OWNER'S VOICE
Chris Bangle-san, Italy
Managing Director, Chris Bangle Associates
Former BMW Design Director
What Atsuhiko Yamada has done is re-think the premise that “Form Follows Process” for the bicycle by reaching out to processes that no one had thought of using before––high quality stainless steel in ice-bent coaxial tubes cut and welded robotically. This is a fantastic innovation that allows the Populo 1 to be truly a design icon that perfectly expresses “Form Follows Function”. By designing to have the forces running through the frame as his processes allow, Atsuhiko permits the real user functions to be enjoyed––the step-through needs of stop and go/on and off urban street riding.
Atsuhiko is above all a designer of perfection and beauty. All the choices of the materials, the details, the proportions, geometry and gesture of the Populo 1 are done with the care of a skilled artist and artisan. The Populo 1 is a work of art, plain and simple. It is an expression of minimalistic elegance and the strength of technology that when combined give the world something never seen before–-and that is art—with the benefit of being wonderfully easy to use. And that is what makes truly great design.
I am a proud owner of a Populo 1––I think I was the first to have one in Europe––at least in Italy—and it is as much a piece of art to me as a tough and reliable riding partner. Not for nothing I chose to have its rack for hanging right inside the studio where its beauty can inspire the designers.
Higashigawa-san, Kamakura Japan
Artist
When we first met...
Under the large camphor tree in the garden, there it was – populo(mobile).
The moment I laid eyes on it, its elevated and stylish presence
made me feel an overwhelming sense of artistic beauty,
as if it were just yesterday.
In the long process of conception,
with numerous sketches drawn repeatedly, the form emerged through the process of design, emanating a serene stillness...
Furthermore, it carried a profound beauty supported by a strong sense of presence, and I continue to experience this every day.
Now, it's time to depart.
Grasping the handlebars, I entrust my emotions of today together with populo, moving towards the door of freedom
with a gentle heart – go!!
I ride straight through the scenery.
The cityscape, flowers, flowing clouds
and the sea and mountains shifting from right to left
leap into my field of view.
Embracing the wind with my entire body,
the story of me and populo continues.
You too, let the sound of your own bell resonate.
Ring, ring...