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What's Next For Genesis Cabins? Jaeho Oh Discusses Future Interior Design Trends
Jaeho Oh, the head of Genesis interior design, transitioned from exterior to interior automotive design with ease. He found the intricate details within car cabins captivating. Now, he focuses on integrating advanced technologies into Genesis models while maintaining a simple and refined layout. This includes using analog buttons, which are key features of Genesis interiors.
Oh's journey into automotive interior design began in 2008 when he joined Hyundai Motor Company. In 2019, he became a design lead at Genesis. Initially more interested in exterior design, Oh soon discovered the creative potential in interior design. He realised that while exterior design influences purchasing decisions, the interior is where customers truly experience the car.
The "Beauty of White Space" concept is central to Genesis interior design. This philosophy, rooted in Korean architecture, emphasises simplicity and elegance. According to Oh, it involves optimising the arrangement of elements like buttons and displays to create negative space naturally. The goal is to organise functionalities without causing visual clutter.
Genesis aims to balance technology with user convenience by retaining essential physical buttons. Unlike some manufacturers who centralise controls into a single display, Genesis incorporates luxurious handcrafted details to maintain its unique design identity. These elements become vital in areas that aren't left empty.
Genesis' DNA—audacious, progressive, and distinctly Korean—is evident in its interior designs. The brand seeks to redefine luxury through bold and creative designs rather than following traditional luxury brands' conservative approaches. Incorporating the latest technologies is also a priority for Genesis.
An example of this is the Crystal Sphere in the GV60 model, which helps drivers intuitively recognise whether their electric vehicle (EV) is powered on. Being distinctly Korean goes beyond applying traditional patterns; it involves capturing Korean cultural values like those seen in hanok homes or white porcelain moon jars.
Challenges and Priorities
For Oh, delivering value that matches the price customers pay is crucial for a luxury brand like Genesis. This involves creating a luxurious feel through aesthetic appeal and overall atmosphere and usability. User experience (UX) plays a significant role in achieving this goal.
Among his projects at Genesis, Oh holds full-size flagship models dear due to their complexity and attention from top leadership. Despite jokingly claiming he'd never take on another after completing his first project, he's been involved in four so far.
The Design Process
The typical interior design process for a new Genesis model begins once vehicle typology and characteristics are confirmed. Designers from Korea, Europe, and the United States start sketching interiors while considering new UX technologies like pop-up displays.
Each region narrows down options to about three candidates before selecting one from each region for final consideration. This competitive yet collaborative process allows designers to share ideas freely throughout development stages.
Evolving Interior Design
Automotive interiors are evolving alongside architectural interiors as cars become extensions of living spaces due to advancements in autonomous driving and EVs. Simplification trends include larger displays transforming cars into living spaces with refined cabin designs anticipated for future models.
For Genesis specifically, this evolution means maximising pursuit of Beauty of White Space by maintaining clutter-free designs while integrating key controls through AI or voice recognition but keeping essential buttons analog for safety reasons.
A Bright Future for Genesis
The future looks promising for Genesis as it continues growing as an organisation with pride among its team members across various departments contributing towards timeless designs retaining elegance over time despite rising customer expectations demanding more refined experiences offered by projects like Magma or One-of-One providing exclusivity levels unmatched elsewhere within industry standards today!
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