Immerse yourself in an invisible world by JUNG

Brave new smart world: The advantages of digital networking in the home can be summed up in a few words - comfort and energy savings. The keyboard of smart solutions is now correspondingly large. Even if not everyone needs everything, more and more people want at least one initial feature – such as a lighting program or heating control – according to their individual comfort needs. But what exactly does it actually look like, this intelligently networked world, which ultimately consists of nothing more than invisible zeros and ones?

The architect's favourite among switch manufacturers, JUNG, is presenting an answer for the forthcoming Milan Design Week from April 17 to 23, 2023. In order to realise the temporary exhibition ‘Invisible’, the German company teamed up with Prof. Tina Kammer from the Stuttgart architects InteriorPark. Kammer is an expert in the field of sustainable and circular interior design – an aspect that was crucial for the week-long installation. In the heart of the Brera Design District, visitors can literally immerse themselves in an abstract world of smart home technology, announces JUNG.

Geometric shapes, lines and points of light can be imagined, which give the impression of being right in the middle of the semiconductor cosmos. Colour contrasts between blue and orange create fabulous optical illusions. From this perspective, electrical engineering and its hidden world of communication can be experienced with all the senses. Maybe you can still smell the colours that mural artist JayMT used to paint the walls and fixtures, made from waste paper. Spherical sounds come from the Stuttgart club veteran Jens Herzberg. And ERCO's lighting concept is arranged in such a way that it intensifies the visual effect.

The message from JUNG: ‘Smart home technology is undergoing an evolution. The systems are becoming more and more intelligent, but installation and operation are still becoming easier.’ The good thing about it is that as a user you don't have to worry about more and more displays and constantly flashing gadgets in every corner of the room. On the contrary: 'You can't see the latest evolutionary step from JUNG HOME by looking at the products alone. Sockets are intelligent and switches communicate with each other wirelessly, and yet they still look how switches and sockets look,' says the manufacturer. And all that in the large variety of colours you are used to from JUNG. JUNG HOME is a new system that relies on wireless communication via the secure, worldwide Bluetooth® Mesh radio standard, instead of a server or the Internet, whether it is a room thermostat or a power socket with energy measurement functionality.

While we’re talking about the non-physical and invisible world, there will also be – of course, digital – souvenirs available from a visit to the ‘Invisible’ pop-up installation. After prior registration, all visitors will receive a JUNG NFT (non-fungible token), a very personal collector’s item. ‘JUNG invites everyone who enjoys experimenting and new technologies, and their possibilities, to embark on a journey into Web 3.0 and blockchain technology,’ says the announcement. The mementos were created on the basis of the so-called POAP (Proof of Attendance Protocol). ‘Behind this lies the idea that every encounter between people is unique. With POAP NFTs, encounters can be recorded forever.’ The encrypted POAP saves the time and place of the encounter, so the personal POAP collection can become a long-term diary.

The immaterial object also has another advantage: it saves resources – and, as previously mentioned, that is consistently important to JUNG, with furniture coming from exhibition stands and storage boxes. ‘The 'Invisible' installation represents JUNG's mindset of giving priority to actions over big words.’ After the temporary show has been dismantled, for example, the walls will be recycled, storage boxes will be returned to JUNG production and exhibition elements will be used for trade fairs in the long term. The nice thing about it is that here, sustainability is not aestheticised, but lived.

If you are in Milan for the Salone del Mobile 2023, don’t miss the ‘Invisible – Keep it simple. Make it smart’ installation by JUNG. From April 17 to 23, 2023, daily from 11 am to 5 pm at Cavallerispaziodanza in the green courtyard of Via Palermo 1.

© Architonic

Head to the Architonic Magazine for more insights on the latest products, trends and practices in architecture and design.