Inside ASICS’ Kinetic Playscape at Milan Design Week 2026
An immersive space conceived by NUOVA.
Summary
- ASICS debuted the immersive Kinetic Playscape at Milan Design Week to launch the GEL-KINETIC 2.0
- NUOVA designed the five-part, retro-futuristic journey blending Italian and Japanese aesthetics
- Highlights include custom SOSHIOTSUKI uniforms worn by staff, accompanied by curated music by Mateo Garcia
During this year’s Milan Design Week, ASICS SportStyle makes its debut at the Salone del Mobile with the ASICS Kinetic Playscape, an immersive public installation located at Garage 21 in Milan. The experience serves as the brand’s first consumer-facing activation in Italy and is specifically designed to introduce the new GEL-KINETIC 2.0 sneaker.
Conceived by LA‑based studio NUOVA, the Playscape invited visitors into a retro‑futuristic environment blending Italian radical design with Japanese minimalism. Structured as a five‑part journey, the installation guided guests through shifting spatial experiences that moved from the terrestrial to the transcendent, embodying ASICS’ philosophy of “Sound Mind, Sound Body.”
To further enhance the immersive nature of the installation, ASICS has partnered with several creatives to curate the atmosphere. This includes custom staff tracksuits designed by the LVMH prize-winning Japanese tailoring label SOSHIOTSUKI and a music program curated by French designer Matéo Garcia to highlight the profound connection between sound, movement, and emotional energy.
At the heart of the activation was the GEL‑KINETIC™ 2.0, a sneaker developed at the ASICS Institute of Sport Science in Kobe, Japan. Drawing inspiration from early‑2000s running models such as the GEL‑KINETIC 4, GEL‑FRANTIC and GEL‑TORNADO, the design reinterprets archival aesthetics through a future‑focused lens. Key innovations include Scutoid GEL cushioning, a TPU support cage for stability and responsiveness, and a dynamic construction engineered for everyday movement. Visitors were able to trial the sneaker within the Playscape, directly connecting product innovation with embodied motion, while retail partners offered the model for purchase in Milan.
