The United Nude Lo Res Car, a recipient of the 2016 Wallpaper Design Award, stands as a remarkable example of avant-garde automotive design, pushing boundaries and challenging conventional car aesthetics. This vehicle is not just a means of transportation; it’s a bold statement, embodying what one might conceptually term as a “nude car”—a design that strips away traditional forms to reveal a raw, almost skeletal essence.
Born from the United Nude’s signature Lo Res Project, this car exemplifies a design methodology centered on reducing 3D resolution. This process, applied to the iconic Lamborghini Countach, morphs the familiar silhouette into a fragmented, abstract form, essentially laying bare the foundational geometry of car design – a “nude” interpretation of automotive shape.
Describing the Lo Res Car as a mere vehicle seems inadequate. It’s more accurately described as a conceptual design experiment, a rolling piece of art that questions our perceptions of car design. This “Nude Cars” approach isn’t about literal exposure but about unveiling the underlying design principles through radical simplification.
The car features tandem seating within a transparent polycarbonate capsule, offering occupants a unique, almost exhibitionist driving experience, further emphasizing the “nude” concept by showcasing the passengers within. While its electric drivetrain limits its speed to 50 km/h and it lacks street legality, these limitations are deliberate, prioritizing its experimental and radical design over practical road use.
The Lo Res Car’s Pop Culture Moment: 50 Million Views in Rich The Kid’s Music Video
The influence of the Lo Res Car, this embodiment of “nude cars” philosophy, extends beyond design circles. After its Wallpaper Magazine Design Award win in 2016, it has gained global recognition, even making a splash in popular culture. With a total of four units in existence, this experimental vehicle has moved from exhibitions and films to the hip-hop scene, featuring prominently in Rich The Kid’s “New Freezer” music video, which reached 50 million views.
Rem D Koolhaas, Creative Director and Founder of United Nude, reflects on this crossover: “Being part of this video production was a great experience. It was about experimentation and pushing boundaries, so I felt at home. And in Rich The Kid’s latest single he raps about driving a Space Coupe. For me, he’s totally rapping about this car ;).” This highlights how the Lo Res Car, as a “nude car” concept, resonates with themes of futurism and boundary-pushing creativity.
Lo Res Car Exhibitions: Showcasing ‘Nude Cars’ to a Wider Audience
The Lo Res Car has been showcased at prestigious venues, further solidifying its status as a significant design piece. In 2019, it was featured at The Disruptors exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, bringing its “nude cars” aesthetic to a museum dedicated to automotive history and innovation.
Prior to this, in 2017, the Lo Res Car made an appearance at GRAND BASEL in Switzerland, an event known for showcasing high-quality art and design. This appearance further cemented the Lo Res Car’s position as not just a vehicle, but a piece of contemporary design art, exploring the very essence of “nude cars” through its transparent and minimalist form.
In conclusion, the United Nude Lo Res Car is more than just an automobile; it’s a design philosophy on wheels. It embodies the concept of “nude cars” by stripping away the superfluous and revealing the core essence of automotive form. Its accolades, pop culture appearances, and museum exhibitions underscore its impact on design and its ability to provoke thought about the future of automotive aesthetics.
