Interior Design · Exhibition Design

MOTTAINAI

Mottainai — cabinet open with hanging lanterns

Overview

The exhibition "Mottainai" celebrates repair as both an art form and a gesture of sustainability, transforming the act of restoring objects into a powerful creative expression.

The installation combines repaired lamps with gold-colored sheet metal, arranged in a way that is intentionally chaotic yet visually harmonious, emphasizing the value of craftsmanship. It offers a critique of consumerism through a scenography of mass-produced objects, using a light/dark metaphor: the broken, standardized items represent darkness, while the repaired ones illuminated and unique stand for light, individuality, and worth. The exhibition culminates in a symbolic workbench, accompanied by a broken lamp and tools, embodying the ethos of repair culture. Elements like the uneven slab flooring further reinforce the celebration of imperfection.

Problem

Consumer culture treats broken objects as disposable rather than worth repairing — how to make "repair" feel aspirational instead of a compromise?

Solution

Design an exhibition/installation (repaired lamps + gold sheet metal) that reframes repair as craftsmanship and sustainability, using a light/dark spatial metaphor.

Tools & Methodology

Rhino/SketchUp, lighting design, material/prop styling, scenography sketches.

Concept Development

User Experience

Physical Models & Prototyping

Final Installation

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