Car Design

by Adem Mert

As the fundamental components of buildings constructed today, lifts have become more important, especially with the increasing number of floors. Lifts should not only offer transportation functions but also several factors affecting user experience. Considering the time the users spend in lifts, it has become one of the primary responsibilities of manufacturers to highlight factors such as safety, ride comfort and internal design of cars.

Complying with car design standards is essential to maximize the movement area of the users and air quality inside the car. Optimization of the area is a critical factor so that users can move comfortably and feel safe inside the car. Moreover, factors such as the width of car entrance, easy access to buttons and easy intelligibility of the floor and direction for users with different needs are important for a user-friendly design. At this point, visual and audio symbols can be used to facilitate the users’ interactions in the car.

Selection of safety equipment compatible with bearing capacity and speed are the most critical factors in lift design. To ensure that users are transported safely, it is essential to make necessary calculations and select materials in compliance with relevant standards. In the design stage, 2D and 3D software are used according to the needs of the project. 2D software is suitable for engineering drawings and project detailing. On the other hand, 3D software is extremely important for visualizing the final form of the design and carrying out necessary stress analyses. These analyses enable critical calculations such as strength of materials, deformation, stress values and safety factors.

Lighting in the car plays an important role in increasing the users’ feelings of safety. Different lighting levels create positive impressions on the users’ mood, contributing to more comfortable lift rides. In addition to lighting equipment, materials to be used inside the car should comply with standards, and be durable, easily cleanable and aesthetically compatible with architectural structure. Selection of materials that are fire-resistant and comply with safety standards is critically important, both for users’ safety and a long-lasting design.

The lift designed for Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum in Istanbul is a special project combining aesthetics and technology. This design was created to show respect to the historic fabric of Hagia Sophia. The use of stainless steel gives the car a modern look, while soft and adjustable lights with different lighting equipment deepen the users’ interaction with the historical structure. In addition, the LED screens on the ceiling come to the forefront as an innovative element enriching user experience. The capacity of the car area is maximized, ensuring that users are transported in a spacious environment. All these features aim to make lift rides safer and more comfortable for users.

As a result, car design should be seen not only as a technical process but also as a discipline that enriches user experience and blends aesthetics and safety. In this context, selecting materials in compliance with relevant standards, taking safety precautions meticulously and integrating user-friendly design elements are key to a successful car design.