Indian American automotive designer Kirtish Gaood has won the second prize in 6th edition of its International Design Challenge in Rovaniemi, Finland for an ERV designed for rapid evacuation of people to safe zones during natural disasters.
This year’s design challenge brought together approximately 70 students from eight universities based in Finland, Canada, USA, France and the UK.
Participants were invited to imagine an innovative vehicle architecture for an emergency response vehicle (ERV), integrating several of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, according to the organizers, BRP Inc, a leader in powersports products, propulsion systems and boats.
Gaood from the College for Creative Studies in Detrriot, Michigan, chose to focus on mudslides in Northern India. The jury appreciated the potential versatility of his concept and its analogy to traditional Sherpas, which inspired the project’s name.
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His minimalist product architecture and narrow footprint offer agility and responsiveness, allowing access to damaged terrain and enabling the rapid evacuation of people to safe zones. Gaood’s project emphasizes deploying multiple units in critical situations where every second counts. As the second‑place winner, he receives a monetary prize of 3,000 euros.
Endorsed by the World Design Organization, the BRP International Design Challenge enables students to put into practice their design thinking approach and creative skills while benefiting from mentoring from both their professors and BRP design professionals.
An automotive designer passionate about exploring the depths of the design world, Gaood has been sketching vehicles and shaping ideas since he was five, according to his LinkedIn profile.
“Mixing the science of production with the art of styling and attention to detail is what design is for me,” he says. “My goal is to develop a design process that enables me to look at a product as a result of a system, the result of in-depth research and strategy with a human centric approach.”
Currently pursuing Master of Fine Arts, Transportation Design at College for Creative Studies, Gaood earned his Bachelor of Science, Design, Product and Transportation from Strate School of Design, Bangalore, India.