When the Victorian government called for tenders to supply Melbourne’s next generation of trams, Bombardier turned to CobaltNiche to help them develop a winning design solution.

CobaltNiche used their local and transport experience to develop a number of interior and exterior designs. We also produced sophisticated computer-generated animations of the new tram designs which created scenes of the trams travelling through quintessentially Melbourne streetscapes.

Referencing Melbourne’s history, design and architecture “we sought to enhance and tailor Bombardier’s platform to be unique and relevant to Melbournians . Meeting the project timing required a super human effort by all involved and the result is one we have been dreaming of for a long time. We are very proud” said Magree.

Culturally unique but systems based

According to Jack Magree, CobaltNiche’s managing director and transport team leader, Melbourne has a unique relationship with trams. “They are like red double-decker buses are to London, or even as the Opera House is to Sydney and it’d be unheard of for these icons to be based on off-the-rack designs imported from elsewhere”. But the trend in transport, as in automotive and other industries is to rationalise models, where apart from minor local requirements and livery, the same rolling stock can be seen in cities as diverse as Vienna, Amsterdam and Budapest.

Whilst there are obvious economies of scale for this approach, Magree believes that “given the cultural and infrastructure importance trams have to Melbourne, not to mention the sheer size of our tram fleet, we believe our new trams should be relevant and unique to our city.”

Big Picture

The project will pump hundreds of millions into key parts of Victoria's manufacturing industry and has been nominated as being 'strategically significant’ by the Victorian government. Whilst high local manufacturing content is rightly being formally acknowledged, our tourist and creative sectors will also benefit by the tram’s local design identity.

About the designers

CobaltNiche is a leading Australian product development group with local and international clients. Employing 18 staff, and working with clients across Australia, the United States, Europe and South East Asia. We design products for a number of industries. CobaltNiche has worked with Melbourne’s tram operator Yarra Trams since their creation in 2001 when they took over from starte-control, and their distinctive green anchor grab-handles were designed and supplied by CobaltNiche.

"Completing this project required us to expand our IT infrastructure and human resources. Ultimately this led to reaching new capabilities in collaborative design practices and in the level of our computer generated imaging (CGI)" said Magree. The project's tight timeframe stretched the whole company. Key designers within Cobalt Niche & Bombardiers teams were each averaging 70 - 80hrs/week for several weeks to meet the deadline.

The results are stunning, and show how design can transform a strandardised system into a compelling and culturally relevant narrative.