ASICS Kinetic Playscape Puts Movement Science Inside a Retro Futuristic Installation at the Milan Design Week

ASICS SportStyle made its first consumer facing debut in Italy at Milan Design Week 2026 with the Kinetic Playscape, an immersive five chapter installation built to introduce the new GEL-KINETIC™ 2.0 sneaker. The installation was open to the public April 22–24 at Garage 21 on Via Archimede 26 in Milan. Because of this, the activation marks a deliberate step by the Japanese performance brand into design world territory.

The space and who built it

Los Angeles studio NUOVA Group, founded by Rodrigo Caula and Enrico Pietra, designed the environment around a fictional research institute concept, blending Japanese minimalism with Italian radical design. Visitors moved through five distinct rooms, each representing a different physical state, from gravitational weight to the lightness of motion. Staff uniforms were designed by Soshi Otsuki, winner of the LVMH Prize.

The shoe at the center

The GEL-KINETIC™ 2.0 was developed and tested at the ASICS Institute of Sport Science in Kobe. Its construction draws aesthetic references from the archival GEL KINETIC 4, GEL FRANTIC, and GEL TORNADO models. Functionally, the shoe features Scutoid GEL technology for shock absorption. Moreover, it has a rigid TPU cage around the sole for stability across urban environments.

How the space worked

Visitors were invited to put on the GEL-KINETIC™ 2.0 and move freely through the sandscape environment, directly testing the shoe inside the installation. The format bridged product launch and embodied experience, a format increasingly common among sportswear brands seeking to justify premium positioning in lifestyle segments.

Where to buy

A private press reception took place on April 21. During the activation week, the GEL-KINETIC™ 2.0 was available at Slam Jam, One Block Down, and END Clothing in Milan.