Columbus, Ohio is projected to be home to over one million new residents by 2050, yet its current transportation system is already burdened. The solution according to Industrial and Innovation Design students at the International Center for Creativity cannot look like solutions from the past. The future will require new thinking in the form of intelligent connectivity.

Throughout the fall semester of 2020, seniors at the International Center for Creativity (Dublin, Ohio) were charged with the unique opportunity to work with a global automotive leader to research, ideate and propose multiple solutions to the design challenge and creative constraints provided by the sponsoring company. (Note: Brand identity withheld due to non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements); the result of the student’s hard work was the creation of Project Remora.

“Intelligent connectivity is leveraging what already exists as far as transportation assets, addressing some gaps in the first and last mile, and then using available and emerging technology to maximize the utilization of these assets,” said Tom Balliett, co-founder and instructor at the ICC, and team lead for the transportation and mobility project. “Our Global Automotive Manufacturing partners had some specific constraints for our team and the students were really challenged. We’re extremely proud of the quality of their thinking and professionalism of their deliverables.”

Project Remora, named after the remora fish, which “hitches a ride” on other fish, was analogous to packages, groceries, prepared food and even passengers, hitching a ride on existing infrastructure. This one-semester, student-led project was deployed in three phases; a full-class exploration of transportation options based on an existing production platform, a product design exercise centered around packaging solutions, and then a phase for dedicated student interns (Emily Bader, Timothy Brewster, and Vorrapon Jirakasemnukul) to synthesize the first two rounds of concepts and then stretch the scope to include a new vehicle, packaging solution and even a sustainable energy-powered transportation transfer hub.

“While the skills and knowledge of ICC students are impressive and competitive with any program in the country, the rich value to our partners is having access to volumes of creative ideas from the future of the marketplace,” said Veronica Lynagh, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the ICC. “ICC students are taught from the beginning to respect and explore utilizing a tried-and-true design process that flows from identifying opportunities for innovation all of the way to creating intellectual property and prototypes. This level of experiential learning just cannot happen without innovative business partners! We’re very appreciative of all of our sponsors and partners and their commitment to the growth of our student’s knowledge and skills.”

The ICC tapped their network of industry professionals to further enhance the student experience and to assist the interns with the final production of communication materials, including a short-form hype video summary of the entire project. The senior leaders on the project received high praise from the sponsoring brand representatives for their process, attention to detail, creative thinking and professional-level execution of renderings.

About the International Center for Creativity

The International Center for Creativity is a recognized global leader in innovation education. A working think tank and 3D design firm that provides creative services to universities, design firms, working professionals, entrepreneurs, and corporations of all sizes the International Center for Creativity is a recognized global leader in innovation education for all learners.

In addition to being an Innovation Firm at large the ICC trains tomorrow’s creative problem solvers through the development and deployment of our own unique, market-relevant, and innovative curriculum that ensures that the impact our students make is also a positive, character-driven one. The ICC offers higher education training in Industrial Design, Design Thinking, Entrepreneurship, Business, and Innovation courses. The ICC’s Industrial and Innovation Design Bachelor’s is offered through and exclusive partnership with Cedarville University and is ranked 5th in the country.