Acne Studios Nagoya is a minimalist showroom located in Nagoya, Japan, designed by Arquitectura-G. The central theme of the project is playing with contrasts at different levels, being the main characteristic of the store the clash between the high-tech and low-tech. All the strategic decisions and material choices are made seeking a sophisticated balance between the roughness and the delicateness, the chaos and the order. The space of the store is a kind of cave with a long window; the walls and the massive columns form a rough shell that is open to the streets of Nagoya. Inside that playing field three thin curved stainless steel partitions and their intersections organize all the space.

These panels and their shelves are as thin and delicate as paper, precisely cut, becoming sharp islands in a coarse environment. In opposition to this hard and cold elements, the floor is fully covered with a custom made wool carpet with a rough look but soft touch. Two soft podiums with longer pile height emerge from the carpet surface and work as seating and display areas. As a counterpoint, the ceiling is a wild world with all the elements exposed, a sort of dystopian organized chaos where Benoit Lalloz’s lights play a prominent role. In addition, some special fixtures have been designed for this store. The mirrors and display trays are polished solid sheets of stainless steel. On the other hand, the rails are imperfect, as if they were drawn by hand, adding a more human feeling to the whole.

Photography by José Hevia