The GAC Group has inaugurated the GAC R&D Centre Europe in Milan, its first design centre in Europe. Intended to consolidate the group’s design tradition, the innovative space in Milan’s Via Tortona “design district” will be a global hub, a breeding ground for talent, ideas and innovative projects. Heading the Milan studio is Stephane Janin, a French designer with experience at Renault, Dacia, Alpine, Infiniti and Nissan and a graduate of the UK’s Royal College of Art.
From left: Pontus Fontaneus, Director GAC Advanced Design Los Angeles, Fan Zhang, Vice President R&D Center and Stephane Janin, Director GAC Advanced Design Milan
Together with the studios in Guangzhou (group headquarter), Los Angeles and Shanghai, the GAC R&D Centre Europe will host 25 professionals who will deal with design, experience design and visual branding: the team will be composed of a heterogeneous group of talents together with designers, modellers and planners who will arrive in Milan from the other GAC studios in China and the United States. Also sealing an ideal bond with the city of Milan is GAC’s choice to set up its style centre in what was once the studio of Giovanni Gastel, the internationally renowned Milanese photographer, writer and poet who recently passed away.
The opening ceremony was held in the presence of, among others, Fan Zhang, Vice President R&D Centre, Pontus Fontaeus, Director GAC Advanced Design Los Angeles and Stephane Janin, Director GAC Advanced Design Milan. “Design is one of the most important values for us and a key factor in our customers’ decisions. We chose the city of Milan because of its strong cultural and creative identity that combines ideas in motion, innovation and heritage of style and design. We are confident that this centre will enable the meeting of creative resources and the development of cutting-edge ideas between our country, Italy and the rest of the world,’ said Fan Zhang.
