Works#Overseas

This is a project by "%ARABICA" that has relocated and reopened in Plaza Indonesia, a shopping mall in the heart of Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. Jakarta is dotted with circular plazas, and among them, "Bundaran HI," located in front of Plaza Indonesia, is one of the most iconic landmarks in the city. As the new store is located in the center of the mall's basement floor, it adopts a striking circular layout inspired by the plazas represented by Bundaran HI. The open configuration, which does not obstruct the view, welcomes visitors from all directions. Furthermore, the entire space is covered with white and terracotta Chemex-type handmade tiles, inspired by the white walls and orange tiled roofs of the colonial style that remains strong in Indonesia, creating an impressive space that stands out in the center of the floor.

%ARABICA, a coffee shop brand originating in Kyoto, has opened its first roastery in U-Venues, a complex located in the heart of New Cairo, a satellite city of Cairo, Egypt. Egypt, located in North Africa through which the Nile River flows, is dotted with ancient ruins across its vast desert landscape. While this region retains a strong sense of history and culture, modern urban development is also progressing daily. Inspired by this unique location and the quarries that produce the pyramids, a symbol of Egypt, the space was concept design using the element of "stacking." To express the irregular landscape of the quarry throughout the space, 800mm square limestone modules were stacked in a staircase-like fashion from the roasting room and coffee counter to the seating area, creating random flow and differences in elevation, resulting in a comfortable space with just the right amount of openness. Furthermore, while the baristas, roasters, and bean bags are symbolically highlighted with a full-surface luminous film, the seating area features surface illumination limited to the benches where guests stay, creating a contrasting space. The entrance floor and the walls of the niche seating areas incorporate original Arabic hieroglyphs, modeled after ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, as interior elements, creating a space that blends traditional elements with modern expression.

This is the first drive-thru project in Asia, named "% ARABICA", located in a natural park in the center of Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK), an artificial island in Jakarta, Indonesia, which is experiencing rapid development. The structure is composed of two different buildings intersecting with each other. One of the buildings has a round glass façade and a structure that has been stripped down to the bare minimum, which pursues a sense of openness and visual spaciousness, while creating an open space where the bustle of the store can be felt from the outside. In contrast, the other building is a closed space with a massive structure that provides privacy and facility functions, clearly organizing the roles of each building. The layout of the roasting room, coffee counter, and customer seats radiates from the center of the circle to the outside, allowing the baristas to have a view of the entire store while roasting and serving are the main focus. On the other hand, the line of sight from the guests is naturally directed toward the outside view, which is considered to prevent the lines of sight from meeting each other too much, providing a special time to enjoy coffee while looking at the lush natural park with a 360-degree panoramic view.

The "Jeddah Events Calendar" (hereinafter JEC) is an entertainment event held in Jeddah, the second-largest city in Saudi Arabia, as part of a national strategy. In addition to music concerts by world-renowned artists, attractions such as roller coasters, and various restaurants and shops, one of the main draws to the event is "Anime Village," which showcases Japanese culture, including anime and manga, which are extremely popular in the country. Our company was responsible for everything from initial planning to overall project management, concept design, software development, and on-site design supervision, in collaboration with Avex Asia Pte. Ltd.

This is displays project for the "Panasonic Group Booth" at CES 2024. At CES 2024, our company was responsible for the overall design, layout of the booth, which showcased "the future lifestyle envisioned by the Panasonic Group," balancing the resolution of global environmental issues with a better quality of life. Specifically, we introduced the future lifestyle and initiatives envisioned by the Panasonic Group in three categories: "Sustainable Energy (CO2 emission reduction)," "Circular Economy (circular manufacturing)," and "Resource Optimization (resource optimization)," and further displays the latest products and solutions that contribute to improving the "quality of life" for each individual.

This project involved design, layout of the first Philippine location (Manila) for "%ARABICA," a coffee shop brand originating in Kyoto that operates cafes worldwide. Because they have cafes all over the world, it was necessary to incorporate local elements and culture into the space to create a unique store. For this store, we created a futuristic space that reflects the future of Manila, a rapidly developing Asian country experiencing economic growth. To guide customers to the back of the store, a three-dimensional curved mirrored counter was placed to match the gently curving, elongated shape of the site. The same material was used on the floor and walls, reflecting the entire space and creating a futuristic, spaceship-like composition that echoes the shape of the counter, suggesting Manila's near future.

This project involved concept design and planning of the Kuwait branch of "%ARABICA," a coffee shop brand originating in Kyoto. The store is located in a spot overlooking the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, Kuwait's largest stadium with a capacity of 60,000 and used for international competitions. Therefore, we focused on the unique location, where the stadium, a landmark that characterizes the surrounding area, can be seen dynamically from inside the store, and reflected this in the spatial concept design. We extracted three elements that are characteristic of the stadium: the "oval shape" of its exterior, the "membrane roof" that protects from rain and wind while allowing in a moderate amount of natural light, and the "framework" that is lightweight and also serves a structural role, and incorporated them into the space to create a sense of harmony.

This project involved the Panasonic booth at the 6th China International Import Expo 2023. The Import Expo is the largest displays hosted by the Chinese government, aiming to showcase China's reform and opening up to the world. This was the 6th edition of the expo, and Panasonic has exhibited every year since its inception. The booth area was the largest at approximately 1000 square meters, making it the most important displays for Panasonic to strengthen B2G and B2B relationships and expand its business. Our company was responsible for the overall design, layout, and construction of the booth.

This project involved concept design, planning, and construction supervision of the second Saudi Arabian location for "%ARABICA," a coffee shop brand originating in Kyoto. The client requested the renovation of a warehouse of approximately 900 square meters and the installation of a custom-made, gigantic roasting machine. Therefore, we planned a theater-like store that would showcase the massive roastery while making the most of the vast space. A platform visible from every seat was created at the back of the store, and the star of the show, the roasting machine, was placed proudly in the center. The bean cellar, a symbol of "%ARABICA," surrounds it, enhancing the main attraction. This store also features "%ARABICA's" talented baristas, who act as an orchestra and are also main characters. A U-shaped kitchen counter is located in the center of the store, allowing the baristas' brilliant performances and pleasant sounds to resonate throughout the store. To allow customers to enjoy the live atmosphere of these two main characters from anywhere in the seating area, a large, column-free atrium was created, and seating was arranged around it. The main seating area consists of box seats separated by sheer curtains. These seats, designed with consideration for the personal space between men and women in Saudi Arabia, are arranged in two layers on either side of the open atrium. In addition, there are bench seats around the kitchen counter where customers can watch the baristas at work, and counter seats offering a panoramic view of the entire store, providing a variety of seating options to suit different customer preferences. Pleasant light streams in from the atrium ceiling through perforated metal. These elements create a bright and open space where customers can enjoy delicious coffee and a theater-inspired concept design and presentation that engages all five senses.

"MITSUKOSHI BGC" is a mixed-use commercial facility based on the concept of "NEXT MANILA LIFESTYLE," set in the international city of Bonifacio Global City, delivering a new lifestyle co-created by Japan and the Philippines. Our company was in charge of the basic concept and concept design of the common areas, and we propose a comfortable facility on a human scale by incorporating elements of traditional Japanese place-making such as "sando" (approach to a shrine) and "tori-niwa" (passageway garden) into the open commercial space and the layout of open shops that create the joy of shopping. In the center of the facility, as a symbolic concept design that expresses the project's desire to become a bridge between the Philippines and Japan, a ceiling called "Joining Hands," which is an icon of intertwined hands with a Japanese touch, welcomes customers.

Since its founding, Panasonic has been committed to supporting the daily lives of consumers and undertaking various initiatives to realize the optimal healthy lifestyle for each individual. In China, where the population is aging rapidly, Panasonic, in collaboration with its Chinese partners, opened a wellness smart town for seniors in 2022. Approximately 1,000 of the residences, known as "Yoro Health Apartments," will feature all-Panasonic housing equipment. A healthy and comfortable space will be realized with the operation of a smartphone, which is deeply ingrained in Chinese society. NOMURA Co.,Ltd. Group was in charge of design, layout of a VIP showroom to introduce the Yoro Health Apartments. In addition to its function as a displays space for products, it is a guesthouse-like space specializing in hospitality for visitors, with a footbath and a cafe.

This sliding kiosk changes its appearance to suit the location, time, and environment around the world. concept design, which combines kitchen units with various seating units as needed, allows for deployment regardless of the size of the installation space. Its most distinctive feature is that when closed, it blends into its surroundings, and when opened, a café space appears. The mirrored facade reflects the surrounding environment, changing its appearance like a chameleon. As a kiosk unique to % Arabica, which operates globally, no matter what country or location a store is in, it's not a simple copy-and-paste concept design, but rather takes on a unique character specific to that place. The photo shows the first store to open, located on Ningbo Heyi Avenue, consisting of four units. Its sophisticated appearance blends seamlessly into the atrium of a high-end shopping complex. Amidst the recent pandemic, which has prompted reflection on the role of cafés, the demand for kiosks where people can enjoy coffee outdoors has increased. Unlike traditional kiosks that simply sell products from a stand, this store features a new concept where the unit slides open during business hours to create a semi-outdoor seating area, and additional seating areas can be set up around it.

While conveying Panasonic Group's major policy, "Panasonic GREEN IMPACT," to visitors through displays, we embodied it in the overall spatial concept design, creating displays booth that minimized waste as much as possible. By considering the environmental impact, using minimal building materials and flooring, and making extensive use of recycled materials, we reduced the carbon footprint in terms of booth construction and logistics, and communicated the group's policy to the world. In addition, the symbolic signs placed in each area were concept design using products. By providing places for people to gather as symbols and constructing them with products, we were able to clearly appeal the message to both visitors and the media.

In response to a rapidly diversifying society driven by advanced technology, Panasonic believes in and proposes a balanced lifestyle. They believe that by seamlessly reading, understanding, and grasping the condition of a person's skin, hair, and health in their daily life, and providing personalized care that anticipates their needs, they can offer an intuitive and balanced lifestyle. In the concept space at this displays, visitors experienced a series of stories, from how information about a resident is collected, integrated, and analyzed by the objects and spaces surrounding them, to how products with beautiful and universal concept design provide optimal care for that person. <Social Issues/Customer Issues/Requests> Newly planned and developed well-being products were unveiled for the first time at IFA. We were commissioned to concept design the concept displays space, striving to create a space that goes beyond a simple product displays, allowing visitors to interpret the product's concept and user experience. <Solution> Through detailed interviews and discussions with the London concept design Centre, which was responsible for concept development, we utilized new AV technologies and building materials to design a space that not only gains visitor understanding but also leaves a lasting impression as a user experience. <Customer Feedback> Even though the product and concept were still in the early stages of concept creation, before they even existed in the world, they were involved from the very beginning, helping us consider what kind of output would be most effective. Despite the short lead time, we were able to work together and complete the project by the deadline. <Our Project Members> [Sales] Makihide Ono [design, layout] Daisuke Nishida [Production/ construction] Yoichi Miura

VVG Lifestyle Village, operated by Taiwanese real estate development company Walsin (Nanjing) Development Co., Ltd., has opened in Nanjing ONE MALL, a lush urban complex characterized by humanism and quality of life. Given the facility's theme of nature (earth), such as the sea and land, and the spatial characteristics of a large three-story atrium, we considered how we could harmonize with the entire facility and enhance its appeal by creating a "forest"-like space. In this "forest"-like space, encounters and connections between people are born, like the activities of diverse living things and the cycle of nature, and a flow of movement like strolling through a forest is created. 35 rows of giant lattices, with "branches and leaves" as the motif, are arranged in succession, and in the atrium space, they change into arch shapes to cover the entire space. Lighting of "plum blossoms," Taiwan's national flower, is randomly placed within, creating a "forest" with both regularity and irregularity, thus completing "VVG's Forest," which fuses Japanese delicacy with Taiwanese sensibilities. <Our Project Members> [Project Management/Sales] Keita Suda, Ryo Fujime [concept design Direction] no.10: Keita Aono [concept design] no.10: Shohei Suzuki, Chihiro Fujiwara