I just got back to Seoul from the 2010 Taipei Cycle Show in Taiwan. Aside from the awesome weather (high '70s and sunny) it was a great chance to see the latest trends in cycling and alternative transportation. I was also able to attend the awards ceremony for the 2010 International Bicycle Design Competition and check out the amazing work from the 21 finalists who submitted their scale models. Top honors went to Hsi Huang for the "Shopping Bike" concept, which is a sleek, contemporary folding bike with an innovative storage bin that allows the bike to be used as a shopping cart while folded. Overall I thought it was a great blend of freshness and believability. The overall aesthetic was very product-inspired, and the execution and detailing of the model were top-notch. A full-scale functional prototype was built by the competition sponsor (unknown to the designer!) which was constructed almost entirely of CNC-machined billet aluminum. The Bronze-winning Solar Knight was interesting and was also made into a functional prototype, but I wonder how effective the small flip-out solar panels would be to recharge anything but a laptop! Click here for my complete Flickr photoset on the IBDC winners.

There were a few other finalists I felt were standouts, even though they didn't win the top honors. "RBL" by Marcus Hannibal Madsen is an edgy, urban concept that incorporates cargo-carrying capability directly into the framework of the fork/handlebar. "Oneybike" by Peter Varga is a fresh take on the classic penny farthing that combines recumbent seating and folding capability. "Infinity" by Stephen Henrich is nothing short of pure science fiction fantasy! AutoVelo, my entry into the IBDC took home the Excellent award.

The next day was the Bicycle Design Trend forum, which featured a presentation and panel discussion featuring Mark Sanders, inventor of the Strida and IF Mode. I'll be discussing more about that on future blog posts.

The awards ceremony for the 2010 International Bicycle Design Competition was presented today, and AutoVelo took home one of six Excellent awards presented to finalists out of 720 total entries. AutoVelo is an electric assist bike that mimics the automotive seating position, making it comfortable and convenient for people who prefer driving. Check out my Flickr photoset to see complete pics of my 1/4 scale model. Congratulations to Hsi Huang for taking home the Gold award for the "Shopping Bike" concept! More photos and comments to come on the IBDC awards.

At SpeedStudio Design, part of taking our design work to the next level is to have a consistent set of beliefs and values that drive everything we do. All of our designs revolve around three main objectives that we believe are essential for the success of any product or experience. So without further ado here is our mission statement:

We design transportation, products and experiences that Connect, Communicate and Innovate.

Connect:

We design solutions that surprise and delight, create a memorable experience and form an emotional bond with the customer. It means really getting to know the end user's thoughts, dreams and aspirations. Through form, color, materials and tactile interactions, great products and experiences draw in the user and elicit pride of ownership.

Communicate:

We design solutions that communicate a core message and fulfill the brand promise. Successful brands are more than just a logo. Successful brands are a commitment to the customer that is consistently carried out in all aspects of the company and its products. Function, purpose and ease of use are self-evident.

Innovate:

We design solutions that reach new levels of functionality, sustainability, profitability and quality of life. Great design works better. Whether its leaner, meaner, greener, faster, or built to last longer, great design is easier to use, more profitable to produce, and better for the environment. Most of all, great design makes life simpler.

We hope you like the new site! Version 2.0 of our website was built out of a desire to better communicate what it is we do to our colleagues and potential clients. While speedstudiodesign.com receives consistent hits day after day, we found that very little traffic actually translated into new opportunities for us. Our biggest successes have been through the connections and relationships we've built the old fashioned way. Whereas the original site was primarily a gallery of our latest work, Version 2.0 adds new features like the Services section, the About page and our blog. We have a new Client Questionnaire that allows us to better understand our customers prior to starting new projects. We also added improved connectivity through Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter and Coroflot. Our hope is that the new website will help us to build new relationships that lead to great opportunities!

Welcome to the SpeedStudio Design Blog! Tune in to find out more about what drives us in the world of design, and see what we've been up to lately. At SpeedStudio we're constantly looking at the world around us while peering into the future to seek out the latest trends.

We'll be covering numerous and varied topics in the coming weeks and months. From the world of cycling, alternative energy and urban transportation to the latest in consumer products, sustainable design and green tech, our goal is to connect with our readers and build an online community of people who share our vision, passion and drive. We will also be discussing design philosophy and commentary on the latest product trends. In time we hope to bring valuable design tutorials for aspiring designers. Lastly we hope that by reading our blog regularly, you will gain a better insight into the beliefs, values, passion and vision that drives us at SpeedStudio Design.

Please feel free to leave your comments at any time!