Interview with the winners of the red dot: best of the best Professor Thomas Hundt and Ingo Zirngibl

The »bionic car« of Mercedes Benz is a fascinating research vehicle inspired by the form of a boxfish. In spite of its angular appearance, this little fish possesses unique features such as perfect motivity and ideal aerodynamics. It therefore serves as a model for a so far unique vehicle project in the automotive development.

The agency jangled nerves devised the »Mercedes-Benz – bionic car« travelling exhibition for Mercedes-Benz documenting the development of this unusual vehicle project. This outstanding design achievement of jangled nerves convinced the international expert jury of this year’s red dot award: communication design and was awarded a red dot: best of the best. We had an interview with Professor Thomas Hundt and Ingo Zirngibl, creative directors at jangled nerves.
 
red dot online: Mr Hundt, Mr Zirngibl, what are the means of the exhibition »Mercedes-Benz – bionic car« to visualise the story of the boxfish, who was the inspiration for a vehicle, and to bring it to life for the visitors?
THIZ: The first thing is to establish a relationship between the vehicle and its model. The fish is therefore enlarged to the size of the car. With this large gesture we arouse interest and find ourselves amid the narrative of the story. It is continued in a futuristic holopro experience and may be resolved in its very details. We have extensively reviewed the whole content of this fascinating project so that the visitors are able to understand the rich ideas and achievements that are at the bottom of the development of such a vehicle. This information is offered in an integrating shape, neatly following the route of the visitor thus leading him subtly along.
 
red dot online: What are the aims of this exhibition?
THIZ: Such exhibitions have clear aims: Visitors shall be able to experience and understand a certain feature of this brand. It is not only a question of a pure marketing presentation of desirable articles as it is mostly the case in automotive communication. The visitors shall also be able to look behind the scenes and to take their time to understand. Thus, we stimulate enthusiasm for the brand, maybe a particularly strong and long lasting one.
 
red dot online: You are both creative directors. Has there been a special assignment of tasks among you? What have been your respective tasks for the project of the exhibition »Mercedes-Benz – bionic car«?
THIZ: If there wasn’t any assignment of tasks among us, that is if we both had »identical« skills, we probably would have found each other terribly dull after 15 minutes of our first encounter thirteen years ago and we would have gone our own way. As always, we were sparring partners in this project too and have both taken care to make the right decision at the right time in each instance.
 
red dot online: What is so fascinating about the issues bionics and design?
THIZ: Bionics is a designers’ method to find new forms. Thus, bionics may bring about innovative as well as creative approaches. But of course, not every »bionic« idea is beautiful. Its success depends on the designer’s performance, who has to differentiate between aesthetic and unaesthetic bionic features.
 
red dot online: The award of the red dot: best of the best and the nomination for the red dot: grand prix is considered to be a very special honour. What does such an award mean to you personally? 
THIZ: We are very happy about this very nice prize.
 
red dot online: What is your favourite project you would like realise sometime?
THIZ: Already as students we had pondered about the idea how to place the city of Stuttgart beside water, not only a river but a real big area. Water is a prominent quality for a city. The concept envisages a complete flooding of the Stuttgart basin, the construction of ports and modern waterside development approximately near Degerloch... Shall we continue?