At Milan Design Week 2025, the Dutch artist collective DRIFT made a triumphant return after nearly two decades with a breathtaking installation titled Drift Us. Created in collaboration with Audi, the installation was a poetic and immersive experience that not only captivated visitors with its beauty but also invited them to play an active role in its unfolding. The audience became an integral part of the experience, transforming into the force that animated the space: the wind.
The installation, housed within Audi’s House of Progress, comprised a field of filament-like light structures suspended in the air, swaying softly in synchronized motion. As people walked through the space, sensors detected their presence, triggering waves of movement that mimicked the organic swaying of tall grasses or the rippling of wind across water. This symbiotic dance between human motion and machine response formed the emotional core of the installation, underscoring DRIFT and Audi’s shared belief that progress emerges from motion, adaptability, and human connection.
DRIFT’s work is renowned for translating ephemeral elements from nature into sensory environments using cutting-edge technology. With Drift Us, they have once again succeeded in turning something intangible into a tangible, awe-inspiring spectacle. The installation served as a metaphor for Audi’s brand philosophy, inviting viewers to consider their role in shaping the future through small, seemingly invisible movements.
The themes of presence, nature, and human interaction with technology were timely and resonant, offering a quiet yet powerful reminder that even in a hyper-technological world, the human touch remains central. As DRIFT reflected, “Wind is the driving force of evolution and innovation in nature. Without movement, there is no progress.” In Drift Us, this sentiment takes elegant, responsive form, inviting each visitor to step into the role of the wind and recognize their potential to move not only objects but also ideas and futures forward.
The collaboration between DRIFT and Audi highlights the importance of human-centered innovation and the need for flexibility and adaptability in a rapidly changing world. By turning the audience into an integral part of the installation, DRIFT and Audi encouraged visitors to think about their own role in shaping the future of sustainable mobility and design. As visitors moved through the space, they activated change, becoming a part of the innovation process. This interactive and immersive experience left a lasting impression on visitors, inviting them to reflect on the interconnectedness of human movement, technology, and the natural world.