A plan for a new store in Fukuoka by Arts & Science. Based on the concept of “high-quality everyday life,” the client has been creating a store by carefully examining products such as clothes and other personal items, as well as crafts and products made by artisans, in pursuit of quality products that will last for years. The most innovative feature of this project is the philosophy that client has been thinking as described forward and the history and atmosphere where the store is located combined with the original tiles. 

The project site is located quite close to a big central park, and there is a symbolistic museum which build in the 1970s. The museum has been loved by the public same as the park, so we decided to install the beautifully glazed reddish-brown tiles used on the museum’s exterior as the main material for this store. The same tiles in the museum did not exist but tiles are compatible with the client’s philosophy of keeping items for a long time, and while reproducing and quoting it, we thought we could make the store together with the atmosphere of this site. Of course, the color was adjusted to be appropriate for this store in the final while referring to the method of application, size, and texture. 

Furthermore, the tiles were used not only as wall surface finishes but also as materials for fixtures and small display tools and are designed according to the function required for the store. And there was a large frame wall in the center of the space, so we developed a plan that would allow visitors to walk around the store with this wall as the center. A sling door between the backyard and front yard allows for a variety of uses. For example, temporary separation of part of the store as preparation space for the exhibition. 

Finally, we could describe the innovation, economy, and functionality of this project when observing it on a detailed scale. This is because the dimensions of all the walls and fixtures were based on these tile modules. And also this required a very high level of design accuracy and construction accuracy, but we manage to achieve it by testing details such as corner and inner angles many times. This not only makes looking beautiful by preventing distorted parts but also makes it possible to construct the structure economically without producing waste. And we hope this store will remain to be loved for a long time, which will also contribute to the store’s sustainability.