Cork from Portugal is a key material of the Quiet Motion installation. Designed by the renowned French designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for BMW i, Quiet Motion is presented at the Salone del Mobile 2013 (Milan). This exhibition - from 9 to 14 April - is the world’s largest design event featuring the most amazing and innovative trends of the international creativity.
Based on a passion for innovative, forward-thinking and sustainable design, the Quiet Motion project is the result of a shared vision between BMW i and the Bouroullec brothers. Using cork supplied by Amorim, as well as a colorful series of fabric’s strips, Quiet Motion represents the dynamic allegory of contemplation and sustainable mobility. Carousel-like slowly rotating cork platforms move gently making no noise, thus substantiating the silent use of energy. Cutting-edge mobility and architecture define the moment of calm – an allegorical interpretation of movement and contemplation as well as of the forward-looking vehicle design of BWM i in aesthetic and pared-down form, using sustainable BMW i materials.
Benoit Jacob, Head of Design BMW i emphasizes the characteristics of the cork: "Through Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec's Quiet Motion installation, I have been rediscovering the cork from a totally new perspective. When used wisely, the natural properties of this authentic material, such as its warmth, its acoustic and of course the unique aesthetic, are truly supporting our BMW i Next Premium design philosophy."
António Rios de Amorim, Chairman and CEO of Corticeira Amorim, highlights the importance of this partnership: "As the world's leading natural cork company, we are thrilled to see Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec leveraging cork's unique technical capabilities in this remarkable initiative by BMW i, one of the world's most trusted brands and itself a technological powerhouse. For Amorim, it also means a second presence at the Salone del Mobile and another opportunity for both professionals and consumers to better realize how coupling cork's sustainability credentials with cutting-edge design makes it a truly 21st century material."
Quiet Motion was on show at the Facoltà Theologica in Milan until April 14, 2013. This itinerant installation will be subsequently exhibited by BMW in several world capitals.
