Electric Japan

Location: Illuminate at the Science Museum, London

Floral: Rob Van Helden

Photography: James Mason

Illuminate is a blank-canvas industrial space in the middle of London, and new to most of the guests. The brief was Japanese design and Manga, style and technology together, which sits naturally in a Science Museum. Long dining tables ran around the edge of the dance floor in a deliberately linear layout. Cool lighting, clean lines, minimalism doing the heavy lifting.

Origami went into the escort cards and menus. Place cards were chopstick holders. Bento boxes were served. Immersion is not a colour scheme, it is the food and the detail, so all of it had to hold. Neon orange and green ran through the room against custom Manga wall pieces, cherry blossom and UV. Screens carried footage from Tokyo cut with family content. Simulators, a magician and a neon artist kept the Bar Mitzvah boy's friends together. Then the shutters lifted on a panoramic night view of the London skyline, above a DJ booth reading Drink Sake Stay Soba.

A brightly lit dining area illuminated with blue lighting, featuring tables set with plates, utensils, and napkins, and decorated with colorful flower arrangements and candles. A large wall displays a black and white comic strip with dialogue and art
A brightly lit indoor event space decorated with colorful vases, floral arrangements, and neon wall art with comic strip posters on a projector screen.
A brightly lit event space with a long dining table decorated with colorful flower arrangements in vases, surrounded by black chairs. The background features a wall with a collage of photographs and neon art, and green leafy plants under a high ceili
Close-up of a paper fortune teller with text, next to a strawberry and some green berries, on a light blue surface.
A room decorated with colorful flowers in vases on tables, and a large collage of comic book pages on the wall behind. The tables are set with folded napkins and glasses, suggesting a celebration or event.
A banquet table set with glassware, utensils, and decorative orange flowers, illuminated by blue lighting at an event.
A decorated event space with tables set for a celebration, featuring flower arrangements in orange, white, and pink in vases, place settings with napkins, glasses, and cutlery. The wall in the background has comic-style artwork and neon light accents
A decorated banquet table with floral centerpieces, candles, and place settings in a modern event space with blue lighting and artwork on the wall.
A decorated conference or dining room with a table set with flowers in orange, green, and yellow vases, candles, and place settings including plates, glasses, and napkins. The background features comic strip posters and a neon light design on the wal
A large indoor event space decorated with colorful flowers on tables and elegant lighting, set up for a celebration or banquet.
A long decorated table set for a celebration, with colorful flowers, candles, and tableware, in a modern indoor venue with neon lighting and wall art.
A colorful party table setup featuring a bouquet of peach-colored roses on the left, a folded white paper menu, teal napkins, and candles. There are also some decorative glassware with iridescent reflections, multicolored lighting, and a festive atmo
An event space decorated with colorful flowers, vases, candles, and neon light art, with tables set for a celebration and a photo collage on the wall.
Multiple colorful origami paper boats with name cards inside glasses on a dark table against a blue background.
A banquet hall decorated for a celebration with round tables covered in pink tablecloths, floral centerpieces, and neatly arranged place settings. The room features a high ceiling with white structural beams, colorful lighting, and a large wall colla
A large event space decorated with modern lighting and floral arrangements. Long banquet tables are set with place settings, candles, and colorful bouquets. In the background, there is a stage with musical equipment and a screen displaying abstract i
A display booth featuring ramen-themed illustrations and Japanese text, decorated with green leaves, paper lanterns, and bamboo baskets, set in an indoor space with white walls and curtains.
A DJ is performing on a neon-lit platform with a sign that reads 'DRINK SAKE STAY SOBER'. There are colorful lights, microphones, and musical equipment, with a cityscape visible in the background through large glass windows.