Double 00'09 By Case-Real

Photo courtesy of Case-Real.

Case-Real designed a shop located in Fukuoka, Japan, which gentle curves create a harmonious interior with a distinctly spiritual aura.

Located on the ground floor of a commercial building in Tenjin - the central district of Fukuoka, 'trend capital' of Kyushu - eager shoppers find the recently opened Double 00'09. The curving wall of this impressive boutique draws pedestrians inside, where they stand beneath its vaulted ceiling in a rather cave-like space that resembles a minimalist house. Designer Koichi Futatsumata, who heads Case-Real, says: 'I thought expressing the richness of the space was important, whereas impressing people with materials and colour was unnecessary. Consequently, I emphasized the lines and planes of the interior.' The result of his decision is a retail environment in which the items on display are shrouded in an aura of simplicity. Futatsumata's translates his design philosophy, with its focus on spiritual depth, into spaces made to be cherished for a long time, even those intended strictly for commercial use.

Words Masaaki Takahashi