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At Volkswagen, designing a new model always involves a large team. That was no different in the case of the new Golf: designers from a diverse range of disciplines helped to shape the car and contributed to the design of the Golf with their own individual skills, experience and passions. We spent a day with two such designers, discovering what moves them, what inspires them, and what drives them. “People shaping the Golf”, part 2 – Koukou Nian and Marco Pavone on the road in Wolfsburg.

Story: “I sometimes think: Wow, we’re designing the future!”
Marco Pavone, Head of Exterior Design at Volkswagen.
For Marco Pavone, leisure time is paramount to creativity: “To design a car, I have to clear my head and do something different.” Koukou Nian also values the importance of switching off: “I also need a clear head. I find that pretty easy to achieve: after work, I am able to switch off at the weekend.”
“I know every corner of the Golf, every millimetre, and what their purpose is. To design a car like this is such a complex process,” says Marco Pavone, Head of Exterior Design at Volkswagen. “When doing so, I think about people like my mum: will she notice how it is different to its predecessor? It has to be powerful and have character. If she can see the difference, then I have done a good job as a designer.”
“My inspiration for exterior lighting comes primarily from shapes and patterns. I find the time when the sun is low and the headlamps are on particularly good,” says light designer Koukou Nian. “What shape is right, what dynamics, what rhythm demonstrates the character and is the perfect fit for this car?”
Story: “I sometimes think: Wow, we’re designing the future!”
Koukou Nian, light designer at Volkswagen.
Story: “I sometimes think: Wow, we’re designing the future!”