Design for life and Dassault Systèmes’ Design Studio
DS Automobiles design director Thierry Métroz says virtual reality is the future of car design
Always looking for innovative solutions, French automobile designer Thierry Métroz engages and experiments with new technologies, materials, methods, all keeping within the French style. A graduate of the National School of Applied Arts and Crafts, He began his career as a design director at both Renault and Citroën before joining DS Automobiles, part of the automotive group PSA, which also owns Peugeot, Citroën, and Opel/Vauxhall.
Thierry Métroz is featured in Design for life, a collaboration between Dezeen magazine and Dassault Systèmes in-house Design Studio founded by Anne Asensio. Anne develops close relationships with designers, creators and innovators from across the design community who explore and experiment with advanced technologies to develop new collaborative design processes to build a better world.
“Our target was a very efficient car,” explained Métroz of the vehicle’s aerodynamic shape. The team uses CAD and parametric modeling to design the initial shape of the car for the least possible wind resistance. After creating the initial shape, Métroz and his team refine the design with virtual reality software.
The DS Aero Sport Lounge was designed using Dassault Systèmes’ software
“The process is very sustainable because we don’t need to do a full size mockup and we don’t use raw materials,” he said. “To be more sustainable is one of the most important challenges for all the automobile industry.”
Taking design into digital and virtual reality
Offering a range of automobiles with electric, hybrid-electric, and smaller, lighter, more powerful gasoline engines, DS Automobiles is answering calls to reduce polluting exhaust emissions. PSA group has a long-term relationship with Dassault Systèmes. It has actively used the company’s CATIA brand solutions, developing new tools and creating advanced configurators for use with DS Automobiles.
“We use Dassault Systèmes’ software from the beginning; tools for 3D modeling, virtual reality, parametric design and 3D printing,” said Métroz. “The spirit of avant-garde is really at the center of our DNA.”
– Thierry Métroz
Watch an interview with Thierry Métroz as he describes his design approaches and presents some of his projects.
Other cutting-edge architects and designers using technology and research who are profiled in the Design for Life Dezeen series include Mamou-Mani Architects founder Arthur Mamou-Mani, founder of JK Design Julia Koerner, Exploration Architecture founder Michael Pawlyn, and Studio INI founder Nassia Inglessis.
You can also watch the complete series of designer interviews on the Design for Life webpage.
