AHURA

Team Members: Mohammad Sadegh Soudachi, Rebekah Anne Hilton, Amelia Clarice Keller, Elizabeth Donley Fristoe, Rebecca Yeshian Sun, Mary Katherine McGreggor, Bridgid Mairead Winston

RESPONSIBILITIES

We started the initial research as a studio, then divided it into subcategories; in the research phase, my teammate and I focused on accessories for electric bikes. Then the studio divided into three groups working on three different designs based on three brands presented by the project sponsor. Finally, my team and I selected the Mazda brand for our project.

We started as a team focusing on the Mazda brand language and its background. Then we decided on the name Ahura for our Mazda subbrand, keeping in mind the origin of the Mazda brand name.

After developing our research, we divided it into developing and designing the brand identity for Ahura, developing personas, and user research.

In the final phase, we divided into two groups. One designed and developed the bike based on our brand language and identity, and the other group designed the environment and brand language for the Mazda stores.

I worked with the environment team; as a designer who worked as an architectural designer with different firms, I had an insight into designing a feasible environment. First, as a team, we developed the environment floor plans, then each of us designed graphics for the environment and then furniture and casework for the store. One of the items I created personally for this environment was the bike stands for the showroom inspired by the logo.

BIKE RESEARCH INSIGHTS

While there exists multiple different types of bike (road, leisure, commuter) there does not exist much overlap in features between these styles of bikes.
When transitioning from a car to bike to end of the commute, the only features to aid this transition are usually additional purchases to add onto the bike and usually not standard to most bikes.
Bike to car communication is limited and consists of mostly bikers working around cars.

BIKE DESIGN CRITERIA

Create a light individual transport vehicle that communicates with other on automobiles on the road and gives the rider a strong road presence during their commute. The redesigned silhouette of the vehicle should push the traditional form of a bicycle to be a more significant part of the transportation ecosystem. It should provide a convenient and secure transition from being parked to being driven and a safe interaction on the road at any point for the rider. If electrically driven, It should be adaptable to the rider’s preference for performance and level of assistance.

Create a light individual transport vehicle that is seen as a vehicle rather than a burden to the rider.

MAZDA DISCOVERY

The parent company for our bike was Mazda. We researched Mazda’s heritage, brand, marketing strategy, business goals, voice of customer, and most importantly their cars. Our research culminated in an understanding of our target customer’s needs, desires, and expectations. The new challenge would be to translate what we learned about Mazda to our new brand and bike.

MARKETING STRATEGY

Mazda recently changed their marketing strategy, to “Feel Alive.” This new era focuses on Mazda as a car you work hard to attain, a luxury item. It takes a step back from its previous campaign, “Zoom Zoom”, which had more of an emphasis on Mazda being a fun vehicle to drive.

MAZDA CUSTOMER RESEARCH SURVEY

● We had 700+ responses from Mazda owners
○ 85% male
○ 40% in the 26-35 age range
○ 54% were single
○ 74% have no children
○ 34% had an income between $50,000-$90,000
○ 60% were driving a Mazda from the “Feel Alive” generation

● What we found significant
○ Consumers choose Mazda over other brands because of its reliability and attention to detail design
○ Most owned a crossover
○ Most mentioned having a emotional attachment with their car that they could not achieve with other economy vehicles
○ Almost all viewed their Mazda as a vehicle that could carry out all of their everyday task and activities and as a vehicle that was fun and exhilarating to drive in their free time

MAZDA VOICE OF CUSTOMER

The Mazda customer has high expectations of reliability and quality when they see the design and aesthetics of a Mazda. They want and emotional attachment with their vehicle and a fun exhilarating driving experience. They view their vehicle as an extension of themselves. Although they love the low cost luxury that Mazda provides, they are willing to spend more to get the premium Mazda experience .

TARGET PERSONA

AHURA ORIGINS

After understanding our Mazda and our user, we then set out to develop our own brand, Ahura. Being a sub-brand of Mazda, our name comes from similar origins. Mazda comes from the name of the Persian god of everything, Ahura Mazda. We felt that although our brand is separate from Mazda, they share the same heritage and have similar traits, which translates to our bike and environment.

WHAT DEFINES US

WHO ARE WE?

MOODBOARD

DEVELOPING AHURA

To develop our brand we focused on commuters in an urban environment and utilized what we had learned about Mazda.

OBJECTIVE

To create a fun space to introduce an accessible and personalized biking experience through an interactive exhibit that displays adaptability in form and function, and the ability to transition into different segments of the journey with ease and comfort.

PUT SIMPLY…

To create a space that introduces the Ahura lifestyle and an improved commuting experience for the everyday user.

INITIAL CONCEPT

BY ME

ENVIRONMENT CAD CONCEPT 1

MOODBOARD

POP-UP SHOP

Here is our mood board from our first CAD concept to illustrate the overall feel of the space. We were going for a space that felt like a pop-up shop.

MOODBOARD

BALANCE

Here is our mood board from our second concept. For this concept we focused on balance and creating a minimalistic space. These images reflect the atmosphere that we were going for.