150 MILAN DESIGN WEEK - NENDO
20-04-2024
20-04-2024
At Milan Design Week 2024, Japanese design studio Nendo collaborated with Italian high-end design brand Paola Lenti to present a solo exhibition entitled ‘Nendo: whispers of nature’. Nendo's founder, Oki Sato, says he finds inspiration in the ‘whispers’ of nature, and these subtle hints or whispers are the themes he explores in this exhibition.
The exhibition is also a profound reflection on the relationship between materials and design, nature and mankind, where Nendo's design philosophy and Paola Lenti's masterful use of materials and colours combine to illustrate an aesthetic of harmonious symbiosis. Each piece in the exhibition is a profound tribute to the subtle beauty of nature, as well as a careful interaction between people and the environment in modern living spaces.
Overall, "Nendo: Whispers of Nature" was not just a display of beautiful objects but a profound tribute to the symbiotic relationship between humanity and the environment, offering insights into how modern living spaces can be enriched through mindful and sustainable design practices
Whispers of Nature focuses on natural phenomena that are often overlooked in everyday life: the ambiguity of clouds, the relationship between light and shadow, the flow of time perceived underground or when the rain passes, and plants submerged in water.
Through this concept, nendo founder Dai Sato describes, ‘If people can find new cues and enjoy looking at things from a different perspective, they will realise how interesting our boring daily lives have become. I think this is true luxury."
The exhibition is also a profound reflection on the relationship between materials and design, nature and mankind, where Nendo's design philosophy and Paola Lenti's masterful use of materials and colours combine to illustrate an aesthetic of harmonious symbiosis. Each piece in the exhibition is a profound tribute to the subtle beauty of nature, as well as a careful interaction between people and the environment in modern living spaces.
Overall, "Nendo: Whispers of Nature" was not just a display of beautiful objects but a profound tribute to the symbiotic relationship between humanity and the environment, offering insights into how modern living spaces can be enriched through mindful and sustainable design practices
Whispers of Nature focuses on natural phenomena that are often overlooked in everyday life: the ambiguity of clouds, the relationship between light and shadow, the flow of time perceived underground or when the rain passes, and plants submerged in water.
Through this concept, nendo founder Dai Sato describes, ‘If people can find new cues and enjoy looking at things from a different perspective, they will realise how interesting our boring daily lives have become. I think this is true luxury."
The series Passing Rain, materialises the moment of a shower.Rain is represented here as a thin line with a 2mm diameter mirrored stainless steel rod.
The rod is attached to an aluminium bowl and falls from a mirrored base. Due to the angled connection to the bowl, welding would not provide sufficient strength. Therefore, screws and adhesives are used to secure these connections and the inner layer of the bowl hides the screws.
The base is welded from the back at a high temperature without distorting the sheet, and the surface is mirrored to reflect rainwater.
