Audi sets creative trends with exclusive design

Architectural drawings and maquettes, works from Secessionism and Vienna Workshops, plus design talks on the subject of “Performance/ Process” – this year’s Design Miami/ Basel will once again be presenting the very best from the world of design.
The Swiss city of Basel will stay the focus of the design scene until 16 June. And Audi – known for its innovative concepts and as a brand with a feel for the special things in life – is also there in the capacity of exhibitor and exclusive vehicle sponsor. A total of 22 design galleries are at the Art Basel sister fair, exhibiting the very best contemporary and historic works. The Basel Markthalle, the third largest domed building in Europe and the city’s landmark, will not only provide an extraordinary architectural setting for the fair. With around 6,000 square metres of exhibition space, it also offers plenty of room for creativity.

By setting trends in the area of design and promoting innovations, Audi continues time and again to honour its brand slogan “Vorsprung durch Technik”. “Being progressive means the ability to be innovative, both in terms of technology and pioneering design. Audi utilises these abilities to great effect and communicates them in a way that is impressive, even to design and art connoisseurs,” explains Ralph Weyler, Board Member for Marketing and Sales at AUDI AG, underlining the company’s commitment in this area. Audi will be presenting itself at the Design Miami/ in Basel as a modern exhibitor of progressive design and will be displaying an interesting concept: visitors to its 300 square metre stand will be able to embark on a mini journey through time and delve into the historic development of the automotive world. The Audi stand is divided into three different theme rooms to symbolise the zeitgeist of different epochs with regard to art and automotive design.

Visitors can see into the different rooms from a bar that is fixed to a revolving platform and forms the central point of the Audi stand. It quickly becomes clear that Audi always has the right answer up its sleeve when it comes to design issues. Visitors wishing to experience the design of the past close up should be sure to visit the “1930s” room. An historic Horch 853A Sport Cabriolet will be exhibited here, in the midst of contemporary accessories and cubist forms. This exhibit, first presented to the public at the International Car and Motorcycle Exhibition (IAMA) in 1935, is one of the most beautiful and successful Horch models. Its majestic elegance captivated the public even back then – just like the new Audi A5 today, which can be admired in the “Zeitgeist” room in the trend colour “Ibis White”. This car’s progressive design gives the coupé a look that is both elegant and dynamic at once. “The Audi A5 is the most beautiful car I have ever designed,” says Walter de’Silva, Head of Volkswagen Group Design. The futuristic sports coupé Audi RSQ represents the area of future design. The Audi design team developed this futuristic study especially for the Hollywood blockbuster “I, ROBOT”. The result was an extraordinary two-seater mid-engined sports car that runs on spherical wheels and whose paintwork changes from a bluish shimmering silver to a golden nuance in strong light.