One of the first projects I undertook in Vietnam was a motorcycle design project for a Vietnamese manufacturer. At the time Japanese manufacturers such as Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki ruled the roads, so Vietnamese manufacturers needed to come up with a suitable response beyond just a cheaper bike.
The project was a daunting prospect, not least because no one in the agency had previously worked with a clay model before. When I arrived, the team (comprised of Danes, Swedes, and Vietnamese) was building painstaking 3D models in Rhino, then creating paper mockups to visualize the design.
The project was a daunting prospect, not least because no one in the agency had previously worked with a clay model before. When I arrived, the team (comprised of Danes, Swedes, and Vietnamese) was building painstaking 3D models in Rhino, then creating paper mockups to visualize the design.
The 3D models were inefficient at conveying the fast-moving pace of brainstorming new ideas while the paper mockups were unsuitable to model the complex curves required for motorcycle design.
Rather than rely on technology, I suggested a different direction. We reverted to hand sketches - this allowed us to develop a breadth of ideas quickly without building each idea digitally. I took the lead in doing quick pen and marker sketches, followed by marker renderings before we transitioned to a digital model and 3D renderings.
In order to help the client better visualize the final product, the team and I decided to develop a full-scale clay model. A few of the daunting challenges we faced included a lack of experience in working with clay (I was the only one with clay modeling experience) as well as lack of suppliers for the clay and modeling tools in Vietnam.
I took the lead and sourced clay from Japan, clay shaping tools from the U.S., and a base and model shop fashioned from materials purchased at the local military market.
The final model was showcased at the annual shareholder convention in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
