ip design: LEXUS DESIGN AMAZING 2013 MILAN

Message

“Lexus is passionately devoted to building cars with satisfaction levels continually surpassing customer expectations. We also strive to create harmony between people and nature, and pursue ever higher levels of emotional and progressive experience.

LEXUS DESIGN AMAZING 2013 MILAN is an exhibition of unexpected and exhilarating experiences. Here, visitors will experience two approaches to design.

The Amazing Flow exhibition brings the concepts of world famous designers to life and expresses our engagement with great design to provide a brighter future.

The Lexus Design Award is an international competition to solve pertinent issues through design. By continually discovering, supporting and nurturing new talent, Lexus communicates the importance of design to the next generation of future builders.”

Concept – amazing flow -

By viewing design from the perspective of “flow”, we understand the connection between cars, humans, wind, water and living creatures. Cars and humans travel along the ground, but not exclusively and over an incredible number of years, even the surface of the planet joins the flow as it changes form. Cities are also part of the flow, while the human body is an aggregate comprised of a variety of small flows.

The exhibition space presents a dynamic scene inspired by this awareness of the flow of the wind in nature. Our desire is to inspire visitors to embrace the image of nature and humans joining to continue the flow of life into the future.

The installation

Structure

Floating up within the approximately 330m2 space is a phantasmagorical path born from the wind as found in nature. Visitors become one with the flow as they stroll through the natural wood installation that brings to mind visions of a future urban environment.

Wind flow

Natural

Within the hall in which the dynamic installation rises to heights of up to 5.5m, an illuminated spray of mist and giant fan deliver a visual and tactile wind flow experience to visitors.

Designer profiles

Toyo Ito (left) and Akihisa Hirata (right)

SUPERVISOR : TOYO ITO / ARCHITECT

Born in 1941. After graduating from the University of Tokyo, Department of Architecture in 1965, Mr. Ito Worked for the Metabolist architect Kiyonori Kikutake until 1969. In 1971 he opened his own office, Urban Robot, which was renamed to Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects in 1979. He has been a commissioner of the Kumamoto Artpolis since 2005.

Main works: Sendai Mediatheque, TOD’S Omotesando Building, Tama Art University Library (Hachioji campus), The Main Stadium for the World Games 2009 in Kaohsiung (Taiwan R.O.C.), Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture, Imabari, etc.

Under development; Taichung Metropolitan Opera House (Taiwan R.O.C.), Extension for “The Fair of Barcelona Gran Via Venue” (Spain), Multimedia Complex on the site of Gifu University’s School of Medicine (tentative) etc.

Awards and Prizes: Architectural Institute of Japan Prize (1986 and 2003), Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale (for Lifetime Achievement in 2002 and for Japan Pavilion which he was a commissioner in 2012), Royal Gold Medal from The Royal Institute of British Architects (2006), The 22nd Praemium Imperiale in Honor of Prince Takamatsu (2010), The Pritzker Architecture Prize (2013),　etc.

SPACE DESIGNER : AKIHISA HIRATA / ARCHITECT

Born 1971 in Osaka. After completing postgraduate studies in Engineering at Kyoto University in 1997, joined Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects, then established Akihisa Hirata Architecture Office in 2005.

Awards include Japan Institute of Architects New Face Award (2008) and ELLE DECO Young Japanese Design Talent (2009). In 2012, he won Elita Design Award at Milano Salone for the installation “Photosynthesis”, the first place in the architectural competition for Post-disaster Restoration Housing and Kindergarten in Kamaishi, Japan and his solo exhibition “Tangling” was held at Architecture Foundation in London. Also he is a co-recipient of the Golden Lion at the 13th Venice Architecture Biennale. Publications include “Akihisa Hirata – Tangling”2011.

LEXUS DESIGN AMAZING 2013 MILAN