The ASICS GEL-KINETIC 2.0 installation at Milan Design Week 2026 takes the form of a multi-room environment designed to explore the physical and mental effects of movement. Developed with Los Angeles-based studio NUOVA, the space is structured as a fictional research institute, where each room represents a different state of motion, progressing from grounded, weight-focused environments to lighter, more elevated spatial conditions.
At the center of the installation is the GEL-KINETIC 2.0 sneaker, which visitors are encouraged to wear and test within the space. The design of the shoe draws from early-2000s ASICS running models, incorporating Scutoid GEL cushioning and a TPU support system to balance stability and responsiveness. The installation connects the product to a broader concept, using architecture, sound, and interaction to translate movement into a spatial experience that unfolds across five distinct zones.
Immersive Movement Installations
ASICS GEL-KINETIC 2.0 Explores Motion Through Spatial Design
Trend Themes
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Immersive Retail Environments — Physical retail spaces are being reimagined as multi-sensory laboratories where products are experienced through curated spatial narratives that blur commerce and research.
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Kinetic Spatial Design — Architectural programs that encode different states of motion create environments that translate bodily dynamics into measurable and designable spatial conditions.
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Product-integrated Testing — On-site prototype trials embedded in installations enable real-time user feedback loops that tie material performance directly to experiential context.
Industry Implications
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Athletic Footwear — Shoe brands can leverage immersive environments to reconceptualize product validation and showcase engineered cushioning and support systems in situ.
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Experiential Marketing — Branded installations that fuse storytelling, architecture, and interaction produce new formats for audience engagement that emphasize embodied perception over passive observation.
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Sports Rehabilitation — Therapeutic programs informed by staged motion environments offer novel approaches to gait retraining and proprioceptive therapy through controlled spatial stimuli.