UNIQLO TOKYO

“LifeWear” is UNIQLO's commitment to creating perfect clothing that meets the lifestyle needs of everyone. In 2020, UNIQLO will further evolve its existing UNIQLO stores and open new UNIQLO stores that embody LifeWear in Yokohama, Harajuku, and Ginza. Mr. Kashiwa Sato will be involved in these stores as total producer and creative director, and will provide all customers who visit the stores with the best clothes and services that UNIQLO can think of.

Our company supported the selection process for the architect at UNIQLO TOKYO, the new global flagship store that opened in Marronnier Gate Ginza 2 in Ginza, and was responsible for everything from the basic interiors schematic design to construction.
Furthermore, part of interiors and exterior concept design were handled by Herzog & de Meuron, a Swiss architectural firm that has received the Pritzker Prize, often called the Nobel Prize of architecture, and the Praemium Imperiale. This store is an information hub filled with the appeal of Uniqlo, both now and in the future.

[Social Issues/Customer Issues/Requests]
・With the concept of "all of LifeWear here", it became necessary to create an unprecedented store as "the most advanced retail store in the world".

- Hardware aspects: The Uniqlo Marronnier Gate Ginza store, which was located on the 7th floor of Marronnier Gate Ginza 2, was relocated and expanded to four floors, from the 1st to the 4th floor, marking its first renovation in eight years. A large-scale renovation was required to create new value by comprehensively considering the architecture and interiors concept design.

・Intangible aspects: Opening a store in the Ginza/Yurakucho area, which is undergoing redevelopment, is an important and major challenge for UNIQLO's store opening strategy, and it was required to create a new store for customers visiting the town.

[Solution]
In response to this challenge
1. In terms of hardware, we created a new Uniqlo with a bold store concept design that leaves the existing building structure exposed.
The building's structure, completed in 1984, was largely in good condition and beautiful, so the building's surface was stripped away to create a powerful impression as a structural element, connecting the interior and exterior. By cutting away the existing slab, a boldly planned void space* that penetrates four floors visually connects the upper and lower floors, contributing to an open and dynamic spatial configuration.
*VOID space: An open space without any intentionally constructed structures.

2. In terms of soft skills, we positioned each store as a new hub for Uniqlo by giving it its own unique characteristics and offering a full lineup of all Uniqlo products.
Furthermore, a well-thought-out circulation plan allows for product displays that make the most of the single-floor sales area and provides a pleasant shopping experience.
Leveraging our strengths in design and construction, we supported the realization of a store that not only offers a shopping experience but also serves as an information hub showcasing the future appeal of Uniqlo, and a store that embodies LifeWear, reflecting Uniqlo's aim for a higher quality and more sophisticated store.
Furthermore, we emphasized not only the characteristics and location of the store, but also respect for the history and place of the land. We assisted with the overall store concept to ensure that the store would become a social presence that local residents would feel is their own.

* displays are from the time of filming. displays may vary depending on the season.

<Our project members>
[Sales & Project Management] Muneaki Takahashi, Hidenori Miyaura, Yuta Watanabe
[Planning] Makoto Yamazaki, Shoji Tominaga
[design, layout] NODE: Kazuya Naka, Hiroshi Yamaguchi
[Production and construction] Atsushi Hatano, Risa Yoshida, Fumiyasu Yamagami, Yuka Ohara, Keitaka Odajima, Atsushi Omae, Yasutake Miyashita / NOMURA (Beijing) Co., Ltd..: Yuya Tsuchiya