The Aesthetics of Asymmetry - The Nissan Cube Design Story
"Okay,	"Taking a break from a hectic day, I was drinking a cup of coffee in the company canteen
back to work."	and thinking: ’Wouldn’t it be nice if I could create a basic car that has this same kind of
	relaxed atmosphere, with a design that wouldn’t fade, even over 20 years?’ It wouldn’t be
	just another classic European compact, but one born from distinctively Japanese ideas. I
	thought of the common Japanese situation of a car having to frequently back up on tight
	roads, and I got a flash: cut the rear window asymmetrically to expand the rear view and
	help drivers back out with confidence."
	This was the moment that the idea for the asymmetrical styling of the now iconic 2nd
	generation	Nissan Cube came to exterior designer Hirotada Kuwahara.

Hirotada

Kuwahara

Kuwahara continues the story: "I made some rough sketches on a notepad and showed them to my boss. He didn’t take me seriously, and after a quick look said, ’Okay, back to work now.’"

The unconventional nature of the idea made it hard for him to get his sketches taken seriously, much less approved. At one point, Kawahara’s asymmetric drawing was even taken as two separate options laid out side-by-side. But he didn’t give up. "Though in my tenth year at Nissan, I was determined to leave the company unless my proposal was accepted. Fortunately, after the Alliance (with Renault), the company gave the design division a greater presence and had grown more open to novel concepts like mine."

NISSAN DESIGN NEWS LETTER Vol. 4

Generation 3:	Looking back, the quirky, "off-center" 2nd generation Cube design became a classic tale of
A Spirit	risk being rewarded. Yet its success also posed new challenges.	Designer John Sahs
Carried	picks up the story from there: "When I joined Nissan, Kuwa-chan (Kuwahara) took me on
Through	my first tour around the company. Development of the Cube was in its final stages at the
Generations	time, and I really wanted to be part of that project," says Sahs, who would later take charge
	of exterior design of the new 3rd generation Cube. The initial encounter with Kuwahara
	sparked such interest in the Cube project that it led him to buy an original Cube in order to
	experience the Cube world firsthand.

John Sahs

Like the original, the conceptual design discussions for the new 3rd generation Cube lasted much longer than usual. Sahs started the design of the new exterior with the image of "cyber-sunglasses."

"I wanted a cool flavor for the car, but something was missing," he says. "When I made a full-scale model to look at its proportions, the wide stance reminded me of a dog with four paws firmly grounded. People talked of a shiba-inu (a popular Japanese breed) at first, but after chatting with my colleagues, we agreed that a bulldog best fits the unique, charming image of the Cube. We put sunglasses on the bulldog to add charm as we expanded on this image."

NISSAN DESIGN NEWS LETTER Vol. 4

Because the new Cube was set for global sales, the team expected that the asymmetric design would be challenging – especially in terms of cost because the various markets would require six different panel sets for the rear, sides and roof. But Sahs rose to the challenge, telling his team, "We can’t start by compromising the Cube’s signature asymmetry."

	Along with the production issues, Sahs faced tremendous pressure in leading the model
	change on the previous Cube, which had developed a strong consumer following for its
	iconic styling. The risk was that customers would be unhappy with either too much change
	or too little. Sahs, who calls himself a super-optimist, says, "Like Kuwa-chan, I was
	determined enough to leave the company if my proposal was rejected."
Relaxation	The inspiration behind the design of the new Cube’s interior also was found outside of the
Inspires	design studios. Interior designer Tadamasa Hayakawa came up with ideas for the Cube
Interior	interior during a long holiday trip. "My deadline was right after my vacation, so I was
Ideas	constantly thinking about it, but I hadn’t come up with anything good. To chill out one day, I
	had beer in a bath on the balcony of my hotel room. Then it occurred to me – how could I
	express that same relaxing feeling in the Cube interior? After the vacation, I submitted the
	sketches of ’sofas in a Jacuzzi.’	I did so without much thought, unlike John Sahs," he
	laughs. "Frankly, I didn’t imagine that this proposal might be accepted. The concept for the
	interior eventually became ’Jacuzzi lounge,’ and the wording actually was picked up in the
	sales brochure."

Tadamasa

Hayakawa

NISSAN DESIGN NEWS LETTER Vol. 4

	Of the interior’s relaxing curves,
	Hayakawa explains, "I think the
	essence of the Cube interior
	is ’compact but roomy,’ that is, a
	superb roomy feeling different from
	that of a mini-van or a mini-vehicle.
	For the instrument panel and the
	trim, I wanted the structure to be
	practical – composed of ’walls’
	(vertical surfaces) and ’shelves’
	(horizontal surfaces) as much as
	the engineering would allow. Then,
	the concept of ’Jacuzzi lounge’ was
	realized to get that particular shape.
	In addition, the large-size seat, the
	so-called ’love sofa,’ is our
	innovative idea allowing all four
	passengers to enjoy a roomy and
	relaxing feeling."
Organic and	Featuring organic curves and sofas covered in velour-like material, the Cube interior offers
a Little Nostalgic	a retro atmosphere to people above a certain age. "The idea came from the ’60s folk music
	cafe movement, which I first encountered when I was in junior high school," says Hayakawa.
	"I remember a place with a hippie-like master with round-framed glasses. Velvet-covered
	stools were placed randomly around and an old guitar was made into a small table. That
	atmosphere might make those who experienced it feel nostalgic, but it can also be new and
	exciting for today’s young people.	When the color group proposed the use of wrinkled
	velvet cloth, I knew that was it. This was the inspiration."

NISSAN DESIGN NEWS LETTER Vol. 4

A Ripple	While the 2nd generation Cube was widely accepted in the home market, the new 3rd
Spreading	generation Cube was destined for a wider audience – the world. Hayakawa explains, "I see
Around	the Cube as a droplet sent from Japan, one that will spread all over the world, and people
the World	will think that such a relaxed car is surprisingly good. I designed the Cube interior with the
	intention that it will make passengers feel less stressed, even in a traffic jam or if another
	car cuts into your lane. Its usability and natural lighting are something quite different."
	The new Cube’s "ripple" design motif symbolizes this idea of human connection. On the
	Cube’s release, its concept of relaxation, connection and fun was shared by everyone
	involved in the design.

Looking back on those days, Kuwahara says, "To help the executives understand the Cube world, we often did little tricks that seemed meaningless but brought laughs to the meetings. If the meeting seemed like it might be too serious, I asked the participants to leave their ties on the doorknob outside. Or, we would scatter colorful sneakers on the floor of the conference room without explanation, which made people smile. Once, at a meeting that took place near Valentine’s Day, we handed out presentation packets covered in chocolate, which were inspired by the movie ’Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.’"

NISSAN DESIGN NEWS LETTER Vol. 4

The Concept of	To help explain the Cube concept to audiences
a "Slow Car"	outside of Japan, Shiro Nakamura, Senior Vice
from Japan	President in charge of design, often shows an
	ancient Japanese picture scroll and compares
	it with a western painting.	"In the Western
	world," he says, "the horse-drawn coach was
	long the major means of transportation and the
	priority was mainly to travel quickly from one
	place to another. That idea passed through to
	the sporty, ready-to-go styling of automobiles
	today. In Japan, on the other hand, the oxcart
	was common, and the priority was on
	relaxation and comfort during the trip."

The Cube can be seen as the perfect example of a contemporary interpretation of those tension-releasing "slow cars" from Japan.

Hirotada Kuwahara

Born 1971. Graduated from Car Design Dept. of Tokyo Communication Arts. Joined Nissan in 1994. Took charge in exterior design of 2nd generation Cube (model Z11), and exterior concept planning of the new 3rd generation Cube (Z12). Also designed "Cube Kiosk" stand at 21_21 Design Sight in Tokyo Midtown, Roppongi.

John Sahs

Born 1968. Vietnamese American. Graduated from Art Center College of Design in California in 1992. Joined Nissan in 2000 after experience in European competitor. One of the main interior designers of the GT-R Concept for the 2001 Tokyo Motor show. Aslo took part in the exterior design of Serenity concept revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2003.

Tadamasa Hayakawa

Born 1966. Graduated from Dept. of Design, Nihon University College of Art. Joined Nissan in 2005 after experience in home electronics manufacturer and other automaker. Engaged in interior design of the new 3rd generation Cube (Z12).

NISSAN DESIGN NEWS LETTER Vol. 4