Why should humans have a monopoly on refinement? Enter: the contemporary aquarium. Haruka Misawa, formerly of nendo, takes us on a trip to fin-land with these stunning prototypes.
‘I’ve conducted countless small experiments, seeking to discover beyond just mere visual effects,’ Misawa writes of the design process. In one version, a submerged beaker becomes a tank within a tank, while the branched geometry of another calls to mind Sou Fujimoto’s Naoshima Pavilion.
Misawa has great respect for the life aquatic, using inorganic materials to mimic the organic– as well as anticipating feedback from the tanks’ tenants...with apparent success.
‘I will never forget the nervousness and excitement that I felt when I was putting fish and shrimps in the tank for the first time after the piece was completed,’ Misawa explains, ‘After a while, the shrimps began resting on the step-like branch structures, and followed by circling around the branches and floating up and down. When I saw this, I began to imagine that ‘they are in complete understanding of the purpose of my design.’’
Smart fish, those.
‘I’ve conducted countless small experiments, seeking to discover beyond just mere visual effects,’ Misawa writes of the design process.
The branched geometry of one tank calls to mind Sou Fujimoto’s Naoshima Pavilion.
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At Design Miami Paris, an artful menagerie tells a story of scent and natureVikram Goyal and Sissel Tolaas present ‘The Soul Garden’ at Design Miami Paris (until 26 October 2025), ‘a contemporary fable where the animals take new forms, reimagined for the world we live in today’
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Check in at Aman Rosa Alpina, a modern Alpine cocoonSan Cassiano’s historic hotel has been reborn as a pared-back Aman refuge in the heart of the Dolomites
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‘It’s really the workplace of the future’: inside JPMorganChase’s new Foster + Partners-designed HQThe bronze-clad skyscraper at 270 Park Avenue is filled with imaginative engineering and amenities alike. Here’s a look inside
