Osaka Signage Manufacturer DAIKAN Makes Debut at Milan Design Week with Immersive 'FLUX METAL' Experience

▲《FLUX TABLE》 installed at Palermo 18 (Brera Design District, Milano). The mirror-finished FLUX METAL reacts to light and human movement, continuously altering the impression of the space.

Osaka-based signage manufacturer DAIKAN and 3D design brand 130 (ONE THIRTY) made their first exhibition under the 'DAIKAN' name at Milan Design Week 2026, held in Milan, Italy, from April 20–26, 2026. At 'Palermo 18' in the heart of the Brera district, they introduced 'FLUX METAL,' a new material expression where mirror-polished metal appears to ripple like liquid, and the installation 'Return to… — The Beauty of Resilience.' Throughout the event, the exhibition was featured in multiple European design, architecture, and lifestyle media outlets and drew widespread interest from local design and architecture professionals.

01 Background and Venue In April 2026, in Milan, Italy, an Osaka signage manufacturer brought a question to the city: 'metal that looks like liquid.' This marked the first Milan exhibition, framed as an attempt to extend the high-precision processing technology and craftsmanship cultivated through signage production for luxury brands and commercial facilities since 1964 into material and spatial experiences.

02 What is the new material expression 'FLUX METAL'? 'FLUX METAL' is a new metallic expression created by mirror-polishing the cross-section of special metal materials. It shows a viscous, liquid-like ripple that shifts with changes in light and viewing angles. This unique expression cannot be achieved by machine processing alone. The final stage involves micron-level craftsmanship by skilled artisans at DAIKAN.

03 Installation: 'Return to… — The Beauty of Resilience' The installation centered on the 《FLUX TABLE》,구성 to transcend materials, light, scent, and touch. 130 (ONE THIRTY) designed and crafted a sculptural base for the 'FLUX METAL' tabletop. The theme, 'Resilience,' resides in the way metal, which should be hard, changes its expression based on light and human movement.

04 Comments from Representatives Osamu Jingi, President of DAIKAN, stated, 'We took on the challenge of extending the realm of signage into sensory experience using the experience and technology we have cultivated.' Hirochika Kato, CTO/Designer at 130, commented, 'I am proud that the 《FLUX TABLE》, born from the combination of 'fluctuation' and 'stability,' functioned as a powerful eyecatcher to broadcast DAIKAN's technology to the world.'

05 Future Outlook DAIKAN positions this Milan exhibition as an experimental initiative to present the knowledge of metal processing and surface treatment cultivated through signage production as a spatial experience.