If you’re tired of breathing less-than-clean city air, Milan has a temporary respite for you. “Transitions,” a giant, cloud-like pod, has landed in the heart of the Brera Design District for Milan Design Week 2018. As envisioned by Takehiro Ikeda, the enormous “water-drop pavilion” uses Panasonic‘s cutting edge air-purifying technology to provide all those who enter with clean, cool air.

Continue reading below
Our Featured Videos
Exterior image of the installment in the middle of a pavilion.

Exterior image of the installment, which is a white, bubble-like dome.

Most cloud-like design installations create mist using gases, which aren’t exactly good for the visitors’ health. The Panasonic pavilion, however, employs only natural water to build an intangible and immersive experience: a walk through atmospheric, ultra-fine mist created with the company’s groundbreaking technology.

Panasonic’s “Nanoe x” technology collects moisture from the air and uses high voltage to create nano-sized particles of water. Highly reactive components called OH radicals — which are generated in huge numbers and inhibit viruses and bacteria — remove odors and allergens and prevent mold.

The pavilion utilizes compressed air to turn water into a “silky fine mist.” Unlike a conventional two-fluid nozzle model, this technology creates a fine mist using low-pressure air and eliminates the need for large compressors, making it an attractive option for city cooling technology.

People stand inside the misty dome.

People stand in the blue light of the mist-filled dome.

Takehiro Ikeda said the “Transition” installation is a preview of the latest air purification research, which will be used during the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo to guarantee a pleasant, cool atmosphere during the hot Japanese summer.

Related: Kengo Kuma wins bid for Tokyo’s Olympic stadium, Zaha Hadid speaks out

The project is also energy-efficient. Instead of using large amounts of natural resources to power the air conditioning system, the pavilion – which measures about 20 meters in diameter – needs only a few liters of water for each functioning cycle.

Exterior image of the installment, which is a white, bubble-like dome.

With this installation, Panasonic is celebrating its 100-year anniversary and transitioning towards a new creative philosophy: designing products, services and experiences that go beyond physical products to address emotional and environmental well-being.

+ Milan Design Week 2018

Images via Maria Novozhilova for Inhabitat