{"id":42484,"date":"2021-08-18T10:45:43","date_gmt":"2021-08-18T02:45:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/?p=42484"},"modified":"2022-06-13T17:27:39","modified_gmt":"2022-06-13T09:27:39","slug":"rolls-royce-and-the-architecture-of-luxury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/rolls-royce-and-the-architecture-of-luxury\/","title":{"rendered":"Rolls-Royce and the Architecture of Luxury"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Rolls-Royce\u2019s coachbuild department gives individuals in possession of sufficient funds the chance to design their dream car from the ground up, just as they would a house. It makes sense, then, that Alex Innes \u2014 the designer heading up this arm of the legendary automaker\u2019s business \u2014 began his career with the intention of becoming an architect.<\/p>\n

On a Zoom call from Rolls-Royce<\/a> headquarters in Goodwood, two hours\u2019 drive south of London, Innes explains that his plans and preparations to become an architect did reach a fairly advanced stage. \u201cTo be honest with you, the car design thing was a bit of a long shot, which I didn\u2019t imagine could ever become a reality,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\"Designing
Alex Innes, head of the Rolls-Royce coachbuilding division, works on a life-size rendering of the new Boat Tail design.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Innes believes the two pursuits share several important parallels. \u201cAs long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the confluence between artistic disciplines and engineering disciplines; that you can create something functional, and it can be beautiful,” Innes says. \u201cThat\u2019s really where the similarities lay between architecture and car design, at least in my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Innes, whether you\u2019re designing a car or a building, \u201cThey all have functional, performance requirements, and they all have an aesthetic requirement.\u201d He\u2019s spent 12 years now designing cars for Rolls-Royce, but Innes says, \u201cI’m still very, very passionate about architecture.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Rolls
An artist’s impression of the new Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, during this unique automobile’s development process.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In fact, his position at the world\u2019s most renowned luxury automaker has brought Innes into contact with one of his idols from that field, Lord Norman Foster \u2014 the architect responsible for countless iconic structures, including the Gherkin in London, the HSBC Building in Hong Kong and Singapore\u2019s Capella Hotel<\/a>, among many others.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m particularly fascinated by Lord Foster,\u201d Innes reveals. \u201cAnd I’ve been fortunate, on a couple of occasions, to spend time with him. He’s a brilliant mind and also a bit of a petrol head. Getting to know a little of his personality only furthered my interest in him, it\u2019s fair to say,\u201d Innes says.<\/p>\n

\"Gherkin
Better known as The Gherkin, curvaceous office tower 30 St Mary Axe in the City of London was designed by leading British architect Lord Norman Foster.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWhat I really like about his style, his practice,\u201d Innes says of Foster, \u201cis that he beautifully fuses technical innovations and technical resolutions with aesthetic forms. Particularly, he mastered aluminium structure; in the early days, he mastered lightweight structures. Previously, nobody had ever really considered that a building needed to be lightweight. He mastered that ethos.\u201d<\/p>\n

It is in large part thanks to Rolls-Royce\u2019s innovative scalable aluminium spaceframe chassis that the company has been able to relaunch its coachbuild business. Offering clients almost unlimited freedom in commissioning a tailor-made, one-of-a-kind automobile, the process is very similar to designing or decorating a home, says Innes.<\/p>\n

\"Boat
The new Rolls-Royce Boat Tail’s bespoke features include an alfresco dining suite, including a picnic parasol, custom cutlery and crystal glasses, fold-out seating and champagne chillers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Normally, when purchasing a car today, Innes says, \u201cYou buy a product that already exists, and maybe there’s a couple of accoutrements you can alter and change to reflect your personality, but that’s it. Your home, however \u2014 and I include all of us in this \u2014 wears your personality and wears your characteristics much more visibly. You furnish it and you appoint it yourself, and for anybody coming into your home, it represents your personality.\u201d<\/p>\n

In Innes’s view, \u201cThat’s the approach that we take at Rolls-Royce with our interiors \u2014 that they should be informed by and imbued with the personality of the commissioning client. So it’s not about choosing from a list of pre-existing options. Instead, it\u2019s a matter of asking the client, \u2018How would you like to furnish this? How would you like to create it?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Hosting
Everything needed for a fine dining experience is available at the owners’ convenience, concealed within the rear of the Rolls-Royce Boat Tail.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Rolls-Royce coachbuilding workshop recently unveiled one such imaginatively spec\u2019ed creation, known as the Boat Tail. Inspired by competitive sailing yachts, with acres of Caleidolegno wood veneer panelling, the car\u2019s rear opens at the press of a button to reveal a full outdoor dining suite, boasting custom plates, silverware and crystal, folding seats and a picnic parasol, plus refrigerators tuned to keep champagne at the perfect temperature.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s fascinating having the opportunity to collaborate on such extraordinary designs, Innes reckons. \u201cNo two Rolls-Royce customers are the same,\u201d he says. \u201cI think that’s reflected in the fact that you\u2019ll rarely find two Rolls-Royces the same \u2014 you can trace that back to the uniqueness of their owners.\u201d Though Innes is too humble to say so, the talents of the automotive architects who help build these palaces on wheels probably have rather a lot to do with it, too.<\/p>\n