Michelin Encourages Aspiring Designers

In an effort to encourage such individuals, Michelin recently hosted a scholarship competition aimed at testing the skills of aspiring designers. Read on for more details...

The winning results from the Center for Creative Studies (CCS) 12th annual Michelin Design Competition were announced today.

The Michelin Design Competition challenges CCS students to create vehicles of the future utilizing Michelin's revolutionarytire/wheel system -- PAX System. The student's work is judged in two categories: overall vehicle design and PAX System design. The first category required students todesign a tire assembly from tire through suspension, exploiting the technical advantages offered by PAX System. Designs for this category were judged on the degree thedesign technically accomplishes the assignment as well as the quality of the renderings.

Students winning the PAX System division were:

First Place: Addam Ebel from South Bend, Ind.

Second Place: Joel Van Fassen from Holland, Mich.

Third Place: Seungwook (Bo) Moon from Seoul, South Korea

The second category required the students to incorporate Michelin's revolutionary tire technology, PAX System, in their concepts. The designs had to represent a vehiclethat could realistically be on the road in 2010. Students were encouraged to include automotive technologies not yet available but which could be developed. Designs forthis category were judged on thought process, depth of research and quality of the rendering.

Students winning the vehicle design category were:

First Place: Joel Van Fassen from Holland, Mich.

Second and Third Place Tie: Addam Ebel from South Bend, Ind. and Kelly Tierney from Midland, Mich.

Students with winning designs received scholarship money from Michelin. This year, the scholarship money will be placed in the Carl Olsen Scholarship Fund in honor ofthe chairman of the transportation design program, Carl Olsen. Olsen came to CCS in 1987 as the chairman of the transportation design program and is retiring this year.Under his leadership, the Center's transportation design program became known in design circles as the best in the country, and he has been responsible for molding manyof today's leading automotive designers.

``Michelin is synonymous with top quality in the automotive tire industry,'' Richard Rogers, president of the Center for Creative Studies, said ``CCS strives to provide itsstudents with the highest quality design education. Working with Michelin on this design competition inspires these students to pour their energies and creativity into theprojects.''

A panel of automotive industry experts judged the Michelin Design Competition. These included, Jon Albert, vehicle chief designer, GM Design Center, Trevor Creed, senior vice president, Design Studio, Daimler Chrysler Corporation, Robert Huber, director of design, Johnson Controls, Howard Drayton "Buck" Mook, independent designer and Mark Snethkamp, senior co-chairman of the North American International Auto Show.

``The creativity exhibited by these students is an indication and a tribute to both their vision and the CCS program in general. The results are amazing,'' Bob Carroll,vice president of marketing for Michelin's Automotive Industry Division, said. ``It is our honor to pay tribute to Carl through this scholarship. He has done an excellent job withhis students and certainly has left his mark on the future of automotive design.''

The Center for Creative Studies-College of Art and Design (CCS) is one of the nation's leading arts education institutions. A private, fully accredited, four-year college,CCS offers Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in animation and digital media, crafts, communication design, fine arts, industrial design, interior design and photography. Thecollege also offers non-credit courses in the visual arts through its continuing and community education program. CCS is located in Detroit's Cultural Center where itprovides a challenging learning environment in which students explore issues of art and design while preparing for careers in the professional world.