September 13, 2022
Gravity Sketch, Stellantis and ArtCenter Students Team Up to Design the Next Jeep Wrangler
Student-Driven Design Process Will Be Documented Across Social Media in Real Time
Gravity Sketch, a leader in collaborative 3D design technology, has sponsored a course at ArtCenter College of Design, challenging Transportation Design students to create the next Jeep Wrangler for industry partner Stellantis. For the first time in the College’s history, the process for a sponsored project will be documented in real-time across social media.
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 process across social media in real-time, posting photos and videos and using the hashtag — #GravitySketchJeep
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.
About Gravity Sketch: Founded in 2014 by Oluwaseyi Sosanya, Daniela Paredes and Daniel Thomas: Gravity Sketch is a London-based startup on a mission to revolutionize the way ideas are brought to life, and fundamentally change the way design is done today. The company has created a suite of connected products that use the latest in spatial technology – enabling users to think and create in 3D while also bringing real-time collaboration to the front of the design process. With Gravity Sketch, designers, engineers and other stakeholders can share feedback and discuss issues at every stage of product development, experiencing the design through virtual reality.
About ArtCenter College of Design: 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 industrial design disciplines as well as visual and applied arts. In addition to its top-ranked academic programs, the College also serves members of the Greater Los Angeles region through a highly regarded series of year-round extension programs for all ages and 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 in recognition of its commitment to social impact design through Designmatters. 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.
Contacts
pressoffice@artcenter.edu
626 396-2338
Daniela Paredes
Co-founder and CXO
Gravity Sketch
daniela@gravitysketch.com
+52 5587 955406
