The PEUGEOT DESIGN LAB is opening a new satellite design studio in São Paulo, Brazil, expanding its design credentials across the globe. The new design studio is the third satellite studio created by PEUGEOT with two others based in San Francisco and Shanghai and will cater to clients outside the automotive sector.
As a global manufacturer with more than 210 years of industrial heritage and 131 years of automotive design expertise, PEUGEOT’s design team know that whatever the field, the perfection of new products is not just about their functionality.
It is this philosophy that enables the PEUGEOT Design Lab team in São Paulo to integrate and support the regional demands for the development of non-automotive products and to work in collaboration with the main design studio in Paris, and the two satellite studios Shanghai, and San Francisco. The São Paulo studio will be headed by Fabien DARCHE.
Fabien DARCHE, PSA Group Design Director in Latin America, said: “We are going to consolidate PEUGEOT Design Lab in Brazil not only by fostering the know-how, experience and excellence of PEUGEOT design from the automotive field, but above all by offering customers the opportunity to detect the refinement and elegance synonymous with PEUGEOT design in other products and services.“
In an increasingly competitive world, the PEUGEOT Design Lab studio defines a unique and strong brand identity for its clients, which is essential for the identification, success and sustainability of the brand. The PEUGEOT Design Lab will therefore be active in fields as varied as Brand Image, Creation, Development, Industrialisation and Communication.
The creation of new products can sometimes give rise to co-investment between PEUGEOT Design Lab and the partner brand. Depending on the commitment, this collaboration can vary from partnership to co-branding.
Finally, throughout its history, PEUGEOT has displayed a deep social commitment. PEUGEOT Design Lab will continue this tradition by opening its doors to non-profit projects.
Since its launch in 2012, the PEUGEOT Design Lab has worked with a number of iconic manufacturers, including Pleyel, Airbus Aviation and Bénéteau.
PLEYEL PIANO
For Pleyel, a specialist piano manufacturer, the PEUGEOT Design Lab created a piano that reinvented the codes of the music world.
The mechanism of the piano is lowered to align the lid with the keyboard and for the first time in the history of the piano, the audience can see the artist playing from any angle. This puts the pianist’s hands in the spotlight and creates greater interaction with the audience. In addition, the pianist can hear the sound of their instrument with unprecedented quality.
AIRBUS HELICOPTER
The elegant and dynamic lines of the H160 helicopter revisit the visual identity of the helicopters in the Airbus range, and express the generational leap embodied by the model.
The futuristic silhouette of the H160 is enhanced by tapered windows. The style reinvents the identity of the previous generation helicopter, the Dauphin, whose characteristic nose is now more modern. The fluidity of the H160’s line reflects the efficiency and quiet operation of the aircraft, made possible by multiple innovations: composite material fairing, biplane rear stabiliser, inclined rear tail rotor, Blue Edge blades.
SEA DRIVE CONCEPT
For Bénéteau , a leading yacht manufacturer, the PEUGEOT Design Lab helped create the Sea Drive Concep, combining PEUGEOT’s automotive expertise with Bénéteau’s heritage in boat manufacturing. Inspired by the PEUGEOT i-Cockpit® the Sea Drive Concept showcases how automotive interior technology and design can be transferred into the marine sector.
The Sea Drive Concept features a compact steering wheel from the i-Cockpit® and comes with a large, 17-inch touchscreen for immediate access to features. Toggle switches on either side of hte steering wheel also give access to key features.