nendo’s Trace collection of cabinets and lights look like line drawings come to life
“Within the space where we live there are items that ‘move’,” the firm writes on its website. “They are furniture, doors and windows – Items that move in relation to our daily activities. Although they may not be visible, we are subconsciously aware of the ‘traces’ of their movements every day. For example, because of that, we do not put a vase in front of a door. It is essential for a person who specializes in space design to be even more aware of this, as they have to portray these ‘traces’ onto drawings. In the same manner, by visualizing such ‘traces’ in space, the various movement of a door attached to a simple cabinet was implied.”
The immersive installation greets visitors at the entrance of the show with an 85-foot-long wall of metal light fixtures that depict the path that a lightbulb hanging from a string would trace as it swings left to right.

Photo: Adam Reich courtesy of Friedman Benda and the artists
The reception counter itself is also part of the collection, with metal “traces” that show a progression of doors opening within it.
The exhibit then curves into a long hallway lined with 12 wood and metal Trace cabinets.
The Trace collection will be on display at the Collective Design Fair in New York City through May 8. By Yuka Yoneda.