INFINITI Conde Nast x AD - The New Dawn

The New Dawn

Architectural Digest X INFINITI

This is an exciting new era for INFINITI – our visual identity is evolving with a new logo and colours. We partnered with Architectural Digest, a leading name in the world of design, to create a film that explores how design inspires everything we do at INFINITI. Join author and host Padma Lakshmi as she discovers how INFINITI integrates traditional Japanese design principles in a modern way.

Bird's eye view of a Japanese garden that inspired INFINITI design

A Source of Inspiration

Japanese design is guided by philosophies that influence everything, from gardens and pottery to buildings and products. As a company with Japanese heritage, the principles of Japanese design are seamlessly integrated into everything we create.

The Concept of Ma

In the film, Lakshmi meets Junya Ishigami, architect of Kait Plaza. He says, “Ma literally means the time and space in between things, so even if you’re standing in a completely empty space, you can still feel something around it.” At INFINITI, we create space by eliminating unnecessary things, so what remains has room to co-exist in balanced harmony.

Welcome to Omotenashi

Omotenashi translates as thoughtful hospitality. For Yuteki Dozono, the designer behind the SunnyHill shop in Tokyo, Omotenashi means “creating a relationship with a guest and a possibility for interaction.” He designed SunnyHill to look like a bamboo basket, giving it a warm, friendly quality in contrast to the concrete buildings that surround it. At INFINITI, Omotenashi is the welcome feeling you get in our vehicles and retail spaces.

Removing Boundaries with Engawa

The design philosophy of Engawa centers around the space between the outside and the inside. For Alfonso Albaisa, it had a marked influence on how his team at INFINITI created the new retail environments. “The way we played with the roofs, the glass and the water around it, you really have a difficult time knowing where the inside starts and the outside ends.”

INFINITI Senior Vice President, Alfonso Albaisa, talking with a woman in front of a blue background

“We feel like we have this huge resource of inspiration here in Japan. We have a term, Omotenashi. It’s this sense of welcoming.”

Alfonso Albaisa, INFINITI Senior Vice President, Global Design

A Multisensory Experience

As part of our evolution, we’re creating multisensory experiences and we’ve developed a signature scent and sound. By engaging your senses, we hope to make your moments with us more welcoming.