Winners announced for Car Design Awards China 2010 by Joanna Scott 21 Apr 2010

The winners of the inaugural Car Design Awards China 2010 were announced at an awards ceremony on 21 April in Beijing, just prior to Auto China.

Automotive design directors and the design press gathered at automotive design studio CH-Auto to celebrate the achievements of the next generation of car designers. Presenters Edward Wong (China Central Academy of Fine Arts) and Kumo Chiu (Idea Dao Design) took to the stage and introduced the winning student designers in five awards categories.

The Citroën ‘Cocoon_Butterfly' scored the highest points in the entire competition

Judges also said the concept showed "good proportion" and that it was a "high quality design with good presentation"

Students from Shandong University of Art and Design impressed the judges 

with their appealing Buick 'Swing Beginner' proposal

Judges thought the concept showed "efficient use of interior space, and a good solution for the seat of the vehicle in swing".

Judges praised the "cool shell design" that looked "fun" and proved "a good way of solving [inner city parking] problems"

Student designer Geng Li proudly receives his Best Innovation award from Wu Jian Guo (left), Director of Commission of Economy and Information, Shunyi District Government

Best Exterior Design
(Sponsor: CH-Auto)
Citroën ‘Cocoon_Butterfly' – Bingyang Hu (Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts)



Scoring the highest points in the entire competition, the Citroën ‘Cocoon_Butterfly' concept designed by Bingyang Hu from Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, was a firm favourite with the majority of the judging panel. Well thought out, and presented as a complete vehicle statement, the concept stood out for its exceptional design quality and detail. With inspiration taken from the wings and antenna of a butterfly, the compound eyes of insects, and even a whale tail, the concept certainly made its mark on the judges. Shen XiangChau, Chief Styling Designer at CH-Auto, described the ‘Cocoon_Butterfly' concept as "an elegant explosion of speed and passion". Cao Min, Director of Advanced Design at GM PATAC, thought the concept showed "good proportion" and that it was a "high quality design with good presentation." And Cai Qian, Head of the Shanghai Design Studio, Shanghai Volkwagen, commented that it was "a very impressive design, with good rendering, that matches the Citroën style very well."

Best Interior Design

(Sponsor: Johnson Controls)
Buick ‘Swing Beginner' – Yanchao Wang and Zhizhen Zhang (Shandong University of Art & Design)

Yanchao Wang and Zhizhen Zhang of Shandong University of Art & Design won the award for Best Interior Design for the captivating and innovative seating concept of the Buick ‘Swing Beginner' concept. The appealing proposal featured multi-directional wheels and a drive system controlled by body movement via seat and gravity sensors. PSA Peugeot Citroën China's Chief of Design, Double Du, said he was "impressed by the very unique design of adjustable layout seats mounted on a round rail," while Design Manager Robert Walker agreed it was an innovative seating concept. Cao Min thought the concept showed "efficient use of interior space, and a good solution for the seat of the vehicle in swing".

Best Innovation

(Sponsor: Shunyi District Government)
‘Rotating Shell' concept – Geng Li (Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts)



The ‘Rotating Shell' concept from Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts student designer Geng Li offered a fresh design approach to the compact vehicle for city transport. With its asymmetric design and innovative upright parking mode, Geng Li's concept really caught the judges' imagination. It gained praise from PSA Peugeot Citroën China's Double Du, who described it as "a very cool shell design for individual transportation". Cai Qian added that it proved "a good way of solving [inner city parking] problems"; and Cao Min said: "It looks like a fun, interesting idea with cool details", and highlighted "the high quality rendering" that contributed towards the professional presentation. Designer Peter Stevens, chair of the judging panel and visiting professor of Vehicle Design at London's Royal College
of Art, summed up the concept as "nicely
considered and beautifully presented".