BMW i + Dwell Media Celebrate the Future of Mobility at Art Basel Miami Beach 2011

MIAMI, Dec. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- On Friday, December 2, BMW i and Dwell Media hosted The Sustaethics Event at Art Basel Miami Beach. A celebration of sustainable design and the future of mobility by two world-class brands dedicated to innovative ideas. The event was held in the iconic parking structure designed by Swiss architecture team Herzog & de Meuron at 1111 Lincoln Road in Miami Beach. The event drew a crowd of 960 people including notable designers, collectors, curators, and media to celebrate the launch of the new BMW i electric cars. The focal point of the evening was the new BMW i3 and BMW i8 Concept cars framed against a forested backdrop designed by award-winning Miami-based architect Chad Oppenheim.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111205/SF17582)

Dwell Media President Michela OʼConnor Abrams opened the evening with a tribute to BMWʼs long history of design excellence and then went on to introduce BMW i design visionary Benoit Jacob, head designer of BMW i. Jacob has been designing cars for 15 years, and has been working on the BMW i concept for the last three. Jacob was particularly excited for the opportunity to look at the process holistically, designing not just a car, but looking at the full impact of how we live and how we will move in the near future.

"BMWʼs 100 years of history in excellence and extraordinary vision in modern design has always been shown and demonstrated, but at this particular event BMW i shows the design of a concept vehicle that really shapes the way we will live, and move, in the modern world," said Michela OʼConnor Abrams, President of Dwell Media in her opening remarks.

Uwe Dreher, Brand Manager, BMW i states, "Since the launch of the BMW i sub brand in February this year, our focus at BMW has been to target the very same design-minded audience Dwell has been successfully reaching these many years. Seeing it all come together at this spectacular evening in Miami, with a crowd here explicitly to celebrate with dwell and BMW i during ABMB 2011, I am happy to say that our approach for this launch was right on target. An audience of all ages, with a mindset focused on a new understanding of what premium is and embracing a sustainable and aesthetic mindset!"

The 500 trees dramatically setting the event were donated by BMW I to the Million Trees Miami initiative whose goal is to plant 1 million trees by 2020. The local charity Treemendous (www.treemendousmiami.org) will plant the trees with volunteers. 82,000 trees have been planted since March 2011. "The idea behind this project was to figure out a way to celebrate sustainability with BMW i and Dwell and to give something back to the city," said Chad Oppenheim, Principal, OPPENHEIM ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN.

Also attending the event were: Lara Deam (Founder & Owner, Dwell Media); Amanda Dameron (Executive Editor, Dwell Media); Norman Braman (philanthropist & collector), Caroline Baumann (Associate Director, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum); Stefan Sagmeister (award-winning designer); Eames Demetrios (Director, Eames Office); Terrie Sultan (Director, Parrish Art Museum); Helen Allen (Founder, Pulse); Steve Pearson (President, Treemendous); Marc Kushner (Founder, Architizer); Ben Gilmartin (Partner, Diller Scofidio + Renfro); Maybelline Te (Snug furniture designer); Steven Tanger (Owner, Tanger Outlets); chef Vanessa Cantave; Cary Woods (film producer); Mark Sherman (Herman Miller) and many top art collectors and designers.

DJ Chelsea Leyland spun in front of a giant LED screen, showcasing larger than life video imagery of the BMW i3 & BMW i8 Concept cars. Catering was by Le Basque and included a sustainable menu with locally-sourced produce and organic ingredients. The vodka was provided by Ketel One. Kim Crawford Wines poured their 2011 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and 2010 Marlborough Pinot Noir. The eclectic modern outdoor furniture was provided by the Kettal showroom of Miami.

About DWELL MEDIA, LLC: Dwell Media is the parent company of Dwell magazine, Dwell Digital + Mobile, Dwell events, and the Dwell Homes Collection. Founded in 2000 by Lara Deam, Dwell has received countless industry awards and is widely regarded as a leading voice in the modern design movement. Championing a philosophy that is idea-driven and sensitive to social and physical surroundings, its enduring passion for design leads a passionate community of design-seekers to be "At Home in the Modern World."

www.dwell.com

The BMW Group

The BMW Group is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI, Husqvarna Motorcycles and Rolls-Royce brands. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 25 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

During the financial year 2010, the BMW Group sold 1.46 million cars and more than 110,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for 2010 was euro 4.8 billion on revenues amounting to euro 60.5 billion. At 31 December 2010, the BMW Group had a workforce of approximately 95,500 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy. As a result of its efforts, the BMW Group has been ranked industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for the last seven years.

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SOURCE Dwell Media