Nissan Car Designers Create Furniture for New York's International Contemporary Furniture Fair; Car Designers' Creativity in Furniture Expected to Influence Future Vehicles at Nissan

Business Wire, May 13, 2004

Business Editors/Automotive Writers

International Contemporary Furniture Fair

GARDENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 13, 2004

What happens when car designers create furniture? Find out as Nissan becomes the first car company ever to exhibit at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), May 15-18, at the Jacob Javitz Center in New York City. Those in the furniture world will see how the two worlds of automotive design and furniture design can meld together.

A team of designers from Nissan Design America (NDA) in La Jolla, Calif. has created two unique living environments on display at ICFF. The first, designed for personal reflection, features contemporary furniture elements with seating built into the structure's walls. The space is equipped with digital music and a projection screen. The second is a lounge for intellectual sparring and features an integrated chess board made from felt and acrylic materials.

Also on display are "tea lights," two-foot tall floor lamps flanked by oversized silicon bags, each with a light bulb inside. The tea bag string serves as the power cord and light switch. Just like hot tea, the lights are meant to comfort the soul.

"Every experience inside and outside of the studio affects who we are and what we create," said NDA designer Bryan Thompson, the lead designer on the project. "I am excited to see how our experience creating furniture for ICFF will influence future car designs."

In keeping with Nissan's innovative design direction, the concept car Actic, also will be on display. The Actic features inventive design elements such as two roof mounted LCD screens and aluminum interior panels that reflect the color of the occupants inside the vehicle.

The concept for the Actic's interior resulted from the design team's camping adventure in aluminum Airstream trailers. One designer noticed the aluminum interior of the camper reflected her green sleeping bag, cascading green throughout the camper. As a result, the Actic incorporates a futuristic, expandable two-person trailer by Airstream.

"Car design is a highly competitive market," said Tom Semple, president of Nissan Design America. "By encouraging our designers to exercise their creativity in different media such as furniture design, we hope they come back with new processes and even more creative perspectives that will inspire future vehicle designs."

Following ICFF, the furniture display will travel back to its place of conception, La Jolla, Calif., where it will be on display for a local unveiling at NDA on May 26 where media are welcome.

About Nissan North America, Inc.

In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.nissanusa.com or contact the corporate media line at 310-771-5631.