Project Archives

Suzhou JOY BREEZE: China’s Next-Generation Shopping Mall, to Open.

Following the opening of Beijing Daxing JOY BREEZE in December last year, Suzhou JOY BREEZE opened on September 25, 2021.

Suzhou JOY BREEZE is a large-scale residential and commercial complex located in the rapidly developing north Suzhou area, offering a high quality and sophisticated lifestyle to rich and new generation of families in their 20’s and 30’s. It offers a variety of tenants, including domestic and foreign luxury brands, leisure, entertainment, and restaurants. The basement floor is directly connected to the subway and has a parking lot with a capacity of over 4,000 cars. As a shopping mall that plays a role in the revitalization of the area, it blends in with the rich nature of the surrounding area to form a town.

GARDE, as with Beijing Daxing, was involved in the basic planning, basic design, implementation design, supervision, and construction coordination of the interior design, and incorporated a lot of FFE furniture and green plants.

The design concept is “Connected”. Based on the “aesthetics of transcending space” found in Japanese architecture, the outside and inside are not strictly separated. Rather, by creating a space with a harmony of richness, comfort, and pleasant atmosphere, a commercial space that feels like and coexists with nature is achieved.

The sense of fluidity and dynamism in nature is expressed in the motifs of “Flowing,” “Natural,” and “Organic,” which can be considered the DNA of JOY BREEZE. The three large atriums catch the eye in the building and create a beautiful and dynamic space with delicate details based on the design theme of “flowing water”, “flowing wind”, and “pulsating earth”. By creating three different scenes, visitors will never get bored and can enjoy walking around the building.

Scope of work
Interior design: basic planning, basic design, implementation design, supervision, construction coordination
Other FFE proposals

Property Information
Name: Suzhou JOY BREEZE
Official opening: September 25, 2021
Location: Xiangcheng District, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
Management floors: 6 above ground, 1 basement floor
Building area: approx. 180,000m2 (approx. 30,000m2 for indoor common areas)

GARDE to handle large-scale remodeling project of the Guofang Department Store in Lanzhou, China

Project

Lanzhou City is the capital of Gansu Province, located in northwest China. The Guofang Department Store, located next to the Dongfanghong Plaza in the heart of the city, is a luxury department store with world-famous luxury brands. In addition to the first basement floor of the Guofang Department Store, this project featured a large-scale remodeling of the Dongfanghong Plaza and the shopping center on the west side of the square.

●Department Store Side

Shoe Sales Floor; Creating a dynamic circular space from a circular flow line

Since the sales floor is very deep from the entrance of the ESC hall, we designed a circular flow line so that customers can naturally walk around the floor without being burdened by the depth. We also linked this flow line shape to the ceiling design to emphasize the circular space. The circular design of the ceiling is designed so that it is lowest in the center and becomes higher toward the outside. This creates a dynamic space that expands from the center to the outside. The design and placement of the pillars have been calculated so that they do not divide the space, allowing for a relaxed and smooth shopping experience.

Jewelry sales floor; Main flow line with feminine sparkle

As a focal point of the space, the height of the store in the center was kept low to create a flow line that allows customers to walk around while looking at the jewelry. In addition, the ceiling is designed to leak glittering light, emphasizing the glamour of the jewelry sales floor, and creating a space that allows a smooth circulation to the tenants at the far end.

●Shopping center side

The design concept revolves around “Natural Geometric Shapes”. Originally, Lanzhou was a land rich in mineral resources such as coal, so we used the city’s resources as a design motif to create a Lanzhou-like atmosphere. The design of the entire corridor is simple, while the areas where the corridor intersects and diverges emphasize the geometric shapes and create clear space.

Simple corridor design

Intersection area of passages with Geometric Shapes motif.

Scope of work
Concept, basic planning, basic design, implementation design, supervision

Property Information
Location: 4-6 South Hiroba Road, Chengguan District, Lanzhou City
Area: 24,870㎡ (The total floor area of Goufang Department store is 90,000㎡)
Completion: May 2021

Candeo Hotels Kyoto Karasuma Rokkaku Kyu-Banke Residence – Transforming a Kyoto Cultural Property with Modern Design

Project

Candeo Hotels Kyoto Karasuma Rokkaku opened in June 2021. GARDE was involved in the conceptualization, facade, basic planning, basic design, and project supervision.

The main feature of this hotel is that it is a redesign of a traditional Japanese townhouse, the “Former Banke Family Residence,” which is a very valuable registered tangible cultural property of Kyoto City. In particular, the tatami room, which consists of the main room and the next room, has been finished in the sukiya (Japanese traditional tearoom) style, with bark surface pillars and screens. In addition, the main room has a floor, shelves, and a hirashoin (non-projecting study window), and the shelves are decorated with ink paintings by artist Ike no Taiga. In order to maximize the charm of the house, the tatami mats in the reception room, lounge, and bar have been retained, and the original courtyard has been preserved so that visitors can enjoy the Kyoto townhouse style, while relaxing from the reception room on the first floor.

The combination of Kyoto’s traditional architecture and culture with modern technology and techniques, as well as a wealth of wisdom, has resulted in the creation of a unique Machiya experience in Karasuma, Kyoto. It is a “Cultural Experience Facility” and a “Machiya” that allows guests to experience Kyoto culture as if they were living there.

* What is the Banke Residence?
The Banke family was born in Omihachiman-cho and moved to the present location in 1896, where they have operated a kimono wholesale store for generations. The main building was built in the omoteyazukuri style, with an entrance building connecting the store building and the residential building in the back and is thought to have been in its present form in 1911. Architecturally, the tatami room is particularly noteworthy. The tatami room, which consists of the main room and the next room, is finished in the sukiya (traditional Japanese tearoom) style, with bark surface pillars and screens. The details are elaborate, and the design is excellent. Although the main house has been slightly altered, it retains the atmosphere of a traditional Kyoto townhouse. In addition, there is a tendency for townhouses in Kyoto to renovate only the tatami room during the Meiji and Taisho periods.
The tatami room of this house is one such example, showing the trend of townhouses in modern times.
(Registered in Kyoto City on April 1, 1991.)
(Quoted from the signboard of Kyoto City Historic Site)

【Design】
The hotel consists of three buildings: a reception building, a guest room building, and a public bath. The reception building, which serves as the entrance to the hotel, is a redesign of the former Banke family residence*, is a registered tangible cultural property of Kyoto City. The earthen floor itself has been left as is, creating a space that gives the impression of an alley in Kyoto. In addition to the lounge, a library and bar space have been created to increase your experience, and to make your stay more fulfilling.

●Reception Building
The reception room, bar, and lounge are followed up by the tatami space. In the reception room on the ground floor, the sliding doors are decorated with ink paintings by Ike no Taiga, a literary painter from Kyoto, and an entranceway scented with sandalwood, reminiscent of Japan, creating a relaxing space. In the bar on the second floor, the hanging lights on the street floor seen through the latticed windows create a scene resembling lanterns displayed at a festival, creating the feeling of living in a traditional Japanese townhouse.
The earthen floor, which has existed for ages, has been turned into a dirt floor, creating a space reminiscent of the alleys of Kyoto.

Left: Entrance Right: Tsuboniwa（Inner Garden）

Left: Reception room on the ground floor Right: Tori-Doma (Passageway of Earthen floor)

●Guest Room Building
While utilizing the characteristic straight lines of Japanese architecture, we introduced unexpected Western finishes such as travertine colors and warm pink bronze details in the patterns. By incorporating walnut, we created a space surrounded by a sense of luxury.
The gentle impression of the travertine and the indirect view of the townhouse reflected in the metal parts create a modern design while maintaining a sense of harmony with the historic architecture of the townhouse.

Left: Suite room Right: Twin room

●Public Bath Building

◆About Candeo Hotels Kyoto Karasuma Rokkaku
The 10-story hotel has 106 rooms, including 2 rooms with private spa facilities. The hotel also features the largest bath in the Candeo Hotels chain, which is an outdoor bath with a pleasant breeze blowing through it, allowing guests to bask in the fresh air. The men’s bath has a dry sauna and a water bath, while the women’s bath has a mist sauna, providing a delicate space where you can relax and refresh yourself after a long day of sightseeing in Kyoto.

During the Gion Festival, the busiest time of the year in Kyoto, a jomyoyama float is assembled in front of the hotel. As well as being both functional and well designed, the Candeo Hotels Kyoto Karasuma Rokkaku is an exquisite and unique hotel where you can feel the Gion Festival at its closest.

Facility Overview
– Official name: Candeo Hotels Kyoto Karasuma Rokkaku
– Location: 149 Konyadori, Karasuma Nishiiru, Rokkaku-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8064
– Site area: 828.99m2
– Building area (built-up): 619.95m2
– Floor area subject to floor area (all floors): 3302.55m2
– Height: 31.00m, 10 floors above ground
*Only the guest room building and public bath are included.

Scope of Work
Concept planning, facade, basic planning, basic design and project supervision

Hotel ARU KYOTO, a “Taisho Romance” in Kyoto’s Sanjo Kiyamachi district. “A modernist worldview created by an Italian designer is ‘there’ (ARU)”

Project

GARDE carried out the grand opening of HOTEL ARU KYOTO on Sanjo-Kiyamachi Street in Kyoto in July 2021and was involved in the conceptualization of the façade, planning, basic design, implementation of design, and general supervision of the project.

The space overall, is a well-balanced and elegant combination of Japanese and Western elements, transporting guests into the world of Taisho Romanticism. It features Western damask wallpaper and traditional Japanese house ceilings and tiles, European furniture, Japanese wooden lattices, and Western style stained glass.

● Background of the birth of HOTEL ARU KYOTO

The world of Taisho Romance, a modernist Japan of about 100 years ago, as interpreted by an Italian designer.
Italian designer Francesco Ristori was in charge of the design of this property. He studied architecture at the University of Florence and continued to work on residential and retail design as well as the restoration of historical buildings in Italy before coming to Japan in 2014, after which he joined Garde.

To date, he is still involved in projects that allow him to demonstrate his experience and customs in Italy. So why “Taisho Romance”? Italians and “Taisho Romance” – At first glance, seems incongruous. However, the key to the success of this project lies in that “sense of incongruity”.

The encounter between the Italian designer and “Taisho Romance”.
He first discovered Taisho Romanticism when he joined the project, a style of Japanese art and culture expressed through a unique worldview. At first, he had the impression that it resembled the Western style, but as his learning deepened, he was impressed by this unique worldview created by incorporating new interpretations into Western architecture and art.

The more you learn about Taisho Romanticism, the more fascinated you become.
The Taisho era (1912-1926), which lasted only 15 years after the Meiji era (1868-1912), was a time of modernization and a blend of Japanese and Western culture. It was a time of contrasts between light and shadow, with urban glamour, but also social unrest caused by economic stagnation. He felt “a gentle melancholy and a spiritual longing” for the architecture and art that had a somehow somber atmosphere in contrast to the glamor of the era.

The Design of HOTEL ARU KYOTO
The overall design takes in the culture of the past and sublimates it with modern technology and taste in order to create a new space. It is not simply a matter of reviving an old-fashioned atmosphere but also creating a place where people can experience “Taisho Romanticism” in Kyoto, a new purpose to visit the city. He believes that it is a sustainable design that will generate modernism 100 years from now.

Click here for the designer profile
https://www.garde-intl.com/aboutus/?lang=jp

● Introduction of Facilities

The word “ARU” (meaning to exist in Japanese) refers to a hotel that continues to exist in a place beyond time. Sanjo-Kiyamachi Street was once a bustling lumber wholesaler district along the Takase River. Throughout the Edo, Meiji, and Taisho eras, the town was influenced by Western culture, but the universal values and the romanticism rooted in the town have been passed down from generation to generation.

While preserving the history and traditions of this town, the hotel creates new values and culture to weave a better future. Without being bound by a framework, they continuously incorporate new cultures. During this time, unique cultures were born in many fields such as architecture, design, and entertainment, including stonework and brick architecture, Japanese and Western interiors, and culturally, the establishment of the Takarazuka Revue and the popularity of cinema. HOTEL ARU KYOTO was born from the inspiration of a one-of-a-kind era and the architectural style of “Taisho Romance”.

Front desk with a chic and modern interior.

Rooms with pleasant light coming through the stained-glass windows.

The designer’s favorite authentic bar counter made of a single piece of wood. The dim, atmospheric lighting gives the place a “Taisho Romantic” air.

The rooftop overlooks the beautiful scenery of Kyoto and can be enjoyed as a beer garden in summer.

Facility Overview
– Official name：HOTEL ARU KYOTO
– Location: 48 Daikoku-cho, Sanjo-shitaaru, Kawaramachi-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8031, Japan
– Use: Hotel (55 rooms, including 1 barrier-free room)
– Scale: 9 stories above ground
– Height: 29.50m
– Structure: Steel-frame construction
– Site Area: 391.44m2
– Building Area：1707.30m2

Scope of work
Concept planning, facade, basic planning, basic design, implementation design, and supervision

Rebranding of Chinese women’s fashion brand “LANCY” and branding design for the new brand “L By LANCY”.

Project

GARDE designed the first store after the rebranding of Chinese luxury women’s fashion brand “LANCY” and the first store of the newly launched second line “L By LANCY”, starting from the conceptualization, basic planning, basic design, implementation design and supervision.

Since its establishment in 2000, LANCY has been a high-end women’s fashion brand that offers fashion for every occasion, targeting sophisticated urban women with charm, experience, and influence. Competition in the Chinese women’s fashion market is becoming increasingly fierce as average incomes rise, needs diversify, and markets become more fragmented. While the trend toward casual and street fashion continues, there is also a growing emphasis on “brand value”, and there is a stronger demand for brand reliability, not just luxury. In response to this trend, the mission was to redefine the brand value of LANCY and to brand L By LANCY, which had been handled by the same store, as a new brand.

LANCY
We aim to support sophisticated women living in the city by dressing them with unique styles. We also hope to deliver love and power to the world while increasing consumer empathy for the brand value. The concept of the store design is “My place, My time”. With the image of a “mansion” where the girls live, we created a sophisticated yet relaxing space by using high-quality materials and bright, warm tones throughout. In the store, a “gate” is placed as a symbol of a “mansion,” and by changing the material of the floor, a space with different expressions to create to atmosphere of the space. We were conscious of carefully expressing delicate femininity with fine details by creating a luxurious space using the brand’s original LC pattern. We believe that customers should feel what the brand represents as soon as they step into the store.

Inside the LANCY store

L By LANCY
While maintaining the elegant and sophisticated worldview of LANCY, the brand targets a wider and younger audience. Based on the design concept of “My place, My time”, the space is designed to communicate the glitz and glamour of the brand. Their customized chandelier features the L By LANCY logo displayed in the center of the store that creates a very festive and inviting atmosphere.

Inside the L By LANCY store

Scope of work
Concept planning, basic planning, basic design, implementation design, supervision by Garde