M.U.G. is a minimal shop interior located in Tokyo, Japan, designed by TANK. This interior design project is for the flagship store of apparel brand M.U.G (MINOTAUR URBAN GEAR). The design demanded for a “Taste of Japan” as M.U.G specializes in collaboration with other Japanese brands with rich tradition, such as bags from Porter, and footwear from Regal and Moonstar. The storefront is an eye-level venue located in a three-storied building facing the bustling avenue near the Meguro river with excellent access from Meguro Station.

The project begun from designing upon the available RC structure. The ultimate design goal was to borrow from the symbolic aesthetics of a traditional Japanese confectionery store. Each neatly showcased confection would be gingerly produced by the owner upon request, with a neat description following. In the interior design, the architects chose to use the original concrete floor, while the walls were directly painted white to highlight the simple and functional products to be showcased.

The plumbing, conduits, air conditioner, and other skeletal structures on the ceiling were hidden with a 40cm draft, aiming for an atmosphere alike a calm traditional Japanese room. A 70mm wide berth between the wall and the ceiling panels made the low and seemingly heavy ceiling feel light, as if the ceiling were floating in the RC space. The 85cm height of the main showcase by the entrance was dictated by the need to exchange the items on accordingly sized wooden plinths within. At the rear, wooden panels as side-opening doors, slide within grooves in the upper glass pane and wooden base.

Photography by Kenta Hasegawa