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Celebrating our 40th anniversary in 2025, GARDE has worked on projects in a wide range of fields, from hotels to department stores, retail spaces, and offices, honing the designs that define us. We are constantly embracing new challenges to address social issues through design, utilizing the expertise we have developed over the years.

In this issue, President Muro introduces GARDE’s history and our future business model.

The Aesthetic of Japanese Design: What a Design Company Should Strive For

Japanese design is characterized by minimalism, with simplicity and well-calculated elements at the forefront. There are four crucial elements: the first is a clear message that needs to be conveyed; the second is simplicity while retaining functionality; the third is visual aesthetics; and finally, sustainability.

Particularly in large-scale buildings such as houses and hospitals, sustainability is a significant concern. These structures need to last a long time, so the design must be timeless. A simple design with high functionality contributes to the building’s sustainability.

Our designs for luxury brands and department stores maintain simplicity in the interior design, as the products themselves are the focal point. This simplicity enhances the products, yet we also strive to incorporate elements of traditional Japanese aesthetics. Each team identifies uniquely Japanese values within their aesthetics to complete the design.

By focusing on our clients’ requirements and leveraging our extensive expertise, which is our strength, we aim to be a design firm that truly understands and meets the needs of our clients.

The Relevance of Diverse Work Styles and Office Design

The approach to remote working evolved significantly after the COVID-19 pandemic first hit. One strategy is to adopt remote work for tasks requiring focus, while using the office for collaboration and idea-sharing. However, with the pandemic’s end, there has been a growing trend of bringing people back into the office to increase productivity and enhance the office’s functionality.

Some of our clients have recently adopted similar work styles. To boost productivity, they need to create a new office style and bring people together, as communication is a key factor.

One design idea is to provide each person with more space in the office, allowing for a new hybrid work style. Understanding this new work style is essential in designing spaces for our clients. Interior design is increasingly about understanding how people use space rather than focusing solely on aesthetic elements.

ABW, or activity-based workplaces, refers to a working style that allows people to freely choose where and when they work according to their objectives and tasks. This concept has become highly significant in recent years. The general affairs department of a company typically defines the work style, and our job is to listen to these criteria and translate them into spatial designs. Small details, such as the walking distance to the photocopier, are precisely calculated to enhance productivity. Break rooms are also key in this regard, sometimes featuring amenities like billiards, pinball machines, and beverage corners to motivate staff and create a comfortable environment.

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Recognized as an exceptionally superior material in terms of strength, durability, and versatility, bamboo has long played a crucial role in supporting Japanese industry. In this issue, we will share some examples of the beneficial uses of bamboo, which is attracting worldwide attention as an environmentally friendly material.

Reasons Why Bamboo is the Best Material for Construction

When you hear the term “bamboo material,” you may think of bamboo architecture in Southeast Asia. Indeed, bamboo is a plant that grows primarily in warm and humid Southeast Asia. For this reason, the beautiful bamboo architecture seen in this region is a perfect example of its rich history while also incorporating modern elements.

One of the best examples is the Bamboo Sports Hall, built at Panyaden International School in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Its modern, organic design and sustainability-focused architecture continue to attract many admirers even seven years after its completion.

The design had to harmonize with the surrounding school buildings and natural environment, which are made of earth and bamboo, while still retaining modern elements. Moreover, by using bamboo as a building material, the project succeeded in creating a greener facility with lower carbon dioxide emissions, while meeting the aforementioned challenges.

Source: https://www.archdaily.com/877165/bamboo-sports-hall-for-panyaden-international-school-chiangmai-life-construction

Japanese Traditional Crafts Handed Down Through Generations

Bamboo, which has grown widely across Japan except in some regions, has long been used for building materials, household goods, crafts, and bamboo charcoal. In recent years, however, the number of traditional Japanese bamboo artisans has been declining due to the emergence of inexpensive alternative materials, a decrease in bamboo consumption, and the increasing number of unmanaged and neglected bamboo forests each year.
Despite these challenges, artisans continue to craft bamboo products to preserve the traditions built in the region.

The primary traditional use of bamboo in much of modern Japan is in crafts made by processing bamboo and weaving bamboo strips together. Bamboo crafts designated as traditional handicrafts by the Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry are produced in seven regions. Bamboo crafts with a uniquely Japanese delicacy are produced in various types and weaving methods, depending on the region. It would be fascinating to compare the different types of bamboo crafts and find your favorite.

High-Level Bamboo Craftsmanship: Techniques That Can Also Be Art

As mentioned above, Japanese bamboo crafts are highly regarded worldwide for their delicacy and elegance. The more than 200 weaving techniques used to create these crafts are now applied as art to decorate spaces.

Kyoto-based artists create intricate bamboo crafts with delicate patterns drawn using bamboo strips. In a simple weaving technique called “Mutsume-weaving,” bamboo strips as thin as thread are finely woven, almost like embroidery, to create floral designs.

Expectations for a New Future Using Scrap Materials

The use of bamboo continues to evolve even today.

In recent years, companies have been actively working to utilize bamboo that would otherwise be disposed of to produce bamboo paper, and further, to create various products such as bamboo paper straws and hangers. Similarly, some companies are using waste wood to produce furniture with a high level of design.
In this way, bamboo is being utilized as an important resource in ways that are not bound by conventional uses.

As a sustainable material, bamboo is attracting attention from around the world. Flexible and bendable, with strength and durability, bamboo is used not only in construction but also in many everyday items and as art to enrich our lives. The potential uses of bamboo are still being explored.

SThree K.K. office design that GARDE was responsible for and completed in 2022.
SThree is a global recruitment firm from London specializing in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields.

The space was completed based on the concept of fusion of the advanced STEM image with the client’s roots in Western and traditional Japanese design.

Click here to read more about SThree office design.

GARDE continues to enter design awards every year with the aim of spreading the excellence of its space and design even after the design of the property is completed.
Below is an overview of the awards received this year.

MUSE Design Awards 2024

About the Award
The MUSE Design Awards established in 2015 to honor creative and design professionals, judged by a panel of approximately 40 judges from around the world
The organizers, International Awards Associate (IAA), are deeply committed to advancing the industry through the discovery and recognition of new and existing talent.

Winning Overview
Title of the Prize：GOLD
Category：Interior Design – Office

The IPAX Asia Pacific Property Awards 2024

About the Award
The International Property awards were established to recognize the highest level of achievement by companies operating in all areas of the real estate and property industry. The awards are held in nine regions, including the UK, Asia Pacific, Africa, and Europe, and are judged by a team of experienced professionals covering all real estate sectors.

Winning Overview
Title of the Prize：Winner
Category：Office Interior

The latest award information is available in the GARDE Newsletter.
The newsletter also includes information about completed projects that GARDE is responsible for, trends in various countries, design and art related topics, and a wide range of other information.
Please register here to join our newsletter.

A case where a purchase price increased 800 times to 1.6 billion yen. Modern art, a key element in spatial planning, is soaring in price.

At GARDE, modern art is frequently used as an element of spatial planning in the residences, hotels, and luxury retail projects we manage. The prices of this modern art are currently skyrocketing.

Recent news reports that some works from the “Fukuoka Asian Art Museum” have seen a significant increase in value, with some pieces now valued at 1.6 billion yen, 800 times their original purchase price. Many other works that have not been exhibited have also increased in value, leading to a situation where these works could potentially become new highlights for exhibitions. However, due to a lack of exhibition space, they cannot be publicly displayed. As a solution, online exhibitions are being considered. In this scenario, using virtual reality goggles in a metaverse museum may offer a more immersive viewing experience than viewing on a monitor.

There are several reasons for this price surge. Traditionally, about 10% of wealthy individuals’ asset portfolios are held long-term in art. Now, inflation, yen depreciation, and the entry of new wealthy buyers are occurring simultaneously. Additionally, the evolution of technology, such as the advent of NFTs for art, has lowered the barriers to entry, making it safer to purchase art, leading to expectations of continued growth in this market.

Even in domestic transactions, the variety of sales channels, such as Mercari, has increased the circulation of art. There are cases where postcards, which were sold for around 1,000 yen at exhibitions, have increased in value to over 30,000 yen after the artist’s death.

However, rather than expecting investment value from the start, why not step into the world of modern art as an emotional asset that you can cherish for a long time? For those who have never purchased art before, I recommend starting with a piece that “somehow attracts you,” regardless of price, for your home or workplace interior.