Kodai Fukuchi · CLIENT: Carrier Japan Corporation
Air conditioning is indispensable to contemporary life, yet it remains intentionally invisible. This exhibition repositions mechanical systems from hidden infrastructure to spatial protagonists. Conceived as a walkable city, the installation embeds products within architectural volumes, allowing visitors to discover systems through movement rather than instruction. As architecture recedes into the background, machines emerge as visible agents shaping urban comfort. The project reframes industrial technology as an essential presence woven into everyday environments.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- This exhibition booth transforms the invisibility of air conditioning into a tangible urban experience. A walkable city embeds products within architectural volumes, allowing visitors to discover systems through movement rather than explanation. Each building differs in form, representing diverse environmental conditions and applications. By shifting air conditioning from background utility to visible infrastructure, the project redefines its presence within professional exhibition environments.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Exhibition booth size: approximately 15,000 mm x 15,000 mm x 6,000 mm (H).
Venue: Tokyo Big Sight, Japan.
Exhibited at HVAC&R Japan 2026, January 27-30, 2026.
The booth was planned as a large-scale walk-through configuration with uniform illumination to ensure consistent product visibility. - Tags
- Exhibition booth, Trade show design, Spatial design, Immersive environment, Urban metaphor, Professional exhibition, Brand experience, Infrastructure design, Air conditioning
- Production Technology
- The booth was realized through a high-density construction combining custom lighting units and handcrafted elements. A total of 212 custom LED light boxes in varied sizes expressed irregular urban light patterns. In contrast, 610 individually cut 3 mm plywood panels with a paper-mounted surface finish represented unlit building windows, forming the city’s background density. Production was divided between off-site fabrication and on-site assembly. Lighting and structure were designed as independent systems for flexibility within a temporary exhibition environment.
- Design Challenge
- The main challenge was determining whether a large-scale, immersive cityscape could function within a B2B-focused trade show. There was concern that the scale, density, and number of elements—particularly the 212 illuminated light boxes—might overwhelm visitors or distract from the products. Construction complexity, time constraints, and high labor costs also posed risks. The project moved forward by trusting the concept and committing to its spatial intensity. As a result, the booth achieved strong visitor engagement and became one of the most visited spaces at the exhibition.
- Project Duration
- The project was developed from July 2025 to January 2026 and exhibited at HVAC&R JAPAN 2026, held from January 27 to January 30, 2026, at Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo, Japan.
- Operation Flow
- Visitors enter the booth through a central pathway designed as an urban street and encounter the main air-conditioning product at the city’s center. As they move through the space, visitors naturally stop in front of the machines without signage. Products are discovered by chance within the urban environment. Many visitors complete a full circuit and return. Through immersion in Carrier’s blue city, perceptions of air conditioning shift from an unnoticed background system to an indispensable presence supporting everyday life.
- Research
- This project was conducted as a spatial experiment to examine whether immersive design could communicate the social role of air conditioning to a professional trade audience. The objective was to test whether an experiential urban environment could replace conventional product-focused displays. A walkable city was constructed, embedding mechanical systems within architectural volumes to enable discovery through movement. The results showed strong visitor engagement, repeated circulation, and increased product inquiries. The research demonstrates that immersive spatial strategy can shift perception, strengthen brand recognition, and generate tangible impact within professional exhibition environments.
- Inspiration
- The project began with a fundamental question: why does air conditioning, despite being essential to contemporary life, remain largely unnoticed? Mechanical systems are intentionally designed to disappear so comfort can exist without awareness. As urban environments grow increasingly complex, air conditioning becomes ever more critical to daily life. This design challenges that invisibility and explores how spatial experience can reveal the hidden infrastructure supporting everyday environments.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Photographer Akira Arai (Nacasa & Partners), Find Carrier, 2026.
Image #2: Photographer Akira Arai (Nacasa & Partners), Find Carrier, 2026.
Image #3: Photographer Akira Arai (Nacasa & Partners), Find Carrier, 2026.
Image #4: Photographer Akira Arai (Nacasa & Partners), Find Carrier, 2026.
Image #5: Photographer Akira Arai (Nacasa & Partners), Find Carrier, 2026. - Patents
- Copyrights belong to Kodai Fukuchi, 2026.
Press releases are available in 1 languages.