cities” conference in New York urban planners, architects and transportation experts met to swap ideas on past, present and future mobility.
DESIGN Keep your energy for after the ride3/14/2014More and more city dwellers are taking to the roads on bicycles that rely on electric motors to add zest to the daily commute. Like no other, “Footloose” by Korean automotive supplier Mando is emblematic of a new generation of e-bikes poised to capture the bike market. So what has it got to offer?
DESIGN Mission for agent i2/17/2014Assuming the BMW’s i3 electric car is an international success, it will no doubt influence how we buy and use cars – and get from A to B – in the future. Ranges, service packages and even refueling could soon be dictated by the concepts of carmakers.
MAGAZINE Take your dromedary to the beach7/26/2013To construct a fun car you need more than a great idea and a good mood. As can be seen from a comparison between the unique “Méhari” Citroën and Jean-Marie Massaud’s concept for a Toyota “Me.We”.
DESIGN Decoded DNA5/18/2012In “Colour One for Mini” Scholten & Baijings have created an installation, that conceptually challenges common conventions in surrounding the car. The Dutch designer duo dissected a “Mini One”, revamping the individual parts with new colors and textures. The outcome created a space where our associations with the past and future of the automobile were free to run wild.
MAGAZINE Keep your hands on the wheel11/12/2012How great an influence does the design of a car really have on the buyer? Thomas Edelmann spoke to Adrian van Hooydank, Head of Design Development at BMW Group, about new types of cars, emotions and functionality.
DESIGN Anyone who can build with peas and toothpicks must be a genius6/24/2011At the age of 32 Richard Buckminster Fuller faced disaster: He was bankrupt and his infant daughter had just died. Instead of giving up, he resolved henceforth only to do things that were destined to help mankind as a whole. The fruits of his intentions are now on show at Marta Herford.
MAGAZINE Yesterday's tomorrow9/13/2011When developing new models today, existing parameters play the central role: What will be defined by statutory norms and regulations, today and tomorrow? What strategies do manufacturers and their individual brands pursue? Here is a small selection of concepts and studies which were often primarily concerned with changing notions of convenience and usage.
MAGAZINE The Speedway into the Future5/29/2010Industrial designer Christian Förg has developed a concept for electric cars called "Speedway". An electromagnetic field drives the car and charges the battery at the same time!
MAGAZINE The pig and the racing car8/12/2010In the media age racing cars not only have to be fast, they also have to look fast and stand out on the racing track thanks to colors, lines, numbers and logos. In "Go Faster" Sven Voelker illustrates that this was not always so and shows what characterizes those models with particularly successful styling.
MAGAZINE The train is not a means of transport8/21/2010The future of mobility lies in a combination of various transport systems that dove-tail with one another. Train, streetcar and underground play an important role. Transport policy in this country, however, has not yet recognized the advantages of a customer-friendly train.
DESIGN Light traces and tire tracks – how the auto industry presents itself 411/30/2009There's no escaping the impression that designers, engineers and ad men like to be seen as artists. Yet experience shows that art does not sit easy with the advertising world, which rarely produces anything other than bland me-too's.
MAGAZINE Pretty Wraps – How the auto industry sees itself, Pt. 310/3/2009Design is more than just providing styling, and the look of a car is more than just pretty wraps for it. But do the ad agencies know this, too?
MAGAZINE All green: self portrait of the auto industry 29/19/2009For some time now, the future has been the present as far as automobile advertising is concerned: everything must be green, efficient, economical. Such harmony between Man, Nature and Machine is, however, just a sun-drenched fairy tale, and then, just sometimes, the dim, dark night.
MAGAZINE Red wins – How the auto industry sees itself, Pt. 19/11/2009Crisis or no crisis, you will soon be able to oggle them at the IAA International Motor Show in Frankfurt - namely all the new, beautiful, better, faster, even safer and even more fuel-efficient cars. So how does the auto industry present itself in its commercials? What instincts do they appeal to and what values do they propagate?
MAGAZINE Creeping forward en route for the future: Design truths at the IAA9/24/2009If we are to believe the grandiose announcements by the auto industry we will soon be driving highly efficiently in futuristically designed automobiles into a brave clean world. And the energy will come from a power socket. But a lot of what glitters as promises at IAA is simply not gold. But pie in the sky. And design is tailoring the new clothes and making do with the role of being the sub-servant of technology.
MAGAZINE Electromobility: Where is the journey taking us?9/25/2009The automobile industry is the focal point of the debate about climate goals and CO2 reduction. The answer to the question about the car of the future is quite clearly electromobility. Claudia Beckmann and Nancy Jehmlich spoke to three experts about which mobility concepts are currently being discussed and the technical and economic challenges that accompany them.
MAGAZINE Electromobility: About blistering wires and clever pipework9/28/2009Dare to look into the future? Each of us will drive an electric car, will charge it overnight, while at the same time the washing machine runs because electricity will be cheaper at night. How to secure power supplies during such peak periods? Claudia Beckmann spoke to David Dallinger. They discussed how the electric car of tomorrow can be integrated into renewable decentral energy systems.
MAGAZINE Electromobility: Still filling up or already charging9/27/2009The auto's future is inextricably connected to batteries. And to power sockets. What sounds so plausible and developed in the media and at press conferences, is far from ready, and instead the major challenge we face is to develop electromobility: in the form of powerful batteries.
MAGAZINE Painting the Future10/6/2009Are electric drives more a PR campaign than a serious alternative? What is currently being treated as the future face of automobility has already been around for some time. Electric cars have as yet, however, been able to establish themselves. For several reasons.
MAGAZINE Detroit, a ruin from the automobile era – Part 112/1/2009Now that both Chrysler and General Motors have hit the wall America's auto industry seeks to reinvent itself. In Detroit, which is still a great if increasingly pale showroom of what was once world-famous auto-architecture, no one has stopped believing in the future of the US automobile.
MAGAZINE Detroit, a ruin from the automobile era – Part 212/3/2009Detroit, the very name stands for cutting-edge industrial architecture. America's very first car factory was built her, a concrete frame structure, and it was here that Albert Kahn, the "builder of Detroit", created the Highland Park factory for the Ford "Model T", which first rolled off the production line in 1908. In a city whose future seems to be behind it, what is happening to the built monuments of the industrial revolution fuelled by automobile construction?