The Red Dot Product Design 2015 award has been given to Cifa’s Coguaro mixer, which transports concrete in demanding environments, a year after the Italian firm won the same award for the Energya mixer. (Click the image below for technical details).
The jury awarded the recognition to Cifa for its managing of the planning and design of the mixer, and its attention to detail, explained Samuele Montorfano, responsible for Cifa’s Styling Centre team,
The Coguaro’s aesthetics were conveived within tight restraints because many elements, such as chassis, engine, cabin and drum, had already been defined, as had the vehicle’s maximum dimensions.
With free rein for casings design, Cifa’s in-house styling centre sketched the first Coguaro guidelines in late 2013. Basic sketches initially addressed the project’s aesthetic feel, followed by more detailed drafts and then, later, surface and parametric 3D models.
Montorfano highlights the front taper design and the cuts on either side, the only modifications to the chassis that without compromising the structure’s solidity create movement on otherwise monotonous and flat areas.
Compartments were located on each side of the mixer to contain accessories and protection devices, and stabilization wedges were housed in the rear lower part of the vehicle.
The face of the Coguaro has two cut-off angles to enhance operation in narrow spaces, and a large front grille allows the radiator to provide optimum heat exchange. The face’s casing is comprised of easily assembled modules that provide convenient access from either the top or the side of the engine. The alternation of colors distinguish various vehicle functions; light gray is used for the chassis, orange for casings and dark gray for the mixer drum.
“Lines sloping towards the front mark out Coguaro, creating [a visual] dynamisms, while the horizontal lines give a sense of stability and safety just like in automobiles,” said Montorfano of the aesthetic and functional considerations behind the Coguaro’s design.
April 17, 2015
