- Art installation manipulates light‑weight, extremely strong aluminum to elevate luxury SUV
- Installation designers, Matthias Hollwich and March Kushner of HWKN, discuss concept inspiration in a two‑part video
(MAHWAH, NJ) ‑ June 3, 2013 ‑Land Rover North America has teamed up withArchitectural Digestand the New York‑based design firm Hollwich Kushner (HWKN) to create a one‑of‑a‑kind public art installation, inspired by the aluminum body of the 2013 Range Rover vehicle. The installation will be unveiled in New York City's Meatpacking District on June 6, 2013.
The public art installation, titled Climbing Upand created by HWKN founders Matthias Hollwich and Marc Kushner, will incorporate many of the same aluminum materials that make up the 2013 Range Rover vehicle, and will feature the vehicle through an evocative, interactive experience. The exhibit will open to the public June 7‑9.
"The all aluminum structure of the 2013 Range Rover allowed Land Rover to shed 700 pounds from the outgoing model; making it faster and more fuel efficient," said Kim McCullough, Brand Vice President, Land Rover North America. "This spectacular public art installation speaks to the physical properties of high‑strength aluminum, as well as the design aesthetic of the 2013 Range Rover and we're excited to see how it draws attention and discussion to our next generation Range Rover."
Utilizing aluminum rivet‑bonds, the installation's design is tied to the 2013 Range Rover vehicle's form, picking up on three distinct lines that define the vehicle's iconic design. In developing the installation, HWKN used a series of plates to create a triangulated structure spine that supports the car, which will rest at a dramatic angle. The effect, say Hollwich and Kushner, is that the car will seemingly be in motion even as it sits atop the structure.
"We were inspired by the assembly, form and performance of the 2013 Range Rover and that dictated everything we did," Hollwich said.
"The design of the vehicle itself is so rooted in architecture, and we wanted to translate that DNA into our installation," Kushner said. "At the same time, we wanted to convey how strong ‑ yet light ‑ the all‑aluminum vehicle structure is."
"We knew that Matthias, Marc and the team at HWKN were up to the challenge Land Rover gave us," said Giulio Capua, Vice President and Publisher ofArchitectural Digest. "We're thrilled with the concept they came up with. It represents the best kind of design: it makes an emotional connection with our design‑focused community, while conveying the essence of the Land Rover brand."
Land Rover's media buying agency, Mindshare, teamed the luxury automotive brand up withArchitectural Digestwho had the relationship with HWKN. The architectural firm then collaborated with partners Neverstop, an experiential agency, and Acer, a Toronto‑based fabricator charged with the installation's construction, to create the structure that will be unveiled on June 6 at the intersection of 9 Avenue and West 14 Street in Manhattan. The installation will be open to the public from 9 a.m. ‑ 9 p.m. on Friday, June 7 and Saturday, une 8, and from 9 a.m. ‑ 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 9. Visitors will be encouraged to interact with the exhibit socially through tweets and Instagram posts that will be shared on flat‑screen monitors embedded within the structure.
The 2013 Land Rover Range Rover vehicle has been engineered from the ground up to be the most capable, most refined Range Rover ever. Lighter, stronger, and with new levels of refinement, the next Range Rover reinforces its position among the finest luxury vehicles. It is the world's first SUV with an all‑aluminum unibody structure that is lighter and stronger than ever before, with a weight savings of about 700lbs compared to the outgoing model.
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About Land Rover
Land Rover, the British maker of Land Rover and Range Rover sport utility vehicles, is renowned for providing its clientele with some of the most luxurious and capable vehicles in the world. Every Land Rover vehicle is equally at home both on and off road, and in any setting; be it in the heart of the city, or traversing the countryside. Today's Land Rover lineup includes the legendary Defender, LR2 (Freelander 2), LR4 (Discovery 4), Range Rover Sport, Range Rover and Range Rover Evoque. Land Rover designs, engineers, and manufactures their vehicles in the United Kingdom. Land Rover is fully engaged with sustainability initiatives and social concerns with continuous involvement in environmental and community programs. For more information visit the official Land Rover website at http://www.landroverusa.com.
About Jaguar Land Rover
• Jaguar Land Rover is the UK's largest automotive manufacturing business built around two iconic British car brands with a rich heritage and powerful consumer appeal and loyalty. Additionally, Jaguar Land Rover is at the centre of the UK automotive industry's drive to deliver technical innovation in all areas of vehicle development.
• As the UK's largest automotive employer, JLR has a world class team of nearly 25,000 people.
• In the 2011/12 fiscal year, JLR achieved record profits of £1.5 billion, an increase of £392m when compared to the previous year.
• Jaguar Land Rover is the largest investor in automotive R&D and engineering in the UK.
• Jaguar Land Rover has two state of the art engineering and design facilities and three advanced manufacturing plants in the UK.
• Headquartered in Mahwah, New Jersey in the United States, Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC has offices across the USA and Canada and is represented by more than 330 retail outlets.
About HWKN
HWKN (Hollwich Kushner) is a New York‑based design office whose projects span the worlds of culture, branding, and development. HWKN embraces all facets of contemporary culture to enrich and reinvent projects. The office is involved in a diverse range of projects that include Wendy, the 2012 Museum of Modern Art PS1 Pavilion; J2, the tallest residential development in New Jersey; the Fire Island Pines Pavilion; and the UNIQLO Cubes. The office focuses on global cultural projects, large‑scale developments, and brand‑enhancing interventions for our aging society.
AboutArchitectural Digest
Architectural Digestis the international authority in design and architecture.AD provides exclusive access to the world's most beautiful homes and the fascinating people who live in them, bringing its audience a wealth of information on architecture and interior design, art and antiques, travel destinations, and extraordinary products; its AD100 list of top architects and designers is one of the industry's most relied‑upon indexes of talent. Every day Architectural Digest inspires millions of affluent readers to redesign and refresh their lives through a multiplatform presence that includes print and digital editions, social media, signature events, and archdigest.com.
About Mindshare
Mindshare is a global media agency network with billings in excess of US$29.2 billion (source: RECMA). The network consists of 113 offices in 82 countries throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific, each dedicated to forging competitive marketing advantage for businesses and their brands. Mindshare is part of GroupM, which oversees the media investment management sector for WPP, the world's leading communications services group.