When designing the new interior of the “IoT Center” for a global professional firm’s Tokyo office, nendo dove into the digital world. In addition to the typical workspaces and conference rooms, the digital hub in Tokyo houses three galleries and a lounge where new digital technologies are put on display and a multipurpose space for seminars and events. Instead of using typical partitions to divide the spaces, nendo designed transparent glass walls infused with binary code, i.e. the “0”s and “1”s computers use to write and store data.

Each textured panel comprises two layers of laminated glass with four layers of film in between to ensure stability. The texture was formed when the glass panels were placed on a stainless steel mold and heated to make it soft and molten, leaving behind the abstract numeric pattern.

The textured glass distorts what’s on the other side while keeping sight lines open and light passing through.

To install the panels, it took double the muscle and time as they couldn’t use typical suction cups to help hold it. Once installed, the partitions become their own works of art that help bridge the digital world with reality.

Photos by Takumi Ota.

Filming & Editing by Toru Shiomi.