UNION made its debut at Milan Design Week with the evocative installation 'One Design - One Handle.' Designed by architect Tsuyoshi Tane, the exhibition offered an impressive journey over more than 60 years of the company's history, combining the most ancient Japanese techniques for the production of artisanal handles with cutting-edge design projects.
On display at Tortona District within a space of 460m2, Tsuyoshi Tane's installation showed the extremely rich collection of resources and materials of the company with the aim of highlighting every single phase of the production of handles. Analysing not only the materials and techniques used, but also the history and the most ancient manufacturing traditions that make every single piece designed by UNION exclusive, Tane wanted to convey the true spirit that still guides the company today: a continuous inspiration from the origins combined with the constantly evolving reality of the world of architecture and design.
To do so, the architect decided to showcase to the Fuorisalone visitors the technique of sand mold casting, one of the most ancient fusion processes known to mankind, focusing on its application in the creation of a single handle for each mold. A practice that UNION still applies in test productions and in the production of small batches of handles.
Photos: Courtesy of UNION