A fictional research institute with retro-futuristic undertones. A synthesis of craftsmanship, alongside Japanese minimalism, and Italian design. An experimental convergence of art, understood as both tangible and intangible forms, and physical activity. Above all, a space in which five distinct environments activate, and are, in turn, activated by the senses and by movement.

Unveiled during Milan Design Week, the Kinetic Playscape emerges as a tribute to the GEL-KINETIC 2.0, the latest expression of ASICS’ ongoing and structural dialogue between past and future. The installation takes shape from the sneaker itself, which served as the conceptual starting point for the studio NUOVA (New Understanding of Various Artifacts), giving rise to an interactive scenography that unfolds as a journey: temporal, multisensory, playful, and creative. The result is a brief yet deeply resonant passage between the terrestrial and the transcendent, between action and idea: where each body is invited to rediscover the ultimate meaning of movement: a state of complete human equilibrium, embodied in the philosophy of ‘Sound Mind, Sound Body.’

A balance that is also reflected, metaphorically, in the relationship between product, identity, sporting imagery, and artistic expression that defines ASICS’ contemporary vision: here articulated through the voice of Alvaro Moreno de la Cruz, Global Head of Marketing at ASICS SportStyle, and the architects of the Kinetic Playscape, Enrico Pietra and Rodrigo Caula of NUOVA.

Alvaro Moreno de la Cruz | Global Head of Marketing, ASICS SportStyle

At Athleta Mag, we like to begin every interview by exploring each guest’s personal relationship with the world of sport. What has sport represented in your life, and what does it represent today?

Alvaro Moreno de la Cruz: “Sport has always been a constant in my life. I’ve been very active since childhood: I was a rugby player, and it was something I naturally grew up with. Over time, I’ve come to see sport as a foundation for balance. It gives structure, and it offers both physical and mental relief. Today, it’s still a priority for me. I need to go for a run two or three times a week, and I value my football matches not only for the exercise but also for the social aspect. More broadly, I truly believe that movement is essential: not just on an individual level, but as a way to positively impact society and communities. That’s a core belief of ASICS as well, and something I personally connect with deeply. It’s also one of the reasons why I feel so aligned with what we do.”

Continuing on a more biographical note, you have held several roles within ASICS, starting as Senior Sales Manager and eventually becoming Global Head of Marketing. Having experienced the company so deeply, what does the philosophy of ‘Sound Mind, Sound Body’ mean to you today?

Alvaro Moreno de la Cruz: “Over the years, I’ve seen a significant shift. When I first joined, the broader cultural conversation around sport and well-being wasn’t as prominent as it is today. The industry was largely driven by sneaker releases and hype: something that was never really part of our approach or our mission. Time has allowed us to fully embrace who we are as a brand. ‘Sound Mind, Sound Body’ is about creating products that enable people to move more, and to feel better while doing so. And that physical movement has a direct, positive impact on mental well-being. Internally, this belief is deeply shared. The ASICS team is made up of people who genuinely believe in this philosophy: it’s not just a message, it’s something lived. That’s what makes it so natural for us to engage with what we do. It feels authentic.”

Listening to your perspective, it’s clear that you are placing a strong focus on the brand’s cultural relevance and positioning. At Athleta Mag, we see sport as a form of art and culture: for ASICS, what role do these two dimensions—art and culture—play in the brand’s contemporary identity?

Alvaro Moreno de la Cruz: “That’s a great question. We are deeply rooted in sports, for example running and tennis, and we don’t shy away from that. It defines our positioning and gives us a strong, authentic foundation. At the same time, as we look to expand and build deeper connections with our audience, culture becomes increasingly important. We’re interested in engagement, in creating emotional resonance, in establishing something more lasting. Where other brands might approach culture in a more explicit or accelerated way, we prefer to build that connection organically. Culture takes time: it requires patience and consistency. It also needs to emerge from a place that feels natural to us. That’s why moments like Milan Design Week are so meaningful. They allow us to speak about our craft and our design in a context that aligns with our values. Milan Design Week isn’t just about furniture or art: it’s about craftsmanship across disciplines. That resonates strongly with us, especially when you think about the Japanese craftsmanship behind our products. This is where we see the connection: sport, design, and culture as complementary layers. And we believe we have a role to play within that space.”

How does the GEL-KINETIC 2.0 sneaker fit into ASICS’ current journey? Why did you choose to elevate it during this year’s Milan Design Week?

Alvaro Moreno de la Cruz: “The product really speaks for itself. The design language of the GEL-KINETIC 2.0 is highly advanced and progressive: it’s a clear expression of form following function. Beyond aesthetics, it’s about comfort and stability. It’s designed for people who spend long hours on their feet, while maintaining a very distinctive visual identity. At ASICS, we take pride in bringing technology to the forefront, what we call ‘visible tech’, and this model is one of the clearest expressions of that philosophy. That’s why Milan Design Week felt like the natural context to showcase it. There’s no better place to talk about design at that level.”

The ASICS Kinetic Playscape: an immersive public installation, a spatial experience where mind and body exist in harmony, a fusion of radical Italian design and Japanese minimalism… How would you define in your own words and thoughts this activation? And what does ASICS aim to communicate and allow people to experience through an installation like this?

Alvaro Moreno de la Cruz: “There’s a kind of retro-futuristic quality to it. At ASICS, innovation is always paired with reflection: we move forward, but we also look back. This approach is rooted in the Japanese concept of kaizen, or continuous improvement: learning from the past to inform what comes next. The GEL-KINETIC 2.0 itself is an evolution, and the Kinetic Playscape reflects that same idea. It’s playful, but it also explores the future through a lens that feels almost nostalgic: there’s a certain 1980s, Kubrick-like atmosphere to it. That contrast is intentional, and quite compelling. At its core, though, the installation is about movement. Our ambition is to show that movement, no matter how small, has a positive impact. It doesn’t have to be a 30-kilometer run; even a few minutes of activity can create a sense of mental uplift. The design context is important, of course. It reflects both our Japanese heritage and the city hosting us, but ultimately, the goal is simple: to let people experience how movement makes them feel. To engage with the space, to play, and to leave with a better sense of well-being.”

For the ASICS Kinetic Playscape, you also collaborated with a sound artist such as Mateo Garcia and NUOVA, the Los Angeles-based research and innovation design studio that shaped this installation. How important is the involvement of artists in special projects like this for the brand?

Alvaro Moreno de la Cruz: “It all comes back to craft. Recently, we’ve been reflecting on what truly defines us: not just innovation in itself, but the idea that everything we do is rooted in Japanese craftsmanship. It’s about decades of refinement, attention to detail, quality, and fit. That same principle applies to how we collaborate with artists. Whether it’s a musician, a designer, or an architect, what connects us is a shared dedication to craft: the years of practice, the depth of expertise, the ability to bring together different disciplines… That’s where the synergy lies. It’s a powerful space for us, and one we want to embrace even more. Especially today, in a world increasingly shaped by AI, there’s real value in reconnecting with what people can create with their hands and their minds. Working with artists is a way for us to celebrate that, and to align with individuals who share that same commitment.”

Enrico Pietra & Rodrigo Caula | Design Studio NUOVA

What has sport represented in your life, and what does it represent today?

Enrico Pietra: “Sport plays a fundamental role in my life. It may not be the very first thing, but it’s certainly close. For me, physical activity is inseparable from a sense of well-being: I don’t feel balanced without training. My journey has never been about excelling in a single discipline, but rather about curiosity and exploration. I’ve always loved trying different sports: I started with basketball, then moved into boxing, took a break to focus more on gym training, and more recently returned to practices like jiu-jitsu, alongside running. Movement, in all its forms, has always been a constant.”

Rodrigo Caula: “I played soccer/football for 20 years, so it’s really in my blood… I’m Argentine, after all. I started when I was five, and it has shaped a big part of who I am. More recently, I’ve shifted towards practices like yoga and Pilates, but movement remains essential. I also used to run track, middle to long distances, so that connection to the body has always been there. For me, staying active is not just important, it’s necessary.”

At Athleta Mag, we see sport as a form of art and culture: what role do you think these two dimensions—art, culture and design itself—should play in contemporary sports imagery and in brands like ASICS’ identity?

Enrico Pietra: “Working with ASICS has been an opportunity to rethink the shoe as an instrument of performance: the essential piece of equipment that supports every movement, whether on the pitch, in training, or in the gym. From that starting point, it becomes interesting to place the product in different contexts, allowing disciplines and environments to intersect. Running, training, lifting, design, art… They all begin to overlap more and more, creating a more fluid and integrated vision of sport.”

Rodrigo Caula: “I see it as the next frontier. It’s about continuous evolution: refining, blending, and bringing together different realities. This is the right moment for these worlds to collide. Today, people don’t just want to observe: they want to participate. They want a full, immersive experience. And I think this convergence of sport, art, and culture responds exactly to that desire.”

How was it like crafting a space inspired by the GEL-KINETIC 2.0? How was it like having a sneaker as the genesis of your creative process for the Kinetic Playscape?

Enrico Pietra: “We are deeply connected to tradition, but always looking toward the future, and ASICS reflects that perfectly. You can see it in the GEL-KINETIC 2.0: there’s a strong sense of heritage, yet always combined with new technology. Our approach revolves around retro-futurism. We often work with the idea that time travel is possible. In this project, we imagined taking people back to 1980s Japan, into a kind of testing facility where they can first encounter the shoe, then experience it in unexpected ways: almost as if they were on the moon, experimenting with movement and gravity. From there, the journey shifts again, bringing you into a reinterpretation of a traditional Japanese tea room, with tatami mats, but seen through a contemporary lens, with new patterns and textures. It’s about layering time, culture, and experience.”

Rodrigo Caula: “We started from the concept embedded in the ASICS name itself: ‘Anima Sana in Corpore Sano’. That became the foundation of our research and the structure of the experience. The idea was to create a kind of journey, almost like a performance, guiding people through different states. When you enter the changing room, the goal is to downregulate the nervous system: to bring you into a calm, neutral state. Then, once you put on the shoes, you move into the Playscape, where everything shifts: sound, scent, energy, all working together to activate you. Finally, the experience resolves in the tea room, where you can relax, absorb everything, and return to a more grounded state. It’s a cycle: an interplay between activation and recovery.”

Having experienced the company so deeply, what does the philosophy of ‘Sound Mind, Sound Body’ mean to you today?

Enrico Pietra: “I don’t meditate in the traditional sense, but for me, movement is meditation. Running, lifting: those are the moments where I reset. I always start my day with some form of physical activity. It sets the tone. Without it, I already know the day won’t feel the same.”

Rodrigo Caula: “For me, meditation is a crucial part of daily life. I practice Vedic meditation both in the morning and in the evening: it’s my way of disconnecting from external noise and reconnecting with myself. It helps me find balance, to stay centered, and to maintain a connection between mind and body. Sport then complements this, supporting overall health and reinforcing that sense of equilibrium.”