A.i.R. Project from Bandai brings “Art in the Room”

We’ve been covering the growing market of home lifestyle products being put out by companies that, for many years, focused entirely on toys for children. Sega Toys, U-Mate,Bandai, Takara Tomy, and more have been slowly growing product lines that appeal to the 30+ generation that grew up with gadgets and has cash to spend.

The new A.i.R. Project (Art in the Room) from Bandai is a perfect example of how lifestyle and wellness goods are growing in quality as well. Costing over $600, the ambiance-creating light system is digital art for the consumer, and was created by artist Taro Suzuki who has done many similar large-scale projects in the past.

The A.i.R. Project is more complicated than it looks. Inside each LED-lit square is a mini fan that, when triggered in combination with light patterns, starts blowing air to physically move the cloth cover. The result is a light sculpture that moves both with light and wind, and can be manipulated with internal sensors that detect touch on each side and moves the lights in that direction.

Japanese Packaging: Fukasawa Juice Boxes

Product packaging in Japan is known for being wasteful at times (such as plastic-filled combini bento), but also for being functional and eye-catching. These juice box designs from designer Naoto Fukasawa (of plusminuszero fame – shop link) not only tell you what’s inside by sight and touch, but (at least for me) they make you taste it.

As far as we know, the Takara Banana is the only one that has made it to market at this point. With the growing eco movement in Japan, perhaps we’ll be seeing organic packages made from the product inside in the near future. Banana skins are used more and more in textiles, but kiwi’s and and strawberries may prove to be more of a challenge.