Technology Meets Tradition

TOTO’s London exhibition showcases the latest bathroom technologies within the context of traditional Japanese culture.

The summer exhibition TECHNOLOGY MEETS TRADITION is on display from 20 May to 31 July 2024 at the TOTO showroom in London’s Clerkenwell neighbourhood. This exhibition connects the long, rich history of traditional Japanese handicrafts and culture with innovative technologies. Photo: TOTO

The summer exhibition, TECHNOLOGY MEETS TRADITION, is on display at the TOTO Showroom in London’s Clerkenwell neighbourhood from 20 May to 31 July 2024. This exhibition bridges Japan’s rich history and culture with state-of-the-art sanitary technologies. It features authentic zen gardens, a temporary tea house structure, and a collection of sanitary products. This provides visitors with the opportunity to experience how Japanese culture informs and influences TOTO products, developed within this cultural context.

TOTO’s exclusive products are presented in the context of Japanese zen gardens in the latest summer exhibition at their London showroom. The Japanese zen gardens and TOTO’s sanitary ceramics share a high degree of aesthetic harmony. Photo: TOTO

TOTO is renowned for its innovative sanitary ceramics. Adhering to the Japanese philosophy of kaizen, they continually strive to improve and enhance their products to meet the highest standards of hygiene and comfort. They employ cutting-edge technologies in their products to achieve these results, such as the luxurious WASHLET NEOREST WX and the soothing Floating Tub. These TOTO design products are displayed within a Japanese zen garden, designed to promote calm and relaxation through its minimalist design. This approach is part of TOTO’s philosophy of “Understated Presence”, which the company consistently pursues in its product design. They implement this philosophy through three principles: user-friendly design that supports people's bodies and souls in their everyday lives, aesthetic elements that create a sense of harmony, and a design of lasting beauty that combines usability with long-lasting aesthetics.

TOTO’s exclusive sanitary ceramics give residential and hotel bathroom projects a balanced aesthetic. They create a harmonious feeling reminiscent of the understated serenity of a Japanese garden. Photo: TOTO

Emi Morita studied architecture and also spent five years learning from Japanese garden and tea garden designer Hide Fumi Nagato in Hiroshima, Japan. Afterwards, she was responsible for trimming and managing the collection of bonsai trees at the Moscow Academy’s Botanic Garden in addition to other duties. She designed the zen gardens for TOTO’s temporary installation. Photo: TOTO

Calming Zen Garden by Emi Morita

Japanese zen gardens are celebrated for their clarity and tranquillity. These meticulously designed spaces incorporate natural elements such as rocks, gravel, sand, and plants in harmonious, often symbolic arrangements to evoke a feeling of inner balance and peace. Zen gardens have a long tradition spanning centuries, embodying timeless minimalistic aesthetics and contemplative design principles. “My mission is to help people understand the five senses of modern everyday life through the Japanese garden,” explains landscape architect Emi Morita, who designed the zen gardens for the TECHNOLOGY MEETS TRADITION exhibition.

The tearoom designed by London architects Squire & Partners is based on the tea garden one passes through to get to the tea house. Materials produced by CIPANGO artisans using traditional techniques are interpreted in modern ways. Photo: TOTO

CIPANGO – Ancient Crafts Meet Modern Design

CIPANGO is a social niche company that connects architects, designers, and other construction and design professionals with Japanese artisans. CIPANGO represents traditional Japanese artisanal enterprises that reinterpret their techniques for modern applications. The TECHNOLOGY MEETS TRADITION exhibition demonstrates the versatility, manual skills, and transformative potential of materials in interior design and architecture. The collection on display at TOTO’s Clerkenwell showroom includes Harigane metal textiles, Youbi Hinoki furniture, Maruni wood carvings, and works on paper, as well as Tatinoya wood textiles.

CIPANGO is committed to preserving traditional techniques and materials, presenting their versatility to an international audience. Photo: TOTO

Visitors to the exhibition will experience a unique fusion of traditional and modern aesthetics, providing insights into TOTO’s innovative bathroom technologies and the timeless beauty and harmony of traditional Japanese culture. The extraordinary aesthetics, wonderful hospitality, timelessness, dedication, perfect craftsmanship and design, and an appreciation for the finer details are aspects found in both Japanese culture and TOTO’s products.

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