Lexus 'Sparks of Tomorrow' Brings the Fashion to Milan

Art of Design

The 2022 Milan Design Week has officially come and gone, and the event centered around the art of design attracted quite a lot of attention. One of the event's most prominent exhibitors was Lexus, as it turns out, which brought a host of cool pieces to show off its own commitment to design in what the luxury brand calls "Sparks of Tomorrow."

Photos: Lexus

Big Showcase

This year’s Lexus: Sparks of Tomorrow showcase included an immersive installation by award-winning architect and designer Germane Barnes with lighting studio Aqua Creations, new prototypes from Lexus Design Award 2022 finalists, and work by students at London’s Royal College of art envisioning a more sustainable future.

Photos: Lexus

Artful RZ

Developed in partnership with Lexus and Germane Barnes, the ON/ installation gives a vision for an electrified, carbon-neutral, and human-centered future. The display showcases the Lexus RZ, the first Lexus dedicated battery-electric model. Rendered in a wire frame, the RZ is illuminated by Aqua Creations’ Code 130° silk collection of colorful pendant lights while the installation was accompanied by a lounge area featuring the new ToTeM lighting collection by Aqua Creations.

Photos: Lexus

Looking Ahead

“It is thrilling to revisit the ON/ installation with Lexus and bring the display to Milan,” said Germane Barnes, principal of Studio Barnes. “The original ON/ exhibit featured the LF-Z, a concept car that signaled a move toward carbon neutrality. Now, with the RZ, we explored the evolution from concept to reality, partnering with Aqua Creations to create an environment that is infused with a heightened sense of materiality.  Designing for a future that is collaborative, sustainable, equitable, and prioritizes the unique experiences of individuals is both a driving force of my practice and an exciting synergy with the designers showcased across Sparks of Tomorrow.”

Photos: Lexus

Design Award

Visitors also had the opportunity to explore the work of the six finalists of the Lexus Design Award 2022, in which finalists were chosen for their original solutions contributing to a better tomorrow, while articulating the Lexus brand’s three core principles - Anticipate, Innovate, and Captivate - while seamlessly enhancing the happiness of all, by a panel of design luminaries. The finalists spent three months developing their original proposals and creating prototypes under the enthusiastic and highly skilled mentors.

Photos: Lexus

Rare Opportunity

Lexus’ presentation also included work by students presenting radical new luxury transport concepts in a program commissioned by Lexus - “2040: The Soul of Future Premium” for the Royal College of Art in London, UK.  The project challenged postgraduate students at the college’s Intelligent Mobility Design Centre (IMDC) to explore new vehicle architectures to meet changes in European city life and society and to re-imagine the role Lexus might play as a luxury mobility brand. The six-month program included mentoring and assessment sessions with Ian Cartabiano and Lance Scott, respectively President and Senior Manager at Lexus’ European design studio, ED2, together with Prof Dale Harrow, Chair of the IMDC, and Dr. Chris Thorpe, the RCA’s Intelligent Mobility Head of Program.

Photos: Lexus

Next Gen Design

“We are excited to return to Milan Design Week with an incredible array of projects that highlight next-generation design and our commitment at Lexus to forging a path towards a carbon-neutral future through technology, craftsmanship, and innovation,” said Brian Bolain, Lexus’ global head of marketing. “We are especially thrilled to be able to present the work of the Lexus Design Award 2022 finalists and Royal College of Arts students in the context of Germane Barnes’s ON/ installation, in its second iteration here with lighting design studio Aqua Creations. As Milan Design Week opens, we look forward to seeing how the public engages with the Lexus presentation and makes our vision for the future their own”

Photos: Lexus

>>Join the conversation about the Lexus's Sparks of Tomorrow designs right here at ClubLexus.com.

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