japan interior design ∙ mar 1983

description

rare issue of japan interior design with a special focus on shop interiors. features works by the likes of shiro kuramata, shigeru uchida, setsuo kitaoka, and an interview with memphis legend ettore sottsass.

notes

editior ∙ kazuhiko moriyama

published by interior publishing
softcover ∙ 25 x 32 cm ∙ 4 pp

Boutique <Comme des Garçons>
Matsuya 1F, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo
Design: Strawberry Fields, Takao Kawasaki
Construction: Ishimaru

Boutique <Y's>
Naka ward, Nagoya city
Design: Kitaoka Design Office, Setsuo Kitaoka
Construction: Build, Keiji Sokabe + Dod Masayoshi Ota

Floor plan
1 Fitting room
2 Stockroom
3 Cashier

Questioning Conventional Concepts as the Axis of Design

The rusted and polished steel panels in this shop are an attempt to reverse known perceptions. The panels are arranged in an L-shaped manner, extending across the left and back walls to enclose the stock and fitting spaces. A similar structure can be seen at the front right stock area.

These panels reveal the underlying framework, which is typically hidden behind a finished wall. By reversing this norm — exposing the structure instead of applying paint or veneer  — the walls in this interior do not merely serve as architectural backdrops but assert their own presence. The contrast between corrosion (rust) and refinement (polish) resemble the dual nature of railway tracks: one side honed and precise, the other decaying.

Progress is only possible when both elements coexist indefinitely — just like in human life. Fiction and reality, mind and body, front and back — such dual structures necessitate a neutral starting point in the design process. This is a matter beyond form; it requires a clear stance towards the act of design itself. — Setsuo Kitaoka, Interior Designer