Classic Design: A 1966 Ford Mustang and House by Volvo?

The LA Auto Show is considered to be one of the largest and most important automobile shows. It is comprised of national and international cars, as well as world debuts and concept cars. Taking over 780,000 square feet at the Los Angeles Convention Center it is a mecca of the automobile industry for the week that it is on exhibit. Sleek new designs, newly integrated technologies, and lighter, stronger materials are always the focus of attention at the LA Auto Show. However, this year, I was drawn to two classics: the 1966 Ford Shelby Mustang and the Volvo exhibit. There is no disputing the impeccable and classic lines of the 1966 Ford Mustang. It is the epitome of American gutsiness and brawn. Volvo, by comparison, is the definition of predictability, stability, if not exactly, exciting mechanics and sexy design. That is, until this year. Recognizing that Volvo has built a brand on consistency, they upped the ante with their booth design. Instead of a spicy red station wagon revolving on a spinning display with a show tart clad in a bandage dress howling on a headset about the reliability of a Volvo wagon, Volvo simply gave what the Swedish do best: a spectacularly designed "house" for a place for weary attendees to rest. The light maple two story house with crisp white walls and floors was the perfect showcase for classic furniture designs such as Eames and Knoll which were in the same tones as the maple. The lesson? Good design transcends genre, century, and country. Good design is classic. From the 1966 Ford Shelby Mustang to the ever reliable Volvo wagon to the simplicity of Eames, we all recognize a classic.