this year marked the first occasion in which japanese electronics company sony exhibited
at milan design week. together in a partnership with UK based designers barberosgerby
(edward barber and jay osgerby) exclusively for this event, they presented
'contemplating monolithic design', an exhibition which showcased the latest in sony's creativity,
exploring the extension and integration of electronics within furniture and architectural design.


installation view of area 1: icon and area 2: insight

the seed of the exhibition was sony's new design concept, monolithic design, which seeks only
what is essential, leading us to consider the sense of presence products have within a space.
this approach has the possibility of changing the face of future home entertainment in the context
of interior design.

visitors entered an anechoic chamber in which they were given a glimpse of the possibilities of how
technology and design could potentially shape the living room of the future. the noiseless environment,
gave focus to the sound and audio technology on display. all experimental works in progress,
the space was divided into 5 areas highlighting each of the archetypes which sony and barberosgeryby
developed: icon, insight, intimate, integrate, install.

area 1: icon
the essence of monolithic design

installation view of area 1: icon

the first area was meant to capture monolithic design at its purest and most symbolic level.
the object is set in a monumental style, into a slab of slate, representing the dynamic presence of a form,
which stands silently.

area 2: insight
sound and light in a single object

image © designboom

area 2 demonstrated how sound and light could integrate and coexist within interior spaces.
owing to the development of sony's unique speaker drive system, vertical drive-technology
and proprietary digital signal processing technology, speakers can now be integrated to
LED lighting to maintain a personalized decor. the four objects of 'insight' utilize materials
such as cultured marble, organic glass and wood which fit seamlessly into numerous home environments,
hiding any indications of electronic equipment. the harmony of light and sound emanating from the
omni-directional speaker, produced a 360 degree acoustic field, embodying a new archetype.


image © designboom


image © designboom


image © designboom


installation view of area 2: insight
image © designboom

area 3: intimate
personal visual soundfield

installation view of area 3

the personal visual soundfield of area 3 was an exercise in the essential. a television
and near-field speakers were paired together, creating a private sphere of entertainment which
offered a soundstage with impressive presence. visitors were immersed in an audio and video content
without any disturbance or distraction. a demonstration in near-field sound, combined with
special edition furniture, the apparatus becomes the archetype, facilitating the exploration of
essential values and presenting new personal audio-visual experience.




general view of the exhibition space

area 4: integrate
visual sound furniture

installation view of area 4
image © designboom

integration of technology into the home in a cohesive manner is the underlying theme
of the monolithic design concept. area 4 exhibited visual sound furniture. here,
the mechanical aspect of the television or audio system is incorporated into this archetype,
to create audio without the imposition of a massive technological device. the television stand
was made by stereolithography, a 3D printing process providing a pattern and unique structure,
achieving acoustic transparency.


area 4: integrate

area 5: install
architectural furniture integrated with sound lights

installation view of area 5: install

the final area was 'install', where experimental products and furniture populated the abstracted
space of a living room. the essential elements of a speaker, lights and television no longer dominate,
but their simplicity is immediately apparent.


installation view of area 5: install
image © designboom






aerial view of the exhibition space


up close of the sound absorbing walls
image © designboom


image © designboom


image © designboom





edward barber & jay osgerby
portrait © designboom





phillip rose / sony creative member & kazuo ichikawa / project leader
portrait © designboom




exhibition details:
exhibition design: universal studio design
graphic design: bibliothèque
sound design: yasuhiro morinaga
visual interaction design: yusuke shigeta