Ken Okuyama
Encyclopedia
Ken Okuyama is an automobile designer who worked for Pininfarina
designing or supervising projects such as the Enzo Ferrari
and Ferrari P4/5. His given name is Kiyoyuki Okuyama (奥山清行) but goes by Ken Okuyama (ケン・オクヤマ) outside Japan. He was born in Yamagata City
, Japan
but now lives in Italy
speaking Japanese, Italian and English fluently.
in 1986. For the next 3 years he was a visiting professor
at Tohoku University of Art and Design
as well as being Chief Designer for Honda
's NSX
project. In 1991 he returned to teach part time
at the Art Center College of Design in California
. Between 2000 and 2004 he was Chair of the Transportation Design Department at the college but in 2004 he was offered a job at Pininfarina.
Ken Okuyama worked for General Motors
and Porsche
helping design the new generation Porsche 911
(aka 996) as well as the Boxster. Before moving to Pininfarina he worked for General Motors in the Advanced Concepts Center in California. During the first tenure at GM in the early '90s he was in charge of designing the Camaro and the C5 Corvette.
On 10 May 2004 Ken Okuyama began work as Creative Director at Pininfarina. He had been working with Pininafarina before, supervising the design of the Enzo Ferrari
. As Creative Director Ken oversaw projects including the Ferrari 599, Mitsubishi Colt CZC, Maserati Birdcage 75th
and Ferrari P4/5.
In 2006 Okuyama left Pininfarina and set up his own design firm, Newton Design Lab. His current work includes humanoid robot
s and furniture. He is also known for the design of a small robot called Nuvo
.
In late 2007 , Okuyama launched the Ken Okuyama Eyes collection, an eyewear collection manufactured in Japan.
In 2008, Ken Okuyama presented his first concept car under his own name - the K.O. 7 Spider, a carbon fiber
and unpainted aluminum two-seater. The K.O. 7 was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2008. Ken Okuyama has cooperated with the luxury watch producer TAG Heuer
, having fitted the TAG Heuer Grand Carrera at the dashboard of the car. The interior of the concept car was suggested by the design of the TAG Heuer watch.
In 2008, Ken Okuyama's design studio will produce the first 20 models of the K.O. 7 Spider, already pre-sold to an 'inner circle' of designer's fans. It will be followed by the production of 99 cars in 2009 and 99 more in 2010.
Pininfarina
Pininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy.Founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers,...
designing or supervising projects such as the Enzo Ferrari
Enzo Ferrari (car)
The Enzo Ferrari is a 12 cylinder mid-engine berlinetta named after the company's founder, Enzo Ferrari. It was built in 2002 using Formula One technology, such as a carbon-fibre body, F1-style electrohydraulic shift transmission, and Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide ceramic composite...
and Ferrari P4/5. His given name is Kiyoyuki Okuyama (奥山清行) but goes by Ken Okuyama (ケン・オクヤマ) outside Japan. He was born in Yamagata City
Yamagata, Yamagata
is the capital city of Yamagata Prefecture in Japan.As of July 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 253,951 with 97,457 households and a population density of 665.94 persons per km². The total area is 381.34 km². The city was founded on April 1, 1889.-Culture:The , one of Tōhoku's...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
but now lives in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
speaking Japanese, Italian and English fluently.
History
Okuyama graduated from the Art Center College of DesignArt Center College of Design
Art Center College of Design is a private college located in Pasadena, California, and was cited by BusinessWeek as one of the 60 best design schools in the world. The college’s industrial design program is consistently ranked number one by both DesignIntelligence and U.S...
in 1986. For the next 3 years he was a visiting professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at Tohoku University of Art and Design
Tohoku University of Art and Design
is a private university in Yamagata, Yamagata, Japan, established in 1991.-External links:*...
as well as being Chief Designer for Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
's NSX
Honda NSX
The Honda NSX, or Acura NSX, is a sports car that was produced between 1990 and 2005 by the Japanese automaker Honda. It is equipped with a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, powered by an all-aluminium V6 gasoline engine featuring Honda's Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control ...
project. In 1991 he returned to teach part time
Part time
A part-time job is a form of employment that carries fewer hours per week than a full-time job. Workers are considered to be part time if they commonly work fewer than 30 or 35 hours per week...
at the Art Center College of Design in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Between 2000 and 2004 he was Chair of the Transportation Design Department at the college but in 2004 he was offered a job at Pininfarina.
Ken Okuyama worked for General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
and Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
helping design the new generation Porsche 911
Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 is a luxury 2-door sports coupe made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. It has a distinctive design, rear-engined and with independent rear suspension, an evolution of the swing axle on the Porsche 356. The engine was also air-cooled until the introduction of the Type 996 in 1998...
(aka 996) as well as the Boxster. Before moving to Pininfarina he worked for General Motors in the Advanced Concepts Center in California. During the first tenure at GM in the early '90s he was in charge of designing the Camaro and the C5 Corvette.
On 10 May 2004 Ken Okuyama began work as Creative Director at Pininfarina. He had been working with Pininafarina before, supervising the design of the Enzo Ferrari
Enzo Ferrari (car)
The Enzo Ferrari is a 12 cylinder mid-engine berlinetta named after the company's founder, Enzo Ferrari. It was built in 2002 using Formula One technology, such as a carbon-fibre body, F1-style electrohydraulic shift transmission, and Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide ceramic composite...
. As Creative Director Ken oversaw projects including the Ferrari 599, Mitsubishi Colt CZC, Maserati Birdcage 75th
Maserati Birdcage 75th
The Maserati Birdcage 75th was a concept car created by automobile manufacturer Maserati and designed by Pininfarina and the design team, including Jason Castriota under the guidance of Ken Okuyama at Pininfarina. It was first introduced at the 2005 Geneva Auto Show. It was named to honor the...
and Ferrari P4/5.
In 2006 Okuyama left Pininfarina and set up his own design firm, Newton Design Lab. His current work includes humanoid robot
Humanoid robot
A humanoid robot or an anthropomorphic robot is a robot with its overall appearance, based on that of the human body, allowing interaction with made-for-human tools or environments. In general humanoid robots have a torso with a head, two arms and two legs, although some forms of humanoid robots...
s and furniture. He is also known for the design of a small robot called Nuvo
Nuvo
Nuvo may also refer to:*NUVO , a newspaper in Indiana*NUVO , a Canadian lifestyle magazine*Nuvo , a liqueur.*NUVO , Network Unaffiliated Virtual Operator...
.
In late 2007 , Okuyama launched the Ken Okuyama Eyes collection, an eyewear collection manufactured in Japan.
In 2008, Ken Okuyama presented his first concept car under his own name - the K.O. 7 Spider, a carbon fiber
Carbon fiber
Carbon fiber, alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 μm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...
and unpainted aluminum two-seater. The K.O. 7 was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2008. Ken Okuyama has cooperated with the luxury watch producer TAG Heuer
TAG Heuer
TAG Heuer is a Swiss luxury watchmaker known for its sports watches and chronographs. It is a division of luxury goods company LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton. The company motto is "Swiss Avant-Garde Since 1860"...
, having fitted the TAG Heuer Grand Carrera at the dashboard of the car. The interior of the concept car was suggested by the design of the TAG Heuer watch.
In 2008, Ken Okuyama's design studio will produce the first 20 models of the K.O. 7 Spider, already pre-sold to an 'inner circle' of designer's fans. It will be followed by the production of 99 cars in 2009 and 99 more in 2010.
Awards
The following were awarded to either Ken Okuyama or a car he worked with others to design:- The Pininfarina Metrocubo won The Best Interior Design of the Year Award in 1999
- The Ferrari Rossa, designed by Okuyama, won The Best Concept Car of The Year award in 2000
- The Maserati Birdcage 75thMaserati Birdcage 75thThe Maserati Birdcage 75th was a concept car created by automobile manufacturer Maserati and designed by Pininfarina and the design team, including Jason Castriota under the guidance of Ken Okuyama at Pininfarina. It was first introduced at the 2005 Geneva Auto Show. It was named to honor the...
won the Best Concept prize at the Editors Choice Awards by AutoweekAutoWeekAutoWeek is a fortnightly automotive enthusiast publication based in Detroit, Michigan. One of 32 titles published by Crain Communications Inc, its parent company, AutoWeek is unique as the only consumer title among its sister publications.... - The Maserati Birdcage 75th won the Louis VuittonLouis VuittonLouis Vuitton Malletier – commonly referred to as Louis Vuitton , or shortened to LV – is a French fashion house founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. The label is well known for its LV monogram, which is featured on most products, ranging from luxury trunks and leather goods to ready-to-wear, shoes,...
Classic Concept Award which Pininfarina gave to Okuyama