Louis Poulsen is a Danish lighting brand with a rich history, founded in 1874.
The brand has operated a contract showroom, but the opening of the world’s first company-operated flagship store, “Louis Poulsen Tokyo,” in Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, is garnering attention as a space accessible to a broader range of customers.
As part of the store’s transformation into a flagship establishment, GARDE was entrusted with local architecture, project management, and construction.
Taking inspiration from traditional design, materials, and coloring, the store embodies the new brand identity of Louis Poulsen, revamped in January 2023. Adorning the exterior wall near the entrance is the newly installed logo, representing the initials “LP” for Louis Poulsen. Additionally, the three-shade lamp, one of the brand’s most iconic and innovative designs, is elegantly showcased.
Immerse yourself in this enchanting new store and indulge in the high-end lighting crafted with passionate craftsmanship, high-quality materials, and innovative design.
Yanji Department Store, the area’s top revenue earner and one of Yanji City’s most prestigious department stores, has initiated a floor-by-floor renovation project. Following the 4F men’s floor discussed in the previous article, we will now introduce the 2F ladies’ fashion floor. GARDE was responsible for basic planning, basic design, implementation design, design supervision, and lighting design.
Click here to read an article of 4F men’s floor renovation project.
Design Concept and Key Words for 2F Ladies’ Fashion Floor
The concept behind the renovation of the 2F ladies’ floor of the Yanji Department Store is “Luxury from bold & delicate.”
The three keywords “Simple, Elegant, and Playful” are essential to express this concept. The entire floor is composed of simple, elegant, feminine and soft forms. We designed the floor with the expectation that it will be a fashion floor supported by the younger generation, by creating simple yet playful accents in shapes and colors, and by providing a mechanism that allows visitors to enjoy moving around the space.
Floor Highlights 1：Sparkling event spaces
On the ladies’ floor, the limited-time Pop-Up event space plays an important role in encouraging visitor circulation. Therefore, the design was created with an eye toward showcasing the area as a glamorous and appealing area on the floor.
The ceilings of the multiple Pop-Up spaces are all designed differently to give each a different spatial concept and light effect. By creating change within a simple space, we designed it so that visitors can enjoy every aspect of the floor without getting bored.
Under the condition of a low ceiling height, making it challenging to incorporate large lighting and three-dimensional designs, a ceiling mirror was introduced to generate a sense of depth and three-dimensionality. To create an eye-catching design, suspended lighting with randomly varied lengths of reflection was utilized. The lighting incorporates a mix of gold and silver to prevent a monotonous appearance. The outcome is a three-dimensional Pop-Up space exuding a feminine delicacy and sparkle.
Floor Highlights 2：Charming Lingerie Area
The lingerie area has garnered positive feedback from both clients and tenants. The slit design was implemented to evoke a sense of semi-private space for each tenant while fostering a unified atmosphere throughout the entire area. The hexagonal shape of the pipes in the slit area increases the number of surfaces, and the play of light reflection creates the impression of sparkling and twinkling lights.
To further enhance the spatial ambiance, a wall and fitting room were incorporated in the middle section. This adjustment made the lingerie area more prominent on the second floor, successfully meeting the client’s request to maximize the utilization of dead space.
Consequently, a lingerie area that exudes a warm and feminine aesthetic was successfully created.
Designer’s message：After Completion of the Entire Renovation…
The commercial market continues to display a trend of channel diversification, notably with online consumption surpassing offline consumption. Conversely, there is a counter-trend towards online fatigue, leading to a rediscovery of the pleasures associated with offline consumption. Offline experiences encompass not only buying but also understanding, conversing, and physically interacting with products, offering a diverse range of encounters. Indoor design plays a crucial role in enhancing these experiences, transforming them into enduring memories, and prompting customers to revisit the space.
Yanji Department Store is committed to ongoing transformation, aspiring to become an even more cherished facility. We anticipate that the local community will follow its evolution with interest and support.
After working on the design of large-scale commercial facilities at a domestic design firm, he joined Garde in 2021.While designing mainly large commercial facilities such as department stores, he has also worked on many specialty stores. He is currently working on a wide range of projects mainly in Asia.
Property Information
Name: Yanji Department Store 2F Ladies’ Fashion Floor
Official Opening: August 18th, 2023
Location: No.608 Guangming Street, Yanji City, Jilin Province
Design Area: 7600㎡
You can also find more information about GARDE’s past projects here.
Office design is a crucial element in boosting staff morale and creating a positive impression on all stakeholders, including clients. Achieving an excellent office design necessitates a detailed and comprehensive assessment of your company’s goals.
In this article, we will introduce key points to assist you in deciding on an office design from a design firm’s perspective.
This article will be beneficial for:
▹ Those considering a layout for an office relocation or other reasons.
▹ Those who would like to refer to examples of office design.
▹ Those interested in making their office effective for corporate branding as well.
How to determine the design concept
Interviewing staff members is one of the effective methods for determining the design concept of an office. By confirming their opinions about the current workplace and identifying the functions that should be provided in your future office, it becomes easier to pinpoint current issues and formulate a concept. Additionally, it is possible to enhance cohesiveness and productivity through interviews with staff members. Various ideas will be employed to bring the office closer to a comfortable working environment.
+α: Don’t forget to put in the “color” = DNA of the company.
There are two meanings to the use of colors.
The first “color” refers to the corporate color. Many corporate colors that represent a company are the same as the corporate logo. Utilizing the same color as the corporate logo, prominently displayed at the entrance, fosters a sense of unity throughout the entire interior. This approach is also effective in leaving a lasting impression on individuals both inside and outside the company, contributing to branding efforts.
The second “color” represents the atmosphere and personality of the company. Each company has its distinct color, shaped by the staff, external interactions, location, and the company’s culture. While envisioning how the company aims to initiate operations in a new office, it is essential to incorporate the company’s individuality into the interior design, aligning with the concept of office design.
Designing the Layout
①Area Separations
Consider the essential elements for your company’s office: office space, meeting rooms, a lounge, refreshment area, etc. Dividing the required space into distinct areas and making them visually apparent will facilitate an efficient process when contemplating the layout.
+α: Pay attention to office design trends
In recent years, as reforms in work styles have progressed, some companies have adopted café spaces, bars, and other facilities to improve the satisfaction of their working staff and make their workplaces more comfortable. By expanding such break and refreshment spaces, staff members who do not interact with each other on the job will have more opportunities to communicate and improve their productivity.
In addition, the number of seats and structure required for office space varies greatly depending on whether it is fixed seating or free-address seating.
For companies that also support working remotely, in addition to the idea of having more meeting rooms, individual booths for telephone or online meetings can be set up in a variety of ways.
②Movement Lines
Layout decisions will proceed smoothly if the movement lines of not only working staff but also all visitors, including deliveries, are considered—from the office to the conference room, from the reception desk to the conference room, etc.
In particular, conference rooms, often used by visitors, should be located near the entrance, while lockable cabinets and lockers containing confidential information should be positioned at the far end of the floor or in an area easily managed by a limited number of staff to maintain corporate privacy.
Effectively utilizing the results of an office usability analysis from the current office, known as a “usability survey,” for the new office and incorporating it into the design can also be beneficial.
＋α：Considering and designing for safety
Ensuring staff safety is paramount in office design. The layout should account for evacuation routes in the case of a disaster.
However, if evacuation routes and staff surroundings are not regularly organized, it cannot be asserted that safety is ensured, even if reflected in the design. Consider strategies to maintain safety while also keeping the office organized, such as installing individual lockers or implementing a free address system to discourage personal use of the office.
Design Cases
Once the above items have been determined, it is time to proceed to the specific design.
GARDE has designed offices for both cutting-edge and well-established companies.
Image Credit：SThree K.K.
Please click here to find more case examples.
Conclusion
In this article, we have introduced how to select a concept and key points when considering the layout to create a comfortable office environment.
As a branding and design firm, GARDE is engaged in space design across various sectors, including commercial, office, hospitality, and retail. We specialize in proposing spaces that embody the client’s vision, combining excellence in design with functionality.
We offer one-stop support for relocation strategy development, market information research, cost simulation, office building selection and real estate leasing brokerage, as well as design and construction. Please feel free to contact us.
Located in Yanji City, Yanbian Autonomous Prefecture, Jilin Province, China, Yanji Department Store, the area’s top revenue earner and one of Yanji City’s most prestigious department stores.
Yanji Department Store has started a floor-by-floor renovation project. Following last year’s renovation on the 6th floor for kids, GARDE was in charge of basic planning, basic design, implementation design, design supervision, and lighting design for the men’s floor on the 4th floor.
Click here to read an article of 6F Kids floor renovation project.
About the Whole experience of the Renovation
The initial impression of the facility before the renovation conveyed a sense of a single flow line and unified spatial design on the floor. While we acknowledged that the tenants and products were well organized, there was a recognition of the need to add a bit more stimulation and change, viewing a commercial facility as something enjoyable.
Consequently, we established the following major directions for the spatial design:
１．”Create features for each floor that align with the tenants.”
２．”Craft a lively circulation with changes in the flow lines.”
３．”Develop a rich sales area with numerous attractions by increasing functions and incorporating eye-catching areas.”
These directives aim to enhance the individuality of each floor in alignment with the tenants, introduce an engaging circulation with dynamic flow line changes, and enrich the sales area with numerous functions and visually appealing elements. The goal is to transform the facility into a dynamic and enjoyable space for visitors.
Design Concept and Key Words for 4F Men’s Floor
The concept behind the renovation of the 4F men’s floor at Yanji Department Store is “NOBLE MODERN MEN’S LOUNGE” — a vision of a simple, sophisticated, and relaxing lounge space.
Considering the client’s preference for less use of colors and a focus on luxury and texture, the following keywords were employed in the design:
BEIGE TONE:
The space was crafted with a gray-beige base color to impart a bright and luxurious ambiance. A monotonous impression was avoided by introducing a variety within the same color scheme.
LINE:
Line design was integrated to infuse dynamic movement and variation into the entire space, contributing to an overall sense of sophistication.
GEOMETRY:
Geometric designs were strategically employed to accentuate the space, creating a three-dimensional and visually engaging environment.
These three keywords guided the design process, resulting in the successful creation of a well-designed, high-quality space that aligns with the envisioned “NOBLE MODERN MEN’S LOUNGE” concept.
Upgrading tenants and making the floor more spacious by design
There are two main types of sales floors: the wall side section and the middle section. Wall side section have a large floor area and walls to display the products, and are usually occupied by leading brands. On the other hand, the middle section has a limited amount of merchandise and less wall space, so there is a preconceived notion that it is reserved for tenants that are not strong enough to compete. By eliminating this problem, we have reduced the gap between the wall side and the middle section by placing superior stores in the middle section as well, thereby upgrading the tenants on the floor as a whole. To this end, we aimed to make the middle section more attractive, first by improving the flow line advantage, and second by improving the design of the middle section.
Although the above efforts resulted in the leasing of another prominent brand in the middle section, the tenant’s layout requirements were at risk of disrupting the functionality of the floor design.
In order to prevent the creation of walls within the tenants that would create shadows and hide the wall stores, the middle section was designed with a high degree of visibility and design restrictions. As a design supervisor, we were able to prevent the entire floor from becoming closed off and achieve both tenant upgrades and a sense of spaciousness on the floor by persistent negotiation until the very last minute of the opening.
The most Difficult part of the Renovation: Lighting Planning
Lighting is one of the key elements that can significantly change the ambience and impression of a space with a single fixture.
In the renovation of the 6F kids’ floor that we worked on last year, the floor was darker than expected, and tenants in the middle section in particular faced a problem of insufficient illumination without additional lighting.
In China, due to the budget of the construction company, the replacement of lighting fixtures always occurs, and coupled with the Covid-19, it becomes even more difficult to procure the desired fixtures.
By confirming and clearing up the previous issues, while designing for the desired illuminance and effect, and taking into account the risks that may occur on site, we were able to significantly improve the illuminance issue.
The Path to the Renovation of the Men’s floor
Since there are fewer facilities and spaces on the men’s floor of a department store as case studies than on the Ladies’ floor, we communicated with the client a number of times during the image-sharing phase to determine what kind of space would be appropriate for the renovated floor.
For example, we discussed the color balance of the ceiling and floor and the degree of complexity of the design, and we used dynamic diagonal lines on the ceiling and floor in order to create the effect that visitors would circulate to all ends of the floor in terms of flow lines and visually. Through these repeated efforts, we feel that we were able to move one step closer to the ideal space.
The ceiling is simple and white, while the floor is covered in three different colors. Lines at the same angle on the top and bottom create a sense of unity in the space.
Property Information
Name: Yanji Department Store 4F Men’s Floor
Official Opening: May 31, 2023
Location: No.608 Guangming Street, Yanji City, Jilin Province
Design Area: 7600㎡
In the next issue, we will take a closer look at the story behind the renovation of the 2F ladies’ floor of Yanji Department Store.
Hyatt House, the hotel brand of Hyatt, was founded on the principle of “Don’t just stay — live.” With over 130 locations worldwide, it provides a spacious and upscale environment where guests can truly enjoy comfort and convenience.
Hyatt House Tokyo Shibuya, the first of its kind in Tokyo, opened its doors on February 26, 2024 (Monday). This establishment boasts a total of 126 guest rooms, including 18 suites, all situated within the Shibuya Sakura Stage. This stage is part of a large-scale redevelopment project in front of Shibuya Station, an event that occurs only once in a century.
GARDE was entrusted with the comprehensive planning, basic design, implementation design, design supervision, art coordination, procurement and installation, as well as basic signage planning for the hotel, encompassing both public areas and guest rooms.
Design Concept
Shibuya is a place where one can immerse themselves in the latest trends and culture, while simultaneously preserving the charm of the adjacent high-end residences and the ambiance of the old days found in the alleys and side streets. The interior design of this space was created with this “duality” in mind so that visitors can experience the “diversity of SHIBUYA” in their own unique way.”
Highlight of Hyatt House Tokyo Shibuya
As guests ascend to the 16th floor via the elevator, they are greeted by the soothing tones of a music box art installation in the reception lobby. On the same floor, the Lounge & H-Bar beckons with a spacious counter and a lounge corner offering views of the outdoor garden. This area is open for free use and communication, not restricted to hotel guests.
The 16th-floor multi-function room, overlooking the outdoor garden, serves as a versatile space suitable for small meetings and exhibitions.
An uncommon indoor swimming pool in the Shibuya area treats guests to breathtaking city views, complete with a Jacuzzi poolside. Alongside the 24-hour fitness gym, it’s an ideal place to unwind in an elegant setting after a day in the city’s bustling streets.
Artwork, from the 3rd-floor entrance to each guest room, is thoughtfully designed to convey the unique charm of the Shibuya area, following the theme of “duality” that aligns with the overall spatial design concept. Situated amidst Tokyo’s trend-setting shops and restaurants, where diverse cultures intersect, this space offers a distinct and comfortable “living” experience specific to Shibuya.
Facility Information
Name: Hyatt House Tokyo Shibuya
Address: 3-3 Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan, 150-0031
Floors: 30 stories above ground (1-3 floors, 6-16 floors)
Guest rooms: 126 rooms
Project owner: TOKYU LAND CORPORATION
Architectural design: TODA CORPORATION
Interior design: GARDE Co., Ltd.
Lighting design: Lightmoment Inc.
About Hyatt House
Hyatt House hotels are tailored for guests in search of spacious living accommodations equipped with everything they need for short or extended stays. With over 130 hotels worldwide, Hyatt House offers home-like amenities, attentive service, and contemporary spaces. Guests enjoy complimentary breakfast, a creative and thoughtfully curated menu in the bar area, as well as comfortable common areas, both indoors and outdoors, ideal for working, socializing, and relaxation.
After working on the design of large-scale commercial facilities at a domestic design firm, he joined Garde in 2021.While designing mainly large commercial facilities such as department stores, he has also worked on many specialty stores. He is currently working on a wide range of projects mainly in Asia.
