3M, the global innovation company, presents an installation at Milan Design Week 2019 that celebrates how nature inspires meaningful and sustainable solutions.

3M Design collaborated with renowned architect Matteo Thun & Partners to create the installation, “A Pinnacle of Reflection.” This unique partnership is driven by the shared ideals that curiosity and experimentation drive knowledge for problem-solving and progress.

“This year at Milan Design Week we celebrate how nature inspires designers and scientists to learn and innovate every day,” says Eric Quint, vice president and chief design officer at 3M. “It’s been exciting to collaborate with Matteo Thun & Partners on this installation, bringing together a thoughtful approach of using materials and experimentation to create meaningful solutions and impactful experiences for people.”

Visitors are invited to Superstudio to step into a kaleidoscopic experience. The installation reflects the inspiration of the rare blue morphic butterfly behind 3M’s multilayer optical film technology and the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly, representing the characteristics of innovation. Spectators will see spectacular colors throughout the space as light reflects off the multilayer films creating an imaginative effect for visitors. 3M optical window films provide superior energy efficiency by rejecting infrared light and keeping interior spaces cool in a sustainable way.

“Sharing a culture that supports a diversity of thinking and exploration, we very much enjoyed collaborating with 3M Design,” said Matteo Thun, architect and founder of Matteo Thun & Partners. “The project is about playfully experimenting with 3M's innovative materials and creating a mimetic effect on the architecture. The visitor becomes part of this unity."

3M materials used throughout the installation include 3M™ Dichroic, FASARA™ and DI-NOC™ architectural films and 3M™ Nomad™ floor mats. Cross-laminated timber was used for the construction of the installation giving free rein architectural creativity and is an alternative construction material that is light, cost effective and sustainable.

This most recent creative partnership for 3M Design is a continuation of the company’s commitment to elevating design and collaborative creativity in innovative new ways to drive great brand experiences. 3M Design partnered with RUBNER HOLZBAU for construction of the installation, as well as iGUZZINI for the installation’s lighting design.

About 3M

At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $32 billion in sales, our 93,000 employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNews.

About Matteo Thun & Partners

Matteo Thun & Partners is a multicultural architecture and design studio with Headquarters in Milan and a subsidiary in Shanghai. The company acts on an international level and develops diverse projects in hospitality and residential, headquarters, retail and urban design as well as master planning since 1980.

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