T3 Coupé wins Red Dot design award

The T3 Coupé sightseeing tram for Prague from the studio of designer Anna Marešová was recognized at the international Red Dot Design Award competition, which takes places each year in Essen.

This is Marešová’s second Red Dot award. Previously the competition recognized one of her intimate aids for women.

The new T3 Coupé sightseeing tram, currently housed at the public transit depot in Střešovice, first entered service in the autumn of 2018. It can be rented for private events.

In the Product Design category, it intrigued the international jury with its concept based on the tradition of the Tatra T3 tram, many of which are still in service.

Marešová reworked the vehicle by respecting its original concept and adding modern technologies to show that public transit companies can offer real luxury.

“It’s a sophisticated solution, and the workmanship is very detailed and of excellent quality,” Peter Zec, founder and president of the Red Dot Award, said in a press release.
Over 5,500 products from 55 countries were judged by 40 independent experts including professional designers, professors, and specialized journalists. The Red Dot is given for exceptional achievements in product design and construction.

Marešová said winning was two dreams come true. “First of all, I got to design a new tram, which was then built and is fully functional, and secondly, people like it. That’s the best feedback a designer can get. And that’s how I view the Red Dot. I’m very pleased and I appreciate that the Prague Public Transit Company (DPP) approached me to work on the project,” she said.

“The coordination with engineers and technicians especially was outstanding. Thanks to that, we succeeded in perfecting the project right down to the smallest of details,” she added.

The tram was built in Prague at the DPP’s Hostivař depot. The DPP commissioned the tram and is the investor for the entire project.

The concept and design are the work of the studio Anna Marešová designers, specifically of designer Anna Marešová, Tomáš Chludil, and graphic designer Jiří Toman. The drawing documentation for the conversion was prepared by VKV Praha s.r.o. The project, including the design and construction, took two years.

“We’re continuing the best of our traditions. The T3 Coupé aspires to continue not only the legacy of the historical 500 open vehicle from 1913 but also the 200 saloon vehicle from 1900, which debuted at the World Fair in Paris. Our products are rightfully returning to the world market,” DPP technical director Jan Šurovský said.

The T3 Coupé allows people to ride through Prague in a semi-open vehicle as well as enjoy the stylish interior. The designers took most inspiration from the original T3, but they also looked at older types of trams for ideas. The interior features a bar, which was taken from the T1 tram, where it served as the ticket counter. Another significant piece of inspiration can be seen in the roof windows, which resemble those in RTO buses.

The designers even put a ticket punch in the tram to cancel souvenir tickets. The tram also has its own logotype and complete merchandising. The level of detail applied in the project is also evident in the original T3 Coupé uniforms worn by the driver and conductor, which were created by designer Česlav Jaroš.

“The name was also important. To me, the T3 Coupé is a kind of ‘old-timer.’ It has a single door, so I looked to automobiles when it came to naming the tram,” Marešová said.

The original Tatra T3 trams were designed by František Kardaus.

Marešová is now going back to her original projects. “After the tram, I’m returning to my brand Whoop.de.doo. We’re preparing to add a new product to the portfolio, an intimate aid for women, but this time it’s not going to be erotic. In the span of several months we want to introduce a new menstrual cup,” she said.

“Many people have never heard of such a product, but there are quite a few women who use them. I’ve discovered that this women’s topic is very much current. Moreover, this is a product that’s very easy on the environment, which is important to me,” she said.

She won a Red Dot Award three years ago in the Product Design category for her Whoop.de.doo Vibrator.

The Red Dot Design Award competition has been organized by the German Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Essen since 1955. The awards are given for exceptional products in industrial and product design and are the most prestigious recognition in the world. The gala awards ceremony will take place on July 8, 2019. at the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen.