Redefining vehicle design for sustainability
In a world increasingly dominated by consumerism and a throwaway culture, one student is challenging the status quo. Stella Sabadi’s grad project explores the potential of prolonging a vehicle’s life cycle to reduce its environmental footprint and counteract consumerist tendencies.
Stella Sabadi presents a circular design approach to a personal vehicle designed for short-distance travel for two passengers.
The design concept proposed by Stella Sabadi poses a provocative question: Can we create experiences that transcend transient trends and reconnect us with the known, and perhaps even the forgotten? Her answer lies in embedding emotional durability into vehicle design and rejecting the expectations to propagate newness. This approach explores strategies for fostering more sustainable relationships with the built environment.
Hear Stella Sabadi, graduate from MFA Transportation Design, talk about ’Freude Forever’, her grad project looking at extending the lives of vehicles to help reduce environmental impact and challenge our throwaway culture.
Her final concept is a testament to this philosophy. Sabadi presents a circular design approach to a personal vehicle designed for short-distance travel for two passengers. This vehicle isn’t just about getting from point A to point B; it’s about creating a sustainable relationship between the user and the vehicle.
By following set strategies and requirements, Sabadi’s design has the potential to significantly prolong the vehicle’s lifespan. This isn’t just a win for the environment; it’s a win for consumers who are tired of the constant pressure to upgrade to the latest model.
Stella Sabadi in the MFA TD studio working on her grad project 'Freude Forever'.
“In my thesis, I focused on exploring the issue of longevity through an emotional experience. My aim was to counteract the tendencies of an object losing symbolic value, becoming emotionally obsolete, and thereby discarded. I want to provide an experience of awe through motion that aims to transcend transient trends and remain relevant, independent of technological development”, says Stella Sabadi
Her project is a bold statement in the world of vehicle design, challenging us to reconsider our relationship with the vehicles we use every day. It’s a call to action for designers and consumers alike: to reject the throwaway culture and embrace sustainability in all aspects of our lives.