FOLLOWING its successful launch in Singapore in August 2006 and after making the rounds in Taiwan, China and Malaysia this year, Nissan’s “Imagination Factory”—a design forum created to inspire the next generation of automobile designers with workshops, panel discussions and design exhibitions—opens today at the Esplanade near SM Mall of Asia in Metro Manila and will run until Sunday, September 23.

The event, which is coorganized by Nissan Motor Philippines Inc. (NMPI) and Universal Motors Corp. (UMC), is meant to widen the horizons of Filipino car enthusiasts and give professional and aspiring designers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of a car company’s design studio.

“Nissan is the first automotive manufacturer to share the behind-the-scenes process of automotive design,” said Simon Sproule, corporate vice president for communications and CSR at Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (NML). “Our objective is to educate and inspire the next generation of designers through activities such as workshops, modeling demonstrations and interactive sessions with Nissan designers.”

No less than Taiji Toyota, NML project design director, is in town to give a comprehensive presentation on Nissan’s design philosophy. Toyota plays a leading role in the design and development of Nissan’s current line of SUVs. He is also responsible for managing the design for all Nissan models in the SUV, truck and light commercial vehicle segments.

Also gracing the event is Nissan Design America vice president Bruce Campbell, who heads the design development of projects undertaken at Nissan’s studios in San Diego, California, and Farmington Hills, Michigan.

Nissan Design Center Japan’s Hideki Murayama, meanwhile, has been tapped to demonstrate live clay modeling using the Grand Livina as an actual example. One-quarter scale models of the new Frontier Navara, the compact electric Pivo concept model and the soon to be launched Nissan GT-R Proto, the first all-new GT-R model in eight years, will also go on display.

As part of the objective of the workshops conducted during the Nissan Design Forum, Filipino students from the high-school and college levels have been invited to design a concept car that will be presented this weekend. The students’ outputs will be critiqued by the team of Nissan designers and modelists.

Also going on display are a glossary of Nissan design principles, color samples, tool kits and sketches that exemplify the best of Nissan design.

FOLLOWING its successful launch in Singapore in August 2006 and after making the rounds in Taiwan, China and Malaysia this year, Nissan’s “Imagination Factory”—a design forum created to inspire the next generation of automobile designers with workshops, panel discussions and design exhibitions—opens today at the Esplanade near SM Mall of Asia in Metro Manila and will run until Sunday, September 23.

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