This week, Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) announced the design of the Bryan County water tank that was created by Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) students during a SCADpro design challenge.
“We knew we wanted a design that would not only speak to HMGMA’s vision and mission but also would be a beautiful piece of art that the community and interstate travelers could enjoy,” said Oscar Kwon, HMGMA CEO. “SCAD delivered on all of our expectations, and we are thrilled to publicly release the design and announce the winning team of students.”
HMGMA announced that Team Ignite, consisting of students Jacob Perrone (B.F.A., industrial design), Sakshi Lunawat (M.A., interactive design and game development) and Julie Noens (B.F.A., graphic design), as the design challenge winners during a ceremony that took place at the Deloitte Foundry at SCAD. The design includes aspects of clean energy, including solar panels and wind turbines, and illustrates HMGMA’s commitment to innovation in the auto industry. The pipes symbolize Hyundai’s roots which have grown and led to the Metaplant. The top design of the water tower, which will be visible by air, is a cog, symbolizing Hyundai’s constant movement into the future.
“In the spirit of creativity, SCADpro partnered talented students from multiple degree programs along with the HMGMA team to develop concepts reflecting Hyundai's mission and vision of ‘together for a better future’,” said Paul Stonick, Vice President for SCADpro. “SCAD students succeeded in this challenge by creating an impactful design that not only tells a story but is full of motion and excitement.”
The water tower is approximately 202 feet and will sit at the corner of the HMGMA property, just off of Interstate 16 in Ellabell. The water tower is currently under construction with a scheduled completion date of November 2024.
Six teams of three students each participated in the SCADpro challenge, which occurred over a 10-day period in July. SCADpro is a collaborative innovation studio that generates business solutions for the world's most influential brands. HMGMA project leaders and Bryan County officials reviewed the final designs and chose the top three. Meta Pro employees and Hyundai’s headquarters in Korea also reviewed and selected their top designs.