GAC’s annual design competition gives students the chance to showcase their talent and win not only a cash prize but the opportunity to work alongside professional designers – and perhaps secure a full-time job in the industry
Car Design News is pleased to announce the winners of the GAC Design Award. Now in its eighth year, this competition challenges design students across Asia, North America and Europe to create innovative concepts as part of a future-looking brief. Like every year, the competition is open to students of all disciplines and is very much a collaborative effort between GAC, its global design teams and the students themselves.
This year, students had to consider how different modes of transportation have evolved over the centuries, and to explore a new era of aesthetics for future mobility. More specifically, this year’s theme “Beauty of Tomorrow” asked candidates to consider the application of cutting-edge technologies, innovative experiential design and “the integration of humanistic emotions.”
“It has been a privilege to witness the remarkable creativity and passion of these talented young students,” says Fan Zhang, vice president and head of design at the GAC R&D Centre. “This competition has showcased not only the diversity and innovation in design but also an inspiring exploration of future aesthetics and intelligent design. Through the theme of Beauty of Tomorrow, contestants have offered unique perspectives, breaking traditional design boundaries and revealing the limitless potential of future mobility.”
Making it into the final itself is a huge achievement. The process involves narrowing down the best ten out of hundreds of entries, before getting to know them better and understanding their interests and approach to design; shortlisted entrants will get the chance to visit GAC in China, Italy or Los Angeles to receive feedback from the respective design directors. Eventually, the final three are selected (in November, this year) and after that the champion, runners up and ‘merit’ awardees announced in Guangzhou. Highlights of the finals can be seen below.
The competition is so much more than uploading a PDF to an online portal and receiving a prize – although the 50,000 RMB first-place prize is of course significant. Beyond that, it is an immersive, hands-on process that leads to real-world opportunities: the top three finalists will be given priority to work at GAC Design. “The desire was to bring together this wide array of talent, showcase their designs and bring them into the platform, blending it all together,” says Stephen Chen, chief designer of the GAC Advanced Design Department. of the 2024 Design Award. “That’s why the whole process is more than five months, it is a little different.”
With that said, here is a closer look at the work from this year’s finalists, with descriptions of their work.
Champion
Wei Du (Hunan University, China) – Project Cyclone
Project Cyclone introduces a groundbreaking aerial mobility and lifestyle concept. In the future, with drastic climate shifts and an accumulation of greenhouse gases, Earth transforms into a gas planet, its surface engulfed by relentless storms and extreme weather patterns. Solar radiation is largely absorbed by the thickened atmosphere, fueling meteorological phenomena, while fossil fuel resources are nearly exhausted, prompting humanity to turn to wind energy. Against this backdrop, Project Cyclone emerges, embodying a design philosophy of turning crisis into opportunity. By harnessing the immense energy within storms, it redefines energy collection and mobility, creating a new “species” designed to explore the vast vertical expanse of a gas planet.
Wei Du was mentored by Danhua Zhao
Runner-Up
Hyunbeen Kye (Kookmin University, South Korea) – Aion AI:ON
What is the “Beauty of Tomorrow”? I dream of a bright future where AI robots and people build bonds while enjoying games together. AI:ON is the gaming mobility platform that provides users with two types of games – digital and reality-based – with help of AI. The joint structure of the vehicle changes the mode of the game, and the independently implanted AI robot replaces the traditional centre console. These innovations not only carefully protect the safety of drivers, but also provide customised entertainment in the cabin. By communicating with AI and building an enjoyable community through games, AI: ON will lead the new car culture of the future generation.
Hyunbeen Kye was mentored by Kim Yun Tae
Second Runner-Up
Jiaren Yang (Hunan University, China) – GAC Caver
When envisioning the future, people often look up at the stars, but it is the earth that forms the foundation of human civilisation. Rich underground mineral elements have gifted humanity with colours, science, and civilisation. By the mid-21st century, a story inspired by the future unfolds in Guizhou’s Shuanghe Cave: a national geological expedition team, aboard the sci-fi vehicle GAC Caver, embarks on an intrepid journey into Asia’s largest cave to conduct a scientific investigation of its underground realms. The GAC Caver, like a mythical subterranean creature endowed with life and intelligence, aids scientists by transforming its movement and shape to adapt to the cave’s depths.
Jiaren Yang was mentored by Danhua Zhao
So, what happens next? The winners will get to showcase their work as scale models to designers, influencers and educators during Milan Design Week as part of a fixed exhibit at GAC’s advanced design studio. Car Design News saw the results of the 2023 Design Competition earlier this year, with the winners surrounded by visitors throughout the day and only steps away from the other impressive work created by the Milan studio itself.
Beyond the final three, there was also some impressive work from the rest of the top ten. The gallery below shows some of the students that did not quite make it into the final this year, but should be recognised for their contributions and effort.
Winners of the Merit Award
Weigang Guo from the South China University of Technology, shown below with their project Whale Whisperer.
Mentor of Weigang Guo: Bo Ouyang
Siddhartha Dutt from the Detroit-based College for Creative Studies, shown below with their project Dhyaan Yantra – Meditation Vessel.
Mentor of Siddhartha Dutt: Raphael Zammit
Completing the top ten finallists, the remaining 2024 GAC Design Excellence Award winners are as follows, with their work shown in order in the gallery below.
- Ruoyan Zhang, Zhejiang University – project GAC Lensman
- Qiuzi Xiao, Cheng Kung University – project Ferry
- Geng Meng, LuXun Academy of Fine Arts – project GAC Windrider
- Haoran Liu, Tsinghua University – project Climbers
- Jorge Garcia del Río, IED Torino – project Antarctic Sail
With the 2024 winners selected, attention will soon turn to the 2025 Design Award, and Zhang expects to see more exciting work put forward. “We look forward with great anticipation to next year’s GAC Design Award,” he concludes, “and are eager to see even more groundbreaking ideas and visionary talent.”
To learn more about this year’s competition or to submit your entry next year, follow this link.
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