CNH Industrial and Lavazza Imagine a New Era of Coffee Harvesting
CNH Industrial and Lavazza have challenged students to imagine the coffee harvesters of the future. From 16 January to 13 February, six advanced design renders will be on display at the Nuvola Lavazza – the headquarters of Turin’s world-famous coffee brand. They have been created by 18 students studying a master’s degree in Transportation Design at the European Institute of Design (IED) in Turin.
The students were divided into six teams and placed under the guidance of David Wilkie and Guido Bianco of CNH Industrial Design, along with Florian Seidl, Lavazza Group Design Manager. They considered the topic of semi-industrial coffee harvesting, analysing the constraints and potential of small-scale cultivation, dealing with considerable altitudes and slopes.
The proposals focused on the deconstruction of technical machinery of considerable size, to adapt them to smaller plantations. This downsized type of machinery picks up an astonishing 70 percent of coffee beans, compared to the traditional harvesting machines used in normal plantations.
The challenge was, then, not just a simple styling operation on existing design. But rather consisted of research and definition of innovative layouts and technical solutions. It was also an exploration of intelligent propulsion methods and sustainable materials.
Florian Seidl said, “The project represented a wonderful opportunity for discussion, which, through the wide range of cues and ideas, allowed us to broaden our gaze towards new and unexpected perspectives. Discovering how the students were able to explore and address the needs that gradually arose in the context of coffee harvesting was a fantastic experience and a source for new inspiration.”
David Wilkie, Head of Industrial Design at CNH Industrial, said: “The CNH Industrial Design Center, together with Lavazza, has collaborated with the European Institute of Design to give students the opportunity to discover the industrial world of coffee harvesting. Young students are the key to the future and are open to new technologies. They can, therefore, produce new ideas out of the box, just as the IED designers have done here with their innovative designs.”
This innovation-led approach is shared by CNH Industrial brand New Holland Agriculture. The brand was impressed by the creativity and enthusiasm of the students, who are essential to the future of the agriculture industry.
