PLANO, Texas and MIAMI, Fla. (Dec. 4, 2024) – Today, Lexus unveils Liminal Cycles, a multisensory and responsive installation created in collaboration with Bratislava-based research and design studio Crafting Plastics. Presented in partnership with the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami), the installation embodies Lexus’ exploration of material innovation, responsive technology and personalization, drawing inspiration from the Lexus LF-ZC (Lexus Future Zero Catalyst) Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) concept car.
Coinciding with the unveiling of Liminal Cycles, Lexus officially launches its limited-edition capsule collection, featuring 26 collectible design objects by renowned designers Germane Barnes, Michael Bennett (Studio Kër), Suchi Reddy, and Tara Sakhi (T SAKHI) alongside Crafting Plastics. The capsule collection expands on the concepts explored in Liminal Cycles, inviting viewers to consider these objects as manifestations of Lexus’ core ethos of materiality, innovation, performance, sustainability, and technology.
Intended to highlight the possibilities of natural materials and reactive software, Crafting Plastics and Lexus welcome viewers of Liminal Cycles to embark on an immersive journey toward discovery. The installation, situated in the ICA Miami sculpture garden, realizes the adaptability and responsive technology that is central to the developing concept of SDVs (Software Defined Vehicles), which envisions software-enabled customization as a key element of personalized luxury design. By engaging a global art and design audience in its exploration of the SDV concept, Lexus continues to champion bold and uncompromised luxury experiences for the next generation.
Tasked with bringing the SDV concept to life, Crafting Plastics, comprised of co-founders Vlasta Kubušová, Miroslav Král and their team, employed their research practice to create a dynamic, fragmented central “car” sculpture referencing the Lexus LF-ZC at scale. The material foundation of the central sculpture is 3D-printed bioplastic Nuatan®–a bio-based material series that is biodegradable, based on 100% renewable resources and leaves no microplastics behind. Coated with a UV-responsive material skin, the sculpture reacts to environmental stimuli, such as UV radiation and a viewer’s proximity, in real time by changing color and expanding and contracting with breath-like movements. This pulsating mimics the rhythmic movements of natural beings to symbolize the potential harmonies between nature and technology.
Liminal Cycles also features three satellite installations to complement its central sculpture, each incorporating design elements of the LF-ZC to showcase sensory reactions ranging from audio and visual to olfactory. A flower-like sculpture references the shape of the LF-ZC’s steering wheel and entices viewers to interact with its rugged, earthy texture. It responds to human touch with fluctuations in the volume and intensity of the installation’s site-specific sound composition. A second sculpture reimagines the form of the LF-ZC’s headrest as a section of lounge seating which emanates a Lexus-inspired scent in response to visitors’ interaction. Anchoring the four-part installation is a wind-activated, lattice-like sculpture that uses UV-reactive bioplastic material to detect shifts in UV radiation, responding to this stimuli with a subtle reveal of the Lexus logo across the delicate structure. Each response discovered throughout the installation is an expression of the expansive possibilities of material innovation and software-enabled reactive design.
On view through December 15, Liminal Cycles marks Lexus’ third year partnering with ICA Miami and the brand’s ninth year participating in Miami Art & Design Week. Through their collaboration and presentation of world-class installations, Lexus and ICA Miami are committed to building inspiring experiences that encourage thoughtful dialogue centering on creativity and design.
Founded by Vlasta Kubušová and Miroslav Král, Crafting Plastics is recognized as a global advocate for the adoption of biobased materials within mainstream creative industries from fashion and product design to interior homewares. With the groundbreaking development of their proprietary Nuatan® material series, Crafting Plastics challenges a design landscape where planned obsolescence and significant environmental waste is the norm. Through this collaboration, Lexus and Crafting Plastics employ an elevated approach to responsible design that combines beauty, utility and endurance, with an emphasis on reuse and reintegration.
“This installation presents a rare opportunity to explore an ambitious creative project that demonstrates the extensive capabilities of biomaterials with minimal compromises,” says Vlasta Kubušová, co-founder of Crafting Plastics. “We are proud to showcase our vision alongside Lexus, a brand that shares the same values of sustainability and innovation in design. We hope that visitors will be inspired by the possibilities of bio-based materials and begin to view them as an asset of our shared future.”
Lexus in Design Capsule CollectionExpanding upon its dedication to the future of sensorial design and holistic luxury experience, Lexus introduces an exclusive capsule collection of 26 collectible design objects crafted by a group of leading design talents. Selected for their individual explorations of sustainability, sensory design, and material innovation, Lexus in Design collaborated with five visionary designers–Crafting Plastics, Germane Barnes, Michael Bennett (Studio Kër), Suchi Reddy, and Tara Sakhi (T SAKHI)–for this one-of-a-kind collection. For the collection, the five designers each created an edition of bespoke objects inspired by key elements of Lexus’ brand ethos–personalization, sustainability, materiality, technology, and performance. The objects serve as sensory vessels, designed to hold a specially crafted Lexus fragrance in candle or diffuser form.