British designer Benjamin Hubert in collaboration with German brand Braun has created an immersive installation called Foil presented in the V&A’s Tapestry gallery. Set up for London Design Festival 2016, Foil is a 20-metre-long revolving ribbon of 50,000 individual metallic panels, which emulate the precision-engineered form of the iconic Braun shaver foil. 

The installation is accompanied by an atmospheric soundscape that emulates the fluid motion of the sculpture and the reflected light. The shape of the metallic elements is informed by the precision engineered shape of the Braun shaver foil and the movement is inspired by the 360-degree movement of the Braun shaver head.

A tailored system of LED lights will be directed onto the metal foil so that light is projected onto the gallery walls. Hubert’s absorbing installation draws the viewer in and the reflections amplify Braun’s detailed design whilst simultaneously epitomising the company’s philosophy for ‘less but better’, a statement highly valued by Dieter Rams, their legendary former head of design.

''The idea is to elevate and celebrate the foil finish on the next generation of Braun shavers,” says Benjamin Hubert. “The shavers are industrialised consumer goods, and most people don’t appreciate the engineering that is behind individual elements. We thought it would be interesting to take inspiration from something that is often overlooked and create a highly engineered immersive experience.''

Foil is displayed in Room 94 – which is dominated by three hunting tapestries made between 1425 and 1450 – due to the gallery’s unique atmosphere. As light, humidity and temperature in the gallery are carefully controlled to protect the tapestries, visitors are immersed in a unique and emotionally engaging environment, which is enhanced by the multi-sensory installation.

''As a studio, we’re very research-based – we understand and collect insights from the world around us and translate them into the next experience to improve the everyday, usually in the form of a product,” says Hubert. “This project is particularly exciting for us as it’s our first artwork, so it’s less about conventional functionality and more about creating a heightened emotional experience. I want visitors to remember this sculptural landscape viscerally through all their senses.''

All images © Ed Reeve, courtesy of LDF

> via London Design Festival