First seen in Milan last spring, Mazda Motor Corporation is bringing its “Bike by KODO concept” and “Sofa by KODO concept” to its event “Car as Art” in Miami Beach December 4 and 5, 2015 at The Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach’s historic Art Deco District.
For many years, Mazda has maintained a consistent focus on the representation of dynamic motion in its vehicle designs. Under the KODO—Soul of Motion design theme, Mazda’s new-generation vehicles express a powerful emotion, full of life.
With Mazda Design: The Car as Art, Mazda is aiming to further the evolution of the expression of motion by studying the expression of two key sensibilities rooted in Japanese aesthetics; RIN, a sense of self-restrained dignity, and EN, an alluring sensuality that speaks directly to the senses.
“Design has come to be a cornerstone of the Mazda brand,” said Julien Montousse, Mazda Design Director. “Mazda’s design philosophy is based on the idea of breathing life into the car’s form, creating an emotional bond between driver and his or her car. Pair this with our passion for outstanding craftsmanship and you may start to see why we view the process of creating Mazda cars as a work of art.”
Montousse further added, “We believe in these Japanese aesthetic philosophies so strongly that we explored their application to the creation of other objects. And so what better place to show the results of these studies than at Art Basel where we can share our process with likeminded people who are committed to the artistic endeavor.”
“Bike by KODO concept” is a track racer that seeks to express the innate beauty of the bicycle. Its minimalist structure is composed of the least possible number of parts. The frame was painstakingly formed by hammering a single sheet of steel and the black leather saddle is hand-stitched, featuring the same red thread and stitch design as the all-new Mazda MX-5. The bicycle’s mixture of dynamism and allure is evocative of the Mazda MX-5’s styling.
“Sofa by KODO concept” a collaborative effort between Mazda’s designers and Italian furniture makers, exhibits an exquisite blend of Mazda Design’s refined sensibilities and fine Italian craftsmanship backed by a long tradition of furniture-making. The form of the sofa is as honed as that of the all-new Mazda CX-3 and evokes the strong stance common to all Mazda’s new-generation vehicles.