Promotion: this month saw electric vehicle brand Zeekr partner with Stockholm Design Week to celebrate emerging and established studios pushing the boundaries of design.
Under the theme Seek More, the company’s programme included talks and exhibitions at its showroom in Stockholm’s central Gallerian shopping centre.
Among the events were talks with local firms Note Design Studio and Olsson Lyckefors Arkitektur as well as an exhibition from design studio Masssproductions, exploring its Tio chair and the launch of its new Astro chair.
The aim was to champion local designers and architects mirroring Zeekr‘s focus on enhancing human well-being through design and technical innovation.
“Stockholm Design Week is an inimitable destination for design and presents the perfect environment for us to showcase Zeekr’s unique perspective, whilst inspiring guests to seek more through our engaging speaker series, exhibitions and installations,” said Zeekr’s chief designer Delphine Macé.
Zeekr has its Global Design Centre and European R&D centre in Gothenburg, Sweden, where the team works on the design of the vehicles and their interfaces, as well as core technologies such as the powertrain, chassis and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
“We are a very diverse design team that counts around 400 creatives, coming from more than 30 countries,” Macé told Dezeen. “And of course, the simplicity and pure Scandinavian design attracts us all, otherwise we wouldn’t be living in Sweden.”
“But diversity is our strength. We all come from different backgrounds and talents and put wellbeing at the centre. And that is very much living a Scandinavian lifestyle, I believe.”
The fruits of their labour, the brand’s flagship Zeekr 001, was on show in a special installation at the Stockholm Furniture Fair (SFF) – Scandinavia’s biggest design fair.
The electric coupé was designed as a kind of “intelligent living room on wheels”, according to Macé. “We need to make sure our user is sitting comfortably, has everything they need at reach, and feels safe as well,” she said.
“For example, we look into our home. What feels safe? We have blankets on the sofa, pillows and generous shapes. So we translate this into our cars by applying similar generous shapes and soft materials in the areas close to the consumer’s body.”
Elsewhere at SFF, Zeekr was the headline sponsor of the Greenhouse area, which gives emerging designers the opportunity to show alongside the established brands usually seen at a fair.
The brand also sponsored the inaugural Zeekr Seek More Award, which went to Danish designer Emilie Palle Holm and her shape-shifting Oriori textiles that transform into three-dimensional origami objects.
“She brought weaving into another dimension, creating sculptures that could transform and become something else,” said Macé.
“By offering the Seekr More Award we hope to encourage designers to spend time on their creative process, their journey on making a product. Our favourite projects were the ones showing a unique creative process and a perfect blend between art and technology.”
For more information about Zeekr and its design philosophy visit the company’s website.
Partnership content
This article was written by Dezeen for Zeekr as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
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