stephan jaklitsch architects: marc jacobs tokyo flagship store

‘marc jacobs toyko flagshipt store’ by stephan jaklitsch architects in aoyama, tokyo, japan all images courtesy stephan jaklitsch architects photographer: liao yusheng

new york-based firm stephan jaklitsch architects has completed marc jacob’s first freestanding flagship store in the aoyama shopping district of tokyo, japan. offering 2,800 square feet of retail space, the new boutique employs a ‘kosakubutsu’, a common building element that sits above the structure’s official ‘shadow line’ to double the visual height of the design.

from the intersection

bounded by world-renowned architecture as well as structures of a quiet residential neighborhood, the design responds to the immediate context in its presence and aesthetics. the facade, which consists of three clear zones, feature different treatment and materiality to correspond with the language of the interior: a transparent threshold is given to the street level to encourag e open interaction between the store and the street, while the storey that hosts the women’s ready-to-wear items is made private by striated terra-cotta. the ‘lantern’ level, or kosakubutsu, consists of perforated metal panels that assemble together to create a porous and bouyant look during the evening.

street views

roof

structure

perforated cladding detail

tile detail

at night

interior from the street

the organization of the interior is designed to facilitate an open circulation route with display walls wrapping the north and east side of the store. a lower level, the ‘cocoon’ of the building’, houses the men’s ready-to-wear and accessories.

display wall