herzog & de meuron clads miu miu store in tokyo with angled canopy

herzog & de meuron clads miu miu store in tokyo with angled canopy
all images courtesy of miu miu

italian fashion house miu miu has opened a new store in tokyo’s aoyama district, designed by renowned swiss architects herzog & de meuron. as one of 23 boutique stores in japan, the 720 square meter project forms the cornerstone of the brand’s operations in the country. the scheme is sited diagonally across the street from the ‘prada tokyo epicenter’ – also designed by herzog & de meuron – with an opaque façade that lends the interior a more intimate quality.

the polished façade draws attention towards the inviting store underneath

viewed from the passing street, the polished façade has been designed to attract the gaze of pedestrians, drawing their attention towards the inviting store underneath. internally, products are presented on tables and in display cases, while a range of sofas and armchairs ensure that the shop serves as a place to linger and enjoy the store’s ambiance.

the entrance to the two-storey boutique

‘the typological model that best suited these considerations and specifications was a box placed directly at the level of the street, its cover slightly open to mark the entrance and allow pedestrians to look inside,’ explained herzog & de meuron. ‘only then do they realize that the building is a shop. here, under the oversized canopy, the two-storey interior is visible at a single glance, as if the volume had been sliced open with a big knife, turning the inside out. the rounded, soft edges of the copper surfaces inside meet with the razor-sharp steel corners on the outside of the metal box, while the cave-like niches clad in brocade face the central space of the shop like loges in a theater. the shop on two tall storeys not only presents enticing goods on tables and in display cases; it is also like a spacious and comfortable home with inviting sofas and armchairs.‘

products are presented on tables and in display cases

‘the façade has neither logo nor pomp; it is a polished, mirror-smooth surface, as if one single giant brushstroke had swept smooth the ordinarily matte surface of the steel paneled façade,’ continue the architects. ‘this surface attracts the gaze and curiosity of passing pedestrians. but instead of affording a view inside, as in a shop window, the gaze is inverted; instead of the anticipated see-through window, viewers encounter self-reflection. while the street is not a place that encourages lingering and looking around, the building itself is a gesture that extends an invitation to come inside and stay a while.‘

the 720 square meter project forms the cornerstone of the brand’s operations in japan

footwear is presented across the length of the angled elevation

a selection of the shoes on display

the upper level of the scheme

a range of seating ensures that the shop serves as a place to linger and enjoy the store’s ambiance

items are hung on copper display racks

the decor is continued within the store’s fitting rooms

the scheme is sited diagonally across the street from the prada tokyo epicenter

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