Bringing Organic Motion Indoors

A Wall That Captures the Wind’s Natural Flow

TOU is a project developed in collaboration with Panasonic’s open innovation project, Aug Lab. TOU responds to outdoor wind, introducing gentle, organic motion into a room. It creates a meditative atmosphere, encouraging relaxation and expanding thought.

TOU was featured at the international art competition KYOTO STEAM 2020 at the Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art, where it was exhibited to audiences from Japan and beyond.

Issue

Bringing Organic Motion to Digital-Filled Spaces

Aug Lab's mission is to go beyond using technology for efficiency and explore how it can enhance well-being.

We focused on the suffocating nature of enclosed spaces—sealed high-rise buildings, windowless underground offices, even space stations where no wind blows. Looking ahead, these closed environments will likely be filled with digital information, increasing stress levels.

What if we could introduce organic motion into these spaces? Could it create a richer, more comfortable experience for those inside? This hypothesis sparked the creation of our project.

Creation

Expressing the Flow of Wind

The idea stemmed from "Lightning Ball," a prototype developed by Konel as part of Project_UN, which reconsiders the value of randomness. This device connected to NASA’s satellite data, generating mini lightning strikes on a globe in sync with large real-world lightning events. By linking external data to physical phenomena in real time, it created a simulated connection to nature, offering a space for quiet contemplation.

Following the same concept, we aimed to introduce organic movement into enclosed spaces. Rather than designing a small-scale interior object, we chose a wall as the interface, maximizing its impact. This led us to explore the relationship between walls and rhythmic motion.

The result was TOU—a 3m x 3m kinetic wall that sways with a rustling sound, bringing an ever-changing, sensory experience into the space.

Technology

Merging Technologies to Recreate Wind

TOU integrates two specialized technologies to simulate the movement of wind.

Windgraphy: Capturing the Flow of Wind

In collaboration with IP Hunters, we utilized Windgraphy, a technology that senses and records wind patterns. It measures how quickly heat dissipates from an array of electrical resistors and converts the data into a digital wind recording. Though niche, this technology proved highly compatible with TOU.

As a demonstration, we recorded wind data at Lake Suwa, Nagano, on the autumn equinox of 2019.

Magnetically Responsive Material

We developed a custom program that translates Windgraphy data into real-time electromagnetic responses. As wind data activates the electromagnets arranged in a grid, a specially developed magnetically responsive material reacts, becoming the core of TOU's dynamic movement. (Patent pending, Panasonic Corporation).

When the electromagnets turn ON, they pull the wall inward, creating fluid, wave-like motion.

Each electromagnetic panel measures 770 × 770 × 70 mm, allowing for versatile installation. The panels can function as wall-mounted artworks, vertical columns, or full-scale wall coverings, adapting to different spatial designs.

Future

Integrating TOU into Spaces That Expand Thought

As enclosed spaces continue to increase—high-rise apartments, underground facilities, hospitals, and space stations—we are also looking toward creative workspaces where TOU can foster expanded thinking and idea generation. Many people feel more inspired outdoors, and bringing that sensation indoors could shape a more stimulating future.

Expanding Toward New Forms of Expression

he magnetically controlled system developed for TOU has potential beyond kinetic walls. Artists Ami Yamasaki and Michael Smith-Welch have already adapted it into a new installation:

"Lost in the Wind Rose" (Source: AMeeT)

This artwork features a form covered in feather-like structures that react to movement, evoking both swallows and airplanes—objects optimized for wind. The system, laid bare, resembles an unknown life form at rest or the earth breathing beneath us.

"Wind rose" is another name for a wind distribution diagram, which visualizes wind direction and speed over a set period. (Excerpt from the official exhibition caption)

Technologist Toru Takada, a member of Konel, contributed to the project, which was exhibited at KYOTO STEAM 2022 International Art Competition.

Expanding technology into new artistic expressions aligns with Konel’s vision—where innovation and creativity continuously merge and evolve.