During the last Milan Design Week edition Nike presented the project ISPAnificio, a project carried ahead by the ISPA collective, whose name stands for Improvise, Scavenge, Protect, Adapt, inspired by the name of a former bakery, in Viale Monza 91, in Milan.
ISPAnificio will be open to visitors from April 21 to 23, a three-day event to discover the novelties conceived by ISPA's designer collective for the occasion– ISPA Mind Body, ISPA Universal and ISPA Link Axis.
The three projects presented are tied by a common thread, to question basic assumptions about the world of footwear, primarily aesthetics, but also materials and production processes.
Each of the three shoes presented was made without the use of adhesive materials. The ISPA Mind Body model uses environmentally friendly materials, cutting waste early in the process. The design is modular and easy to assemble and disassemble, featuring a unique lacing system and surface application of algae-based inks. The upper is made of 360 Flyknit, made with 60% less waste than traditional methods, while the soft Flyknit cushioning recalls the feel of bare feet on grass.
ISPA Universal is the result of a mash-up of four historical models through a digital artificial intelligence process in search of new design territories: Nike Solarsoft HTM (2010), Air Max 270 (2018), Air Zoom Pegasus 37 (2020) and Air Zoom Type (2020). Made of Bio-EVA foam derived from sugarcane, ISPA Universal is injection molded and hand polished, equipped with two sets of cork insoles and replaceable components to increase durability. During Design Week, it will be possible to experiment with clay using 3-D molds produced directly at Nike's headquarters in Beaverton.
ISPA Link Axis, which saw its debut last year at the Vitra Design Museum, can be completely disassembled at the end of its life, making all components recyclable or reusable with a view to circularity.
READ ALSO:
