Bolin Sun & Gong Jinyun

Mixing Chinese Culture and Technology

Reaching back into ancient Chinese history, the winners of the China region for the Magna Global Bold Perspective Award took inspiration from traditional kite making for their futuristic design.

Kites originally were used hundreds of years ago by the Chinese to signal approaching caravans or to foretell good traveling over water. Some of the earliest kites were even able to hold men, according to legend.

Little wonder that co-winners Bolin Sun and Gong Jinyun, industrial design students from Dalian University, envisioned kites as the jumping-off point for a quiet, light and fast car for 20-30 years into the future.

Dubbed “Swifter,” their concept vehicle features a dramatic exterior made up of wing-like blades that the judges praised for its “beautiful and sculptural statement.”

The shape-shifting vehicle also is patterned after the delicate paper used to make kites and allows for the “deformability” of the car’s design, the young designers said.

They call Swifter a “mix of Chinese culture and technology.”

“We believe that the young generation loves freedom and adventure, but that they also want a relaxing, quiet and private three-dimensional space for travel,” Sun and Jinyun said.

Flexibility is the focus of the Swifter’s interior, which can expand to accommodate a mattress and transform into a tent for outdoor adventure.

“The goal for many designs is to provide more than just transportation – it is also to travel well, experience a beautiful journey and feel excited about the final destination,” said Larry Erickson, global director of Magna Exteriors Design Group. “The Swifter creatively blends Bolin Sun and Gong Jinyun’s culture, innovative use of materials and the adventure of travel. Achieving all those things in a beautiful form is what makes this entry stand out.”