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The connecting design overlay and simplified material
palette performs a background role that permits the
products to star.
We divided the store into three main zones. There are
two zones on the left and the right using timber veneer and
centrally, black mirrored glass. There are a range of products
and one of those is Japanese handbags and each of those
12 different suppliers come from different areas and different
regions in Japan.
Is a type of miniaturized ‘town-plan’ required in the way
the whole store is designed and operates?
You’re right in that there are clearly defined circulation
zones and ‘assembly points’ that hopefully reward the
visitor. The store is defined by a series of individual
presentations and retail offerings. This is achieved by
elevating and showcasing products on a series of glass
and timber display ‘islands’. There are timber elements on
either side with central glass elements that form a pretty
heroic monochrome backdrop.
How complicated is it to create visual and functional
cohesion?
It is quite a large store. The test was to create retail
excitement in that space by incorporating traditional,
Japanese inspired elements. We used minimal materials
and a fit-out that felt contemporary and high-end. There is
a quiet subtlety to most Japanese design and so we selected
materials consistent with that; materials which felt high-end
and reflected the quality of the store’s hand-made,
hand-crafted products.
Can you explain a little more about bringing the
interiors to life?
We wanted to provide scale to the display units and visually
link the three separate retail zones. We wanted the various
plinths to be seen as something really special. We wanted
to express this store in a way that resembled and felt like a
gallery space and high-end retail store. We definitely played
around with scale and things like reflectivity.