TERRAFORM the exhibition
As part of Melbourne Design Week 2026, Ford Design invites visitors into an immersive exhibition exploring the transformative role of automotive design in shaping future possibilities. Drawing inspiration from the new Ford Ranger Super Duty design, the exhibition presents sketches, sculptural forms, material studies, and interactive media that showcases creative thinking, innovation and the many skills involved in the design process at Ford Design Melbourne.
The works reflect how the Australian landscape and terrain has informed and inspired the studio’s creative approach, connecting natural forms and environments with the geometry and robustness of design. Through heritage boards, concept drawings, prototypes, and immersive installations, audiences will encounter a curated journey that links local craftsmanship with global innovation.
Hosted in a Collingwood studio‑gallery space, Terraform offers a dynamic environment where design history, material experimentation, and immersive storytelling converge. It is not a product showcase, but a creative exploration of how design thinking—shaped by place and process—can influence the world we want to create.
Date
Friday 15 May - Friday 22 May 2026
(Closed Sunday 17 May)
Time
10am - 4pm
Location
Second Story Studios
222 Johnston St, Collingwood VIC 3066
DESIGN STUDIO DISCIPLINES: The many skills involved in creating our future.
Creative Design: Shaping the vision
This is where the visual vision of every Ford is born. Our creative designers are the people who define our brand. By blending creative inspiration with Ford’s rich heritage, they create the "look and feel" that makes our vehicles stand out on the road and inspire our customers.
Human-Centered Design: Built around you
Where technology and experiences serve people, not the other way around. Our Human-Centered Design (HCD) team focuses on empathy and the "why" behind every feature and experience. By studying how people move, interact, and live, they ensure that every digital screen, physical button and user experience is intuitive and designed to make the customer be one with the vehicle.
CMF (Colour, Material and Finish): The art of the senses
CMF is the team that defines the sensory experience of our vehicles. They are the experts in touch, sight, and sustainability. From developing eco-friendly textiles to creating vibrant new paint colours and high-tech textures, the CMF team ensures that every surface you touch fits your experience, and is thoughtfully crafted.
Design Engineering: Making the dream real
Design Engineering is the bridge between a beautiful sketch and a road-ready reality. These experts work side-by-side with our designers to ensure that visionary designs are safe, functional, and ready for production. They solve the complexity of feasibility and manufacturing, ensuring that all the features work perfectly every time you get behind the wheel.
Visualisation: Seeing the future today
Using the same cutting-edge technology found in blockbuster movies and video games, our Visualisation team brings designs to life in the digital world. Through photorealistic renderings, animations and immersive Extended Reality (XR), they allow us to explore and refine a design long before it is physically built.
Digital Surfacing: The precision of form
Digital Surfacing is the art of digital sculpting. Our specialists take 2D drawings and transform them quickly into 3D concepts and refine them to precise 3D computer models. This mathematical "skin" of the vehicle is what ensures every line is formed with intent and every reflection is fluent, providing the high-quality finish of our vehicles.
Clay Modeling & Fabrication: The hand-crafted touch
Complimenting our high tech tools, there is no substitute for the human touch. Our master sculptors use physical clay to create full-scale models of our vehicles. By combining traditional hand-sculpting with scanning and milling techniques, we can evaluate a car’s proportions in the real world, ensuring it has a physical presence and character that we envision.
The Design Business Office: The studio’s engine
The Design Business Office is the strategic backbone that keeps our global studios functioning. They manage the logistics, planning, and resources that allow our creative teams to focus on innovation. By keeping our projects on track and on strategy, they ensure that the next generation of Ford vehicles moves from a spark of an idea to your driveway.
Links
Melbourne Design Week 2026
Contact
Please send any inquiries to the following email address:
fdesign1@ford.com