Studio Swine And COS Bring Mysterious ‘New Spring’ To Milan

A London-based firm, Studio Swine, has released a movie as a part of its Milan design week installation with COS. The collaboration features pale bubbles emitted by tree-like structure that dissolves into white mist as they burst.

Japanese designer Azusa Murakami and British designer Alexander Groves came together as the Studio Swine duo alongside COS, to create an installation reminiscent of cherry blossom trees. The "New Spring" project constructed a six-metre high structure consisting of slender tubes that extend upwards and outwards like the branches of a tree.

According to Design Boom, huge translucent bubbles appear from the ends of each branch, and later burst when they come into contact with skin, but not textured fabrics. A pale mist is released as they burst.

The installation, like many other Studio Swine's past projects, is an exploration of unusual materials. For this project in particular, recycled aluminium was used to create the sculptural tree.

The duo revealed that they were inspired by Milan's architectural heritage while developing the installation. "We were immediately drawn to the Murano chandeliers housed in private Milanese palazzos and, by contrast, the tradition of modernist Italian design," Studio Swine explained.

Both Studio Swine and COS are recognized as some of the notable players in architecture and design, according to Dezeen. Studio Swine have become the latest among other well-known designers to work with COS in Milan.

"Our many common values is a focus on timelessness over trend, functionality with beauty, and the exploration of materials, [which] means that working together is a very natural fit," COS creative director Karin Gustafsson said, about working with Studio Swine.

She emphasized that the project draws on design principles shared by Studio Swine and COS. The "New Spring" is on show inside Cinema Arti, a movie theater that was built by local architect Mario Cereghini in the 1930s.