Studio INI's Design You Can Feel installation in Milan will "move with your movement"

Studio INI founder Nassia Inglessis reveals the ideas behind the kinetic installation she has created for ASUS and Dezeen's Milan design week showcase Design You Can Feel in this exclusive video.

Called Willful Wonder, the installation will be a key part of the wider Design You Can Feel event organised by Dezeen and ASUS, which takes place at Galleria Meravigli from 8 to 13 April during Milan design week.

Building on Studio INI's expertise in creating experiential public artworks, the installation draws inspiration from the ASUS Zenbook, known for its innovative and lightweight design, to create a kinetic and biomimetic sculpture that reacts to visitors' presence.

As visitors move along the central axis of the installation, the large wing-like, semi-transparent panels will open and close around them, creating a continuous undulating movement.

"As you walk through the installation, it opens up and moves with your movement," Inglessis explained in the video, which Dezeen filmed at her studio in Somerset House.

A key element of the installation is the engagement of the senses through interaction and materiality. The framed edges of the wings, designed for tactile exploration, allow visitors to experience the texture of ASUS's proprietary Ceraluminum material.

Ceraluminum is a material developed by ASUS for its Zenbook laptops.

ASUS has invested years into perfecting Ceraluminum, a material that combines aluminum's lightweight nature with the durability of ceramics through an innovative ceramisation process that eliminates volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals, resulting in a 100 per cent recyclable material.

"Materiality was a key point of inspiration for me," Inglessis said.

"As people walk through the installation and touch the Ceraluminum, each touch will be recorded, so people will be able to see a spatial representation of their behaviour."

By touching the Ceraluminum edging on the wings, visitors' interactions will be processed by a generative algorithmic artificial intelligence (AI) model that will capture the evolving human behaviours within the space.

The data will be mapped into a visual representation of the real-world human interactions.

The internal structure of each wing is composed of aluminium honeycomb, a material commonly used in spacecraft for its lightweight properties, thermal dissipation and high structural performance.

In Studio INI's installation, it interacts with light to enhance the sensory experience.

"The aluminum honeycomb is a very lightweight material, but it's also very structurally strong," Inglessis said.

"Its visual qualities create this pixelated morphing and interplay with light, which is absolutely unique."

Like the ASUS Zenbook laptop, the installation embodies lightness and draws from nature, creating a dynamic interplay of revealing and concealing movements.

Studio INI is an experimental design and research practice founded by London and Athens-based artist, engineer and designer Inglessis.

Dezeen commissioned Studio INI to create the installation as part of the Design You Can Feel showcase it has curated for ASUS Zenbook, which explores the themes of materiality, craftsmanship and artificial intelligence.

The installation will be presented alongside a selection of works that demonstrate ASUS's design processes, the latest ASUS products and the stories behind them via playful exhibits.

Visitors will be able to experience the texture of ASUS's proprietary Ceraluminum material

Dezeen and ASUS Zenbook have partnered for the second year running to bring Design You Can Feel to Milan, building on the success of last year's Design You Can Feel installation during London Design Festival.

Design You Can Feel will run from 8 to 13 April at Galleria Meravigli. Find out more information including opening times at: dezeen.com/designyoucanfeel.

For press enquiries, email Chloe Boucouvalas at chloe.b@alphakilo.com or Walker Drummond at walker.d@alphakilo.com.

Milan design week

Milan design week takes place from 7 to 13 April 2025. See our Milan design week 2025 guide on Dezeen Events Guide for information about the many other exhibitions, installations and talks taking place throughout the week.

Partnership content

Design You Can Feel is a partnership between Dezeen and ASUS Zenbook. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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