Osaka, Japan - Panasonic Corporation today announced the opening of its "SLIDING NATURE" concept installation at this year's Milano Salone Del Mobile, one of the largest and most influential design exhibitions in the world, held in Milan. The installation this year was designed by noted architects, TORAFU ARCHITECTS. Images and videos from the event will be available on the company's Milano Salone del Mobile 2014 site at: http://panasonic.net/milanosalone.
The main presentation, exhibited in the courtyard of the University of Milan, is a house shaped structure made with sliding doors. These sliding doors on all four sides move in response to music. Sometimes they move regularly and other times, randomly. The lighting in the installation, made up of a projector which lights up the ceiling of the home, 120 synchronized color controllable LED architectural lights in the ground and first floor corridors, and 175 LED lamps scattered throughout the yard, shines in synchronization with the moving doors, creating a variety of living environments. In addition, 50 surface-emitting LED lamps are suspended from the ceiling in the entrance to the corridor that surrounds the courtyard. The brightness and color of these lamps can be adjusted as desired.
With this installation that fuses Panasonic's cutting-edge technologies into the culture of traditional Japanese housing, the company proposes new value for spaces combining the living environment and nature. On the first floor, Panasonic is also exhibiting a variety of kitchen equipment for business users (B2B customers).
The "SLIDING NATURE" Concept of the Exhibit
Japanese houses traditionally use "Fusuma" or "Shoji" paper sliding doors to take the gifts of nature into homes, such as pleasant breezes and soft sunlight. Thanks to the sliding doors, people can also enjoy the surrounding scenery.
Panasonic is developing an energy management business that combines "active" and "passive" energy management. Active energy management involves housing equipment, such as solar panels and storage batteries, in addition to energy efficient appliances, while passive energy management aims to efficiently control the benefits of nature by designing housing structures to its best advantage and employing heat-insulating materials.
In this installation, Panasonic is using sliding doors, based on the concept of passive energy management, which can welcome the blessings of nature, while closing out the cold and the heat. This is combined with LED lighting, a component of active energy management, to both conserve energy and achieve better spatial value by matching lighting to people's lifestyle.
In its "SLIDING NATURE" installation, Panasonic is proposing a new relationship between people's living environments and nature.
About the Panasonic Installation
| Exhibit concept | SLIDING NATURE | ||||||
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| Venue | INTERNI: FEEDING NEW IDEAS FOR THE CITY Università degli Studi di Milano: Cortile Farmacia (via Festa del Perdono, 7 - Milano) Floor space: approx. 1,000 m² |
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| Designer | TORAFU ARCHITECTS | ||||||
| Exhibited items | Sliding doors, LED lighting, wiring accessories (switches), etc. | ||||||
| Related sites | Special Site: http://panasonic.net/milanosalone Press Kit: http://news.panasonic.net/presskits/milanosalone2014 |
About the Design Concept (TORAFU ARCHITECTS, Architects of the installation)
In the courtyard of the University of Milan campus, we have created a house-shaped structure with walls made of sliding panels. As they open, the enclosing boundaries disappear and the inner space integrates with the surrounding environment. We designed a breathing house that establishes a new, dynamic relationship with nature can be created with sliding panels that function both as doors and exterior walls.
Marking a contrast with massive Western architecture, the pure-white sliding doors make the structure seem abstract as they move. With their movement, the ceiling of the structure at the center of the courtyard glows with light, amid the LED bulbs placed around it like growing plants and the slow flickering of lights in the cloister, creating an ever-changing panorama.
We wanted to create a space in which the private turns public, while integrating with the surroundings. An ever-transforming place with sliding doors opens up a new relationship with the external world.
Founded in 2004 by Koichi Suzuno and Shinya Kamuro, TORAFU ARCHITECTS employs a working approach based on architectural thinking. Works by the duo include a diverse range of products, from architectural design to interior design for shops, exhibition space design, product design, spatial installations and film making. Amongst some of their mains works are 'TEMPLATE IN CLASKA', 'NIKE 1LOVE', 'HOUSE IN KOHOKU' 'airvase', 'Gulliver Table'. 'Light Loom (Canon Milano Salone 2011)' was awarded the Grand Prize of the Elita Design Award. Published in 2011 were the 'airvase book' and 'TORAFU ARCHITECTS 2004-2011 Idea + Process' (by BIJUTSU SHUPPAN-SHA CO., LTD.) and in 2012, a picture book titled 'TORAFU's Small City Planning' (by Heibonsha Limited)
Image of the Installation (day)
photo by Satoshi Shigeta
Image of the Installation (night)
photo by Satoshi Shigeta
About Panasonic
Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and engineering of electronic technologies and solutions for customers in residential, non-residential, mobility and personal applications. Since its founding in 1918, the company has expanded globally and now operates over 500 consolidated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of 7.30 trillion yen for the year ended March 31, 2013. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company strives to create a better life and a better world for its customers. For more information about Panasonic, please visit the company's website at http://panasonic.net/.
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