Apr 08, 2014

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HIKIDO Gives Way to New Possibilities for Spatial Design - Flash News Report from Milano

Panasonic is taking part in the Milano Salone 2014 from April 7 to 13 with its installation, "SLIDING NATURE." By combining large sliding doors or HIKIDO and LED lighting, Panasonic proposed a new value for living environments that are one with nature.

  • Video Report from Milano

INSTALLATION

The installation is located in the courtyard of the University of Milan. In the middle of the courtyard you will find a house like objet, the centerpiece of the installation. Sliding doors on all 4 sides of the house open and close slowly, at times regularly and at other times randomly, in synch with the BGM.

After a while, the house will start to seem like a living organism. In time with the movement of the house, LED lighting designed to resemble plants start to dim and brighten, and mysteriously, it will start to feel as though the entire space is breathing.

Visitors will be able to experience the installation from the pathways around the courtyard. The courtyard with the distinguishing high vaulted ceiling is equipped with ambient LED lighting. And this light, too, dims and brightens with the movement of the sliding doors. The "breathing" movement, which begins with the house extends to the entire architecture and beyond, to the city of Milan.

  • s-Panasonic_Sliding Nature_photo by Santi Caleca_11b.jpg
    photo by Santi Celeca
  • s-Panasonic_SLIDING_NATURE_photo_by_Satoshi_Shigeta_04.jpg
    photo by Satoshi Shigeta

Torafu Architects, who are responsible for developing the context of the installation, shared their thoughts about the installation.

"By combining sliding doors that have been used in Japanese homes from long ago and cutting-edge LEDs, we've preserves something great from the past while creating a new, modern environment. Actually seeing the finished work I'm truly lost for words", Mr. Shinya Kamuro commented.

"I feel really content. What we have been working on has finally taken shape. I'm really happy that the sliding doors match the surrounding environment even better than we had imagined. I hope that many people here in Milan will come and take a look at our work", Mr. Koichi Suzuno talked.

And Mr. Takumi Adachi from Eco Solutions Company, Design Center, who is the person in charge of this installation at Panasonic, described "I believe we have been able to propose a living environment for the future using Panasonic products like the sliding doors and LED lighting. I'm looking forward to seeing how people in Europe will react to our proposal".

The venue is open until midnight, but the presence of the LED lights surrounding the house magnifies as the night deepens. Many visitors stay well past 9pm to enjoy the surreal sight of the "breathing" environment.

  • s-Panasonic_Sliding Nature_photo by Santi Caleca_01.jpg
  • s-Panasonic_Sliding Nature_photo by Santi Caleca_07.jpg

photo by Santi Celeca

With this installation, HIKIDO, which have been a part of Japanese culture from long ago, was transformed into a new objet at the time-honored University of Milan. The movement of the white, solid sliding doors and the LED lighting flickering in unison transformed the entire environment into a living organism. After the Milano Salone this installation will be recreated to more closely resemble actual living environments and displayed in Japan. Possibilities the combination of HIKIDO and LED lighting brings to life will continue to draw attention.

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