Art Center graduate Ki Hang Nam presented three concepts at his final degree show: a concept for Ford, the American Red Cross and a Nissan-sponsored project.
The Ford Bronco, his final thesis project, was designed to cater to the surfing community. The two-door, 2+2 seat compact SUV concept is a contemporary take on the classic Bronco, with a very simple, solid volume broken up by a large DLO, inspired by the barrel of an ocean wave.
Potential users he spoke with said they wanted a vehicle that was secure enough to carry their gear (and hide it away from thieves) but also a vehicle that played up to the emotional aspect of the sport, showcasing their boards as old-school surfer trucks in the 1960s did. This was an obvious conflict of interest. Nam resolved this by creating a closed vehicle that had a large opening rear hatch, which would only partially display the tail end of the board.
His next project was conceived for the American Red Cross. The Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) is a support vehicle for first responders in disaster areas, who help those displaced by hurricanes, floods and earthquakes. As the vehicle is designed to serve warm food to those in shelters, Nam’s design inspiration came in the form of a Japanese rice bowl. Working to the Red Cross’s brief, he also designed a solution to carry eight cambro boxes (the standard requirement is six) that rotates at the center of the interior for easy access to warm food.
Nam’s other project was a Nissan-sponsored 2+2 seat lounge coupe for Generation Z. His future vision is an autonomous car-share vehicle with reclining seats, enabling users to relax while traveling. Divided into two interior zones, the front seats are intended more as a work and gaming space while the rear sofa provides a sanctuary for resting and napping.
