SANAA and formafantasma create kaleidoscopic landscape for bulgari exhibition in tokyo

"Japanese architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA, together with Formafantasma, transform The National Art Center in Tokyo into a flowing landscape of color, light, and reflection for the exhibition Bvlgari Kaleidos: Colors, Cultures, and Crafts, on view until December 15th, 2025. SANAA creates a continuous, luminous environment of soft curves, translucent walls, and filtered light, instead of following a chronological layout. The design guides visitors through the space, recalling the mosaics of the ancient Baths of Caracalla, which inspired Bulgari's Roman identity."

"Italian studio Formafantasma designs freestanding display cases that act as sculptural elements within this fluid space. Each vitrine isolates Bulgari's heritage jewels, including necklaces, bangles, and Serpenti pieces, while their materials and finishes control light and reflection. The jewels appear to float, their colors amplified by the interplay of glass, metal, and resin, turning each case into a miniature installation of color and form."

"The Tokyo-based architects SANAA use light and transparency to highlight the brilliance of the jewels while also echoing the calm precision of Japanese design. The dialogue between the two cultures becomes clear in the opening pieces, featuring a gold and lapis lazuli paperweight shaped like a Roman temple that sits alongside a circular brooch in mother-of-pearl and polychrome enamel. In Bvlgari Kaleidos: Colors, Cultures, and Crafts, architecture becomes part of the exhibition."

SANAA and Formafantasma reconfigured The National Art Center in Tokyo into a continuous luminous landscape characterized by soft curves, translucent walls, and filtered light. The layout avoids chronology and guides visitors through layered transparencies that recall mosaics of the Baths of Caracalla, creating a turning-kaleidoscope sensation. Formafantasma created freestanding vitrines that isolate and elevate Bulgari’s heritage jewels; their materials and finishes modulate light and reflection so pieces appear to float and their colors intensify. The installation emphasizes dialogue between Italian and Japanese sensibilities, juxtaposing Roman-inspired objects with precise Japanese restraint. Architecture becomes an active element that extends Bulgari’s color world and makes visitors participants.

Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine