Design is more than an exercise in style or form. In today’s world, increasingly dominated by complexity and idea overload, few studios manage to bring design back to its essence: creating solutions that really matter. Among them is MEDIUMfounded in Tokyo by Shintaro Monden, a practice that turns intuition and technology into products and services that truly improve everyday life.
Its mission is clear and powerful: to develop intelligent objects where functionality, inclusion and aesthetics coexist in harmonious balance. The studio’s approach starts with real human needs: innovation is not complexity for its own sake, but a careful balance of creativity, methodology and attention to detail. At the heart of their work is the “right problem, right solution” principle, identifying and studying the specific problem first and then designing targeted interventions that bring tangible benefits to both users and the wider community.
external @ MEDIUM
KIKOALE @ MEDUM
Shellmet @ MEDUM
Shellmet @ MEDUM
coconut @ MEDUM
FOR Table Tennis @ MEDUM
FOR Table Tennis @ MEDUM
Wheely @ MEDUM
Wheely @ MEDUM
walkey @ MEDUM
walkey @ MEDUM
external @ MEDIUM
external @ MEDIUM
Working across sectors, scales and environments – from modular office furniture to lightweight, comprehensive wheelchairs, in a sustainable scallop shell helmet – the studio demonstrates deep multidisciplinary expertise that translates into lasting social impact. This progressive research-driven vision has been recognized internationally with awards such as iF Design Award, Red Dot Design Award and Dezeen Awards – Project of the Year. Here are seven projects that show how MEDUM is truly driving product innovation, turning design into a tool that is both simple and revolutionary for people’s everyday lives.
Design that transforms life: 7 inclusive MEDUM projects:
cocoe – The brand that reinvents the way we listen
Developed by MEDUM using acoustic technologies from NTT Sonority, coco is a brand designed to improve the lives of hearing impaired people by reducing isolation and social vulnerability. Its first product, Cocoe Earis an open-ear hearing aid that amplifies softer frequencies for clear hearing without blocking natural ambient sounds. The lightweight, ergonomic design, combined with a simple interface, makes everyday use easy and allows users to fully participate in conversations and shared activities.
Discreet in shape but highly functional, KIKOALE is a loudspeaker-beacon designed to improve safety in crowded areas, developed as part of a disaster prevention project by Yoho Brewing. In everyday use, it appears as a lantern-like object, seamlessly integrated into the interior, but in emergencies it transforms into a loudspeaker ready to guide people. Its technology shifts the voice to higher frequencies between 3,500 Hz and 5,000 Hz, making communication audible even in noisy environments, while the built-in light marks evacuation routes in the dark. Combining design, innovation and vision, KIKOALE embodies a tool that is ready for any occasion.
Shellmet – The helmet that turns scallop shells into sustainability
Innovative in concept and form, Shellmet is a helmet made of Shellstic, a recycled plastic derived from scallop shells, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 36% compared to virgin materials. The project addresses an environmental challenge in the village of Sarufutsu, Hokkaido (Japan), where 40,000 tons of shells are discarded annually and, in this case, turned into a valuable resource. Inspired by biomimicry – the imitation of natural mechanisms for technological applications – the helmet uses the ribbed structure of the shells to ensure lightness and strength, combining sustainability, functionality and a design language based on organic geometry.
Wheeliy – The wheelchair for free movement
Designed for everyday construction motility easier for people with disabilities, Wheely is a wheelchair developed by MEDUM in collaboration with Moltenmanufacturer of medical and auxiliary equipment. Smart color guides simplify lifting and folding, making the chair easier to handle even for those unfamiliar with wheelchairs. It features Power Drive, which allows instant switching between assisted and manual operation, and Power Cushion, an adjustable air cushion that reduces the risk of pressure sores. Based on extensive user research, Wheeliy prioritizes autonomy, safety and comfort, supporting independence and social participation for active users.
PARA Ping Pong Table – Telling the story of the game of para athletes
Developed with the Japan Para Table Tennis Association, FOR Table Tennis is a gaming table designed for athletes with disabilities. Every player experiences it differently: wheelchair users perceive it as longer, while those who cannot put weight on their left leg see one side further away. After an analysis carried out with the players themselves, MEDUM turned these differences into a design that maintains the classic proportions by gradually changing the surface, making it immediately clear that “each player sees the table in his own way”. The result is a solution that allows viewers to understand the challenges para-athletes face, raising awareness through a project that combines innovation and inclusion—even in the game!
internal – Modular furniture for the evolving workplace
Designed to optimize the office experience, internal is a line of creative furniture developed by the studio for Okamuraable to adapt easily to different work styles. Consisting of a desk, a chair and a shelf, the system allows for modular combinations that meet a variety of organizational needs, from individual tasks to group meetings. Thanks to specially designed clip connectors, each piece can be assembled or disassembled without tools, while the height and configuration can be adjusted effortlessly. This flexibility makes it possible to reconfigure spaces without replacing furniture, connect people and environments, and support the evolution of the office over time.
walkey – A new era for walking autonomy
Walkey is a walking training service developed in partnership with Asahi Incdesigned to promote long-term mobility and overall well-being. The personalized program – coordinated in all phases by the Japanese studio – analyzes around 70 areas of the body and offers over 120 exercises carefully selected by professional trainers. Regular home training sessions combined with periodic check-ins ensure a progressive path suitable even for older adults or users with disabilities. Ergonomic, safe and smart devices – designed without sharp edges and built with comfortable materials – make the experience accessible, enjoyable and inclusive, allowing users to train continuously and with confidence.
MEDUM’s visionary approach will be on full display at Milan Design Week 2026, in the Tortona area at Back12, with ‘Light is Shadow’, an installation presenting prototypes created through innovator use of inorganic electroluminescent (EL) materials. The exhibition – and the studio itself – offers a unique opportunity to explore how design can anticipate the future, turn ideas into tangible experiences and redefine the relationship between technology, aesthetics and everyday life.
