The midcentury Danish designer was a master of architectural atmosphere Visiona 2 is nothing short of a psychedelic dreamscape. Constructed inside of a ship, the labyrinthine installation is a series of rooms decked out in prismatic hues and touchable textures. After descending down a crimson spiral staircase, visitors proceed through mirrored spaces; a womb-like cavern with undulating walls wrapped in ultramarine blue, scarlet red, and golden orange fabric; a den covered in violet shag carpet; and a room clad in spheres and bathed in color-changing light. It?s designed to astonish and excite visitors.
While this sounds a lot like the maximalist, immersive, photo-friendly installations as of late?looking at you Color Factory, Dream Machine, and Museum of Ice Cream?Visiona 2 is nearly 50 years old and it?s one of dozens of projects featured in Verner Panton, a new monograph from Phaidon.
© Panton Design, Basel
Visiona 2, exhibition for Bayer, Cologne Furniture Fair, 1970.

With an interest in immersive spaces, color theory, systems, and sensory perception, the midcentury Danish designer Verner Panton created sculptural furniture that framed the body, interiors that evoked visceral reactions, and patterns that teased the eye. Panton was all about the total environment, and he anticipated Instagram bait before Instagram was a thing.

© Panton Design, Basel (Illums Bolighus)
Sitzschaukel, 1969-70, developed for Vision...