Panasonic's 'Air Inventions' in Milan
John Hill
20. April 2018
Photo: Panasonic
To celebrate Panasonic's 100th anniversary and signal its "new creative philosophy" of addressing "wellbeing, feelings and experiences," the Japanese company created Air Inventions, a mist-filled pavilion that nabbed the Best Technology - Milano Design Award 2018 at Milan Design Week.
Photo: Panasonic
Like many installations during Salone del Milano, Air Inventions sat in a Milanese courtyard, the Pinacoteca de Brera, the home of the Brera Art Gallery. The 20-foot-diamater pavilion designed in-house by Panasonic was inspired by water droplets, the main ingredient of its interior.
Photo: Panasonic
Visitors entered the installation via the courtyard's loggia and encountered a darkened space with a fine mist illuminated by points of light from the company's projectors. While the light show was accompanied by an audio soundtrack, the installation shifted visitors senses to the atmosphere and the sensation of misted water on the skin.
Photo: Panasonic
The "oasis of calm," as the company described the combination of light, sound and water, contained "the cleanest, purest air in Milan." The last came from Panasonic’s NanoeX technology, "a system that uses moisture in the air to create electrically-charged water molecules that remove toxins from the air." The system's claims, expressed through a memorable immersive experience, garnered the installation the Best Technology award — and make us wonder where we'll encounter the technology next.