Shotenkenchiku

Photo: Takeshi Nakasa (later Nacása & Partners)

Published by Shotenkenchikusha Co., Ltd.

Softcover

21 x 29.5 cm

3 pp

Men’s Boutique / Y’s for men

1-6 Kichijoji Honcho, Musashino-shi, Tokyo

Kichijoji PARCO, 3rd Floor

Design: Kitaoka Design Office, Setsuo Kitaoka, Junko Suzuki

Construction: Kiyo Design Studio

Full view of the shop. A dynamic curved wall is created using accordion curtains made from firefighting gear fabric.

Y's for men / Design Data

Area — 31m²

Construction Period — Aug 22, 1980 ~ Sep 16, 1980

Total Cost — ¥5,132,000 (Construction Costs: ¥3,500,000, Facility / Equipment Costs: ¥1,632,000)

Business Details

Opening — Sep 21, 1980

Business Hours — 10:00AM ~ 8:00PM

Holidays — 2nd and 3rd Thursday of each month

Management & Store Details

Executive — Yohji Yamamoto

Store Manager — Junko Okuhara

Staff — 3 Female employees

Tel — (0422)21-8198

Main Products — Total men's fashion designed by Yohji Yamamoto

Interior Materials & Specifications

Flooring — Artfloor (gray)

Walls & Ceiling — 12mm PB (plasterboard) base with cold-press gauze and putty finish, AE paint finish (white gloss)

Lighting — Halogen bulb downlights (100W)

Shelves — Japanese cedar veneer, putty finish, lacquer paint finish (matte black)

Hanger Pipes — Steel pipes with melamine baked finish (matte black)

Accordion Curtain — Made from firefighter's flame-resistant fabric (silver)

Bottom Left: Hanger pipe curves in parallel with the accordion curtain.

Bottom Right: Inside view with the curtain open, showing the fitting area, register, and stock space.

Double-sided effect accordion curtain

The act of expression within a limited space is essentially the kind of design work that is generally required of us. In relation to that, and considering today's commercial spaces and the complex structures that surround them — such as society — what exactly should exist, and in what form, for it to be considered good? What ideals or ways of thinking should we adopt?

In any case, there's no choice but to reaffirm oneself with each and every task. The central element of this shop’s spatial design is the accordion curtain. The accordion curtain has a double sided partition effect, allowing each area to fulfill its intended function. In some parts, it becomes a wall that encloses spaces such as the fitting rooms, register, and stock areas. In other parts, it transforms into a form that expresses the exterior aspect of the space. This allows for simplified operation, and conceptually, this approach comes closer to non-detail (non-decorative) design. The material of this accordion curtain is the same as that used in firefighters’ protective suits, so it should perform well in terms of fire prevention. — Setsuo Kitaoka