Dream makers: behind the scenes at the Ferrari Design Center
Photos: Guglielmo Billy Galliano
The Ferrari Design Center, headed by Flavio Manzoni, is one of the most advanced design centers in the world, where a lot of care and attention is given to the creation of Ferraris. Designing at Ferrari is a well-defined process that can move from inspirational first sketches on a blank sheet of paper to a finished car in a few years, and one crucial stage of this journey is clay modeling, especially when done by hand.
While digital modeling has overtaken clay modeling for many automakers, the Ferrari Design Center puts a lot of emphasis on the creative human touch. In addition to sketches and digital models, Ferrari’s Design Director Flavio Manzoni and his team produce three-dimensional renderings and then sculptures in clay for groundbreaking Ferraris like the Monza SP1.
We’ll take you behind the scenes inside the modeling studio of the Ferrari Styling Center through Guglielmo Billy Galliano’s photos documenting the birth of Ferraris.
Each clay model is handcrafted with passion in the modeling studio of the Ferrari Design Center, where teams can go from sketch to full-size clay model in weeks. The entire studio has been conceived to enhance the design process and make it dynamic while maintaining the spirit of Ferrari.
Clay is the perfect material for craftsmen to express the vision and intentions of the brand within the design of the cars and bring the model to life. The entire process takes months as Ferrari’s expert model makers adjust and polish every single element of the 3D form with a high level of sensitivity and meticulous attention to details. The use of advanced milling machines is also an effective way to reduce cycle times when clay modeling.
However, it is essential for clay modelers to collaborate with digital modelers. Clay models are scanned, and data is re-inputted using computer software (the digitalization process).
Throughout, designers can visualize the model metamorphosing from a block into an art form that has harmonious curves and lines and explore the shapes with their hands while working in synergy with engineers and aerodynamicists to emphasize the link between form and function.
The Ferrari Design Team analyzes and redefines each and every element, no matter how small, to make sure it performs brilliantly and is also aesthetically exciting.
"The true challenge of designing is being able to capture the true essence of a project and to create a shape that can embody such essence. It’s not simply a process of creation; most of all, it is a long and often tiresome journey of assimilation and growth," said Flavio Manzoni.
Alongside the exterior models, independent parts like seats and steering wheels, and even full-size interiors, are made using clay or resin. The exterior and interior teams collaborate during the whole process and work like artists, adding art to every single detail, to connect surfaces with each other, analyze adjustments to make, and refine the interior step by step.
Although the digital format has surpassed the analog format in the automotive industry, it cannot truly replace the technical expertise and craftsmanship of clay modelers. They will always play an essential role in Ferrari’s design studio, creating a Ferrari from clay long before it ever hits the road.
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