Japanese zen gardens are known for their clarity and peace. These carefully designed spaces incorporate natural elements like rocks, gravel, sand and plants in harmonious, often symbolic arrangements to invoke a feeling of inner balance and peace. Zen gardens have a very long tradition spanning centuries. They have become a timeless embodiment of minimalistic aesthetics and contemplative design principles. “My mission is to help people understand the five senses of modern everyday life through the Japanese garden,” landscape architect Emi Morita explains. She designed the zen gardens for the TECHNOLOGY MEETS TRADITION exhibition.

Renowned London-based architects Squire & Partners designed an extraordinary tea house in the lower level of the Clerkenwell showroom. These specially designed rooms or houses (“Chashitsu”), used for tea ceremonies (“chanoyu”) in Japan, represent the essence of peace and harmony in traditional Japanese culture. These tranquil spaces are dedicated to this highly ritualised form of hospitality and appreciation for fine details, promoting a feeling of harmony between the host and guest. Squire & Partners created a modern version using special materials from the CIPANGO collection, achieving a minimalist aesthetic.

CIPANGO is a social niche company that brings architects, designers and other construction and design professionals together with Japanese artisans. CIPANGO represents traditional Japanese artisanal enterprises that reinterpret their traditional techniques for modern applications. The TECHNOLOGY MEETS TRADITION exhibition shows the versatility, manual skills and transformative potential of materials in interior design and architecture. The collection on display at TOTO’s Clerkenwell showroom includes Harigane metal textiles, Youbi Hinoki furniture, Maruni wood carvings and works on paper, as well as Tatinoya wood textiles.

Visitors to the exhibition will experience a special fusion of traditional and modern aesthetics that give insights into TOTO’s innovative bathroom technologies as well as the timeless beauty and harmony found in traditional Japanese culture. The extraordinary aesthetic, wonderful hospitality, timelessness, dedication, perfect craftsmanship and design, and an appreciation for the finer details are aspects that can be found in both Japanese culture as well as TOTO’s products.

Düsseldorf, June 2024
Reprint free of charge/Copy requested

TOTO brings luxury to bathroom culture, creating innovations that deliver the ultimate in design, comfort and hygiene without revealing the sophisticated technology integrated within. Japan’s leading supplier of bathroom products, TOTO develops comprehensive solutions for high-end private and public spaces around the world, including the European market since 2009. The company is shaping bathroom design with innovative sanitary ware, faucets, and, most importantly, WASHLET – selling over 70 million worldwide. TOTO’s Japanese design philosophy reflects a respect for others. It centres on people and their needs, inspiring intuitive, easy-to-use products and elegantly understated designs. TOTO shows this same respect for the environment, developing water-saving technologies that help conserve resources while pursuing its sustainability strategy in internationally recognised initiatives like Climate Group RE100 and the Science Based Targets Initiative.