June 10, 2024

ArtCenter Unveils State-Of-The-Art Mullin Transportation Design Center, The New Home For The College's Prestigious Transportation Design Program

The new Creative Hub Features 31,000 Square Feet of Specialized Labs, Classrooms, Exhibition Spaces, Studios and More

Made possible via the generosity of Peter and Merle Mullin, the new center is part of the College’s reimagined South Campus

ArtCenter College of Design officially unveiled the state-of-the-art Mullin Transportation Design Center at its South Campus in Pasadena, California.

At the unveiling ceremony, before a celebratory toast and the reveal of the new space, ArtCenter President and CEO Karen Hofmann, standing beside Trustee Merle Mullin, said, “Here is to the passion and appreciation Peter Mullin had for art, design and innovation, and his distinct love for cars, and to all those in the ArtCenter community that brought Peter’s vision to reality. Cheers, and thank you!”

Made possible due to a generous donation from the late Peter Mullin, and his wife Merle—whose relationship with the College as both board of trustee members and as key ambassadors stretches back more than 20 years—the Mullin Transportation Design Center is an innovative “building within a building” that promises to propel the College’s already unrivaled Transportation Design program to new heights.

“I’m thrilled we are all together this evening to celebrate the official opening of the magnificent new home for our Transportation Design program,” said Hofmann during remarks before a celebratory dinner was served. “In what was once a testing facility, a supersonic wind tunnel, the journey of imagining the future of travel continues.”

In addition to being the new home of ArtCenter’s Transportation Design program, the 31,000-square-foot Mullin Transportation Design Center is also the crown jewel of South Campus’ reimagined 950 Building (950 S. Raymond Ave.), which has been transformed into a creative hub where all disciplines of the College will converge.

“We cannot thank [Peter and Merle Mullin] enough for the incredible gift they made in 2013, which turned this dream into reality,” said Hofmann at the dinner. “Their generous support became the driving force behind a long-envisioned plan for the College to expand and upgrade our South Campus footprint, fortifying our reputation as a dynamic, future forward creative hub for the next generation of artists and designers. And now here we are, located at the gate of Pasadena, expanding access and creative inspiration with the local communities, and throughout the greater Los Angeles area.”

Housed within a former historic supersonic wind tunnel, the Mullin Transportation Design Center is a dynamic, community-focused space for state-of-the-art teaching, learning and making. It offers classrooms, large-scale workspaces, offices, creative labs, shops, and a flexible 99-seat digital media center. The building’s large scale and oversized entries provide access for integrating full-size vehicles into the learning experience. New gallery and exhibition space and a hovering mezzanine provide opportunities for greater public exposure to the evolution of large-scale designs as they take shape.

For the unveiling and the following day’s “Beyond Supersonic” festivities, the Mullin Transportation Design Center was filled with student projects from across the College’s disciplines, from Entertainment Design and Photography and Imaging to Product Design and Spatial Experience Design. Guests enjoyed viewing everything from a historically inspired archery uniform to 100% recyclable sandals to a centrifugal cooking system for microgravity environments.

And there was no shortage of vehicles and transportation design work on display. Peter and Merle Mullin’s 1939 Bugatti Type 64 Coupe was set up in the same room as invited guests dined. In an adjacent room, visitors could walk around a full-size clay model of a Lincoln Quiet Flight “Anniversary” concept, created by Honda R&D exterior designer Emi Tanaguchi’s (BS 21) while she was a student. Other student projects on display included models of a Lamborghini designed for outdoor activities and a community-based market and delivery vehicle.

“I want to formally say ‘thank you’ to the late, great Peter Mullin and Merle. What an amazing team they made, not only with their unwavering passion for cars but also for higher education,” said Mike Warsaw (BS 90), Chairman of ArtCenter’s Board of Trustees, in remarks during the dinner. “I can’t think of a better combination for creating a vision for the future of transportation design, inspiring our students, our industry partners and professionals alike with a space like this.”

Darin Johnstone Architects, the firm behind the building’s design as well as previous ArtCenter projects, worked closely with ArtCenter’s Transportation Design department to conceptualize spaces that facilitate research, experimentation and cutting-edge design. Taking conceptual cues from its history of housing a wind tunnel used to test supersonic aircraft, the design acknowledges the interplay of time and the evolution of design processes related to transportation and modern aviation. Architectural elements appear to hover and shape larger voids, a nod to the aeronautic history of the space.

“Tonight’s [ceremony] is highly charged with emotion for me,” said Merle in remarks read by her granddaughter, due to having lost her voice during recent travels. “Philanthropy and making the world a better place was central to Peter’s life to his very essence. He was taught about giving by the mentors in his life, and he, in return, taught me. He served on many boards of directors too numerous to name here, but his heart was here at ArtCenter College of Design. Here, he knew that the transportational artform that captured his heart would live on. While he could not see this beautiful building, he could envision it in all its glory as a place to ensure future transportation in any and all its unpredictable forms.”

Guests to the College the following day received a preview of what such a future might look like as ArtCenter pulled out all the stops for “Beyond Supersonic,” a day full of exploration and activities celebrating the reimagined 950 Building and the soon-to-be-completed Fabrication Shops at 908. Events included an Art Market, featuring over 60 student and alumni vendors; the third annual Design Invitational automotive exhibition; panel discussions on AI and The Future of Transportation; showcases of student work; and more.

About ArtCenter: Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, ArtCenter College of Design is a global leader in art and design education. ArtCenter offers 11 undergraduate and 10 graduate degrees in a wide variety of art and design disciplines. In addition to its top-ranked academic programs, the College also serves the general public through a highly regarded series of year-round online and on-campus extension programs for all levels of experience. Renowned for both its ties to industry and its social impact initiatives, ArtCenter is the first design school to receive the United Nations’ Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status. Throughout the College’s long and storied history, ArtCenter alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live and important issues in our society.