Photo: MINI
Since 2008, one man took up the hard job of taking care of MINI interiors. That man's name is Oliver Sieghart, the Head of Interior Design at the British company, the one we're celebrating today.
From seats to steering wheels and all the way to cockpits and doors, all those elements are carefully weighted by this man, before they end up inside our beloved cars.
However, don't get the wrong idea and think that all the work is done by one man. Without his young team, dedicated to bringing fun and inspiration inside these marvelous cars, things wouldn't go along so smoothly.
Oliver Sieghart knew early on what he wanted to be. Indeed, his dream career beckoned a short distance from his home in Munich’s north: he grew up just five kilometres from the BMW Design Studio.
After studying product design, he completed a diploma at BMW in 1997 and was promptly offered a job. Already in his first year as a BMW designer, he won the company’s in-house interior design competition for the BMW Z4 and subsequently saw the model through to successful production.
Four years later, Sieghart was appointed Senior Designer and was responsible, among other things, for various BMW series car projects as well as concept cars. This led to his promotion, in 2006, to Team Leader. Two years on, he moved to MINI as Head of Interior Design.
The particular challenge for him, in heading the interior design department at MINI is finding a way to redefine the design in such a way that it keeps the all-familiar MINI character.
Sieghart finds inspiration wherever he looks. He goes through life with his eyes wide open, whether at exhibitions, trade fairs, on holiday, during stimulating exchanges or when browsing magazines or the internet.
For Oliver, cars are companions – emotion-laden functional objects. The interior design should allow for intuitive operation while also taking the driver by surprise, not least with an engaging playfulness.
Among the models to emerge under his direction were the MINI Roadster, MINI Paceman, MINI Coupé and MINI Countryman. Whilst waiting for the new MINI model to show up, we wish Oliver to come up with the best ideas to keep us still in love with our favorite brand.
However, don't get the wrong idea and think that all the work is done by one man. Without his young team, dedicated to bringing fun and inspiration inside these marvelous cars, things wouldn't go along so smoothly.
Oliver Sieghart knew early on what he wanted to be. Indeed, his dream career beckoned a short distance from his home in Munich’s north: he grew up just five kilometres from the BMW Design Studio.
After studying product design, he completed a diploma at BMW in 1997 and was promptly offered a job. Already in his first year as a BMW designer, he won the company’s in-house interior design competition for the BMW Z4 and subsequently saw the model through to successful production.
Four years later, Sieghart was appointed Senior Designer and was responsible, among other things, for various BMW series car projects as well as concept cars. This led to his promotion, in 2006, to Team Leader. Two years on, he moved to MINI as Head of Interior Design.
The particular challenge for him, in heading the interior design department at MINI is finding a way to redefine the design in such a way that it keeps the all-familiar MINI character.
Sieghart finds inspiration wherever he looks. He goes through life with his eyes wide open, whether at exhibitions, trade fairs, on holiday, during stimulating exchanges or when browsing magazines or the internet.
For Oliver, cars are companions – emotion-laden functional objects. The interior design should allow for intuitive operation while also taking the driver by surprise, not least with an engaging playfulness.
Among the models to emerge under his direction were the MINI Roadster, MINI Paceman, MINI Coupé and MINI Countryman. Whilst waiting for the new MINI model to show up, we wish Oliver to come up with the best ideas to keep us still in love with our favorite brand.
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