Tag Archives: Tokyo

Nendo Constructs The Stairway House Like a Semi-Outdoor Greenhouse

Defined by its distinctive continuous staircase, the Stairway house in Tokyo, Japan was conceptualized by Japanese architect and founder of Nendo design studio, Oki Sato. Born in Toronto, Canada, Oki is revered for bringing a fresh and innovative perspective to cultural and traditional design.

Nendo Constructs The Stairway House Like a Semi-Outdoor Greenhouse

In his work with the Stairway house, the architect prioritizes the use of natural light, ventilation and greenery to enhance each living space. Utilizing an enormous glass façade on the southern front of the residence, Oki was able to preserve the neighbourhood’s existing persimmon tree beloved throughout every generation.

Catering directly to the needs of his clients, the residence is organized such that the most essential spaces for everyday living are situated on the first floor where a couple of matured age with numerous cats can roam freely whilst easily accessing the amenities that they need, both in-and-outdoors.

Meanwhile, the upper levels which are home to a younger couple and their child, are connected through a ‘stairway-like’ structure designed in the south yard, continuing upward into the building, penetrating the 1st through 3rd floors. Doubling up for a multitude of purposes, the connecting stairway conceals multiple functional elements such as bathrooms.

Taking on the look of a semi-outdoor greenhouse with abundant greenery as well as a sun-soaked perch for the cats to enjoy climbing, each and every section of the Stairway house presents an air of privacy despite close proximity, and serenity, where all three generations can take comfort in each other’s subtle presence.

Expanding beyond the compounds of the house, the stairway not only connects the interior spaces to one another, it reaches out into the yard and unto the city road.

By Julia Roxan

 

Rimowa’s first Japanese flagship store

Rimowa has just celebrated the opening of its first ever Japan flagship store, located at the luxury shopping district Ginza 7-Chrome and this new space is one of the few Rimowa space worldwide that offers personalisation service for its patrons.

And for the grand opening, Rimowa hosted an exclusive party that saw a few collaborations including a personalisation service featuring Japanese luxury streetwear label Ambush.

 

 

To highlight the exclusive in-store personalisation service, Rimowa worked with Ambush to create a special fluorescent orange-coloured luggage handle and luggage tag that is exclusively available at the Ginza store.

The Ambush accessories is created as part of the Rimowa personalisation range for the Rimowa Classic Range where patrons can choose their preferred colours for the handle, wheels and tags.

Verbal and Yoon of Ambush

Rimowa also invited Japanese calligrapher MAMI, who is known for her dynamic works that fuse traditional Japanese calligraphy with contemporary culture to work on a special installation within the space, along with a special appearance of celebrated Japanese artist Takashi Murakami who came with a Rimowa suitcase filled with his iconic smiling flowers plush and a miniature of himself.

Japanese calligrapher MAMI

 

Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami

 

Swipe the gallery for a tour inside Rimowa Ginza 7-Chrome store:

This article was originally published on www.lofficielmalaysia.com.

Minimalist Retailer MUJI to Open Hotel in Tokyo

The MUJI Hotel in Tokyo is expected to open in early 2019. Photo: AFPRelaxnews.

The Japanese brand, which sells everything from clothing to homeware and is known for its minimalist esthetic, will be opening its newest hotel project in Tokyo’s posh Ginza district in the spring of 2019.

The news comes after the company announced plans to open a branded hotel in China’s Shenzhen province by the end of the year.

To be housed in a sprawling 10-storey mixed-use commercial building complex, the tentatively named Muji Hotel will occupy the last four floors of the building.

The building will also house a sprawling retail space named Muji Goods, which will become the chain’s global flagship store.

Muji is the latest company to make the transition from interior décor and furniture retailer to hotel development.

American brands West Elm and Restoration Hardware are also developing properties across the US, using the popularity of their brands as a jumping-off point.

Restoration Hardware’s first property will open in New York’s meatpacking district as a 14-room boutique hotel, while West Elm announced plans to open properties in markets like Savannah, Detroit and Minneapolis beginning 2018.

SUNSHOWER: Celebrating Southeast Asian Art

Auspiciously, as the ASEAN celebrates its 50th year of existence, an ambitious art exhibition has launched to highlight the region’s diversity. Entitled “SUNSHOWER: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia 1980s to Now”, the exhibition is hosted by the National Art Center and the Mori Art Museum, located in Roppongi, Tokyo’s art-forward neighbourhood.

“SUNSHOWER” is a culmination of field work spanning two years by a curating team of 14. Hundreds of gallery and studio visits, interviews and consultation with experts were conducted to select 180 pieces from 86 multi-generational artists. Eleven are Malaysians, including notable names like photomedia creator and film producer Yee I-Lann and veteran Wong Hoy Cheong. Visitors can expect to see large-scale installations and interactive pieces address post-colonial democracy, identity and how, despite periods of economic volatility in the region, Southeast Asian art has seen the much needed benefits of prosperity trickle into its scene.

“SUNSHOWER” will be staged simultaneously, from July 5 through October 23, 2017 at the National Art Center and the Mori Art Museum.