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It gives us immense pleasure to announce that Eero Miettinen, a world renowned automobile designer, will be one of the guest faculties at DYPDC. Eero has received the highly revered Kaj Franck Design Award and is on the board of directors of the Design Forum Finland. He has worked with some of the biggest names in automobiles, including Sisu Auto Ltd in Finland and Saab-Valmet Ltd as the design head. He has also worked with Nokia as the group design director.
The following is an interview of Eero Miettinen conducted by the communications team at DYPDC College:
How’s your stay in India been so far?
Eero: Very good actually. I love coming to India. But I don’t find time to do the things tourists generally do because my schedule is always very tight.
How did you get interested in Automobile Design?
Eero: I was born a designer, drew cars since I was two and still do. Fortunately it also became my passion and profession.
How do you see India in this respect?
Eero: India has been doing very well for itself. You have this rich heritage. I commend Indian car designers for being so successful for such a long time in this highly competitive market.
We’re thrilled that you will be one of the guest faculties at DYPDC College. Tell us more about that.
Eero: I’m equally thrilled to be a part of this initiative. Incidentally, I also teach design back in Finland at the Alto University, so this will further help my desire to share my experiences with the new generation of automobile designers.
Could you share a bit more on DYPDC College and what it is aiming to achieve?
Eero:Despite of having a huge heritage of car designers, India still has only a handful of design schools. DYPDC College is a great initiative. There is an increasing demand for good automobile designers and DYPDC College will plug this gap.
What is design to you?
Eero:All objects that we use have to be ‘designed’ – be it a simple object like a cup or a more complex one like the car. Cars are complicated to design. When you design a car, it’s not only about the exteriors, it’s also about designing the proper interiors and also considering safety measures. The designer needs to know the work and functioning of the car. A good designer has to champion both engineering and designing. My world is a better place through design; hopefully the world is a better place through my design.
What’s the biggest high for an automobile designer?
Eero: The biggest high for an automobile designer is to see his creation taking shape and then finally being driven around the world.
Could you tell us a bit about the possibility of collaboration between DYPDC College and Alto University?
Eero: Since I’m doing a similar thing in Finland at Alto, this is a very good foundation for collaboration and exchange, and is a great opportunity for both schools. And one of the best ways for collaboration would be through projects.
Any words of advice for upcoming designers?
Eero: Everyone wants to be an automobile designer, but we shouldn’t compromise on quality in the bid. You need to be very dedicated if you want to be a good designer. A designer should also be aware of his/her social and environmental responsibilities. One needs to find out ecological solutions such as alternative power sources. The infrastructure, that is, the roads and the streets should be in a proper condition for the increased efficiency of the automobiles.