'In-pulse!' by Rolf Sachs Studio, Milan

Rolf Sachs Studio's with light installation
Rolf Sachs Studio's 'a light breath' installation at Studio Giangaleazzo Visconti...
(Image credit: Rolf Sachs Studio)

Trying to add a human element to a week that comprises mostly inanimate objects is quite a challenge. But, for this year's Salone del Mobile, Rolf Sachs Studio has worked miracles, fusing pieces of sculptural furniture with mechanisms of the human body at Studio Giangaleazzo Visconti, and literally giving us a breath of fresh air.

Putting together three installation pieces over three rooms, Sachs called on the talents of Italian digital company Your Voice to replicate human motions in pieces such as a giant table, a chair and lighting. The first room, for instance, contains a red wax chair that faces a metronome. Specially tuned to replicate the beats per minute of a human pulse rate, the metronome transforms itself from a traditionally impersonal object to a beating human heart.

Continuing in the same vein, the 'on the pulse table' in the next room has a 'living', pigmented, mineral oil surface that works to represent different emotions and reactions, which throbs to life through a pre-programmed, adjustable combination of 'beating' signals produced from a speaker installed under the table.

And completely eschewing the usual exhibition format and encouraging up-close visitor contact is the 'a light breath' installation - a collection of chandeliers, each filled with a physically breathing pillow, complete with a concealed 'whispering window' speaker that echoes the faint sound of breathing.

pieces of sculptural furniture

- in which various pieces of sculptural furniture have been fused with mechanisms of the human body.

(Image credit: Rolf Sachs Studio)

The collection of chandeliers,

(Image credit: Rolf Sachs Studio)

The collection of chandeliers, each filled with a physically breathing pillow, come complete with a concealed 'whispering window' speaker that echoes the faint sound of breathing.

the pulse' table

In the next room, the 'on the pulse' table has a 'living' pigmented mineral oil surface with a red mirror finish surface. 

(Image credit: Rolf Sachs Studio)

adjustable combination of 'beating' signals

(Image credit: Rolf Sachs Studio)

Working to represent different emotions and reactions, the table's surface throbs to life through a pre-programmed, adjustable combination of 'beating' signals...

table

... produced from a speaker installed under the table.

(Image credit: Rolf Sachs Studio)

The oil surface encounters a ripple effect

When activated, the oil surface encounters a ripple effect, reminiscent of a mechanical heartbeat. 

(Image credit: Rolf Sachs Studio)

The 'Waxwork' chair

The 'Waxwork' chair from the 'watch this pace' installation...

(Image credit: Rolf Sachs Studio)

Wooden chair with white wall

... which has been arranged to face a metronome.

(Image credit: Rolf Sachs Studio)

'waxwork' chair

Close-up of 'waxwork' chair.

(Image credit: Rolf Sachs Studio)

the metronome

Close-up of the metronome from 'watch this pace'.

(Image credit: Rolf Sachs Studio)

Medical instruments and paraphernalia

'Medical instruments' - A selection of medical instruments and paraphernalia put together for the installation.

(Image credit: Rolf Sachs Studio)

A syringe pen

A syringe pen from 'medical instruments'.

(Image credit: Rolf Sachs Studio)