At the intersection of innovation and luxury design, Lexus has joined forces with Bratislava-based research and design studio Crafting Plastics, unveiling Liminal Cycles, a multisensory installation centered around material objects inspired by the Lexus LF-ZC (Lexus Future Zero Catalyst) Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) concept car. Presented at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, until December 15, the experiential showcase highlights the symbiotic exchange between natural materials and software-enabled reactive design.
Liminal Cycles marks Lexus’ third partnership with ICA Miami and the brand’s ninth year participating in Miami Art & Design Week, showcasing a passionate commitment to facilitating bold experiences that enrapture a new generation of consumers invested in global art, design and luxury. The installation champions the innovation embedded in SDVs (Software Defined Vehicles), prioritizing adaptability and responsive technology as the frontier of software-enabled customization and personalized luxury design.
Original works by Germane Barnes, Michael Bennett (Studio Kër), Suchi Reddy and Tara Sakhi (T SAKHI) alongside Crafting Plastics bring these ruminations to life in a capsule collection featuring 26 design objects expanding upon Lexus’ core ethos of materiality, sustainability, performance, technology and innovation. Among the installation’s curio are bespoke objects, such as the limited-edition Lexus x dilo candle featuring earthy top notes of moss and cedar, formulated with 100% US-grown soy wax and clean burning cotton wicks. As the scent lingers, middle notes of blood orange and bergamot and base notes of amber warm the senses.
Lexus: Liminal Cycles
Lexus: Liminal Cycles
Lexus: Liminal Cycles
Lexus: Liminal Cycles
Lexus: Liminal Cycles
Lexus: Liminal Cycles
Lexus: Liminal Cycles
Lexus: Liminal Cycles
Lexus: Liminal Cycles
Lexus: Liminal Cycles
Lexus: Liminal Cycles
Lexus: Liminal Cycles
Lexus: Liminal Cycles
A coaster collection, designed as miniature collectibles and a companion accessory to the candle, features particles of amber glass, gold leaves and aluminum — sensory vessels that elevate the candle’s olfactory experience. These objects, housed in a reactive box designed by Crafting Plastics (led by co-founders Vlasta Kubušová and Miroslav Král), aim to create an immersive journey through Lexus’ design evolution. Inspired by a central piece featured in Liminal Cycles, an accompanying Lexus UV flashlight activates the box. The sculptural object showcases breath-like qualities, subtly contracting in shape, leaving traces of UV-drawn light strokes.
Central to the Liminal Cycles, situated in the museum’s sculpture garden, is a fragmented car sculpture imagined in the likeness of a full-scale Lexus LF-ZC, crafted from 3D-printed bioplastic Nuatan®, a bio-based material that’s biodegradable through the use of 100% renewable resources. In real-time, the sculpture reacts to environmental stimuli through an adaptive UV-responsive material skin that changes colors and expands and contracts in shape based on the viewer’s proximity and UV radiation. Three satellite installations complement the main centerpiece, each revealing audio, visual and olfactory sensory reactions stimulated by key design elements referencing the LF-ZC. The installation dedicates its visual delights to the possibilities of reactive design and its practical applications in luxury formats, namely the Lexus LF-ZC.
See remnants of the installation in the video above. For those based in the Miami area, Liminal Cycles is now on view at ICA Miami until December 15. Visit Lexus’ website to learn more about Lexus LF-ZC.
