Article source: TORAFU ARCHITECTS

We designed the space for an exhibition “Giving Warmth to the Building Skin-The World of Gio Ponti, Father of Modern Italian Design” at INAX MUSEUMS in the city of pottery, Tokoname, Aichi prefecture, Even though Ponti is a modernist, he explores architectural surfaces, integrating hand craft work into machine production in order to communicate “feeling of skin,” such as its texture and warmth. Four themes: “Interior wall,” “Window” “Floor” and “Exterior wall” were keys to the interpretation of the exhibition. By making excellence use of co-located Monozukuri Koubou laboratory crafting technique, we have attempted to duplicate Ponti’s tile work.

Image Courtesy © Daici Ano

• Architects: TORAFU ARCHITECTS
• Project: Giving Warmth to the Building Skin-The World of Gio Ponti, Father of Modern Italian Design
• Location: Tokoname, Japan
• Photography: Daici Ano
• Principal Use: EXHIBITION SITE
• Production: detail
• Credit:tile production: INAX TILING LABO
• Building Site: INAX MUSEUMS (LIXIL Group)
• Total floor area: 98.4m2
• Design Period: 2013.06-10
• Construction Period: 2013.10.21-2013.11.01
• Duration:2013.11.02-2014.03.18