MARK ALLEN 94 THESIS
MARK ALLEN 94 THESIS
This 1994 design is in both Biomorphic and in the Liberating Constraints category. The body is designed to be made in plastics over a steel frame similar to the early Saturn bodies. The main problem in this type construction is the different coefficients of expansion between steel and plastics which in the case of early Saturn cars resulted in very wide shutlines gaps in cold weather and very tight gaps in very warm weather sometimes even binding between panels such as doors and fenders. Allen overcomes this problem by having panels overlap each other in a way that makes the panel joins an important part of the vehicles aesthetic, note for example how the trailing edge of the door turns out resulting in a small flange which seems to float over the bodies structure which has a large chamfer resulting in a stylish light catcher. This devise is used on all of the major body panels.