Tokyo-based architect and designer Emmanuelle Moureaux has recently presented the Toki interactive installation at the Tokyo Designtide 2012. Toki (which means "time" in Japanese) presents a large-scale whiteboard, in which a myriad coloured sticks is placed, each moving mechanically, mimicking the movement of pointers in a clock.

The sticks are displayed forming a gradient, and their mechanical, precise movement is achieved through the use of magnets. Emmanuelle Moureaux, who often works with colour to achieve three-dimensional experiences, describes her project in a rather poetic fashion, listing the components and the result of their combination: "A universal elemented called "time", a sensuous element called "colour". When the disparate two coincide, it lures the the emotional world of "time"." The piece is an abstract representation of the multiple time zones of our world and seeks to evoke ideas of progress.

The self-described Tokyo Designtide is a yearly event to trade design and ideas, and took place 31 October through 4 November 2012. At the core of the event is an exhibition showcasing designers' new works and ideas in a refined setting, where domestic and international designers, manufacturers, buyers and journalists trade and interact.



Photos and video Daisuke Shimokawa / Nacasa & Partners