We live in a world of material abundance thanks to the rise of capitalism. We also face many different types of difficulties around the world as well as the constant threat of natural disasters, never ending thought-provoking events. In this era when people may begin to feel tired of a glut of information, “sustainable” is rapidly becoming another keyword, in addition to “ecology” and “renovation” in our lives.
Design company ITO MASARU DESIGN PROJECT / SEI looked to eco-friendliness, recyclability and sustainability as themes for the space design of this KariAng project. Based on these concepts, they incorporated the spirit of a developing fashion brand into a space design while maintaining the identity of the KariAng brand.
For the facility aspect, they designed a floor plan that provides for the efficient use of air conditioning and fire prevention equipment that was already present on the premises. They also incorporated interesting unplanned forms and shapes that a ground-up space design cannot provide. They were able to partially use the existing natural marble floor by filling the damaged sections with mortar, created a new floor pattern and actively incorporated some cracks and ceiling gaps generated by the demolition work.
Recycled parts and materials were used in more than 70% of the space. They brought parts from a demolished structure that was part of another ongoing project of ours and reused them to build store fixtures. Together with such recycled fixtures, innovative looking components (such as a large-scale industrial ceiling fan and exposed light gauge steel studs) were used in order to blend both new and old design features and to create a sustainable space for the modern age.
The team spend much of their time drawing up plans in the office. Their job is mostly done electronically and they normally have access to craftsmen to construct things based on their drawings. Therefore, the team sometimes tend to forget how they feel when the actually things are being created. In this project, their designers worked together and physically built some of the fixtures such as a stand. Such a process was not only refreshing, but also a good experience for their young designers.
Project details
- Design Company – ITO MASARU DESIGN PROJECT / SEI
- Designer – Masaru Ito
- Website – www.itomasaru.com
- Shop name – KariAng
- Completion year – 10.May.2014
- Area – Jingumae / Tokyo
- Website – http://www.kariangpark.jp/
- Name of photographer – KOZO TAKAYAMA
- Website – www.kozotakayama.jp
