Space Gallery in Collaboration with Robina Benson Design House
Space Gallery is delighted to present our first collaboration with the renowned Robina Benson Design House. Robina Benson’s savoir-faire for creating modern, luxury interiors with high end design and lifestyle brands, will complement the exceptional artists and exhibitions curated by Space Gallery.
For the debut collection, Japanese design visionary Nendo brings his ground breaking collaboration for Paola Lenti. Hana-arashi, as disclosed by Nendo, describes the mesmerizing spectacle when cherry blossom petals detach and dance through the air – a transient beauty more captivating than the blossoms themselves, lasting mere moments, as they dance in the wind.
The collection comprises a remarkable series of Objets d’art born from Paola Lenti and Nendo’s shared commitment to sustainable design. Production remnants of Paola Lenti’s signature Maris fabric are delicately rolled and seamlessly welded, transforming into three dimensional pieces inspired by Samurai armour. This meticulous process breathes new life into repurposed materials, resulting in suspension and floro lamps, armchairs, pours, baskets and more – each carrying a story of innovation and artistry sharing Nendo and Paola Lenti’s profound love and respect for nature.
We look forward to welcoming you as we step into this new era with our Soho gallery celebrating our wonderful roster of artists alongside world-class design.
Hana-arashi Poufs
by Nendo and Paola Lenti
Nendo and Paola Lenti Transform Textile
From the colorful energy of Soho, a quiet revolution in sustainable design is taking place. Hana-arashi - a breathtaking collaboration between Japan's visionary studio Nendo and Italy's renowned textile brand Paola Lenti - is transforming the way we textile waste. This immersive exhibition at the newly launched Robina Benson Design House at Space Gallery SoHo, blends artistry, environmental innovation, and cultural poetry in a sculptural narrative where petals float and furniture blooms.
A Name Rooted in Nature and Emotion
Hana-arashi Basket with Base
by Nendo and Paola Lenti
The term Hana-arashi, which translates form Japanese as "storm of cherry blossoms", sets a poetic tone. The installation captures the essence of petals swirling in the wind, yet it's entirely crafted from textile offcuts. These discarded remnants - once waste - are reborn into vibrant sculptural forms that float, wrap, and adorn a new generation of furniture pieces.
This exihibition doesn't just represent sustainability - it celebrates it with elegance.
Art from Offcuts: Where Sustainability Meets Beauty
Hana-arashi Swivel Chair
by Nendo and Paola Lenti
Each piece in Hana-arashi is wrapped in Maris, Paola Lenti's innovative, 100% recyclable mono-material originally designed for outdoor use. The furniture - ranging from chairs, poufs, and lighting to tables and sculptural baskets - is crafted using colorful production offcuts. By using leftover materials, the designers make a compelling case for circular design and zero-waste creativity.
Instead of hiding the imperfections, they're highlighted. Seams, folds, and layering become intentional features, creating visual textures and stories unique to each item.
Sculptural Design Inspired by Nature
Under the creative direction of Oki Sato, founder of Nendo, the design language draws from natural, biomorphic forms. Smooth, rounded silhouettes resemble pebbles, petals, or cells. The influence of Japanese minimalism is evident in the reduction of excess, while Italian craftsmanship brings vibrancy and texture to the forefront.
Each furniture piece appears grown, not built - seamless integration of form and function.
"An idea stays as an idea without craftmanship," says Oki Sato. This philisophy breathes life into Hana-arashi, where technical skill meets poetic storytelling.
The Gallery as an Ecosystem of Ideas
Hana-arashi Suspension Lamps
by Nendo and Paola Lenti
Set within the newly opened Robina Benson Design House at Space Gallery SoHo, the installation turns the gallery into a living ecosystem. The floating textile petals create a meditative atmosphere, while the grounded furniture acts as both utility and sculpture. It's an invitation to pause, to observe, and to engage in a dialogue between impermanence and permanence, fragility and resilience.
Robina Benson herself notes:
"We envisioned the Soho gallery as a creative haven. With Hana-arashi, we invite guests to explore the harmony between contemporary design and poetic expression."
A Collaboration Rooted in Shared Values
Installation of Hana-arashi by Nendo and designer furniture by Nendo and Paola Lenti, represented by Robina Benson SoHo Design House at Space Gallery SoHo.
(photo by Marco Petrini)
This partnership is a perfect marriage of Japanese design philosophies of simplicity and emotion, and Italian innovation in textiles and sustainability. While Nendo brings a conceptual clarity and sense of movement, Paola Lenti contributes color mastery and technical precision.
It's not just about aesthetics. It's about redefining what waste means in design, and how emotion can be expressed through materials once deemed disposable.
Final Thought: Design as Renewal
Installation of Hana-arashi by Nendo and designer furniture by Nendo and Paola Lenti, represented by Robina Benson SoHo Design House at Space Gallery SoHo.
Hana-arashi is more than an installation - it's a manifesto for future design. One that values sustainability not as a trend, but as a foundation. One that sees offcuts as beginnings, not endings.
In a time where fast production dominates, Hana-arashi offers a moment of stillness - a chance to reimagine the lifecycle of materials, and our relationship with beauty, craftsmanship, and time.
For more information on
the artworks of this Curation
contact: soho@spacestbarth.com
or visit spacegallerystbarth.com