Ferrari unveils the Amalfi sports car with taillights concealed within the body of the wedge-shaped vehicle. Unlike the other models of the car manufacturer, the rear lights in the recent automobile are not obvious, and they light up like lines. From the outside, the vehicle looks sculptured, appearing monolithic and shaped by the sharp lines around it. The side of the car where the lights are hidden shows a wedge shape, and the front misses the traditional grille. Here, instead, is a body-colored wing above a dark recessed area, and this wing carried the headlights and the hidden sensors of the Ferrari Amalfi sports car. Below it is a splitter that makes the vehicle look wider and athletic.

At the back, the sharp line of the silhouette wraps around the body. The vehicle comes with a large diffuse to help with the airflow and reduce the drag while cruising, and the rear screen also connects to the built-in spoiler. For the first edition of the Ferrari Amalfi sports car, the design team gives it a bright teal green paint called Verde Costiera, a color inspired by the reflection of the sea near the famous coast. The Ferrari Amalfi sports car belongs to a 2+ coupe berlinetta series of the car manufacturer, meaning that it has two main seats and two smaller rear seats for the passengers, hence the fastback shape from the roof of the vehicle going to the back.

all images courtesy of Ferrari

Steering wheel with tactile buttons instead of touchscreen

Inside the Ferrari Amalfi sports car, the car manufacturer uses a dual-cockpit design, so the driver and passenger each have their own space. It still feels connected by the dashboard, doors, and the middle console, especially since the front passenger has their own infotainment screen, and the shape of the interior is faceted to draw attention to the center touchscreen. The dashboard has a single-piece design that includes the instrument cluster and air vents together, while the center console is carved from a block of anodized aluminum. The latter floats above the floor and contains the gear selector, key slot, wireless phone charging, and other controls. As for the door panels, they have handles built into sail-like shapes, and the speakers are hidden behind small holes in aluminum.

The color of the Ferrari Amalfi sports car cabin matches the green theme of the exterior. Inside, however, it is called the Verde Bellagio, used around the front. For this model, owners can opt for massage chairs with air chambers for the seats. Another optional accessory is the 14-speaker audio system from Burmester for a cinema-sounding music playing. The Ferrari Amalfi sports car also uses an upgraded human-machine interface, starting with the steering wheel that has tactile buttons instead of a touchscreen. The start button on the left side of the wheel is crafted in aluminum, just like in the old Ferrari race cars. Specs-wise, the vehicle comes with a twin-turbo V8 engine, and the Ferrari Amalfi sports car can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds and from 0 to 200 km/h in nine seconds.

Ferrari unveils the Amalfi sports car with taillights concealed within the body

the rear lights in the recent automobile are not obvious, and they light up like lines

the side of the car shows a wedge shape

aerial view of the vehicle

from the outside, the vehicle looks sculptured, appearing monolithic

view inside the vehilce

the steering wheel has tactile buttons instead of a touchscreen

the car manufacturer uses a dual-cockpit design, so the driver and passenger each have their own space

at the back, the sharp line of the silhouette wraps around the body

project info:

name: Amalfi sports car

car manufacturer: Ferrari | @ferrari

The post ferrari rolls out amalfi sports car with taillights hidden inside the wedge-shaped body appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Ferrari introduces the Hypersail project, a 100-foot monohull yacht that can fly over water without using any fuel. Designed by French naval architect Guillaume Verdier, the water vehicle uses foils to stay afloat. They’re like underwater wings that lift the boat partially out of water to reduce drag and increase speed. While sailing, The monohull yacht Hypersail of Ferrari can balance itself on three points. One is a foil attached to a special canting keel, which is a moving part under the boat that helps it stay upright and adds speed. 

The second contact point is a foil on the rudder, which helps steer. The third is one of the two side foils, depending on which direction the boat is turning. For the first time too, Ferrari’s monohull yacht Hypersail expects to be the first of its size to be fully energy self-sufficient. Because of this, the water vehicle will not use any fuel or combustion engine at all, but it will draw from renewable sources like solar power, wind power as well as kinetic energy, or the energy created by the movement of the boat itself, thanks to the underwater foils.

all images courtesy of Ferrari

Italy-made water vehicle to launch in 2026

The design team says there’s no backup engine on board Ferrari’s monohull yacht Hypersail, so they have to plan how much energy each part uses and how much energy they can collect and store during the trip. With this, everything on board runs only through the energy that the water vehicle produces on its own during sailing, including the systems that control the foils, keel, and rudder, and the computers and instruments. The team then is working on optimizing every part of the yacht to make each system as efficient as possible, even small changes like using lighter materials or improved software, so long as each tweak can help reduce the energy use.

These ‘optimizing’ techniques can also lead to Ferrari’s monohull yacht Hypersail to keep on sailing well even at risen water levels and tough weather conditions. The car manufacturer also takes on the challenge of having a yacht that can sustain its own energy while at the same time still keep up with the fast speed it generates during sailing. The person leading the project is Giovanni Soldini, the team principal of the Hypersail team. Ferrari also brings its technical experts, including people from their car division, to work closely with nautical engineers and specialists. The Hypersail yacht is being built in Italy, and the team expects it to be launched in 2026. After that, it will begin its first sea trials, where it will be tested in real conditions to see how it performs, understand how the boat behaves, how the systems work together, and how well it can handle long trips using only renewable energy and its foils.

Ferrari introduces the Hypersail project, a 100-foot monohull yacht that can fly over water without using any fuel

the water vehicle uses foils to stay afloat

the Hypersail yacht is being built in Italy, and the team expects it to be launched in 2026

view of the foils under the water vehicle

the water vehicle uses renewable sources like solar power, wind power as well as kinetic energy

everything on board runs only through the energy that the water vehicle produces

project info:

name: Hypersail

manufacturer: Ferrari | @ferrari, @ferrarihypersail

The post ferrari reveals hypersail, a 100-foot monohull yacht that can fly over water without using fuel appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Full-size, drivable F1 cars made of LEGO blocks debut and complete a lap around the Miami Grand Prix. In partnership with F1 and all 10 teams on the grid, each of the LEGO Group’s big-build cars comprises nearly 400,000 bricks. The drivable vehicles weigh around 1,500 kilos and are capable of reaching speeds of up to 20 km/h.

The LEGO F1 cars in the Miami Grand Prix Driver’s Parade rework the racing vehicles of the car manufacturers, including Ferrari, Aston Martin, and McLaren. The unveiling of the vehicles marks the first time the LEGO Group has produced multiple drivable big builds. It’s also the debut of the Formula 1 drivers behind the wheels of the LEGO F1 cars in the Miami Grand Prix to test the vehicles out, including Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris. The arrival of these full-size, drivable vehicles continues the ongoing, multi-year partnership between F1 and the LEGO Group.

all images courtesy of the LEGO Group

Each build has working wheels and operator control

The design teams build the LEGO F1 cars for the Miami Grand Prix as mobile, with integrated chassis and steering systems that allow for actual track movement. Each of the 10 builds has working wheels, drive mechanisms, and operator controls. A team of 26 designers, engineers, and LEGO builders set up the 10 vehicles for over 22,000 hours. They pulled it off inside the LEGO Group’s Kladno factory, located in the Czech Republic. Each of the LEGO F1 cars for the Miami Grand Prix shoulders 400,000 bricks, fitted with authentic soft-racing Pirelli tires.

The project is also a playful approach to engineering and design. Having the modular blocks of LEGO around the automotive-grade support frames of the race cars is a testament to that. The design teams also reinforce the internal support structures to endure the movement and weight distribution of the LEGO F1 cars for the Miami Grand Prix. The cars also correspond to each team’s visual identity, using accurate color palettes and sponsor branding replicated in LEGO form. After the Miami Grand Prix, the LEGO F1 cars embark on a global tour. It includes exhibitions across cities as well as appearances at future races and F1 calendar moments.

full-size, drivable F1 cars made of LEGO blocks complete a lap around the Miami Grand Prix

each vehicle has integrated chassis and steering systems

a team of 26 designers, engineers, and LEGO builders set up the 10 vehicles for over 22,000 hours

the design teams build the cars inside the LEGO Group’s Kladno factory in the Czech Republic

each model significantly comprises 400,000 bricks

the cars bear authentic, soft-racing Pirelli tires

the design teams also reinforce the internal support structures to endure the movement and weight distribution

view of the steering wheel

as seen, detailed view of the blocks

there are 10 vehicles that made its debut at the Miami Grand Prix

project info:

brand: LEGO | @lego

race: F1 | @f1

event: Miami Grand Prix Driver’s Parade

The post full-size F1 cars made of LEGO bricks drive around miami grand prix appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

The Hot Wheels Ferrari car series makes a comeback after more than five decades, with die-cast models of a Fiat 642 RN2 Bartoletti Transporter and a remote-controlled Ferrari SF90 Stradale that goes through loops. During the unveiling designboom attends in the Ferrari factory at Maranello, Italy, Roberto Stanichi, the executive vice president of Hot Wheels and head of vehicles and building sets at Mattel, says that the last time the two brands collaborated was back in 1969 for the Ferrari 312P. In the venue, four glass cases reveal the 11 recent Hot Wheels Ferraris in the collection. One of them includes the revived and upgraded 312P.

Part of the collection is the duo Hot Wheels Premium Ferrari 250 GTO and Fiat 642 RN2 Bartoletti Transporter. The firetruck-looking model is historically known for transporting Ferraris to racetracks. At the unveiling, designboom interviews Ted Wu, the global head of design for Hot Wheels, who tells us why they’ve decided to produce the transporter for the recent Hot Wheels Ferrari car series. ‘In our series, we have what we call the Team Transport models, which are transport vehicles, like haulers. With Ferrari, we wanted to do a transport that is on-brand and feels like it belongs. There’s also a long history between Fiat and Ferrari, as the transporter is the one that actually takes the racing cars to the tracks, so that one just made sense to us,’ he says.

499p Modificata | all images courtesy of Hot Wheels and Ferrari

Debut of the remote-controlled SF90 stradale

It’s also the first time in the Hot Wheels Ferrari series to have a playable, remote-controlled car in the form of the SF90 Stradale. ‘We have it in both the die-cast model and the RC version,’ Ted Wu shares with us. ‘With the RC model, it’s got the ability to go through loops. It has a 320 miles per hour scale speed and has a radio control installed in the car, but at 1:64th scale. We have other RC models in this scale, but this is our first remote-controlled Ferrari.’ 

The head designer adds that the team needs to make modifications for the specific model because of how tight it is and to fit all the electronics inside the 1:64-scaled model of the sports car. Luckily, the adjustments allow the design team to also improve the speed of the RC version, making it its fastest Hot Wheels model so far of its kind. Alongside the SF90 Stradale, the Hot Wheels Ferrari cars series recreates some of the Italian car manufacturer’s iconic models in 1:64 scales. There’s F40 Competizione, the sports car intended to race at Le Mans instead of the F40 LM. Then, there’s 365 GTB4 Competizione. It has taken home the crown at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Daytona 24 Hours. 

side view of the 499p Modificata

Hot wheels develop the cars using ferrari’s color palettes

The series isn’t complete without the Ferrari 499P. It marks a historic return to endurance racing for Ferrari. Then, the F50 that combines Formula 1-inspired technology with a street-legal roadster design. The Hot Wheels Ferrari series includes the scaled version of LaFerrari, the mild hybrid sports car of the manufacturer. As a cherry on top, the brand brings back the 312p. It’s the first-ever Hot Wheels Ferrari car released in 1969. It features a design with a silver-plate red Spectraflame paint and Neo-Classics Redline wheels. Beside it is the 499p. It has raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, sporting a silver-plate red Spectraflame paint and 10-spoke Real Riders wheels.

Our conversation with Ted Wu progresses to the materials Hot Wheels uses to produce the recent Ferrari cars series. He explains that the base materials are the same, meaning die-cast and even plastic for some of the models. ‘But there are a lot of things we’ve done, specifically for Ferrari,’ says Hot Wheels’ Global Head of Design. ‘For example, the color. Ferrari has 15 shades of red. We wanted to get the colors right, so we actually added shades to our existing palettes, like Rosso Corsa and Rosso Scuderia, to match the colors of the real-life models to the series. Then, for the 312p and 499p Modificata, they’ve got this special flair, which is essentially a shiny, candy-coated paint.’

return of the 312p model

The design team wants to get the colors right for the Hot Wheels Ferrari series. In fact, they’ve developed a paint process for some specific models like the 312p and 499p Modificata. Ted Wu tells designboom that they silver plate the scaled models first before putting the paints on. The result gives the cars a brighter, coated paint compared to when they don’t subject them to this process. ‘To be very transparent, it actually costs more to do it, but again, we wanted to do justice for this partnership,’ he says. 

Aside from the new process, the design team has also developed another way to put the cars together throughout the Hot Wheels products. One of them is a new latching system that lets them add details on the already-miniscule side mirrors. It has taken Hot Wheels and Ferrari more than five decades to revive their collaboration. Ted Wu shares that while ‘it sort of ended back then,’ restarting it allows them to look back and pay homage. In this way, when the current fans own the cars from the series, they see history, respun using the new techniques and color shades to establish a new kind of legacy.

the first-ever Ferrari 312p came out in 1969

view of the Hot Wheels Ferrari Heritage Set with 499p Modificata and 312p

all images courtesy of Hot Wheels and Ferrari

Ferrari SF90 Stradale

view of the 499p model

view of the Hot Wheels Ferrari F40 Competizione

Hot Wheels Ferrari 365 GTB4 Competizione

Ferrari 250 GTO on top of Fiat 642 RN2 Bartoletti Transporter

project info:

name: Hot Wheels Ferrari

brand: Hot Wheels | @hotwheelsofficial

company: Mattel | @mattel

car manufacturer: Ferrari | @ferrari

global head of design: Ted Wu | @wuhou

The post hot wheels ferrari returns with fiat firetruck and remote-controlled car that drives in loops appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Ferrari makes a hybrid debut with the F80, its recent supercar inspired by Formula 1 racing vehicles as well as aerospace designs. The road-legal vehicle nods to the aerospace industry as it borrows cues from fighting jets and space vehicles. The F80 hybrid supercar has a cross-section that looks like dihedral, with two angled surfaces being joined. These two surfaces extend from the bottom corners and are planted on the wheels to give the supercar stability and an aggressive stance. Ferrari also draws from architecture for the front of the car, invoked through the sharp and clear lines as well as the wheelarch that ends in a vertical panel.

The F80 also uses 3D printing for some of its parts and electric turbo technology for the first time. The 3D-printed upper wishbones are a debut feature for the car manufacturer, built layer by layer to make them lighter and more robust. For the latter, Ferrari adds electric motors to their turbochargers, which are devices that push more air into the engine. The carbon-fiber chassis adds to making the supercar lightweight enough to speed away fast, and the vertical panel that sticks out from the butterfly doors is a direct homage to the supercar’s sibling, the F40.

all images courtesy of Ferrari

For the first time, ferrari uses ‘e-turbo’ technology

Speaking of electric turbo technology, it’s the first time that Ferrari installs it on its vehicle. It’s composed of electric motors that are placed between the turbine and the compressor to help the turbocharger rev up faster, even before the exhaust gases kick in. Thanks to this ‘e-turbo’ technology, the engine can instantly produce more power as soon as the driver presses the accelerator, even at low engine speeds. This may be an upgrade because turbochargers typically take some time to build up power at low speeds, but not this time in the Ferrari F80 hybrid supercar.

Many of the technical and design elements of the F80 draw from Formula 1 racing cars. The first is the use of a V6 hybrid powertrain, which comprises turbocharged engines with an 800V hybrid system. It’s not a tradition for the car manufacturer to put this in place, as they used turbocharged V8 engines in the GTO and F40 models. Now, the combustion engine and electric motor set up added power and efficiency for the F80 so it can keep up with its high-performance racing quality while on the road. The design of these electric motors also comes from Formula 1, especially the stator and rotor in a Halbach array configuration and the magnet sleeve in carbon fiber.

Ferrari makes a hybrid debut with the F80

F80 hybrid supercar leaves behind digital controls

The hollow sills of the F80’s tub, the main structural part of the car holding the key mechanical parts and supporting the body, as well as the hybrid supercar’s roof, are both made of carbon fiber, inspired by Formula 1 technology. Even the interior borrows cues from Ferrari racing cars, with the design approach called 1+. This entails that the passenger seat is integrated into the supercar’s interior in a way that it almost disappears from view. Ferrari pulls it off by using different colors and materials for the driver’s seat and the passenger seat so that the driver’s seat stands out more (hence, the lone Ferrari red color for the chair).

The passenger seat is positioned a bit farther back compared to the driver’s seat to allow the F80 hybrid supercar to have a narrower cabin without making the passenger feel cramped. Ferrari also redesigns the steering wheel of the F80, which is slightly smaller than the one used in previous models. Its top and bottom edges are flattened to improve the driver’s visibility, especially of the dashboard. Ferrari returns to the tactile era by putting back physical buttons, leaving behind touch-sensitive digital controls and starting with the right and left spokes of the steering wheel. For Ferrari, it’s easier for the driver to find and press them, so they can keep their focus on the road.

the recent supercar inspired by Formula 1 racing vehicles as well as aerospace designs

the road-legal vehicle nods to the aerospace industry as it borrows cues from fighting jets and space vehicles

the passenger seat is integrated into the supercar’s interior in a way that it almost disappears from view

Ferrari also redesigns the steering wheel of the F80

Ferrari reveals its hybrid supercar, F80

the V6 powertrain comprises turbocharged engines with an 800V hybrid system

Ferrari returns to the tactile era by putting back physical buttons

detailed view of the rear

many of the F80 technical and design elements draw from Formula 1 racing cars

project info:

name: F80

manufacturer: Ferrari | @ferrari

The post ferrari reveals F80, a hybrid supercar inspired by formula 1 vehicles and aerospace designs appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Mario Cucinella Architects develops the external facades and interiors of the new Ferrari ‘e-building’ in Maranello, Italy, the new home to the Italian car manufacturer’s hyper, super – and soon electric – cars. The building was unveiled for the first time on June 20th, 2024, inaugurated in the presence of Italian President Sergio Mattarella the following day. Before the Ferrari e-building opened its doors, designboom sat down with Mario Cucinella for an interview in which he shares that the two of the main premises for the structure, which was built after the original building was demolished, focus on light and the well-being of the Ferrari workers.

Mario Cucinella explains to designboom how light exists inside and outside the e-building, passing through and visible on the luminous, glinting facades. Opalescent windows share the same rows with transparent glass. The Italian architect says they disperse the natural and artificial lighting and shift the luminosity depending on how the light bounces onto the surfaces. During the day, sunlight crosses the transparent glass, illuminating the already bright and white-colored interiors. At night, the Ferrari e-building lights up like a lantern, glowing in white along the evening landscape of Maranello.

Mario Cucinella, image © designboom | all other images by Duccio Malagamba, courtesy of Mario Cucinella Architects

200 newly planted trees around the hyper and supercar facility

What goes hand in hand with the abundant natural and artificial light is greenery. For the Ferrari e-building in Maranello, Mario Cucinella and his team of architects first bolstered a prism-shaped volume rising to a maximum height of 25 meters. The structure has two main floors plus two mezzanine levels, having a total area of 42,500 square meters. Trees and plants already surround the property, about 200 newly planted ones, but the architectural team wanted more: more hills, more plants, more trees, more green. On the second floor, doubling as the balcony, a large rooftop garden overlooks Maranello and the production activities inside the facility.

This garden extends inside the factory too, with sprouts of plants and their crawling tendrils emerging between the structure’s pillars, above the heads of the workers, in the corners of the rooms, and around the railings that peer through the floor below. These sudden yet thoughtful appearances of greenery hark back to the well-being of the workers. For Mario Cucinella and his team, they shouldn’t be exposed just to Ferrari cars, parts, robots, and sterile environments. They have to feel the weight of their routines lifted off their shoulders through spurts of evergreen.

Mario Cucinella extends the green areas around and into Ferrari’s e-building in Maranello, Italy

Signature ferrari red inside the e-building as wayfinders

Inside the Ferrari e-building in Maranello, everything seems exposed: the production of hyper, and soon electric, cars; the pipes and metal railings above; the series of robot arms and robotic machinery that help the workers manufacture the vehicles; the tall ceilings that tower over the visitors and workers; and the space, so much that it expands and stretches on.

At one point in our interview with Mario Cucinella, he says the e-building looks like an exhibition space without the Ferrari cars on display, and it does, an awaited expo or fair that gathers and accommodates people from various countries into a single facility without space issues. It is here inside the facility that Ferrari’s signature red color turns up, along the staircases, between the e-building’s pillars, and wrapped around the workers as uniforms.

outside Ferrari’s new e-building in Maranello, Italy, its production facility for its hyper, sports, and soon electric, cars

These streaks of Ferrari red act as wayfinders for the workers, a bookmark to let them know which page of the production they are on. These saturated shades also paint the ‘white box,’ one of Mario Cucinella’s descriptions for the e-building, showering a standout yet subtle coloring into the could-have-been plain landscape. Going to the ground floor, Mario Cucinella and his team also curated and are hosting an exhibition.

It focuses on the new Ferrari e-building in Maranello, showcasing the concept of the facade, the materials used, and the guiding principles they used to bring the architecture to life. With designboom, the Italian architect, who has been awarded the ADI 2024 Compasso d’Oro Prize for their Art Museum Fondazione Luigi Rovati project, dives into the design elements inside and outside of the modernized industrial architecture, the integration of more than 3,000 solar panels on the roof, and a rainwater collection system for production use, and how important it is to bring in light and greenery for the workers’ well-being.

the frosted glass helps disperse the natural light into the interiors of the Ferrari e-building

Interview with Mario Cucinella

designboom (DB): Mario, congratulations on the new Ferrari e-building, which heavily focuses on light. Can you talk us through its relationship with urban regeneration and people’s well-being?

Mario Cucinella (MC): This is urban regeneration because we are cleaning an area, rebuilding, and creating new connections. This can benefit Maranello by connecting things since this e-building creates a new connection with the city. Another important aspect is the well-being of the factory workers. Daylighting is crucial, as is the connection with the landscape. I did something similar for a school, a project we’ve done in the past. When working, people look at the landscape; it’s part of the culture. So, watching the hills and having a garden nearby is beneficial, and it is important for people working on the chain like Ferrari. 

side profile of Ferrari’s e-building in Maranello, Italy by Mario Cucinella Architects

MC (continued): This building, which can feel like an exhibition space, uses innovative construction principles. The building itself took less than a year to build. It has two floors and impressive dimensions. The idea is you can quickly build and dismantle the building, similar to how you assemble and disassemble a car. This might be a good way to explain and talk about the Ferrari e-building. 

Another important aspect is the efficiency of energy resources. The roof collects rainwater, which is stored and used in the building for the production. This can also prevent flooding. The roof also has (over 3,000) photovoltaic panels producing 1.2MW of energy too, which is stored in batteries for building use. 

Attention to these details is also important, even for an industrial building, and Ferrari has a history of advancing workplace quality and promoting green production. This building, which is visited by clients and stockholders, can reflect the quality and care in the way people work. You can really feel it.

opalescent windows share the same rows with transparent glass to diffuse the light

DB: You mentioned earlier that the e-building can feel like, or even double, as an expo and/or exhibition space. Did you imagine the interiors to end up in this way?

MC: I was there during the site work, watching as the workers cleaned and put up the ceiling and all the elements. I thought this could be a fantastic exhibition place. It’s super wide, with precise elements, perfectly made. At that time, there was nothing about the industrial production of cars. It looked like a white box with beautiful daylighting, so you can easily imagine how it could be a museum or exhibition space. The quality of that building is really nice, and it doesn’t feel like an industrial building, even if it is. I think Ferrari cares about these things since they pay a lot of attention to details.

DB: We read that you applied Ferrari aesthetics to both the interior and exterior. In fact, there are red accents in the interior, which can remind people of Ferrari. We’re wondering why you didn’t include other Ferrari color schemes, like yellow or green?

MC: Once the interiors are filled with cars, it will be vibrant with color. I don’t think there will be any other colors on the walls or in the wayfinding other than this red line concept along the staircase and in some parts of the facility. It also serves as a wayfinding system in such a large building to help people navigate inside. I think it will be fantastic when the assembly line of various Ferrari models is in place because then you’ll see different colors and finishes when you enter the production area. I believe the white box concept will really make the colors stand out. It’s quite nice on its own, in my opinion.

at night, the e-building glows like a lantern

DB: Is there a technical reason why the windows on the external facades aren’t all transparent glass?

MC: If you use all glass, it becomes very distracting. It’s too much. Maybe the light is too direct with clear glass. By using frosted glass, you diffuse the light. It moves gently, creating deeper light. It also really highlights contrast. It’s like having a picture: you see through the transparent parts and the rest is covered in frosted glass.

DB: Can you talk about the garden within the production facility? We see that it’s connected just outside where the workers work.

MC: It wasn’t there before, so it was planted. You see, there’s a terrace next to where the workers are producing cars, and from that side, they can watch the trees and greenery. They can go outside for a while and take a break. You really see all the hills around the e-building, the views of Maranello. It makes the factory very close to the landscape of the location. I think this garden really brings the landscape inside the facility, too, and it’s quite cool. You can really feel it. For the workers, maybe watching the garden and the landscape, and enjoying that space, would be a sort of luxury respite.

From this garden, you can also see the prism shape of the Ferrari e-building. The shape is mainly dictated by the functional requirements of the construction process. Cars need to move in a specific manner, so the dimensions are determined by that. It’s designed to optimize the efficiency of car’s movement in and out of the facility. That’s the general idea. Then on top of the first floor, behind the transparent glass, you can find the production line, and the workers can see the outside and greenery too. They’re all connected.

luminous facades of Ferrari’s e-building in Maranello by Mario Cucinella Architects

DB: There are more than 3,000 solar panels installed on the roof, and you also built a water cachet system to collect rainwater to be recycled and reused in Ferrari’s production. Was it architecturally challenging to incorporate these tools into the e-building?

MC: I think now it’s difficult to not incorporate these elements in buildings. Depending on the client, but with such a large area like the Ferrari e-building, it’s natural to put photovoltaics to produce advantage, especially in a building that (will soon make) electrical cars. I also think some regulations ask you to collect rainwater to avoid flooding and then use that water, not for drinking, but for cleaning or production use. 

I think more companies and people want to do that. Incorporating these isn’t really a big deal in terms of design. This is a floating roof that collects the waters and then puts it in a tank. This location in Maranello is also a dense industrial site, so I think it is also showing the new generation of approaching buildings.

inside, Ferrari’s signature red color turns up as wayfinders

DB: Much of the Ferrari e-building design in Maranello focuses on the workers’ well-being. Did you conduct research on what architectural elements should be used to improve their well-being? Did you have any background study related to that?

MC: Yes, and Ferrari already has experience with this in the past. They asked us to have natural light and nature inside of the new structure. They talk to us about a relaxing area and to not make the interiors too crowded, to give way for more places where people can relax. From our experience, the first request for any place where people work is the daylighting. That’s what people consider a quality of workplace. 

Then of course, the second one is the quality of the air, but the first and foremost, it’s the light. People working in the office might not want to live under artificial light all the time because that can make their brain tired. This contact with the natural light is psychological because on a sunny day, there will be more light and the clouds are coming down, so this kind of a movement of the natural light can be very important for the well-being of the workers. 

workers can see the outside and the green areas from the inside and while they’re working

DB: At night, the e-building looks like a lantern.

MC: Yes. The lighting is embedded in the structure. All the work was about how to diffuse this light, and so the frosted glass helps spread it out onto the facades. Then the lines of light are hidden in aluminum pieces to frame the e-building. I think it’s good to show something transparent along with the frosted glass, and in Maranello, it can get quite dark, so for this to light up at night, it can become kind of a lantern on the landscape.

DB: When we read that the luminous facade consists of opalescent windows with transparent glazed portions, we thought you may have used colored glasses, too.

MC: Colored glasses can make the interiors look red or yellow inside. If you have a glass painted with colors, say the color scheme of Ferrari, it can alter the look and perception of the car being produced completely. That’s why we diffuse the white light because we wanted to keep the real colors of the cars when they go in and come out. It’ll be hard for the workers to see the real colors of the cars if we use colored glasses for the windows. They won’t really know if they see green or yellow. It’ll be too much, so we had to be careful and go for gentle, natural lighting.

DB: Are you planning to modify the design of the Ferrari e-building, maybe add or remove architectural or visual elements?

MC: This one is done, so we’ll leave it as it is. But we have a new project coming up. We’re excited about it.

Ferrari red accents around the staircase

Mario Cucinella Architects’ Ferrari e-building in Maranello was inaugurated on June 20th, 2024

project info:

name: Ferrari e-building

architecture: Mario Cucinella Architects | @mario_cucinella_architects

car manufacturer: Ferrari | @ferrari

location: Maranello (Modena), Italy

year: 2024

area: 42,500 sqm

project team:

lead architect: Mario Cucinella | @mariocucinella

project manager: Michele Roveri

design leader: Michele Olivieri

project leader: Alessandro Gazzoni

architects: Benedetta Mingardi, Maria Beccaria, Paolo Greco, Andrea Rossi, Lucrezia Rendace

R&D unit manager: Lori Zillante
Senior R&D Specialists: Lorenzo Porcelli, Valentina Porceddu

visual unit manager: Alessia Monacelli

senior visual artist specialists: Walter Vecchio

visual artist specialists: Lorenzo Mancini, Gianlorenzo Petrini, Vincenzo Metafora

collaborators:

structural design: Planning Ingegneria

building services and fire prevention design: Pool Progetti, SY.TEC Srl, Planning Ingegneria

visuals: MCA Visual, Hido Visual

photography: Duccio Malagamba | @duccio.malagamba

The post mario cucinella on designing ferrari’s e-building, the new hypercar facility in maranello, italy appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Forward-thinking Italian car designer Marcello Gandini passed away on March 13th, 2024 in Rivoli, Turin. He was 85 years old. Marcello Gandini was one of the visionary car designers of the ‘60s, bringing his then-progressive scissor doors to life in some of his vehicle models, including the Lamborghini Countach. Between the ‘60s and the ‘70s, Marcello Gandini stepped in as the chief designer of Bertone, succeeding Giorgetto Giurguiaro. During his tenure, he designed some of the popular sports cars of the period, such as the Lamborghini Miura, the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, the Lancia Stratos, the Ferrari Dino 308 GT4, and the Maserati Khamsin.

Lamborghini Countach Quattrovalvole (1985-89) | image courtesy of Lamborghini

car designs for lamborghini, maserati and more

Even after his stint at Bertone, Marcello Gandini continued his career as a vehicle designer for high-end sports car, giving birth to Maserati Chubasco and Shamal, Lamborghini Diablo and Acosta, and Renault Supercinq and Safrane. In 2019, BMW revived his 1970s Garmisch concept car at the Concorso d’Eleganza. His contribution to visionary car designs and the automotive industry was previously honored by the Polytechnic of Turin which the Italian car designer attended on January 12th, 2024. During the event, Marcello Gandini was awarded an honorary degree in mechanical engineering, and in the courtyard of the university, about fifteen historic cars that he designed for Carrozzeria Bertone were exhibited, some of which came from the collection of the Automotoclub Storico Italiano.

Countach LP | image courtesy of Lamborghini

In his speech when he received the honorary degree at the Polytechnic of Turin, Marcello Gandini said ‘I am honored to receive this. It is the recognition of a journey that began at 16 years old, when, with the money that had been assigned to me to buy a Latin book, I instead purchased a mechanics text, Endothermic Engines by Dante Giacosa. Engineering, applied to car design and planning, was my first passion and the common thread throughout my profession.’ Before passing away, Marcello Gandini was slated to complete a training platform he was designing and working on for the Doha car museum, in collaboration with Qatar University.

Alfa Romeo Carabo | image courtesy of Museo Alfa Romeo

Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 | image courtesy of Ferrari

BMW Garmisch concept car | image courtesy of BMW | read more here

Maserati Khamsin at Milano AutoClassica 2016 | image courtesy of Maserati

Marcello Gandini and the Golden Lamborghini Miura | image courtesy of Lamborghini

1975 Lancia Stratos | image courtesy of Stratas Auctions | read more here

project info:

designer: Marcello Gandini

The post remembering marcello gandini, italian car designer of lamborghini, ferrari, maserati and more appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

In celebration of the annual Mid-Autumn Festival, Blackbird Concessionaires — Hong Kong and Macau’s official Ferrari importer — has unveiled this year’s mooncake box for devoted customers. For the 2023 edition, lead designer wutek drew inspiration from the iconic Ferrari 296 GTB, resulting in a novel mooncake box that mirrors the carbon ceramic braking system of the sports car — almost 1:1 in scale. Closely recreating the original component, the moon box features a 3D-printed caliper adorned in rosso color. This disc is crafted from high-density EVA and showcases a true-to-life cross-drilled carbon ceramic pattern, accompanied by six delectable mooncakes.

all images courtesy of wutek

the mooncake box recreates Ferrari 296GTB’s Braking System 

Designer wutek and Blackbird Concessionaires realized the concept over the course of six months. The Ferrari-inspired mooncake box measures 360 mm in width by 340 mm in height and 145 mm in depth, almost at 1:1 scale with the original braking system. The Mid-Autumn festival, a tradition dating back 3,000 years, is a yearly celebration that holds significant importance in Chinese culture. Families come together to enjoy the iconic egg yolk and sweet lotus seed paste-filled pastry, symbolizing the full moon. Despite its historic roots, the mooncake has witnessed notable innovations in the last decade, with many brands celebrating the festival with their own bite-sized renditions on the sweet treat. Like its 2023 edition, in 2022 Blackbird Concessionaires nodded to the Ferrari 296 GTB, modelling its mooncake box after its engine component.

wutek and Blackbird Concessionaire’s celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival 2023

the box comes with six delectable mooncakes marked with the brand logos

a 3D-printed caliper adorned in rosso color, crafted from high-density EVA

made in 1:1 scale

project info:

name: Ferrari Mooncake Packaging Design
designer: wutek

brand: Blackbird Concessionaires

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: ravail khan | designboom

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Ferrari unveiled its 812 Competizione Tailor Made car during Monterey Car Week 2023. The custom vehicle features a graffiti-inspired body finish and a carbon fiber blade on the front bonnet. The car design of the Ferrari 812 Competizione draws inspiration from the concept of a blank sheet, which is how the Ferrari Styling Center begins its research for every new model. It took the design team over a year to bring the Tailor Made car to life, taking cues from Ferrari Chief Design Officer Flavio Manzoni’s drawings.

The result is a sporty car finished in matte Giallo Tristrato. The Ferrari 812 Competizione boasts the carbon fiber blade that spans the horizontal plane of the front bonnet, serving as an air intake for the engine. Its side showcases distinctive louvers, paying homage to Ferrari’s tradition of twelve-cylinder models, along with vortex generators on the rear screen, which replaces the traditional glass and is equipped with a hidden rear-view camera. Ferrari has announced that the 812 Competizione Tailor Made will be auctioned at the Ferrari Gala in New York City on October 17th, 2023.

images by Ferrari

One tailor made out of 999 Ferrari 812 Competizione

The cockpit of the Ferrari 812 Competizione Tailor Made is adorned with a fabric cover made from 65 percent recycled polyester, featuring design sketches embroidered directly onto it. This marks a departure for Ferrari as the car brand typically uses leather for interiors. Enhancing the visual elements of the interior is the black trilobal Superfabric used for the carpet and rear wall of the passenger compartment. The Tailor Made car is geared with an independent four-wheel steering system.

This steering system can improve the agility and cornering precision of the Ferrari 812 Competizione, a complement to its 830-horsepower V12 engine. It is worth noting that there is only one Ferrari 812 Competizione Tailor Made out of the 999 812 Competizione models, making it an exclusive offering for collectors and twelve-cylinder enthusiasts. Ferrari Tailor Made represents the car brand’s exclusive program dedicated to individuals who wish to personalize every aspect of their Ferrari, creating a car that can reflect their personal tastes.

rear view of Ferrari 812 Competizione Tailor Made car

it took the design team over a year to bring the Tailor Made car to life

the car’s design takes cues from Ferrari Chief Design Officer Flavio Manzoni’s drawings

Ferrari 812 Competizione Tailor Made car unveiled at Monterey Car Week 2023

the custom vehicle features a graffiti-inspired body finish and a carbon fiber blade on the front bonnet

there is only one Tailor Made car out of the 999 Ferrari 812 Competizione models

a look inside the Tailor Made vehicle

Ferrari 812 Competizione Tailor Made car unveiled at Monterey Car Week 2023

project info:

name: Tailor Made 812 Competizione

company: Ferrari

The post ferrari’s one-off 812 competizione tailor made car in matte giallo comes with graffiti sketches appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Ferrari has unveiled SF90 XX Stradale, its first-ever racetrack hypercar from the XX series that can be driven on roads and streets. The road-legal Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale draws much of its design and performance from its sibling SF90 Stradale, but Ferrari tweaks its power and aerodynamics to further boost the hypercar for road use. The slimmer build and visible air vents come through as the initial allure of the hypercar.

To simply put it, the SF90 XX Stradale is a road-legal version of the SF90 Stradale supercar which features, among others, a fixed rear wing that enables better downforce at high speeds as it sprints on highways and city roads. Ferrari has brought out SF90 XX Stradale from its XX Program, a research and development section of the car company which aims to test features that will then be implemented in Ferrari production vehicles.

images courtesy of Ferrari

fixed rear wing not seen on a street-legal Ferrari

It might be safe to say that Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale is an extreme version of the SF90 Stradale designed for both the track and the road. It incorporates advanced aerodynamics and technology from Ferrari’s racing cars, thanks to the years of research that have taken place in the XX Program.

From the onset, SF90 XX Stradale’s design features a sleek and aggressive appearance, a slimmer build compared to its counterpart, with prominent and visible air intakes and vents. A standout feature that Ferrari wants to highlight at SF90 XX Stradale is its fixed rear wing which is a solution not seen on a street-legal Ferrari since the 1995 F50.

The shape of the rear wing was designed in a way that allows it to effectively control and interact with the airflow and pressure systems that occur around the wing.  Even the tail of the hypercar has been redesigned for better aerodynamic performance. Carbon-fiber elements are visible throughout the hypercar, and it also has unique wheel rims with aerodynamic profiles. Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale seamlessly combines racing-inspired design elements with the practicality of a road-legal vehicle.

Ferrari debuts SF90 XX stradale, its first racetrack hypercar that can be driven on roads

Racing-inspired interior of Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale

The interior design of the Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale focuses on creating a racing-inspired cockpit while reducing weight. The door panels, tunnel, and mats underwent changes to simplify their shape and incorporate technical fabrics and carbon fiber.  The door panels continue the design theme of the SF90 Stradale, with concave sections converging on the dashboard and color contrast highlighting them. The three louvers in the middle zone resemble air vents on the wheel arch, creating a dynamic and sculptural effect.

The gear shift gate is now centrally located and positioned further forward than in the SF90 Stradale. A special racing seat was designed for the car, featuring a visible carbon-fiber tubular structure and cushion supports. The backrest rake mechanism is seamlessly integrated into the seat using elastic trim materials, providing adjustability while maintaining a seamless appearance. This design, along with the carbon-fiber structure, reduced the seat’s weight by 1.3 kilos compared to the SF90 Stradale’s single-piece seat.

the road-legal Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale draws its design and performance from its sibling SF90 Stradale

the fixed rear wing allows effective control of and interaction with the airflow and pressure systems

Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale road-legal hypercar

the wheel rims are also equipped with aerodynamic profiles

close up view of Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale road-legal hypercar

inside Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale road-legal hypercar

the interior design of the Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale focuses on creating a racing-inspired cockpit

project info:

name: SF90 XX Stradale

company: Ferrari

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