Drifting Yǎo serves as a bridge between people, thoughts, and history—an ever-shifting conduit for the contemporary reinterpretation of Eastern philosophy. In response to this year’s theme, "Cre-Action," the installation embodies a seamless convergence of nature and history: an elegant synthesis of Empire International Flooring’s commitment to the raw beauty of materials and Moorgen’s relentless pursuit of technological frontiers. In the interplay of detachment and immersion, the viewer is invited to experience the very essence of art itself.
Drifting Yǎo — an installation composed of wood and metal — explores the intersection of nature and constructed order.
The word "Yǎo" (杳) combines “wood”(木) and “sun” (日) , originally evoking the image of sunlight slipping beneath trees. It implies a sense of deep, unfathomable distance — like light filtering through a forest, elusive yet ever-present. In Chinese, yǎorán suggests disappearance into stillness, a serenity beyond the visible. Drifting Yǎo becomes a meditation on time, space, and the imaginative interplay born of interaction.
The installation is structured around two interwoven concepts: Movement (行) and Stillness (止) — creating a sensory dialogue between motion and pause.
"Movement" (行) represents linear flow in the corridor area. A quiet, triangular wooden(木) structure allows light to filter through the top, refracted by prisms into shifting shadows—like sunlight in a forest. A hidden, motion-triggered sound system adds a layer of interaction, turning time into something both audible and tactile.
Stillness (止) is spatial pause and corresponds to the courtyard area. A mirrored semicircle encloses the space, subtly blending into its surroundings, symbolizing the rising sun(日). Here, visitors are invited to pause and attune themselves to the flow of sound echoing from the corridor
行 | Movement (Corridor)
The corridor—a simple triangular wooden structure—becomes a passage of time. Walking here is not just spatial traversal, but a measurement of time itself. Clad in dark wood, the structure exudes a quiet, mysterious presence. Light enters not in abundance, but with restraint—filtered through a narrow opening above and refracted by prisms, casting flowing shadows that shift with the sun’s rise and fall. Time stretches here, and in fleeting overlaps of light and shadow, seems momentarily suspended—echoing the Eastern philosophy of “observing change” (察变) and “perceiving constancy” (观恒): though ever-shifting, the spirit of the space remains silently constant.
This corridor leads nowhere—wandering itself is the experience. Footsteps trigger hidden sound devices—each step birthing sound, like echoes from a distant past. Yet these sounds do not belong solely to the walker; they resonate with all within the space, merging with the breath of light and shadow, breaking free from self-centered perception. Here, the walker transforms into the creator, and those within the courtyard become witnesses to nature’s quiet song. The Eastern ideal of “the dissolution of self and object” (物我两忘) finds its place in this moment.
止 | Stillness (Courtyard)
The courtyard is a pause in time—a space where movement gives way to presence. Encircled by mirrored surfaces, it dissolves into its surroundings like the first light of dawn, blurring boundaries. Warm wood meets cool metal, balancing serenity with subtle tension.
Here, visitors are invited to dwell without directive—no fixed view, no focal sound. This “de-functionalized” strategy heightens perception: the subtle shift of light, faint temperature changes in the air, the lingering resonance of sound. Stillness becomes the most vivid dynamic, like untouched ink in a shanshui painting holding vastness within.
To fully engage, one must “listen” with the heart—to the corridor’s flow, the rise and fall of tones, the in-between. “Present yet absent, defined yet open”—this is the contemporary expression of liú bái (negative space), where what remains unsaid holds the greatest depth, and what is left blank carries boundless potential.
Drifting Yǎo
The linear flow of the Movement (Corridor) and the diffuse calm of the Stillness (Courtyard) create a tension within the space. They are not opposing forces but interwoven states—between passage and pause—forming fissures in perception. Walking fragments time; stillness condenses it. These dynamics fold into one another, echoing the principles of traditional Chinese gardens, where paths invite wandering without clear destinations, and spaces remain open yet never fully complete.
The wood installation, weathered by nature and revived through design, echoes Empire Flooring’s commitment to the raw beauty of natural materials. Sound drifts with each step, transient and ethereal, gathering and dissolving within the breath of the wind, resonating with Moorgen’s meticulous exploration of sonic and technological dimensions. The boundaries of Drifting Yǎo are not solely defined by geometry or matter but are continuously reshaped and erased by the paths of its visitors.
In the end, this is a courtyard of emptiness—not a void of absence, but a vessel of potential. Time, light, walking, and stillness are all deconstructed and reassembled, leaving only an ineffable sense of drifting—yǎo—a feeling that lingers, subtle and profound.
Cortile d'Onore
Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
07 April, 2025- 17 April, 2025
Artist
Wu Bin, the founder of W.DESIGN and a renowned designer, has extensive experience in interior, architectural, and product design spanning over 20 years. He is known for pioneering the "Modern Oriental" design language. In 2020, Wu Bin was honored with "Designer of the Year" award at the 24th Andrew Martin International Interior Design Awards, becoming the first designer from mainland China to receive this accolade.
Additionally, Wu Bin has been featured in AD100 by Architectural Digest China for six consecutive editions, awarded the EDIDA International Design Award as China’s Designer of the Year, and recognized as one of China’s Top 10 Designers by the China National Interior Decoration Association.
Curator
Gilda Bojardi
Gilda Bojardi has been the editor-in-chief of INTERNI magazine since 1994, overseeing all its publications. Founded in 1954 by Mondadori, INTERNI is Italy’s first interior design magazine and has become a leading authority in global design, architecture, and interiors.
She is also a curator and has organized cultural events and exhibitions worldwide. In 1990, she launched the experimental FuoriSalone, which later evolved into the annual design week in Milan, featuring over 500 events each April. Since 1998, she has curated exhibitions and events for INTERNI during Milan Design Week, focusing on the most pressing international design topics.
Partners
Impress the world with the heart of nature. Over the past 20 years, Empire has joined hands with world-renowned flooring brands to create, abide by strict manufacturing standards listen to the voices of users from al over the world, and precipitate all the good things about wood.
Moorgen is the leading Smart Home company in the world. Leveraged on self-developed Moorgen AI Intelligent Algorithm MIA Technology, Moorgen has developed simple, comfortable and humanized smart home products and system.
