yusuke seki: papabubble storefront

yusuke seki’s ‘papabubble’ storefront in shibuya, tokyo all photos © takumi ota

in his design of the interior for a new papabubble candyshop in shibuya, tokyo, japanese architect yusuke seki sought to create a dynamic retail and exhibition space that would mirror the constant activity and changing atmosphere of the store. the papabubble storefronts not only sell handmade candy but also serve as exhibition spaces for its production. with a kitchen largely open to the rest of the store, the shops invite visitors to watch the ‘caramel artisans’ at work creating candy flowers, jewelry, or tiny fruit slices.

the shop interior, as seen upon entering

seki’s interior provides for an entire wall of the space to be devoted to the creation of the candies. in the rest of the shop, antique and repurposed furniture is assembled within the existing building frame to organize the vendables. while the storefront is relatively small, seki aimed through the placement of free-standing tables and the use of shelves and drawers to create a dynamic space for visitors to explore. because candy is constantly being made in the open kitchen, the different parts of the space showcase not only different colours and perspectives but also scents and sounds.

the open kitchen lets visitors watch the candy-making process

the shop interior, as seen from the open kitchen

interior view

a craftsman stretching the candy

the storefront is designed to let visitors watch the candy-making process close-up

detail of center table, created by jo nagasaka

floor plan