An optical shop and more
Shop and Café in Japan by Yuko Nagayama
© Tomoyuki Kusunose
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In the Japanese city of Maebashi, Yuko Nagayama & Associates have combined an optical shop with a café. Behind a striking copper facade, the new building unites shopping and leisure. The shop is operated by the Jins brand; it is located next to a residential area on the outskirts of Maebashi, a city north of Tokyo. Under the name Jins Park, the shop will make buying glasses a special experience.
© Tomoyuki Kusunose
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The architects developed a trapezoidal volume and have embedded it into the softly rolling topography. The upper level, which is covered entirely in copper sheeting, appears to float above the glazed plinth.
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The shimmering sulphurated facades transition seamlessly into the roof surfaces. From the diagonal ridge, the roof slopes in two directions to the other two corners, giving the building its characteristic look.
© Tomoyuki Kusunose
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Inside, Yuko Nagayama and her team have organized Jins Park around a triangular stairway that tapers downwards. While one side of this central built-in is home to the display areas of the optical shop, the other side features a bakery with café. This opens onto the park-like outdoor areas and allows the multifunctional sales room to flow into the outdoors. The rear part of the ground floor accommodates the kitchen and storage as well as the shop’s other spaces.
© Tomoyuki Kusunose
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The stairway is fitted with seating steps and leads to the upper level, where visitors can walk through a glass front onto a rooftop terrace with benches. This terrace is completely encompassed by the sides of the building and thus offers shelter from unwanted glances and noise. On sunny days, the open windows transform the stairway space into an airy atrium. Throughout the new building, seating and cosy corners round out the somewhat unconventional shopping experience and make the optical shop a social meeting place not only for customers, but for the whole neighbourhood.
Architecture: Yuko Nagayama & Associates
Client: JINS
Location: Maebashi (JP)
Structural engineering: Kanebako Structural Engineers
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