Interview with Anadolu Isuzu

Anadolu Isuzu is one of the leading medium-sized bus and coach manufacturing companies in Europe whose major shareholders are the Anadolu Group from Turkey, and Isuzu Motors Limited and Itochu Corporation from Japan. The company is the first Japanese joint venture in Turkish automotive industry.Since 2008, Anadolu Isuzu bus&coach product range is being designed by inhouse designers. As an inhouse design office hour main focus are bus&coach design. We are 5 designers nowadays and our design office is a part of the R&D. Until today, we have carried out about 40 bus&coach design projects.

Product design is a problem solving activity of high complexity. It is absolutely not about art. It is not about since either. It is about human life. It is about how we interact with our environment, how we define our life. We, designers, make proposals about human interaction. Those which are accepted are added to human culture. It is much like the evolution and improves life.

We always liked large scale works which effect community directly. Our focus is to contribute to the improvement of mass transportation.

My favorite design is a mid-size coach, which is named Visigo. It offers its customers a great value for their money. It is designed until every single detail and pleasing to the eye.

My first job as a designer in the company was to design a dashboard and IP for a mid-size coach. It had cost and material restrictions. But it is the most important part of a vehicle. It is more like a work place of the driver.

Like many other designers, it is always pen and paper.

It happens when a compex problem arrives. We get together in the design office and work together. Usually, we find solutions to other problems as well.

It is always about the user. We, designers, can not force anything to users. Every design decision has to be made for the user.

I get anxious about the project. I feel restless and uneasy at first. I get more demanding of myself. But one has to remember that a designer has to patient also. Sooner or later, problems get solved and anxiety turns to satisfaction.

I think most designers feel it, proud of the product.

I think it is pure simplicity. Simple to use, simple to produce.

Does it solve the problem better than others? Can anyone use it? Does it use materials properly? Is there a simpler way? Does Dieter Rams' rules apply?

We, designers, define how we will interact with the environment, with each other. If we are good at what we do, society could benefit from it. We promote people to consume products. It is our responsibility to use sources properly.

Future of design is more collaborative, more digital. Every product is going to be connected. So, every designer will need to know basics of coding and telematics.

Our last exhibition was Busworld in Turkey, where we have exhibited many of our vehicles. Next one will be in IAA Commercial Vehicles Fair in Hannover.

Our main inspiration comes from young people. Every new generation confronts older habits in a much braver way. They make us think of new possibilities.

Before making any design decision, we define our intention. We decompose the concept and only imagine its logic. We follow the 10 rules of Dieter Rams. They are always valid.

Our design team lives in Istanbul, one of the oldest and crowded cities of world. Culturally Istanbul has many layers, from Romans and Byzantine to Ottomans. Every single individual has to adapt to Istanbul. Yet, there are always many cultural potentials to exploit.

Young and coming designers should be persistent to get in touch with professionals. If possible, they should be around professionals, just to find out how they approach a project. They can send their works to get feedback. It is very valuable.

Negative is that, still, many people do not know what a designer actually does. Some people think that you are an inventor, some people think that you are a noob artist. But if you are an enthusiastic designer and get the opportunity to see your designs in realized, that

Every design decision has to have a good reason behind. Design is about choices. From colors, to materials, from shape to cost. It cannot be arbitrarily.

To be able to learn from others and collaborate.

A ball point pen, a pen and a camera.

To adapt to business, you need to divide design processes and to be able to work with deadlines. Design can be good only if it is done in time.

For our product range, it can take up to 12 months to design.

We always get asked for approval of material replacement in order to cost reduction.

The very first time my design was realized and has been shown to customers.

We work as a team.

Due to confidentiality we are not allowed to talk about future products.

People can contact me via Linkedin or company phone number.