INTERIOR SEATING SOLUTION FOR OFF HIGHWAY VAN
Project Overview
CAD, UPHOLSTERY, VENDOR MANAGEMENT, RESEARCH, BRANDING
Scope
Every van is trying to pack more into a finite space. More features, more stuff, more people, etc. At Off Highway Van we found a big driver of vehicle choice was how many creature comforts from home we could fit in. While anything is possible, you can only sacrifice so much space. But what if you could make a multitasker? Where you sleep, sit, eat, and toilet? That'd save a lot of space.
I did what any good designer does, use the thing they're trying to improve. I went on a trip to the mountains for a weekend getaway, and I came with a few takeaways: Not all seats are equal. Sitting in the turned-around driver/passenger seat is nice, but it doesn't give the same feeling as a living space. Interior toilets are nice. Hard to believe, I know. But not having to leave the van in the middle of the night to use the restroom was a big plus. The bed shouldn't be a chore. The existing low-bed required large panels that were large, loud, and hard to set up. There had to be a simpler way. Logistics is hard. The current seats are large and take up huge amounts of storage. There are few to no shared parts between our models.
I went to the drawing board with a clean slate and four goals. 1. Make the seats modular for more efficient manufacturing and storage. 2. Give the storage more uses. 3. Revamp the bed system. 4. Update the materials and style.
What started as a simple "make the seats nicer" project turned into a multi-department, model-overhaul strategy, leading to the standardization of our floor layouts, an upgraded toilet and bed experience, and a more premium feel and look for our customers.
