The project brief, jointly created by Gravity Sketch, Stellantis and ArtCenter, requires students to design the next generation Jeep Wrangler in the new realm of electrification and autonomy in 2030. Students will use Gravity Sketch to enhance their automotive design process, experimenting with a range of capabilities within the 3D design and modeling software, including sketch blitz, ergonomics studies, photo editing, 3D rendering and other modeling techniques.
Gravity Sketch is asking students to document their pr
While most students are adept at using social media, Gravity Sketch and ArtCenter will also be documenting the project on video, capturing interviews, milestone presentations and background footage, to post on social media and to create a final short-form narrative video to summarize the project.
Chief Experience Officer and co-founder of Gravity Sketch, Daniela Paredes, is excited about the transparency this approach will bring: “Technologies in the automotive industry are constantly advancing, bringing opportunities to redefine the future of mobility. Sharing the students’ creative process in real-time on social media will show the full scope of innovation and techniques used to arrive at their final product, and might end up bringing a network effect component to the creative process.”
“Traditionally, agreements with our strategic partners include a 90-day non-disclosure window because students are often working on real-world challenges and opportunities faced by companies that require confidentiality,” said Regina Dowling-Jones, ArtCenter’s vice president of Strategic Partnerships. “This is the first time a company has agreed to showcase the student-driven design process as the project is happening and we couldn’t be more thrilled to give potential partners and prospective students a peek at what happens inside an ArtCenter classroom.”
The 14-week project kicks-off on September 13, 2022, with final presentations scheduled for December 13, 2022. As part of ArtCenter’s educational model, all students retain intellectual property rights in any work created in the classroom unless otherwise negotiated. At the end of the term, however, students are expected to deliver final renderings, final presentation materials, a milled foam model, an Instagram clip and a two-minute video to the sponsor as creative inspiration. One student project will be selected by Gravity Sketch and Stellantis to be fully built-out as a ¼-scale model.
Engagement with industry through sponsored projects has been a hallmark feature of an ArtCenter education since its founding in 1930. Hundreds of corporate sponsored projects have taken place at the College, interweaving business methods into the fabric of ArtCenter’s robust design pedagogy. These sponsored collaborations bring industry thought leaders into an unrestricted and creative classroom environment where the next generation of artists and designers explore the future of design. Students undergo real-world design challenges that enrich their knowledge and provide them with potential internship and job opportunities. ArtCenter offers a wide range of both domestic and international sponsored programs with corporate partners in industries ranging from automotive, healthcare, food-and-beverage, software and consumer products. Each project incorporates current trends in emerging technologies with a focus on the user experience.