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Tokyo Store Gets Pearlescent Facade

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 2021

For a second time, Japanese studio Jun Aoki & Associates has designed and installed a unique facade over a Louis Vuitton storefront in Tokyo. The designer boutique is located within Tokyo’s Ginza shopping district and features interior designs by architect Peter Marino.

“Jun Aoki's facade is at once monolithic and imbued with fluidity—his representation of a ‘pillar of water,'” said Louis Vuitton. “At street level, the building reflects the dynamism of Ginza; higher up, neighboring towers become wavy apparitions, while a skyscape sweeps across the glass, marking the passage of each day.”

According to reports, the new facade replaces the brand’s previous store, which has occupied the same corner since 1981. Previously, in 2013, the facade of Louis Vuitton Matsuya Ginza was reportedly inspired by the history of Ginza, a city that used to be known for its art deco design. In its latest upgrade, the studio notes that the pearlescent facade was created to give the building a modern look and reflect Ginza's location near Tokyo Bay.

“The building's highly modern appearance interprets the reflections of water as a material phenomenon,” added Louis Vuitton.

“Poetic yet playful; shimmering and rhythmic. Once a peninsula extending in Tokyo Bay, this evocation of water is expressed throughout as smooth, undulating surfaces—from the glass facade that transmits shifting color to the feature staircase and fixtures.”

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Standing seven stories high, the exterior facade was constructed from two layers of glass that curve and ripple like water. To achieve its pearlescent color, the glass was covered with a dichroic film.

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Although the bottom four floors are dedicated to retail, they feature pale stone covers and carved paneling on the ceiling in an effort to continue the exterior’s three-dimensional effect. The interior also boasts textured walls and curved surfaces complete in a variety of wood or glass material palettes as to reinforce the nature theme.

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The central staircase connecting the retail floors is constructed from sculptural oak and glass and a secondary staircase utilizes a similar material palette. Additionally, the store also includes a permanent space to showcase new arrivals as well as a VIP area on the sixth floor and the Le Café V on the building's top floor.

Tagged categories: Architects; Architecture; Building facades; Color + Design; Color + Design; Commercial / Architectural; Commercial Buildings; Design; Design - Commercial; Designers; Retail; Retail

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