Exploring the Intersection of Design and Engineering at Aston Martin’s Club 1913
During Monterey Car Week, I visited Club 1913, Aston Martin’s designated space, anticipating a conversation with Marek Reichman about iconic vehicles such as the stunning DBS Superleggera or the remarkable Vulcan track car. However, the creative director took a surprising turn in the discussion, delving into topics like Star Trek, the Supermarine Spitfire, future mobility in aviation, and the evolution of design.
This unexpected shift in conversation occurred after I posed a straightforward question: who takes precedence, designers or engineers? This contemplative inquiry extended beyond automobiles to encompass tools, airplanes, electronics, and architecture. My intention was to uncover whether technological expertise or creative thinking is the true driver of progress—a subject Reichman, with his unique blend of scientific and artistic insight, has contemplated extensively.
In essence, Reichman believes that the answer is a duality: both designers and engineers are essential. Engineers craft technologies that designers refine into aesthetically pleasing products, just as designers generate innovative ideas that engineers bring to fruition. However, Reichman argues that comprehending the underlying problem-solving process can significantly enhance the chances of success for both technical and creative concepts.
To initiate this process, one must have a spark of inspiration to resolve a challenge. Reichman emphasized that whether it’s an engineer or designer, a creative mindset is crucial for generating ideas.
“Knowledge is meaningless without imagination,” he stated, referencing the origins of helicopter design. He shared how Leonardo da Vinci, observing a maple seed drifting from a tree in a helical motion, envisioned a helicopter. “If someone can imagine it, others will strive to achieve the seemingly impossible, guided by that vision. It’s about using science to break down barriers, not merely dreaming about possibilities,” he explained.
Reichman’s own inspiration also draws from science fiction, which ignited his passion for industrial design. He noted how the original Star Trek series introduced the concept of flip-up communicators that functioned like modern cell phones, thereby elegantly resolving communication challenges before their time.
“We bring art to life through science,” he remarked. “While we may not have transporters yet, scientific discovery is underway. Within our realm, we investigate how new materials like graphene and technologies like nanotech can enhance our lives. For instance, with traffic jams—an inefficient situation—we explored the potential of helicopters and, eventually, drones. How can we apply drone capabilities to alleviate this problem? It requires creative thinking to transpose solutions across different challenges.”
Aston Martin recently showcased its innovative approach to solving traffic congestion at the Farnborough Air Show with the Volante Vision Concept, a vertical take-off air mobility design featuring wings for lift alongside propellers. Reichman served as the design director for this project.
Highlighting the advantages of a creative approach, Reichman noted that designers can often arrive at effective solutions more rapidly than engineers, resulting in products with intrinsic beauty.
“A crucial part of a designer’s education involves questioning. Each design challenge is met with a brief that articulates the purpose and reasoning behind choices,” he continued. “The goal is to refine a concept into an improved version. By consistently questioning the why, we achieve genuinely beautiful solutions.”
One of his notable illustrations of this designer mentality is the Supermarine Spitfire, the iconic World War II aircraft. Despite lacking a conventional designer, the Spitfire exemplifies how creative solutions stemmed from questioning existing aircraft designs, leading to the creation of a stunning machine—contrasting sharply with the appearance of its German counterpart, the Messerschmitt.
“Creative inquiries into design principles birthed the Spitfire, a true work of beauty,” Reichman reflected.
Discussing the role of a creative mindset in fostering future innovation, Reichman pointed to our inherent ability to communicate and conceptualize. “The distinction between design and engineering is subtle,” he explained. “However, great design sparks from a genuine passion to create something both functional and visually appealing. I believe we all possess the ability to draw and express ourselves graphically, as we learned in school. The Spitfire represents this lifelong journey of creativity that resides within us all.”
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