TOYOTA opens creative research space in Bilbao
Manufacturer begins unique collaboration with Europe's creative community | 26/03/2010Toyota will celebrate the opening of its Creative Lounge in Bilbao,
a "lab of ideas" which aims to fuse technology with creativity
by bringing together Toyota engineers and members of the
"creative class." The space, to be called "creative garden BILBAO Inspired
by TOYOTA" is the third in a series opened by Toyota since late
2009, the other two spaces being located in Chicago and Bangkok.
The car manufacturer has
chosen to launch the project at Bilbao's newly created AIC-Automotive
Intelligence Center. The space will act as a meeting place for Toyota engineers
to collaborate with local talent, including creative people from the world of
art, architecture, fashion and design, in close collaboration with the Association
Bilbao Metropoli-30, a local public-private parthenership devoted to urban,
social and economic development of Bilbao.
The opening celebration,
hosted by Toyota and the AIC, will feature a number of events
that draw inspiration from the concept of Japanese originality as
interpreted by collaborators from both the Chicago and Bangkok creative
laboratories along with representation from the local Spanish creative
community. A fashion exhibition will feature pieces created by fashion
designers from the Creative Lounge Chicago and Thai celebrity fashion designers
KUNITAR & 8E88 and friends, Toyota collaborators of the Creative
House Bangkok.
Other related activities
planned include a lecture on "Japanese Originality" and a creative
concept workshop to be held at Bilbao's Deusto University.
"The opening of the
Bilbao space marks the completion of the first phase of what we have labeled
our "Global Creative Network" and to which we have
dedicated spaces in North America, Asia and now with Bilbao, in Europe.
We chose Bilbao for a number of reasons, including its special vitality
and unique personality among European cities." said Tetsuya Kaida, General
Manager of Toyota's Corporate Value Creation Department.
"The main purpose of this network is to create a laboratory of
ideas, a place where we can research new trends and concepts which will
ultimately influence both our product development and lead us into new areas of
value creation."
"The AIC-Automotive
Intelligence Center is excited to partner with Toyotas Creative
Lounge this being the kind of forward-thinking project that the
AIC focuses on ." said Ines Anitua, Director of the AIC.
"With this new venture, Toyota is making
a strong first step in the search for new values that will determine the future
not only of the automotive industry, but of
cities and regions as well" said Director General of Bilbao
Metropoli-30, Alfonso Martinez Cearra, a Toyota partner for the new laboratory.
The opening celebration of
the creative garden Bilbao will take place on Friday, March
26 from 18:00 to 21:00 at the AIC - Automotive Intelligence Center, Parque
Empresarial Boroa, Parc. 2A-4, 48340 Amorebieta-Extano (Bizkaia).
About Toyota
Toyota Motor
Europe NV/SA (TME) oversees the wholesale sales and marketing of Toyota and
Lexus vehicles, parts and accessories, and Toyotas European manufacturing and
engineering operations. Toyota directly and indirectly employs around 80,000
people in Europe and has invested over 7 billion since 1990. Toyotas
operations in Europe are supported by a network of 31 National Marketing and
Sales Companies across 56 countries, a total of around 3,000 sales outlets, and
nine manufacturing plants. In 2008, Toyota sold over 1.1 million Toyota and
Lexus vehicles in Europe. For more information, visit www.toyota.eu.
About AIC
AIC-Automotive Intelligence Center is a
foundation promoted and backed by Vizcaya Provincial Council, Amorebieta-Etxano
and Ermua city halls, a group of leading-edge businesses from the automotive
industry and Basque automotive cluster ACICAE. The automotive center provides a
home for activities on knowledge, training, technology, and industrial
development designed to facilitate improvements in competitive levels throughout
the automotive industry.