Getting down to specifics

摘要

The London Royal College of Art runs one of the few vehicle design postgraduate courses in England and has a global reputation. Course director Professor Ken Greenley is a strong advocate of the training of specialist vehicle designers. With a decreasing global market for "pure" designers, it could be argued that there is the need for increased specialisation within the vehicle design world. But this will require a change in the educational structure, as well as in attitudes towards the profession as a whole. With entrance examinations in the early part of each year, the MA course at the RCA hopes to attract students who are prepared to specialise in specific areas of vehicle design, particularly interiors. "Unfortunately the exterior is so seductive that it has become an automatic preference for most students," says Greenley. "Yet the interior is equally important. It is the interface between the structure and passengers of the car, but there is still a perception in the industry that the exterior designer has a glamorous role while the interior is more of a job."