Beautiful materials transform temporary protective barriers into permanent brand statements.
Brass develops patina. Circular forms create harmony. Modular connections enable reconfiguration. Akira Nakagomi Design understood something fundamental when developing Object, the Golden A' Design Award winning splash proof partition: materials chosen for temporary functions can appreciate into lasting brand assets over time. The Tokyo-based studio spent fourteen months transforming a pandemic necessity into something organizations can proudly display for decades. Object features 6mm brass bent to support 500mm circular acrylic panels, with brass cylinder weights enabling stable, elegant configurations. The brass will look different in five years, developing character through natural oxidation. The acrylic comes in smoked variants for minimalist spaces or colored gradients that shift with changing light throughout each day. Every material decision communicates permanence and intentionality.
The mechanism here deserves attention from brand managers and creative directors making procurement decisions. Object demonstrates lifecycle thinking that extends value across multiple phases of use. The optional wooden flower base attachment enables graceful transition from protective function to decorative object, with organizations gaining continued spatial contribution from the initial investment. Hospitality venues can change seasonal floral arrangements while Object continues serving evolving spatial purposes. Corporate offices gain modular configurations that adapt as team sizes fluctuate, with connected units creating expanded geometric compositions. The circular form produces welcoming presence that contributes to psychological comfort in spaces where people spend extended time. Material permanence, modular flexibility, and secondary purpose planning transform functional expenditure into appreciating brand environment assets.
The next time your organization faces functional requirements that seem temporary, consider the fourteen-month investment Akira Nakagomi Design made in Object. The studio chose lasting materials over expedient ones. Every brand environment contains functional elements. The question becomes whether those elements communicate thoughtfulness or convenience. What utilitarian objects in your spaces could become something more?
