For the 2016 Florence Japan Festival, Studio Lauria designed an exhibition pavilion in the square in front of the Rogers Centre in Scandicci. The installation hosted two exhibitions: “Lights and Textures”, dedicated to the architecture of Kengo Kuma, and “Escultura do Inconsciente”, focused on Tatewaki’s photographic work.
The pavilion measured 14 by 4 metres and reached a height of approximately 4 metres. Its primary structure consisted of multidirectional steel tubes, clad along the long elevations with a filament-like fabric. Inside, slender rods supported a woven bamboo-cane surface on which the photographic panels were displayed. The construction system allowed the structure, exhibition content and surrounding urban space to be perceived simultaneously.
Lighting was provided by LED bars fixed to the upper rails. In the evening, the light sources appeared to float in the darkness, reinforcing the immaterial character of the installation. Transparency, layered textures and lightweight materials recalled principles of Japanese architecture and, in particular, Kengo Kuma’s research. The result was an essential yet highly recognisable work of temporary architecture that transformed the square without interrupting its visual or social continuity.
Aware of the challenges of globalisation, we draw on Italian creativity to develop projects that respect and enhance local identities and cultures.
