Lexus is talking about the future of mobility

“Bringing this idea to life was a great joy, as well as an exciting creative process,” Marjan van Aubel told Elle “Together with Lexus, for this edition of Milan Design Week, we wanted to explore and reflect on new concepts. , which sustainable solutions of design become works of art 8 Minutes and 20 Seconds is more than a simple installation. It is a journey into the possibilities of sustainable design, the convergence of art, technology and ecological awareness dealing with light and color, the essence of a sustainable and positive future.”

8 minutes and 20 seconds and Dutch solar designer Marjan van Aubel

With this installation, Marjan van Aubel wanted to express Lexus’ commitment to mobility innovation, meeting the challenges of electrification and technology, aiming for carbon balance and high quality. Named in reference to the time it takes for sunlight to reach Earth, “8 Minutes and 20 Seconds” is a three-dimensional interpretation of Lexus’ innovative electric model, which aims to push the boundaries of design and technology towards a zero-production future.

Marjan van Aubel is a Dutch solar architect whose work explores innovations that combine sunlight and technology for a sustainable future, integrating solar energy into our environment such as buildings and objects – with the aim of making solar energy more accessible to all. .

Using solar energy, thanks to organic photovoltaic (OPV) plates, the work interacted with the viewer thanks to individual movement sensors. At unexpected intervals, the installation manifests itself in a fleeting glimpse: the light descends like a pitch of sound, reflecting the dynamics of the car in motion and giving an impression of the energy and fluidity of driving. Solar energy, stored in integrated batteries, is used to drive the performance, creating the illusion of time passing: the warm tones of the dawn produce a cool sound and the transition is accompanied by the natural sound of the piano, string instruments and music boxes. , with the chirping of birds and the rustling of reeds.

Beyond the Horizon from Hideki Yoshimoto

What inspired the author of the second work, designer Hideki Yoshimoto, was the combination between tradition and innovation that has always characterized the Lexus vision. The job is called “Beyond the Horizon” and creates a large space that contains a series of two-meter-high sculptures that, although they look the same, create unique games of light to give the illusion of entering a different atmosphere, thanks to the connection between the most advanced technology and ancient craftsmanship of Japanese. The work is inspired by the heritage of the ancient Echizen “washi” paper, known for screens found in traditional Japanese homes. In this case, it was made of bamboo fibers, recalling the presence of this sustainable material in the interior of the LF-ZC and remembering Lexus’ famous craftsmanship and its precious Japanese heritage. The screen – four meters wide – shows a sequence of projections, from dawn to dusk, accompanied by an original and abstract soundtrack created by musician-composer Keiichiro Shibuya.

Hideki Yoshimoto, founder of Tangent and winner of the first Lexus Design Award in 2013. Specializing in the progressive fusion of design and engineering, as well as providing design and concepts for global luxury brands, Yoshimoto’s work aims to express the idea of ​​bringing technology to people’s lives and times. Its collaborative approach reflects the relationship Lexus aims to build between its customers and mobility

A snapshot into the future of mobility

In the setting of the Superstudio, besides these two works and witnessing the great extent of Lexus towards the future of mobility, also LBX, the SUV abbreviation of Lexus Breakthrough Crossoverwhich Lexus entered a new market, redefining the new concept of true luxury in a small car.

The LBX is characterized by high-quality covers and finishes, with strong visual and tactile appeal. space, created on the basis of the concept of Lexus ‘Tazuna, with the main controls and sources of information placed immediately next to the driver. which evokes different emotions

And if the LBX represents the present of Lexus, the leap towards the future of the brand’s electric mobility is instead represented by the version of the Plug-in Hybrid systems, towards the concept car that inspires the installation, the Lexus Future Zero-emission. Catalyst. The story of this transition, which began with an installation presented during the Milan Design Week, is only at the beginning and represents all the power of Lexus’ vision and its software-enabled design: technological and sustainable.