Nominator: Alexandra Ghioc

Nominator's statement

I am nominating Andrei-Constantin Dilă for his remarkable achievements as a young product designer who bridges digital innovation with tangible craft.

Through his dedication to 3D printing and prototyping of scale miniatures, Andrei has designed and developed over 30 historical model kits representing automotive, railway, and construction vehicles, transforming them into meaningful objects of cultural memory. His projects, presented at national exhibitions such as DIPLOMA Show and Romanian Design Week, demonstrate how miniatures can educate, inspire curiosity, and reconnect people with the physical process of making. In a world dominated by digital content, his practice brings a slower, more mindful rhythm, where building becomes both play and reflection.

This approach makes him a promising voice of the new generation of designers.

ArtStation / Andrei Dilă

Diploma Show / Dacia Vaner - Concept caroserie auto tip furgonetă

Diploma Show / Inovarea kit-urilor de machete

INNOVATION IN SCALE MODEL KITS

This project explores the potential for innovating scale model kits through the integration of 3D printing technologies. Over the course of the two-year Master’s program, both resin and filament-based 3D printing methods were analyzed and tested.

The study led to the development of automotive model kits — both historical and conceptual — featuring moving components such as suspensions, steering systems, and foldable doors.

Ultimately, the research highlights the importance of revitalizing this traditional hobby by adapting it to contemporary needs and technologies. Its main goal is to provide a meaningful alternative to purely digital activities while fostering essential skills such as patience, attention to detail, and manual dexterity.

MODULAR VAN CONCEPT - 3D PRINTABLE TOY

This project marked the final step of the Master’s dissertation and represented a challenge both in creating a van concept and in transforming it into a modular toy. The model was carefully designed to be assembled without glue or screws, making it ready to build straight out of the 3D printer.

Another distinctive feature is the possibility of converting the model into a radio-controlled toy, equipped with independent suspensions, 3D-printed drive shafts, and a steering system.

DACIA BLITZER - COMPACT CAR CONCEPT

Dacia Blitzer was born in 2022, at a time when AI image generators were taking the creative world by storm. What began as a playful experiment soon grew into a design journey — a way of testing how artificial intelligence could ignite new ideas in car design.

The project started with nothing more than a concept and a single AI-generated render, which opened the door to countless hand-drawn sketches and experimental 3D models.

By 2025, with the arrival of the first 3D AI generators, the project reached a new turning point. AI provided a rough three-dimensional form based on 2D sketches, a fragile starting point that was then carefully shaped and refined by hand. In the end, the human touch remained essential, transforming AI’s raw output into a complete vision of the final design.