At this year’s Milan Design Week – the world’s most anticipated celebration of creativity and innovation – Lexus has unveiled a visionary exhibition that redefines the future of human-machine interaction. Set in the iconic Daylight Space at Superstudio Più in the Tortona District, the immersive showcase is a testament to Lexus’ enduring commitment to design, craftsmanship and cutting-edge innovation.
Anchored by the debut of its next-generation EV cockpit interface, Black Butterfly, Lexus’ 2025 design narrative brings to life a powerful vision of mutual understanding between humans and mobility. In partnership with Tokyo-based creative agency SIX Inc. and design studio STUDEO, the brand introduces A–Un – a breathtaking installation inspired by synchronised harmony – while the companion exhibition Discover Together champions the creative force of emerging talent from around the globe.
Together, these exhibits frame a future where vehicles become intuitive partners in our lives, where technology breathes in sync with human emotion, and where design acts as a bridge between individuals, society, and the world.
A–Un: Harmonising Breath, Elevating Mobility
Since Lexus began its journey at Milan Design Week two decades ago, it has consistently raised the bar through immersive experiences designed to provoke, challenge and inspire. This year’s centrepiece, A–Un, continues that tradition by drawing from the Japanese concept of A-Un no Kokyū – a profound, wordless synchronisation of breath and being.
Created in collaboration with SIX Inc. and STUDEO, the installation centres around a monumental Black Butterfly-shaped sculpture, standing three metres high and meticulously handwoven with 35km of bamboo fibre. The butterfly’s presence is both ethereal and commanding – a beacon of craftsmanship that embodies Lexus’ devotion to tradition and innovation.
Yet its magic lies in interactivity: as visitors approach, the Black Butterfly responds to the rhythm of their heartbeats, matching them with natural 1/f fluctuations sampled from the world around us. This encounter becomes a living meditation on empathy and connection – where the vehicle no longer just reacts to commands but aligns with human emotion, intent, and energy.
This is Lexus’ vision for the future of mobility: where technology and humanity are no longer separate, but seamlessly intertwined.
Discover Together: A Celebration of Collaborative Creation
Expanding the potential of Black Butterfly, Lexus also presents Discover Together – an interactive exhibition that continues the legacy of the Lexus Design Award by spotlighting next-generation creative thinkers. This curated journey brings together the works of three forward-looking contributors: Bascule Inc. from Japan, Northeastern University in the United States, and Lexus’ own in-house design team.
Each installation reinterprets the core Black Butterfly theme through diverse cultural lenses, revealing how design can serve as a catalyst for environmental awareness, personal transformation, and collective consciousness.
Earthspective – Bascule Inc.
Bascule Inc. invites visitors to shift their perspective beyond the personal and into the planetary. Through a spatial experience dubbed Earthspective, the installation simulates viewing Earth from space – reminding us that we are all co-inhabitants of the same fragile orb. Our words, like our actions, ripple into the future, and the Black Butterfly becomes a messenger for a more unified, planetary mindset.
Our Energy Nexus – Northeastern University
This data-driven experience harnesses real-time air quality data from Milan’s Global Air Quality Index, allowing visitors to visualise the impact of collective energy. As guests interact, their contributions are visualised as luminous stars, growing brighter as the air quality improves. The message is simple yet powerful: every action matters, and together, we hold the potential to forge a healthier, more radiant future.
Discover Your Butterfly – Lexus In-House Designers
Here, Lexus’ own design team offers a poetic nod to the Butterfly Effect. As guests engage with the installation, they unleash their personal butterfly – a symbol of individuality and influence. With each flutter, new interactions and aesthetic changes occur, demonstrating how even the smallest actions can initiate waves of transformation across time and space.
A New Era for the Lexus Design Award: Discover Together
Since its inception in 2013, the Lexus Design Award has been a springboard for emerging talent across the global design landscape. Now, Lexus is relaunching the prestigious programme under a new name: Lexus Design Award – Discover Together, reaffirming its dedication to mentorship, collaboration, and the shared pursuit of innovation.
Set to officially return in mid-2025, the award promises to continue spotlighting bold thinkers who challenge conventions and design for a better tomorrow. Its next showcase is already confirmed for Milan Design Week 2026 – a moment that promises to push the boundaries of creativity even further.
The Future Is Felt, Not Just Driven
“As technology continues to advance and reshape how we perceive time in motion,” said Simon Humphries, Chief Branding Officer at Lexus, “we reflect on how these changes may lead to profound new forms of engagement and interaction. At Milan Design Week, we aimed to express this convergence of technology and humanity – exploring the points where they intersect, and how reimagining time itself can inspire new experiences.”
Through A–Un, Discover Together, and the revitalised Lexus Design Award, the brand paints a compelling picture of the future – one where mobility isn’t simply about getting from A to B, but about connection, growth, and co-creation. In this new era, Lexus envisions a world where vehicles don’t just respond – they resonate.
The Lexus exhibition is open to the public at Superstudio Più until 13 April 2025.
