GINZA KARAKUSA
BIOTOPE

Tradition meets innovation.
A sustainable installation
inspired by arabesque.

COMMUNICATION DESIGN
SPACE/VMD/WINDOW DESIGN

As part of the "Shiseido Arabesque Original Art Exhibition" at the Shiseido Ginza Office, we created the "New Arabesque" window display.
The installation was inspired by a passage from the Chinese classic I Ching from which Shiseido derives its company name: “Praise the virtues of the Earth, from which all things are born (banbutsu shisei).”
An original arabesque pattern created by woodblock engraver, Ki-Ying Usu transforms according to environmental changes in the city (sunlight, rainfall, CO2 emissions, congestion). We also created a three-dimensional installation called "Re-Tree,” which was made using offcuts of product packaging to create the "forest of Banbutsu” (all things living).

《Re-Tree》

The rebirth of the forest in arabesque form was created using offcuts of product packaging leftover in the manufacturing process. Approximately 60 different 3D forms were created to express the diverse life force of nature.

《Photosynthesis》

We created a system that generates new arabesque patterns using a geometric algorithm. Environmental info (sunlight, rainfall, CO2 emissions, city congestion) were obtained in real time and used to control the patterns.
The project was inspired by the impact of human activities on nature, including the ever increasing CO2 emissions. Through the expression of arabesque, we shared our commitment to a sustainable society and our love for nature.