Studio Curiosity from Tokyo has designed the Light House, a concept store for the fashion label m-i-d in Osaka, Japan. The result is a place where art, architecture and fashion merge in yellow light.
Osaka is around two and a half hours away from Tokyo – if you are travelling on the Japanese high-speed Shinkansen train. In our latitudes, it would probably take a little longer to travel the 500 kilometres by train. But that’s another story …
The fact is: In contrast to the stressed, turbulent capital, the harbour city of Osaka is a place of deceleration, joie de vivre and entertainment despite its population of almost three million. It is therefore fitting that a concept store has been built here, which not only captivates visitors with the Mode on display from the Japanese label m-i-d but also playfully invites them to explore and marvel.
Creativity. Without limits.
The concept store was designed by Tokyo-based studio CURIOSITY which is itself a true all-rounder – whether (interior) architecture or product design, the office sets itself no limits. Founded by French designer Gwenaël Nicolas CURIOSITY is therefore the right studio when it comes to giving a fashion label the right setting.
The designers call their design Light House, a lighthouse. And the name says it all. CURIOSITY’s concept bathes the surroundings in yellow light, right down to the last square metre. The studio was given a large room to play with the various facets of the concept: Maison m-i-d 1985, the area of the fashion label, where Light House was set up, is located on the fourth floor of the Hankyu Department Store in Kita, a lively business district in the centre of Osaka. 50 million people visit the department stores’, which was founded in 1929 and has 84,000 m2 of space spread over a total of 15 floors, every year.
The concept store is intended to emphasise the modern and vibrant image of the m-i-d brand. The women’s fashion label was founded in 1985 and has numerous shops throughout Japan. ‘The unique identity is created through the use of yellow tones in different finishes and surfaces. It creates a rhythmic yet unified atmosphere for the space,’ says CURIOSITY.
Labyrinth. With yellow.
To create a unique shopping experience, the architects at Maison m-i-d 1985 created a labyrinth that puts the human senses to the test with a wide variety of elements. The store shines brightly from afar. But a closer look reveals a structure of yellow-green glass blocks. These not only reflect the light, but also catch it, creating a bright, positive atmosphere in the surroundings. The ceiling supports this effect: it is fitted with a grid of metal louvres and ensures that the light is diffused evenly. This creates a soft lighting and atmosphere in the Light House. Mirrors placed all around also create the impression of an infinitely wide room bathed in yellow that is waiting to be explored.
CURIOSITY explains: ‘The order created by the transparent glass blocks and the ceiling louvres, which seem to reflect the orderly grid, rounds off the pleasant view and at the same time conveys a strong impression of the entire space.’
Art. With contrasts.
The love of design is not only evident in the colours and structures of the room. The studio plays with various yellow materials in the form of seating – which is also planned down to the last detail by CURIOSITY. Designer pieces such as high chairs, upholstered furniture and armchairs were created. With their monochromatic design, they also help to emphasise the fashion on display. This is because – in contrast to the rest of the shop – it is exclusively in black, white and beige. The contrast allows the clothes to really stand out.
However, the colour yellow should not only help m-i-d to sell fashion. And it is intended to do more than just create an unmistakable identity. Rather, an art installation is being designed here that sets an example. An example of how art, architecture and fashion can complement each other – and even become one.
Text: Katarina Andraschko, Michi Reichelt
Bilder: CURIOSITY