Events / Design
November, 2021

Lexus unveiled ON/ at Design Miami/, presenting a vision by Germane Barnes and his team at the University of Miami that is inspired by the power and potential of Lexus’s LF-Z Electrified Concept car, which introduces new electrification principles to the brand’s ethos. The immersive installation embodies the human-centered, future-oriented approach to design and craftsmanship that the automotive brand and Barnes share, its title alluding to an on/off switch as a vision of a carbon-neutral future powered by electric technology. ON/ creates an environment that is designed to engage viewers of all ages, providing an experience that is both visually dynamic and interactive while offering an inviting space to recharge and reflect.

The installation is centered around a precisely-to-scale, three-dimensional sculptural rendition of the LF-Z Electrified Concept car rendered in steel and illuminated with embedded LED lighting; the frame of the car glows and is suspended just above the ground, a vision of a more sustainable future coming into focus. Two swings anchor the display, each suspended within illuminated arches in a nod to the classical architecture that is both foundational to the design of civic infrastructure and central to the University of Miami’s curriculum, alluding to a gateway between our present and the possibilities of the future.

This arch is echoed in furniture with embedded LED lighting designed by Barnes and his team specifically for the installation, providing discrete areas for rest, repose, and recharging -- reflecting the brand’s commitment to the principle of omotenashi (exceptional hospitality).

The entire installation is unified by a unique lighting scheme, designed to enable engagement from users around the world via an online, interactive virtual model presented alongside the physical display. Participants are invited to create their own lighting designs for the display, altering the color of various features including the walls, car, swings, and furniture. Barnes and his team will select a series of the user-generated designs to showcase onsite, spotlighting the creative vision of entries from around the world.

AS WE LOOK TOWARDS NEXT GENERATION DESIGN, THIS PROJECT HAS GIVEN US A CHANCE TO HIGHLIGHT LEXUS’ COMMITMENT TO ELECTRIFICATION WHILE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE STUDENTS AT UMIAMI WHO ARE INCREDIBLY TALENTED AND TRULY REPRESENT THE FUTURE OF DESIGN AND INNOVATION.

BRIAN BOLAIN
Lexus Global Head of Marketing

Miami-based architect, designer, and educator Germane Barnes is widely recognized for his work exploring the intersections of identity, race, and architecture. The collaboration was directed by Barnes with the School of Architecture’s Labs and Centers that examine a key emerging field of research and provide new opportunities for student and faculty participation. Bringing together both his Studio Barnes team as well as students from the School, the collaborative project used the LF-Z as a point of inspiration to explore the potential for an electrified, carbon-neutral, human-centered future that is just on the horizon.

THE LF-Z ELECTRIFIED REPRESENTS THE FUTURE OF THE FIELD FOR US, PAVING THE WAY FORWARD FOR THE NEXT GENERATION, AND THE INSTALLATION WILL ILLUMINATE THAT VISION FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF DESIGNERS.

BRIAN BOLAIN
Lexus Global Head of Marketing

“Lexus has long been an inspiration to my work, as a symbol of luxury, craftsmanship, and a vision of future potential that is recognized across cultures and communities as an icon of quality,” noted Barnes. “The opportunity to realize an installation that explores this heritage while celebrating the potential and vision represented by the LF-Z Electrified concept car is an incredible one, especially in coordination with my team at Studio Barnes and the students and faculty at the University of Miami School of Architecture labs. We’re so excited to show the world the potential that the future holds at this year’s Design Miami/ both through the exploration of Lexus’s next generation vehicle, and through the talent, energy, and vision of the next generation of designers working with me to realize this project.”

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