Singapore-based CHARLES & KEITH is a fashion accessories brand that produces shoes, bags, eyewear, accessories, costume jewellery and more. Prior to opening its flagship store in Tokyo, it opened a store on Shijo-dori in Kyoto, a cultural centre of Japan.
In this store, rather than overwhelming the brand’s items, we tried to create a sculptural space that would envelop and enhance them, and define a calm and elegant environment where the furniture coexists with the architecture. The paneled plastered walls contrast with the stone flooring, which has been polished with water. All of these elements complement the richly expressive items on display. The ceiling is finished in an organic shape, as if to envelop the items. The linear lighting and spotlights that illuminate the items give the space a sense of vitality.
Some of the shelves attached to the walls are made of translucent resin, and they highlight the special items in this store. The shades of carmine red and emerald green are decorative in themselves, adding colour to the space. On the second floor, customers can try on shoes while sitting on a circular sofa finished in burgundy fabric.
The facade is positioned as a decorative partition between the interior and exterior. The glazed Italian terracotta tiles are layered to create a three-dimensional effect. In contrast, the area above the arcade has a simple, distinctive plaster finish that does not detract from the appearance of the existing building.
- Location：Kyoto shi, Kyoto
- Main use：Store selling goods and services
- Completion：2023.07
- Architect：DAVID CHIPPERFIELD ARCHITECTS
- Associate Architect：KEY OPERATION INC.
- Construction：NOMURA KOGEISHA
- Photographs：Sohei Otani (Nacasa and Partners)
- Total floor area：225.8 m2
