News: car brand Nissan has unveiled a revised design for its new London taxi to replace the city’s famous black cabs, having altered the look of the vehicle in an attempt “to better reflect the iconic nature of the traditional black cab” (+ slideshow).
The Nissan NV200 London Taxi will replace the UK capital’s iconic TX4 taxis from December 2014 and the Japanese firm unveiled the redesign this morning at the firm’s European design centre in Paddington, west London.
The vehicle is based on a van but has been remodelled since its launch in August 2012, when it was criticised for being simply a black version of the firm’s taxis in New York, Barcelona and Tokyo.
“In response to feedback from the London Mayor’s office, Transport for London and other key organisations which have put their backing behind the new taxi, Nissan has redesigned the vehicle to better reflect the iconic nature of the traditional black cab,” the company said.
The new bespoke design for London features round headlamps, a remodelled grille and new front bumper panels. The update also ditches the previous diesel engine for a 1.6-litre petrol engine and an automatic gearbox, available from December 2014, and a zero-emissions electric version will be available in 2015.
“Having already overcome the unique technical challenges presented by the development of a new Hackney Carriage for London ahead of our launch of the vehicle in August 2012, we turned our attention to making the vehicle look the part,” said Nissan’s design excellence manager Darryl Scriven. “The main challenges were concerned with making sure customers can easily recognise it as a taxi.”
“The Mayor’s office and taxi drivers were very keen that we maintain the character of the Hackney Carriage, making it something that people in the city can be proud of,” he added.
The NV200 seats five passengers including two flip-down seats facing the rear, access for wheelchairs and sliding doors for easy access in narrow spaces, and it adheres to Transport for London regulations requiring a 7.6-metre turning circle. The vehicles will be produced in Barcelona and assembled in London.
The new Nissan launch comes less than a year after Chinese brand Geely bought the makers of the traditional TX4 taxis Manganese Bronze, which still designs taxis using a similar basic structure to the first black cab from 1948, in a deal worth £11 million. The takeover followed the Coventry-based company going into administration in 2012.
There are currently around 20,000 black cabs – or hackney carriages – on the streets of London, but many will have to be retired as strict new emissions rules come into force.
Here’s a full set of images showing the Jazz superyacht Zaha Hadid is designing for German shipbuilders Blohm+Voss, including new interior shots (+ slideshow).
These will retain the sinuous design aesthetic of the original, but be pared back and engineered by Blohm+Voss to meet the technical specifications required for ocean crossings.
The first 90-metre craft in the range, shown here, will be the Jazz yacht.
It will feature a sharp solid prow, becoming more open towards the back where terraces and lounge areas will be sheltered by curving forms.
Zaha Hadid Architects say the five Unique Circle yachts “creatively explore the design philosophies of the master prototype within the technical requirements of a fully engineered yacht design.”
The remaining four boats will be customised according to the needs of their owners.
A flat-pack wooden bicycle that can be assembled in less than an hour has gone into production (+ slideshow).
PedalFactory claims the Sandwichbike can be unpacked and put together in just 45 minutes. “If you can make a sandwich, you can make a Sandwichbike,” the company declares.
The single-speed bike is constructed from 19 parts that are packaged and delivered in a box along with the tools required to assemble it.
The frame is made from panels of weatherproofed beech plywood and is held together by milled aluminium cylinders.
Stainless steel spokes sit within the 26-inch tyres. The completed model weighs 17 kilograms.
Pedalfactory was co-founded by designer Basten Leijh, who originally developed the bike with his Amsterdam design studio Bleijh for the 2006 International Bicycle Design Competition in Taiwan.
The bikes are now available to order and the first deliveries in Europe will coincide with the official launch event, taking place in Amsterdam on Sunday. International orders will be dispatched early next year.
Read on for more details from the designers:
Product launch Sandwichbike: innovative designer bike now in production
The Sandwichbike will be launched in Amsterdam on Sunday 1 December 2013. This innovative wooden bicycle that already drew unprecedented attention worldwide in the design stage is now being shipped.
After a period of extensive research and development the bicycle has now gone into production. The Sandwichbike can be delivered worldwide from December 1, 2013 onwards. The prototype was recently exhibited at various fairs and websites and was an instant hit among bicycle lovers and design.
The Sandwichbike is a unique product on all fronts: material, design and production method. Its distinctive frame is composed of two weatherproof beech wood panels. Its advanced production technology makes self-assembly easy while a high quality standard is maintained.
Postal package
The bicycle is flat packed in a box containing the parts as well as all the tools needed. This creates a great unpacking experience. For enthusiasts, putting the bicycle together is part of the charm and the logistical benefits are huge as this enables worldwide delivery. Anyone from Amsterdam to Honolulu can receive a Sandwichbike by post.
Assembling a Sandwichbike is easy and takes less than an hour. “If you can make a sandwich, you can make a Sandwichbike.”
Pedalfactory
The Sandwichbike is a Pedalfactory B.V. product. Co-founder Basten Leijh (also: Bleijh Industrial Design Studio) designed and developed this bicycle. Leijh is an expert on bicycle design and innovation. Among many other product innovations Leijh developed a city-bicycle that could be locked by twisting the handlebars.
Artists Studio Job customised a Land Rover Defender by adding a golden horn, a tongue and a stained glass window in celebration of the iconic vehicle’s sixty-fifth birthday.
Studio Job took the black four-wheel-drive vehicle, painted it glossy white and embellished it with elements made from bronze, wood, ceramics and other materials to create the Automobile sculpture for Land Rover, which the artists compare to “a Popemobile for an African chief”.
Photograph by Zero40
“It all got totally out of hand!” said the studio’s founder Job Smeets. “The moment that black lady entered our workshop, inspiration started to flow out of our ears. One idea after another.”
The studio looked to the vehicle’s different uses, from royal transportation to African ambulances, for ideas and starting points for the add-ons.
Photograph by Zero40
“Defender is an emotionally charged icon,” said Smeets. “On the one hand it’s the car that is used in Africa as an ambulance, taxi or agriculture machine; on the other hand it’s also the Chelsea Tractor that pampered ladies use to drop their children off at the hockey club. It’s used as a fire truck and it’s the queen of England’s favourite automobile. So, it’s a very diverse vehicle.”
A giant bronze rhino horn was added to the bonnet and a tongue sticks out from the front grille. Flag poles are mounted on the front bumper and fire engine lights sit on the rail around the roof.
Photograph by Zero40
Three of the wheels have had their rims replaced with a model of the Capitol building in Washington DC, a birthday cake and a pulley cog. The fourth has been substituted for a wooden cart wheel.
Studio Job first released images of the design while it was still in progress earlier this year. Now complete, the piece is on display at the PAN Amsterdam gallery until 1 December. Movie is by Dave Hakkens.
Here’s some more information sent to us by Studio Job:
Hotch-Potch on Wheels
Studio Job and Land Rover – sparks were bound to fly. Job Smeets and Nynke Tynagel were invited to come up with a special version of the car to celebrate its 65th birthday. The result is a masterpiece, a summary of their whole oeuvre in all its layered facets.
Land Rover Defender has turned 65. That means this robust cross-country vehicle long ago passed the minimum age to qualify as an old-timer. In order to enhance the vehicle’s history and aura, Studio Job was asked to take this 4×4 in hand. A great car requires a great vision, which in this case carried a certain risk – after all, with Studio Job one ever knows what to expect. In their own way, they have created an ode to the vehicle that makes many of us dream of adventures in distant Africa. Eventually, it has turned out to be more than simply a revised or pimped vehicle. The result is a sculpture that questions escapism, power relationships and above all Studio Job’s own work.
Detail of the partially complete sculpture. Photograph by Rahi Rezvani
“Designing a car is the same as when, as a designer, you’re sometimes given the chance to redefine a hotel: it’s a higher goal. You don’t get such important commissions every day,” says Job Smeets, who, together with Nynke Tynagel, forms the duo behind Studio Job. “On top of that, Defender is an emotionally charged icon. On the one hand it’s the car that is used in Africa as an ambulance, taxi or agriculture machine; on the other hand it’s also the Chelsea Tractor that pampered ladies use to drop their children off at the hockey club. It’s used as a fire truck and it’s the queen of England’s favourite automobile. So, it’s a very diverse vehicle. We’ve approached that golden carriage in our own way, maybe not so much from the angle of this one car but rather from the phenomenon of the holy cow in general.”
Detail of the partially complete sculpture. Photograph by Rahi Rezvani
It has become a pièce de résistance. The Land Rover has been submerged in a Studio Job “bath”, with all that this implies. Like a project that has got out of hand, the Land Rover has been dissected and interpreted, ridiculed and celebrated, laden with stories and adorned with a variety of materials. The motor has remained in place but driving the vehicle is anything but a comfortable experience. One of the four wheels has been replaced by a cartwheel; another wheel has been given a miniature version of the Capitol for its rim. A gigantic rhinoceros stands in all its glory like a golden phallus on the bonnet, and a headlight has been replaced by a candle that hardly gives any light in the dark. The seats have been upholstered in wax prints made by Vlisco, the brand that produces exclusive materials specifically for the African rich. The stained glass windows in turn display magic masks from remote tribes.
Detail of the partially complete sculpture. Photograph by Rahi Rezvani
“As you would expect from someone who knows nothing about making a car, our approach got completely out of hand,” says Job Smeets. “The numerous elements kept accumulating. The car literally sticks its tongue out. It wants to be something that it actually isn’t. It’s become a great concoction, monumental and cynical. But isn’t that also true for power and class structures? Those are surely also inventions. A fictive status symbol that other people supposedly look up to. It’s also a nudge at designers who are asked to design a concept car and who then invent a stylish-looking apparatus that is launched with all the necessary bells and whistles. So we also take aim at the car industry: I can already imagine the chief sitting in this modern carriage, with the chauffeur in the front and his various wives and children in the back. A Popemobile for an African chief, personalised in a bizarre way.”
Detail of the partially complete sculpture. Photograph by Rahi Rezvani
It is either an extremely layered or a completely failed project that can be interpreted in different ways: as a pamphlet against outward appearance, as an ode to a holy cow, as a painful joke or as a rather unsubtle protest. But besides this layered approach and the humour, the most captivating storyline is that of Studio Job itself. Even though they keep their cards close to their chest, this sculpture is at the same time a parody of their own work. Apart from the many details that clearly breathe the world of Studio Job, the sculpture has above all become a sampling of the many exclusive materials and monumental techniques that Job Smeets and Nynke Tynagel have used during recent years. It is a narrative hotch-potch on four wheels, from bronze, wood and crystal to textiles, ceramics and stained glass. Studio Job have again shown that they are masters in the use of all these materials, expressed in the most varied shapes. In their unique way, they know the power of the materials and how to combine them in a completely idiosyncratic manner in this single sculpture.
What a perfect way to celebrate Land Rover’s 65 birthday!
Zero40 (white coated Defender) photo R. Rezvani (black Defender during ‘making of’ in March 2013) video D. Hakkens fashion Viktor & Rolf.
Interview: the designer of the original 1959 MINI “would have a lot of respect for the cleverness” of the latest incarnation of the car, according to Adrian van Hooydonk, head of design at MINI parent company BMW Group(+ slideshow + interview).
Portrait of Adrian van Hooydonk
“I think he would simply be happy that MINI as a brand is alive and kicking today,” Van Hooydonk told Dezeen at the global launch party for the new MINI, held in London last night. “He probably would not have imagined that in his wildest dreams.”
The launch was held on what would have been the birthday of Greek-born engineer Alec Issigonis, who was born in 1906 and died in 1988.
“I think he would have a lot of respect for the cleverness of the engineering,” said van Hooydonk. “I think he would also respect us for being such a custodian of the original idea. Doing a car that is as compact as this in today’s world is actually quite an achievement.”
MINI designer Alec Issigonis standing next to his creation
The car was originally launched in 1959 by UK conglomerate British Motor Corporation, with Issigonis’ compact design, which featured a revolutionary space-saving transverse engine, remaining on sale more or less unchanged until 2000.
Alec Issigonis’ original 1959 MINI Mark 1
The iconic British marque was acquired by German car brand BMW Group in 1994 and relaunched in 2001. Yesterday’s launch is the second major overhaul of the car since then.
“I think it has worked out very well,” said van Hooydonk of the acquisition. “BMW has been very respectful of MINI’s history.”
The new-look MINI is longer, wider and taller than its predecessor, partly due to modern safety regulations, van Hooydonk said. “I think the MINI is the most compact vehicle that any car company can do today because the safely requirements have become much tougher.”
The new car takes many design cues from the 1959 original, including short overhangs, round headlights and an enlarged front grille.
“[The grille] is now larger; it still has a MINI typical shape and it now refers to the MINI Mark 1, which also had a very large front,” van Hooydonk explained. “The headlamps and tail lamps are still referring to the iconic shapes but they are now packed with very modern LED technology.”
Concept sketch for the new MINI
“To make a MINI recognisable as a MINI, you need to use full surfaces; rounded surfaces,” he continued. “But we’ve added sharp lines so the overall effect is one of a crisper car. I feel it’s a tighter car so the perception of quality and the actual building quality have gone up.”
Concept design for the BMW Active Tourer, which will share a platform with the new MINI
The new MINI was developed by MINI head of design Anders Warming under the guidance of van Hooydonk. The car features a new platform, which it will share in future with a new generation of BMWs.
Clay modelling the new MINI
Van Hooydonk said that BMW Group investigated sharing the MINI platform with other car brands to save costs but in the end decided to develop the platform themselves. “We simply found that no one was able to do compact cars like MINI do,” he said. “Nobody had a package or the proportions that we need to do a MINI, so we decided to do it on our own. “
Clay modelling the new MINI
Here’s an edited transcript of the interview:
Marcus Fairs: It’s 19 years since BMW Group bought MINI and 12 years since the car was first relaunched. How has the marriage between a German corporation and a British marque worked out?
Adrian van Hooydonk: I think it has worked out very well. Of course it needed a Dutch guy in between to sort of translate…
Marcus Fairs: And a Danish guy [MINI head of design Anders Warming]?
Adrian van Hooydonk: And a Danish guy. It needs some neutral elements from small countries that have no car industry to make ends meet. BMW Group actually did very well because I think it was a decision with a lot of foresight, to keep hold of MINI, because I think people are going to look for smaller cars in the future.
People want cars that have a strong character. People don’t want boring cars. It’s perfectly set up for years to come. BMW has been very respectful of MINI’s history and the same is true for Rolls Royce [which BMW Group bought in 1998] so I think that’s been part of the success story. This is why MINI is still here today.
Marcus Fairs: What’s new about the new MINI?
Adrian Van Hooydonk: Well of course to make a MINI recognisable as a MINI, you need to use full surfaces; rounded surfaces. But we’ve added sharp lines so the overall effect is one of a crisper car. I feel it’s a tighter car so the perception of quality and the actual building quality have gone up.
On the front, we have redesigned the grille. It is now larger; it still has a MINI typical shape and it now refers to the [1959] MINI Mark 1, which also had a very large front. The headlamps and tail lamps are still referring to the iconic shapes but they are now packed with very modern LED technology. It has daytime running lights so you will be able to recognise the MINI day and night.
In the interior, the level of luxury has gone up considerably and it’s packed with very clever technology as well like internet connectivity and a heads-up display that you will see the most relevant navigation on. So I think we have upgraded the new car both inside and out while retaining this friendliness that MINI stands for.
Marcus Fairs: It’s also bigger. MINI is not such a small car any more. Why is MINI getting bigger?
Adrian van Hooydonk: I used to own and drive an original MINI when I was a little bit younger. I actually fitted in that car and I have to say I had one accident with that car; it was written off completely. I was happy that I got away unharmed and that answers your question pretty much. I think the MINI is the most compact vehicle that any car company can do today because the safely requirements have become much tougher and I think this is a good thing.
MINIs today are very safe and are filled with airbags and are designed and engineered to face things that our customers never want to experience. But I think any MINI will always be the most compact offering in its segment.
Marcus Fairs: What about the platform [the chassis and other major engineering components]?
Adrian Van Hooydonk: We developed a completely new platform, not just for this MINI, but the MINI was the lead car for this set of mechanicals. It will also lead to some new BMWs; some front-wheel drive BMWs. We looked at working with other brands to share the platform but in the end we developed this platform from scratch on our own.
We set the parameters in terms of proportions. As a design team, we were able to get the proportions for the new MINI just the way we wanted it, with very short overhangs. It’s a very compact vehicle; it’s slightly wider than the previous car. What is good for MINI will also be good for BMW later on.
Marcus Fairs: Why did you want to work with other car brands and why did that not happen in the end?
Adrian Van Hooydonk: If you are able to work on an architecture that will lead to, let’s say, twenty vehicles or so, that will give you some economy of scale. Our customers are prepared to pay a premium but that’s not unlimited. So we need to find a way to make it affordable and do more cars.
Doing one type of architecture will allow you to do that but as we scanned the industry, we simply found that no one was able to do compact cars like MINI do. Nobody had a package or the proportions that we need to do a MINI, so we decided to do it on our own.
Marcus Fairs: So this will lead to a new type of BMW based on this shared platform? Will BMWs and MINIs share other parts?
Adrian van Hooydonk: We have already shown a concept car called the Active Tourer, which will be a new type of BMW that will launch in the near future, which will also have front wheel drive. But if you know the concept car, then you will see that it looks completely different. Not even the gearshift or any button or any element from the MINI will be carried over to the BMW. It’s all happening underneath the skin; so in some suspension parts or mechanical parts where we were then able to get some economy of scale [there are shared parts] whilst keeping the brand identity of MINI and BMW very pure.
Marcus Fairs: BMW is now positioning itself as a mobility solutions provider rather than a car brand. It’s about helping people make mobility choices rather than simply selling them cars. How does that translate to MINI, which is a fun, urban brand?
Adrian van Hooydonk: That’s a very good question.MINI is a very urban brand so it’s designed for people who live in the city; people who lead a very active life. You can tell from looking at a MINI that the people that drive it like to enjoy life. MINI is not as serious as many of the car brands out there.
I think new mobility would fit the MINI brand. As it stands, the MINI product line-up actually uses far less fuel than the BMW brand does. So far, we don’t feel there’s an immediate lead to electrify a MINI; also a smaller car is a little harder to do.
We are launching a whole new brand, BMWi, to deal with that identity and we went a long way towards achieving zero emissions, making the car out of carbon fibre with the i3 [electric car] or reinventing the sports car with the 8 [plug-in hybrid concept car]. We learned a lot from those projects and that knowledge will certainly filter back into both the MINI brand and the BMW.
Marcus Fairs: If Alec Issigonis, who designed the original MINI, was to see the new MINI, what would he say?
Adrian van Hooydonk: He would probably say, in all honesty, that a lot of design has gone on, knowing that he wasn’t a designer – he was an engineer. I think the same is true for all products in the world today. I think he would have a lot of respect for the cleverness of the engineering. I think he would also respect us for being such a custodian of the original idea.
Doing a car that is as compact as this in today’s world is actually quite an achievement. I think he would simply be happy that MINI as a brand is alive and kicking today. He probably would not have imagined that in his wildest dreams.
Marcus Fairs: What’s the relationship between your design team at BMW Group and Anders Warming and his team at MINI? Is the new MINI their design or yours?
Adrian van Hooydonk: It’s his team’s design and we are more than colleagues, we are friends. He started a little bit later than I did in the company but we worked together in Design Works, [BMW Group’s] Californian studio. Now we are both in a position that we can give a direction to whole brands.
I like to give the design teams a lot of freedom. If there is a disagreement then that’s okay because people have different opinions about design. If they have no opinion or they start agreeing with me, that would be the moment that I would start worrying.
I know that Anders is an extremely talented designer because I’ve seen him sketch and I’ve seen him grow. And I know that he works the same way that I do. I feel very privileged to now have guys like him in charge of each of the brands that I lead. It makes my life easier and more rewarding, working with people like him.
Marcus Fairs: What’s the next step?
Adrian van Hooydonk: Well today we’ve just launched the new core car. It’s the anchor for the brand so you have to be respectful and careful. Now for the next cars that you’ll see coming from MINI are around the core cars. I think you can expect each of these cars to move away from the core cars slightly: more distinct identities for the other products, a little bit more about today’s MINI family which is very closely related we feel, to the core car. We want it to really grow as a family.
Marcus Fairs: What kind of family are you talking about?
Adrian van Hooydonk: Well that’s a question that I’m not really at liberty to answer now. You know that today the MINI family consists of seven cars. We are still investigating what the family will consist of. But the new family members that will come out will have more of a stand-alone character. You will recognise them as part of the MINI family, but each of them will have a more distinct character of their own which I think is the next step for the MINI brand.
Opinion: as a sixth cyclist dies in London in two weeks, Sam Jacob argues that roads should be designed “in a way that incorporates intelligence as well as brute engineering” and asks:” “Who is the city for?”
Roads are super complex landscapes. All those speed bumps, arrows, double yellows, zig zags, kerbs, red men, green men, zebra, pelican, puffin and pegasus crossings are both the surface over which we travel and codes that modify and instruct how we travel. They are simultaneously map and territory, abstract markings on the surface of the city that become the city.
They may often be imperfect and in a constant state of revision but roads are the fundamental product of civilisation. Roads even, it might be argued, civilise us, as infrastructure that connects both places and us one to another into a collective society. Roads are where all our multi-faceted desires and demands (literally) intersect, where they are negotiated in real time, turn by turn. Of course, sometimes these negotiations tragically fail.
After six cyclist deaths in London over the last 13 days, there is understandably a sense of panic on the streets – certainly amongst the cycling community. A friend late back to the office after cycling back from a meeting found her phone flashing with a series of panicked messages checking that she hadn’t become another cyclist casualty. Over the top, for sure, but also indicative of the heightened tensions surrounding the capital’s carriageways – a tension revealed in the aggression that often characterises our behaviour on the road too.
After this spate of accidents there are, understandably, calls to do something. I don’t doubt either that there is a real desire on behalf of the authorities to do something too, but what that thing might be is much harder to identify.
The problem is first practical. How can the variety of road users – pedestrians, bikes, cars, trucks – co-exist in a safe and civilised way? But it’s also a philosophical and political issue: who the is city for?
Though we might think of them as natural, streets and roads are as much concepts as things. In Britain, pre-Roman roads formed as tracks across a landscape between settlements. More desire lines than infrastructure, we could think of these as routes worn into the surface of the earth by habit, formed by the subjective behaviour of travellers. Roads here are produced by the act of travelling itself. As such they are less defined, their edges blurred. Roman roads on the other hand brought a very different conception – an abstract, as-the-crow-flies, objective inscription of intent. The Roman road organised and controlled how we crossed the landscape.
After the fall of the empire, Roman roads fell back into disrepair, their engineered surfaces collapsing back into the soil. By 1555 the country’s roads were so poor that an act of parliament was passed requiring parishes to maintain their roads. Men of the parish were required to work for six days each year to maintain and repair the roads, but unpaid and under-resourced, little improved. As the industrial revolution gathered pace, parliament passed what was known as the Turnpike Act, which allowed the creation of private toll roads. Given the potential for profit, investment in the provision and maintenance of roads accelerated the quality and network of roads.
Roads are now (on the whole) public in the sense that they are owned by public bodies, but the ownership, management and maintenance of roads is shared between local authorities, Transport for London, and the Highways Agency. Perhaps this fragmented ownership is reflected in the confusions and conflicts on the roads.
The point of this historical diversion is to underline the point that roads are not static entities – they evolve in relation to the society that creates them – and that roads then alter the society they ostensibly serve. Turnpikes, for example, benefited those who invested (often members of parliament themselves), were often unpopular (the defensive pikes added to as protection and penalty of execution for anyone destroying a toll booth). The increased costs associated with transporting livestock into the city pushed up the price of meat and inevitably affected the urban poor most directly.
Back to the present moment; back to the issue of cycling in London. The problem of traffic and highways is usually thought of as an engineering project rather than a function of holistic urban design. Which is, I’d argue, itself part of the problem.
The engineering-first approach to cycle infrastructure produces a range of solutions:
First there’s the half-hearted standard bike paths. These might demarcate a route that seems sensible for a cyclist to follow, but be forewarned: you’re as likely to find one leading you into a dead-end, straight into a lamppost, or into a pile of bin bags dumped in its track. More often than not, they seem like elaborate devices dreamt up by Wile E. Coyote. They would be funny if they weren’t so laughable.
Next up there’s the Barclays Cycle Superhighway. These are semi-infrastructural licks of paint whose gestural wide strips of blue attempt to form zones within the road surface dedicated to cyclists.
They represent a particularly abstract form of planning as though the fluorescent highlighter, beloved of planning officers as they mark out zones and routes on the black and white expanses of OS plans, had reached down out of the sky and simply started sketching its intention directly onto the surface of the city. This is infrastructure as intention rather than reality. Cycle Superhighways might assume the appearance of infrastructural authority but the reality is that they are often little more than a trompe-l’œil. They have an indistinct status: a name that suggests real hard wired traffic infrastructure but a reality that is little more than wayfinding. In spite of their good intentions, you can’t paint the city you want into existence.
At the most extreme end, Transport For London is testing out Dutch-style roundabouts. Frankly though, in most of London there’s no way that the crooked, winding streets could be tamed into anything bearing more logic. London, born out of a singular lack of planning, seems to have a resistance to any logical planning set within its grain. Which is, of course, part of its charm: a city that’s evolved out of the lives lived within it rather than been envisioned by the mind of a Haussmann. That’s not to say that hard-wired segregated solutions aren’t either possible or desirable, but that the possibilities of their implementation are limited.
The problem of our roads seems a problem that we can’t build our way out of. That is to say, it’s not a problem of things but of space. Or rather, of things in space in motion.
Nowhere is this more visible than watching a giant hinged articulated lorry swinging itself expansively out at a junction, only to switch back round as though it were a particularly languorous, overweight uncle attempting a drunken hokey cokey. Even a large van has trouble making it around the corner without riding up over a curb.
The view from my saddle is this: it’s the incompatible co-existence of the biggest and the smallest, the heaviest and the lightest, the most armour-plated and the softest flesh between lorry and cyclist that’s the issue. There’s nothing you can engineer to mitigate this situation.
The cyclist/lorry conflict is the most extreme of examples. In extremis, it exemplifies a crisis in the nature of our city’s streets. Currently we imagine roads as a universal resource, a system that makes little differentiation between its users, or the nature of their use. Those interests, I’d argue, are not all public. Commercial deliveries might put food on the shelves of our supermarkets, materials on construction sites that we may one day work or live in, or deliver tourists to historic landmarks, but the form of these deliveries are mainly unrestricted and in volumes that suit logistics managers.
Surely in an age of smart city rhetoric, big data, and the impending possibilities that GPS and digital mapping bring to transportation (as Dan Hill discussed in his last Dezeen column) it’s time to refigure the design problem of the London street. That is to say, to conceive of transport design in a way that incorporates intelligence as well as brute engineering. The kinds of data available on even consumer-end apps like City Mapper show how joining up available datasets provides new ways of configuring movement through the city.
What if, for example, deliveries were timed not to coincide with rush hours. What if large loads were the exception and goods were distributed from out-of-town depots in smaller electric vehicles. Indeed, wouldn’t Heathrow, vacated after the construction of the Boris Island Airport, provide a suitable interchange of this sort?
We focus tremendous amounts of time, money and expertise on the design of so many other forms of transport, but roads seem to be far less of a design question. Perhaps they seem too ordinary, lacking the glamour associated with cars or airports. Yet we should recognise the necessity of roads as a design project – and the huge significance that roads represent.
Just as ancient Rome could conceive of the kinds of networks that supported its imperial ambitions, we need to find ways to imagine the kind of streets that our public, accessible city of the twenty-first century demands.
The design of London’s roads is not just about the tragic deaths of cyclists. It’s about how we make sure our city becomes public and how roads continue to force us to negotiate a contemporary urban civility.
Motor brand MINI has launched the latest incarnation of the iconic car at the firm’s production plant in Oxford, UK (+ slideshow).
The new MINI Cooper, Cooper S and Cooper D models have updated body, interior and colour designs, plus more fuel-efficient engines. “The new MINI generation strikes the perfect balance between MINI heritage, future-defining forms and innovations,” said head of MINI design Anders Warming.
The designers have added ten centimetres to the length of the car and a longer wheelbase compared to the previous MINI Cooper. The front grille has been extended horizontally towards the front wheels and both front and rear lights have been modified, with the option to have LED lamps.
Altered parts inside the headlights create a new pattern from the outside. At the back the lights are now larger and shaped like rectangles with rounded corners.
The previous design had a circular analogue speedometer above the central console. This has been replaced with a screen displaying entertainment and navigation systems, whereas driving-related displays are now clustered in front of the driver on the steering column.
An optional feature allows the driver to project data such as the car’s speed and directions onto a small transparent element in their field of view, so the information appears to float over the bonnet ridge.
The car is now available in five new colours including Volcanic Orange, Moonwalk Grey, Blazing Red, Deep Blue and Electric Blue. Interiors can also be personalised with a choice of ten seat cover designs and a variety of trims.
First released in 1959, the MINI was overhauled and updated after the brand was bought by German auto brand BMW in 2001. The company has since launched models such as the Paceman, Clubman and an electric scooter.
We’re almost at the end of our year-long world tour with MINI, during which we’ve visited and reported on design events across the globe. Our last stop is Design Miami at the beginning of December, so stay tuned!
More information from MINI follows:
The new MINI – the evolution of an icon
The brand’s successful history – which spans more than 50 years – enters a new dimension.
With its unmistakeable design and undiluted driving fun, the first example of the classic Mini sparked a revolution in the car market when it entered the fray in 1959. Then, in 2001, the new MINI emerged from the BMW Group stable to lead the premium compact class into the new millennium. And now MINI is poised to set new standards once again when it unveils the latest incarnation of this iconic car on 18 November 2013.
The new MINI is one thing above all else: a typical MINI – in its most concentrated and contemporary form. A car built for individualists, it whisks the legendary forms of the classic Mini from 1959 into the present day and takes to the stage with greater presence and maturity than ever. “The new MINI generation strikes the perfect balance between MINI heritage, future-defining forms and innovations,” says Anders Warming, Head of MINI Design.
At first glance, the new MINI cuts a familiar figure. Its snappy proportions, short overhangs and hallmark “stance on the wheels” reflect the agile driving characteristics of the MINI. Look again more closely, however, and the new MINI reveals its enhanced design qualities. The new generation brings even greater precision and class to the car’s classic iconic features, in particular. Keen to express the characteristic form of the hexagonal radiator grille more clearly, the designers have introduced a smooth, one-piece chrome frame for the first time.
The design of the lights has also been revised. With their new graphics and clearly structured inner workings, the headlights and rear lights accentuate the more grown-up appearance of the new MINI. The trapezoidal rear lights of the previous model are now larger and have greater presence, and they more closely resemble rounded-off rectangles from the outside. As before, they have chrome ring surrounds, and now they extend into the boot lid. Positioned far to the outer edges of the car, the rear lights also underline the prominently sporting stance of the new MINI. The new model is the first car in its segment to be available as an option with LED headlights.
The defining design elements are expressed with greater intensity than ever. Additional creases trace the outlines of the headlights, wheel arches, headlights and rear lights to the side, giving the design a more striking and contemporary edge. A selection of detailed stylistic embellishments reflects the more mature character of the new MINI. For example, an arrow-shaped dynamic line shapes the newly interpreted turn indicator units. Chrome elements on the radiator grille, lights and door handles draw the eye to typical MINI design cues, and the optional Chrome package brings an extra splash of exclusivity to the exterior of the new MINI.
The proportions of the latest-generation car remain unmistakably MINI. Although it has grown by around ten centimetres in its latest guise, the relationship between its dimensions remains unchanged. Short overhangs, plus the lights extending round into the car’s flanks at the front and rear create a short and agile impression despite the car’s longer exterior measurements and help give the MINI its familiar compact overall impression. The designers have added further bite to the car’s crisp, sporty appearance by moving the radiator grille back as far as possible towards the front wheels.
Among the features designed to enhance the car’s dynamic looks is the improved flow of its lines. This design cue is clearly visible in the newly designed flanks, which now exude even greater energy and verve. Plus, as the window graphic tapers towards the rear, it lends the sides of the car a dynamic wedge shape, which draws attention to the forward-surging presence of the new MINI.
The slightly downward-sloping roofline makes the car feel as if it is powering forward before it has even moved. The roofline is more substantial than its predecessors and continues the sweep of the windscreen, bringing the driver into the visual centre of the new MINI. At the same time, the roof appears to be floating over the car, emphasising the hallmark MINI three-way split of body, glasshouse and roof.
Among the drivers behind the new car’s powerful and planted stance on the road are its prominently flared wheel arches. In order to give the latest MINI an even sportier and muscular appearance, all design elements – such as the rear lights – are positioned as far as possible to the outside.
Interior design: innovative new features, authenticity in detail
The new MINI remains true to its principles by using creativity and innovation to offer customers maximum versatility and interior space despite minimised exterior dimensions. But a MINI would not be a MINI if it didn’t constantly re-invent itself. Indeed, for the first time all driving-related displays, such as the speedometer and fuel gauge, are grouped together in a new instrument cluster positioned ahead of the driver on the steering column, directly in the line of vision. There is no Centre Speedo in the classical sense. The circular central instrument remains in place but it no longer contains an analogue speedometer. Instead it has morphed into a graphics-based element displaying various functions, notably the car’s entertainment and navigation systems and other infotainment features. A new interface and an interactive LED display ring create an emotionally invigorating overall experience. The electric window switches and handbrake are now within easier reach. The chrome window toggle switches are now integrated into the armrests, making them comfortable to use. The handbrake is located in a driver-focused position on the left-hand side of the re-designed centre console.
Likewise hot off the press is the optional Head Up Display. This system uses a combiner to project information such as the car’s speed and navigation instructions into the driver’s field of view. The image appears as if floating over the bonnet ridge. This has the advantage that the driver does not have to adjust his focus away from the road and refocus his eyes between areas close to the car and objects further away.
The extremely horizontal emphasis of modern dashboards creates a generous feeling of space; surfaces are tightened and have more precise edges. The dashboard’s upper cover provides a flowing surface over the instruments and provides them with an upper border. The central instrument and circular outer air vents project out from the dashboard in typically MINI three-dimensional style. At the same time, the vents create an elegant transition from the cockpit into the door trim, where their form extends into an ellipse. The vent grilles on the right and left of the central instrument are less “playful” now and feature horizontal and vertical slats.
Atmospheric “Ambient Light” brings an enhanced feeling of space to the interior and accentuates the distinctive door design.
The rear seats have also been completely re-designed for the new model generation. The new car has a clear four-seat configuration, and the individual-seat character of the rear compartment is immediately noticeable. Indeed, the rear seats continue the sporty and grown-up theme of the new MINI in the rear of the car. The lateral support provided by the seats is designed to promote sporty driving, bringing the go-kart feeling into play for rear passengers as well.
The colour and material design: maximising the scope for customisation
All MINI drivers have their own style. That’s why the new MINI also majors on maximising the scope for customisation. A large number of unusual choices inject fresh intrigue into the familiar MINI range of colours and materials and enable customers to configure their MINI to reflect their personality. For example, 12 exterior colours cover a wide variety of bases – from striking via sporty to elegant. The five new colours shades Volcanic Orange, Moonwalk Grey, Blazing Red, Deep Blue and Electric Blue freshen up the familiar MINI colour pallet and add exciting new options.
The MINI also offers scope for further interior customisation with a choice of five Colour Lines. Customers looking to personalise their car to the maximum can choose from 10 seat cover designs and other optional trim surface variants.
The two new colour and material worlds – Off-White and Dark Cottonwood – available as part of the MINI Yours interior style packages offer customers exclusive equipment variants that underline the individual character of the MINI.
A capsule that will float passengers to the edge of space and offer views of the Earth’s curvature has been designed by British studio Priestmangoode (+ movie).
Developed for the World View programme set up by US space development corporation Paragon, Priestmangoode‘s lightweight pressurised vessel will be lifted by a helium balloon to take six passengers and two crew members to the periphery of the atmosphere.
“When you think about going near the edge of space,” Priestmangoode director Nigel Goode told Dezeen, “you think of some sort of Star Wars-type craft, something which has direction and speed but obviously this is very, very different. It would look very odd to have a craft stuck at the bottom of a balloon so the shape was really designed for strength and for maximum visibility for the people on board.”
The journey to the edge of space will take around an hour and a half, then the vehicle will spend from two to six hours at the 30-kilometre altitude so passengers can take in the views of the Earth below, the curve of its surface and the blackness of space beyond.
The World View concept aims to create a luxury voyage instead of a thrill ride. Space suits won’t be needed in the pressurised cabin, which will provide a breathable atmosphere.
“You can travel up there, spend a bit of time in the capsule moving around at that altitude and be able to enjoy the leisurely experience,” said Goode.
Large circular windows on each of the four sides are divided into segments to reduce the pressure on the surfaces. A small transparent dome will also allow views out into space above.
Attached to the pod by suspension cables, the polyethylene helium balloon used for propulsion will expand as the helium density decreases while it rises to its target altitude.
A steerable parafoil will control the 20 to 40-minute descent before the capsule lands intact on the ground using deployable landing gear.
The vertical take-off greatly decreases the amount of infrastructure needed to launch, compared to the Virgin Galactic craft that take-off using a runway, and the vehicle can be transported on a specially designed trailer that doubles as a platform for liftoff.
This means that capsules could depart from any location around the world that has clear, dry weather, and the initial flights will leave. “I think it will open up space travel for an awful lot of people,” said Goode.
A World View trip is estimated to cost $75,000 (£47,000) per person, less than a third of Virgin Galactic’s $250,000 (£156,000) price tag.
Goode told us that project is not just for tourism, but can also be used for scientific research: “There are lots of opportunities on the craft to conduct experiments. We’ve got measuring equipment and things like that so other scientific research can be done as well.”
The next step is to design the interior, which Goode envisages to be arranged so two people will face each window.
After testing and approval, the first flights are planned to take place in three years time.
Goode also told us that his company has been working with Paragon on a vessel to send a two-person crew on a 501-day flight around Mars and back.
Here’s more information about the Journey to Space project from Priestmangoode:
Priestmangoode designs journey to the edge of space
Priestmangoode, the leading global travel and transport design consultancy, is delighted to be working with the Paragon Space Development Corporation on their World View project to take passengers on balloon flights to the edge of the Earth. The London and China based studio has designed a concept capsule, which will take passengers to the edge of space where they will be able to observe the curvature of the Earth.
Nigel Goode, director at Priestmangoode says: “This is a dream project to work on. It’s incredibly exciting to be part of this nascent industry. Inspired by our work designing luxury aircraft interiors, our design vision focuses on enhancing comfort onboard the capsule to create a truly transformative human experience.”
Goode continues: “We have been working closely with Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum, who founded the Paragon Space Development Corporation. They are both at the forefront of aerospace technology and brought us in for our expertise designing luxury travel experiences. It’s been an inspiring process to combine our different skills to define the experience of premium space travel.”
World View plans the flights of the capsule, which can carry eight people, to over 30 kilometres (98,425 feet) by means of a helium balloon. The ascent will take between one and a half to two hours. The capsule will then spend between two and six hours at the intended altitude of 30 kilometres, before returning to Earth over the course of 20-40 minutes.
The extended length of time spent in space was a significant driver for the design of the vessel. As Goode explains: “The idea of space travel naturally brings to mind traditional rocket ships and the aerodynamic forms they command.  “However, the World View experience is not about speed, it’s about enjoying a once in a lifetime journey. Our unique advantage is that our body of work over the last 25 years, from product design to aircraft interiors and hotels, means we always design with the user at the heart. We didn’t just want to design a vessel, we wanted to define what commercial space travel could be. We wanted to create a stylish, elegant, luxurious environment for this unique experience. It was all about finding the right balance between form and function.”
The capsule’s sturdy form was designed to enhance passenger safety. The key design features are the large panoramic windows constructed from an array of small high pressure units. Goode continues” “It was crucial to find a way to maximise the viewing windows. In our initial design meetings with the World View team, they talked about wanting to start the journey before dawn, so that as passengers rose up to space, they would be able to observe the sunrise, the curvature of the Earth, the thin blue atmosphere and the blackness of space. The windows we designed offer the maximum amount of viewing space for passengers, whilst meeting stringent safety requirements. There is also a cupola viewing dome for unrestricted view of the Earth’s curvature.”
Other features include a lightweight structure, permanently deployed parafoil to maximise safety, science capsule attached to the top of the exterior for potential scientific data readings, deployable landing gear (skids), a reserve parachute for safety and a unique trailer unit for ground transportation and launching platform.
Earlier this year, Priestmangoode visualised another project for the Paragon Space Development Corporation. Inspiration Mars will see a two-person crew travel on a unique orbital journey to Mars and back to Earth in only 501 days. The historic journey will see the two passengers fly within 100 miles around the Red Planet and return to Earth safely.
A capsule that will float passengers to the edge of space and offer views of the Earth’s curvature has been designed by British studio Priestmangoode (+ movie).
Developed for the World View programme set up by US space development corporation Paragon, Priestmangoode‘s lightweight pressurised vessel will be lifted by a helium balloon to take six passengers and two crew members to the periphery of the atmosphere.
“When you think about going near the edge of space,” Priestmangoode director Nigel Goode told Dezeen, “you think of some sort of Star Wars-type craft, something which has direction and speed but obviously this is very, very different. It would look very odd to have a craft stuck at the bottom of a balloon so the shape was really designed for strength and for maximum visibility for the people on board.”
The journey to the edge of space will take around an hour and a half, then the vehicle will spend from two to six hours at the 30-kilometre altitude so passengers can take in the views of the Earth below, the curve of its surface and the blackness of space beyond.
The World View concept aims to create a luxury voyage instead of a thrill ride. Space suits won’t be needed in the pressurised cabin, which will provide a breathable atmosphere.
“You can travel up there, spend a bit of time in the capsule moving around at that altitude and be able to enjoy the leisurely experience,” said Goode.
Large circular windows on each of the four sides are divided into segments to reduce the pressure on the surfaces. A small transparent dome will also allow views out into space above.
Attached to the pod by suspension cables, the polyethylene helium balloon used for propulsion will expand as the helium density decreases while it rises to its target altitude.
A steerable parafoil will control the 20 to 40-minute descent before the capsule lands intact on the ground using deployable landing gear.
The vertical take-off greatly decreases the amount of infrastructure needed to launch, compared to the Virgin Galactic craft that take-off using a runway, and the vehicle can be transported on a specially designed trailer that doubles as a platform for liftoff.
This means that capsules could depart from any location around the world that has clear, dry weather, and the initial flights will leave. “I think it will open up space travel for an awful lot of people,” said Goode.
A World View trip is estimated to cost $75,000 (£47,000) per person, less than a third of Virgin Galactic’s $250,000 (£156,000) price tag.
Goode told us that project is not just for tourism, but can also be used for scientific research: “There are lots of opportunities on the craft to conduct experiments. We’ve got measuring equipment and things like that so other scientific research can be done as well.”
The next step is to design the interior, which Goode envisages to be arranged so two people will face each window.
After testing and approval, the first flights are planned to take place in three years time.
Goode also told us that his company has been working with Paragon on a vessel to send a two-person crew on a 501-day flight around Mars and back.
Here’s more information about the Journey to Space project from Priestmangoode:
Priestmangoode designs journey to the edge of space
Priestmangoode, the leading global travel and transport design consultancy, is delighted to be working with the Paragon Space Development Corporation on their World View project to take passengers on balloon flights to the edge of the Earth. The London and China based studio has designed a concept capsule, which will take passengers to the edge of space where they will be able to observe the curvature of the Earth.
Nigel Goode, director at Priestmangoode says: “This is a dream project to work on. It’s incredibly exciting to be part of this nascent industry. Inspired by our work designing luxury aircraft interiors, our design vision focuses on enhancing comfort onboard the capsule to create a truly transformative human experience.”
Goode continues: “We have been working closely with Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum, who founded the Paragon Space Development Corporation. They are both at the forefront of aerospace technology and brought us in for our expertise designing luxury travel experiences. It’s been an inspiring process to combine our different skills to define the experience of premium space travel.”
World View plans the flights of the capsule, which can carry eight people, to over 30 kilometres (98,425 feet) by means of a helium balloon. The ascent will take between one and a half to two hours. The capsule will then spend between two and six hours at the intended altitude of 30 kilometres, before returning to Earth over the course of 20-40 minutes.
The extended length of time spent in space was a significant driver for the design of the vessel. As Goode explains: “The idea of space travel naturally brings to mind traditional rocket ships and the aerodynamic forms they command.  “However, the World View experience is not about speed, it’s about enjoying a once in a lifetime journey. Our unique advantage is that our body of work over the last 25 years, from product design to aircraft interiors and hotels, means we always design with the user at the heart. We didn’t just want to design a vessel, we wanted to define what commercial space travel could be. We wanted to create a stylish, elegant, luxurious environment for this unique experience. It was all about finding the right balance between form and function.”
The capsule’s sturdy form was designed to enhance passenger safety. The key design features are the large panoramic windows constructed from an array of small high pressure units. Goode continues” “It was crucial to find a way to maximise the viewing windows. In our initial design meetings with the World View team, they talked about wanting to start the journey before dawn, so that as passengers rose up to space, they would be able to observe the sunrise, the curvature of the Earth, the thin blue atmosphere and the blackness of space. The windows we designed offer the maximum amount of viewing space for passengers, whilst meeting stringent safety requirements. There is also a cupola viewing dome for unrestricted view of the Earth’s curvature.”
Other features include a lightweight structure, permanently deployed parafoil to maximise safety, science capsule attached to the top of the exterior for potential scientific data readings, deployable landing gear (skids), a reserve parachute for safety and a unique trailer unit for ground transportation and launching platform.
Earlier this year, Priestmangoode visualised another project for the Paragon Space Development Corporation. Inspiration Mars will see a two-person crew travel on a unique orbital journey to Mars and back to Earth in only 501 days. The historic journey will see the two passengers fly within 100 miles around the Red Planet and return to Earth safely.
This futuristic car with a continuous transparent top was designed by German auto brand Audi for the sci-fi film Ender’s Game, which premiered yesterday.
Audi digitally modelled the Quattro Fleet Shuttle to be driven by actor Harrison Ford’s character in the film.
He was actually filmed inside an Audi A7 Sportback and the futuristic design was then added by CGI artists in post-production.
“We have created a car for a world in about 75 years, which integrated itself perfectly into the high-tech atmosphere of the movie,” said Audi design team member Björn Wehrli.
The roof of the vehicle is almost entirely see-through, so the neon green light that picks out details on the interior can be seen from outside.
Wheels are surrounded by the car’s chassis, with the all-terrain tyres only exposed at contact points with the ground.
“Designing the Audi fleet shuttle quattro was similar to customising a tailor-made suit,” said chief designer for the film project Frank Rimili. “We adapted it to the requirements of the world in Ender’s Game and at the same time had to take care to preserve our brand values.”
A 1:4 scale model of the vehicle was displayed at the movie’s premiere in Los Angeles last night. It will later go on show at the Audi Design Studio in Munich.
More details from Audi follow:
Virtual vision: Audi designs science fiction car
» Movie car Audi fleet shuttle quattro displays a futuristic design » Audi Design develops visions for the future world » Summit Entertainment’s “Ender’s Game” features all-star cast including Asa Butterfield and Harrison Ford
Futuristic, progressive and cutting edge: the Audi Design Team has developed an entirely virtual car for Summit Entertainment’s film adaptation of the award-winning, best-selling novel Ender’s Game. With its visionary design, the Audi fleet shuttle quattro blends easily into the world of the science fiction feature film and combines futuristic design with groundbreaking technology.
The fictional Audi fleet shuttle quattro seen in the film Ender’s Game marks the first time the car company has unveiled a purely virtual Audi in a feature film. True to the company’s “Vorsprung durch Technik” philosophy, the brand with the four rings collaborated with director Gavin Hood and the production team to use the latest technology to digitally and seamlessly integrate the Audi fleet shuttle quattro into the futuristic environment of the film.
The company noted that the technologically advanced world of Ender’s Game is reflected in the design of the model. “The Audi in the movie represents progress and it appears in key scenes that have a lasting impact on the life of the protagonist,” explained Florian Zitzlsperger, responsible for Brand Partnerships at AUDI AG. “As a result, our Audi becomes part of this fictional world.”
“Designing the Audi fleet shuttle quattro was similar to customising a tailor-made suit. We adapted it to the requirements of the world in Ender’s Game” and at the same time had to take care to preserve our brand values,” said Frank Rimili, chief designer for the film project. “We were ultimately able to perfectly project our design philosophy into the fictional world of the movie.” Linda McDonough, a producer of “Ender’s Game,” added, “The Audi brand is already very forward thinking which made their inclusion in our film an organic fit.”
Based on the best-selling, award-winning novel, the feature film “Ender’s Game” is an epic adventure written for the screen and directed by Gavin Hood starring Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld, Ben Kingsley and Viola Davis with Abigail Breslin and Harrison Ford. In the near future, a hostile alien race has attacked Earth. In preparation for the next attack, humans begin training the best students to find their future leader. Ender Wiggin, a shy but strategically brilliant young man, is pulled out of his school to join the elite.
Arriving at Battle School, Ender quickly and easily masters the training, distinguishing himself and winning respect amongst his peers. He is soon ordained as the military‟s next great hope and is charged to lead his fellow soldiers into an epic battle that will determine the future of Earth and save the human race. Summit Entertainment, which co-financed the film with OddLot Entertainment, will release the film in the United States.
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