Cartier.
The Legendary Thrill
Arco dell Pace - Milan - Italy (2018)
We have designed the project to presents the new Santos de Cartier collection in The Legendary Thrill, a themed design exhibition held at the Salone del Mobile in Milan, celebrating the iconic first wristwatch created by the Maison in 1904.
A monumental pop up structure at the neoclassical Arco della Pace, a landmark of the historical Milan, has explore the theme of exposed technology, engaging both citizens and visitors.
An outstanding design installation has evoke the legendary figure of Alberto Santos Dumont, a founding father of aviation, who in 1906 flew on his biplane 14 Bis over a distance of 60 meters in a Paris park. That groundbreaking take off earned the man the very first three world records officially proving to the world that manned powered flight was possible “for heavier than air machines”.
A pioneer and visionary, Santos Dumont inspired Louis Cartier to design the first pilot wristwatch, allowing him to check the time while keeping both hands on controls. Both men shared the same farsighted spirit of innovation and modernity.
A transparent tunnel 60 meters long (the same distance traveled by Santos in his revolutionary take-off in 1906) connects two limestone motorway toll booths built at the end of the 18th century. Inside, suggestive installations, designed to make the immaterial visible, involved the guests. Between them, an imposing 12-meter crystal cube showcased a model of the 14 Bis biplane, reinterpreted with contemporary high-tech materials. The entire installation is a living body, animated day and night by projections, LED lights and music, for a spectacular celebration of time.
