Works#2023

This project involved planning the exterior and design of the building owned by Chef Tomoyoshi Wakiya, who has been a leading figure in the Japanese Chinese cuisine scene for many years. Located in a prime location just off the Ginza 4-chome intersection, the restaurant houses a Chinese restaurant on the 1st and 2nd floors, a soba (buckwheat noodle) restaurant called "Daido" on the 3rd floor, and a members-only floor on the 7th floor, all operated by Chef Wakiya. Our company was responsible for the building's facade concept design and concept design of the three restaurants directly managed by the company.

"FUEGUIA 1833" is a perfume brand founded in 2010 by Julian Bedell in Buenos Aires. We were in charge of the construction operations of the Azabudai Hills Gallery, which will be the third store in Japan. The concept of the store is concept design "tree house", which is symbolized by the tree trunks that extend from the center of the perfume table to the ceiling and the Andes Mountains depicted on the window panes. The ceiling and walls are made of solid domestic cedar wood, and there is a faint scent of cedar. The wall fixtures are made of burnt cedar, which is used in traditional Japanese architecture, and the flooring is made of cedar scaffolding boards used at actual construction sites. The infusion bar, beyond the perfume table, serves designer selection red wines, making it a one-of-a-kind shop that literally tantalizes the senses.

Located near Kokusai Street in Naha City, this hotel has a total of 88 guest rooms. It encompasses a variety of spaces, including four restaurants, a swimming pool, a jacuzzi, a sauna, and a gym. Inspired by the mixed culture that is a fusion of diverse cultures unique to Okinawa, concept design concept is mid-century modern, aiming to create a hotel with a narrative quality, as if it had always stood there.

This is a renovation project for the Omiya Center Building, located at the west exit of Omiya Station, one of Japan's leading terminal stations. After conducting a survey of the area around Omiya Station and identifying the challenges of the building, which is over 30 years old, we adopted the theme of "balancing dignity and comfort" for the renovation concept design. Throughout the renovation process, we focused on improving the satisfaction of existing tenants and aimed to enhance the building's presence in terms of functionality and concept design compared to surrounding buildings. By harmoniously balancing the "dignity" inherent in the existing stone materials with the "comfort" created by lighter materials, we minimized waste disposal due to demolition and created a cost-effective concept design that is mindful of sustainability through the fusion of old and new materials.

This facility is a showroom for the sale of condominiums by Mitsui Fudosan Residential. Located on the first floor of a building in the heart of Sendai, and highly visible from the street, the space was designed with the concept of "EN - a place that connects people to people, the city to people, inside and outside, and relationships," using the image of the "engawa" (veranda) often seen in traditional Japanese houses as inspiration. In the central presentation space, a condominium model and video are used to create an exciting displays will welcome prospective residents. In the surrounding park-like space that connects to the outside, business discussions about "housing" can also be held. Furthermore, in order to promote diversity and inclusion, the company has introduced a para-art subscription service in some of its condominiums in the Sendai area, an initiative aimed at supporting independence and providing opportunities for people to thrive. To let more people know about this initiative, art is displayed in part of the meeting space, and a mini-gallery introducing para-artists has been set up in a space that resembles a condominium balcony and is easily visible from the sidewalk.

The Former Hokkaido Government Office Building, built in 1888, is known affectionately as the "Red Brick Office" and is an important cultural property that represents Hokkaido. It will be temporarily closed from 2019 for seismic reinforcement and preservation renovation work. During the closure, we planned a temporary observation facility with the theme "Only here and now" that can only be viewed during the renovation work.

We exhibited "Towards Our Future - SCRAP MATERIAL UPCYCLE PROJECT - SCRAPTURE" at "DESIGNART TOKYO 2023," one of Japan's largest concept design and art festivals. "SCRAPTURE" is an upcycling project that transforms "SCRAP," which is discarded from building materials and interiors materials, into "FURNITURE," and further reuses it as recycled material, returning it to the earth. We created furniture as practical and sustainable message art that makes interiors waste, which is usually not seen, feel close to us and continues to appeal to our emotions and memories. After that, it is circulated as new interiors material, and we aim for it to be a medium that expands the circle of co-creation and becomes an opportunity to think about a better future.

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.

Our company was in charge of designing this antique watch specialty store, which has an attached repair workshop, located on Marunouchi Nakadori Street. Antique watches have been passed down through the ages, holding within them the memories and stories of their owners. As they embody the memories of bygone eras, they also weave stories for the future as they mark the passage of time. At CARESE Marunouchi, concept design theme is to visualize this invisible "time." The brass foil applied to the walls gradually changes color, drawing a parallel between the way brass changes its appearance over time and the passage of time in antique watches. In addition, stone is used for the central fixture, representing the process of polishing from its rough, natural state, and its rich texture also evokes a sense of "time" in the space. We aim for this store to be deeply etched in the memories of visitors amidst the sophisticated streetscape of Marunouchi.

The tenant spaces located on the lower floors of the Tokyu Kabukicho Tower, a complex entertainment facility, are concept design as an integrated space where the boundaries between shared functions and tenant-only areas do not exist, within an open plan that seamlessly connects to the Cinecity Plaza. concept design concept is MOVE. In the center of the atrium space is a stage aimed at nurturing young creators, with a setup that makes performers appear to float above flowing light with infinite reflections. Images flow through the atrium floors, enveloping the viewer and reflecting off the ceiling to create a sense of upward movement. The flowing light continues directly onto the escalator walls, guiding visitors to the upper floors. The entire facility has an open design, creating a unique spatial experience where various scenes unfold as visitors move freely. This project aims to add a new dimension to the Shinjuku Kabukicho area, creating a more inclusive and accepting district.

Built in 1973, the Okutadami Power Museum is a PR facility for the Okutadami Dam (operated by J-POWER), which originates in Oze. Located on a hill overlooking the dam, it primarily targets tourists visiting Lake Okutadami and Oze, as well as groups of elementary school students. In 2023, to commemorate its 50th anniversary, the museum was renovated and reopened as a power museum utilizing digital technology. The exhibits include sections that teach about the four seasons of Okutadami and the history of the dam and power plant construction, as well as a section where visitors can experience the past and present through digitally remastered footage from the construction period and impressive drone footage on a large screen. displays make it easier to learn about the Okutadami Dam, the mechanism of hydroelectric power generation, and energy. In addition, visitors can enjoy an interactive corner with Uonuma City, displays of materials used in the Japan Academy Prize-winning film "Whiteout," and a trick art corner of the Otori Dam, known as the "phantom dam" because it is off-limits, where visitors can take immersive photos.

"Marunouchi Street Park" is a project that is being carried out as a demonstration experiment of future area management, transforming "road space" into a comfortable "urban park space" in Nakadori, Marunouchi, Tokyo. The winter 2023 event will continue from the summer and examine the state of urban parks in preparation for permanent establishment, while highlighting the illuminations, a winter feature of the Marunouchi area, and providing various content perfect for the holiday season, such as photo spots for visitors to enjoy, a merry-go-round, an ice rink, and a Glass House Market with a wide selection of food and beverages. This time, the concept is "Bright Street - Nakadori in winter, where the city and everyone shines -" and we have taken measures that are in line with the SDGs and trends of the times, such as reusing each market booth used in winter 2022 and remaking the swing-shaped bench that was popular during the summer 2023 event into a photo spot with new decorations. In addition, we have worked to create content that makes use of our past know-how, such as upgrading the "Detour Bench" created in summer 2023 to a bench where you can relax while looking up at the illuminations. In addition, while the official musicians performing on the streets will continue as in the summer, we have also taken on new initiatives in terms of planning, such as inviting a portrait artist this time. In addition, as a continuation of the "Illumination Tour for the Blind" held in the winter of 2021, we held a dialogue tour in which able-bodied people walked blindfolded to deepen their understanding of the visually impaired, creating an opportunity to discuss how to make the streets more comfortable for everyone.

Azabudai Hills was born as a redevelopment project that took about 35 years to complete, and its theme is "Green & Wellness," with the concept of "Modern Urban Village, a town surrounded by greenery and like a 'plaza' that connects people." It was born as the "future form of Hills," with a vast central plaza at the center of the town and a highly integrated mix of diverse urban functions such as offices, residences, hotels, international schools, commercial facilities, and cultural facilities. The approximately 150 commercial facilities spread throughout the lush green area aim to enrich and create daily ways of working, living, and lifestyles. In particular, the commercial area that spreads over the lower floors of Tower Plaza is positioned as the center of the town, with a commercial area of approximately 2,800 tsubo, facing the central plaza, and a three-story atrium space. In this environmental plan, the motif of "FABRIC" is used down to the materials and details as an element to harmonize with the town, attract visitors to the upper floors, and encourage movement within the floors. The soft curves of the space create a comfortable, high-quality atmosphere, providing an appealing spatial experience that suggests a truly enriched lifestyle for the coming age.

Hiroshima Gate Park is a new public park that will become the face of Hiroshima, redeveloped through a park PFI (Private Finance Initiative) on the former site of the Hiroshima Municipal Baseball Stadium located in the heart of Hiroshima. Eight commercial facilities are scattered around a plaza of approximately 6,500 square meters, capable of hosting large-scale events, encouraging visitors to move around the park and creating a sense of unity among events and shops. In addition, the aim was to create a hub that fosters a new lifestyle of spending time outdoors, where various activities and interactions will be generated, centered around events. Our company participated from the stage of preparing the public tender proposal and was in charge of the overall concept, site use plan, building layout plan, merchandising plan, leasing, interior concept design, signage graphics, tenant design and construction, furniture and fixture manufacturing, branding, naming, logo creation, and communication strategy.

This is a renovation project for the Courtyard by Marriott Ginza Tobu Hotel. Since its opening, it has been a turning point in the times, and this project aims to evolve the hotel into a new kind by improving comfort and planning distinctive hotel restaurants. The plan is to maintain the appeal of a full-service hotel with accommodation, banquet, and restaurant functions, while also capturing the recovery of inbound tourism demand in the post-COVID era. To upgrade both functionality and concept design, the entire hotel was closed for the first time since its opening for a major renovation. In this renovation, the concept was "GINZA CONTRAST," and the charm of Ginza lies in its duality: "a city where you can enjoy special occasions such as sightseeing, theater, and shopping, with a sense of glamour and classic style," and "a city that blends into your daily life and has the goodness of being used as a matter of course, accompanying you in your life." While valuing the combination of both, the project proposes a new way to enjoy and spend time at the hotel, where visitors can move freely and casually without clearly separating "work" and "play," "friends" and "yourself," and "travel" and "life." Our company was responsible for restaurant concept development, tenant leasing, interiors design and design supervision for guest rooms, restaurants, and bars, as well as interiors construction.