THE APOLLO, a modern Greek restaurant from Sydney, Australia, created by Jonathan Barthelmess and Sam Christie, opened in Ginza in 2016. Eight years after its opening, the restaurant continues to be very popular.
GARDE was responsible for the interior design and construction at the time of opening and is currently involved in the maintenance and renovation of the restaurant.
The interior features large glass windows and a skeleton ceiling, creating an open and spacious impression.
The interior, with its attention to detail, including marble countertops, arm lighting, and warm wood furniture, is consistent with the head office in Sydney, creating a chic and cool appearance.
Healthy Greek cuisine is prepared with fresh ingredients, olive oil, vegetables, and seafood. At THE APOLLO, guests can enjoy Greek cuisine with a twist, where tradition is blended with a beautifully modernized menu.
■THE APOLLO
HP: http://theapollo.jp/
Address: 11F, TOKYU PLAZA GINZA, 5-2-1, Ginza, Chuo-ku Tokyo
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, a global leader in digital reality solutions that integrate sensors, software, and autonomous control technologies, is dedicated to advancing the world towards a sustainable future.
GARDE is honored to oversee the interior design, graphic design, construction management, and furniture selection for the renovation of Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence’s Tokyo office.
Feature Wall Reflecting the Brand Identity
In the reception area, the first space to greet guests, a feature wall has been crafted to immerse visitors in the corporate brand experience. Drawing inspiration from Hexagon’s diverse range of services in the industrial sector, the feature wall combines perforated metal panels, ribbed wood stained in corporate colors, and specially textured plastering.
Creating a Comfortable and Flexible Workplace
In response to the evolving work dynamics post-COVID-19, we transitioned from fixed seating to Activity Based Working (ABW) at new workplace. ABW empowers employees to choose their work time and location based on their tasks and preferences, fostering flexibility and productivity.
Our goal was to rejuvenate internal communication and productivity by establishing a hybrid workplace conducive to diverse activities. To achieve this, we designed collaboration spaces, solo workstations, a café, and a pantry within the workplace area, forming a dynamic “new communication space.”
Furthermore, we enhanced the ambiance with walls adorned in graphic sheets featuring corporate colors and custom wallpapers inspired by the corporate logo. These elements not only reflect client’s brand identity but also contribute to creating an inspiring and cohesive work environment.
Selecting Environmentally Friendly Materials
In line with the client’s commitment to sustainability, our office design integrates environmentally friendly materials throughout. This includes pendant lighting crafted from recycled and natural wood, 100% recyclable carpeting, and PVC tiles sourced from recycled flooring materials, emphasizing our dedication to minimizing environmental impact.
To further enhance the workspace, greenery has been strategically incorporated. Not only does this add a touch of nature to the office environment, but it also promotes relaxation, reduces eye strain, and boosts productivity. By bringing elements of the outdoors indoors, we aim to create a workspace that not only supports employee well-being but also fosters a deeper connection to nature.
■Designer Profile
Nobuyuki Ueno
International Design Division, Office Department, Chief Designer
Joined GARDE after working for a domestic design firm, where he was involved in a diverse array of interior design projects, including offices, hotels, and commercial facilities. He also gained experience in interior design at an Australian design firm. He consistently strives to propose innovative activities and values, always approaching his work with a global perspective.
■Scope of work
Interior Design, Graphic Design, Construction Supervision, Furniture Selection
■Property Information
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence Office Design
Completion and Handover Date: 2023/ 10
Floor Area: 1026㎡
■About Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence provides data-driven solutions from design to engineering, engineering to metrology to support customers in manufacturing even smarter products.
HP：https://h-mi.jp/lp-company/
Louis Poulsen is a Danish lighting brand with a rich history, founded in 1874.
The brand has operated a contract showroom, but the opening of the world’s first company-operated flagship store, “Louis Poulsen Tokyo,” in Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, is garnering attention as a space accessible to a broader range of customers.
As part of the store’s transformation into a flagship establishment, GARDE was entrusted with local architecture, project management, and construction.
Taking inspiration from traditional design, materials, and coloring, the store embodies the new brand identity of Louis Poulsen, revamped in January 2023. Adorning the exterior wall near the entrance is the newly installed logo, representing the initials “LP” for Louis Poulsen. Additionally, the three-shade lamp, one of the brand’s most iconic and innovative designs, is elegantly showcased.
Immerse yourself in this enchanting new store and indulge in the high-end lighting crafted with passionate craftsmanship, high-quality materials, and innovative design.
Yanji Department Store, the area’s top revenue earner and one of Yanji City’s most prestigious department stores, has initiated a floor-by-floor renovation project. Following the 4F men’s floor discussed in the previous article, we will now introduce the 2F ladies’ fashion floor. GARDE was responsible for basic planning, basic design, implementation design, design supervision, and lighting design.
Click here to read an article of 4F men’s floor renovation project.
Design Concept and Key Words for 2F Ladies’ Fashion Floor
The concept behind the renovation of the 2F ladies’ floor of the Yanji Department Store is “Luxury from bold & delicate.”
The three keywords “Simple, Elegant, and Playful” are essential to express this concept. The entire floor is composed of simple, elegant, feminine and soft forms. We designed the floor with the expectation that it will be a fashion floor supported by the younger generation, by creating simple yet playful accents in shapes and colors, and by providing a mechanism that allows visitors to enjoy moving around the space.
Floor Highlights 1：Sparkling event spaces
On the ladies’ floor, the limited-time Pop-Up event space plays an important role in encouraging visitor circulation. Therefore, the design was created with an eye toward showcasing the area as a glamorous and appealing area on the floor.
The ceilings of the multiple Pop-Up spaces are all designed differently to give each a different spatial concept and light effect. By creating change within a simple space, we designed it so that visitors can enjoy every aspect of the floor without getting bored.
Under the condition of a low ceiling height, making it challenging to incorporate large lighting and three-dimensional designs, a ceiling mirror was introduced to generate a sense of depth and three-dimensionality. To create an eye-catching design, suspended lighting with randomly varied lengths of reflection was utilized. The lighting incorporates a mix of gold and silver to prevent a monotonous appearance. The outcome is a three-dimensional Pop-Up space exuding a feminine delicacy and sparkle.
Floor Highlights 2：Charming Lingerie Area
The lingerie area has garnered positive feedback from both clients and tenants. The slit design was implemented to evoke a sense of semi-private space for each tenant while fostering a unified atmosphere throughout the entire area. The hexagonal shape of the pipes in the slit area increases the number of surfaces, and the play of light reflection creates the impression of sparkling and twinkling lights.
To further enhance the spatial ambiance, a wall and fitting room were incorporated in the middle section. This adjustment made the lingerie area more prominent on the second floor, successfully meeting the client’s request to maximize the utilization of dead space.
Consequently, a lingerie area that exudes a warm and feminine aesthetic was successfully created.
Designer’s message：After Completion of the Entire Renovation…
The commercial market continues to display a trend of channel diversification, notably with online consumption surpassing offline consumption. Conversely, there is a counter-trend towards online fatigue, leading to a rediscovery of the pleasures associated with offline consumption. Offline experiences encompass not only buying but also understanding, conversing, and physically interacting with products, offering a diverse range of encounters. Indoor design plays a crucial role in enhancing these experiences, transforming them into enduring memories, and prompting customers to revisit the space.
Yanji Department Store is committed to ongoing transformation, aspiring to become an even more cherished facility. We anticipate that the local community will follow its evolution with interest and support.
After working on the design of large-scale commercial facilities at a domestic design firm, he joined Garde in 2021.While designing mainly large commercial facilities such as department stores, he has also worked on many specialty stores. He is currently working on a wide range of projects mainly in Asia.
Property Information
Name: Yanji Department Store 2F Ladies’ Fashion Floor
Official Opening: August 18th, 2023
Location: No.608 Guangming Street, Yanji City, Jilin Province
Design Area: 7600㎡
You can also find more information about GARDE’s past projects here.
Located in Yanji City, Yanbian Autonomous Prefecture, Jilin Province, China, Yanji Department Store, the area’s top revenue earner and one of Yanji City’s most prestigious department stores.
Yanji Department Store has started a floor-by-floor renovation project. Following last year’s renovation on the 6th floor for kids, GARDE was in charge of basic planning, basic design, implementation design, design supervision, and lighting design for the men’s floor on the 4th floor.
Click here to read an article of 6F Kids floor renovation project.
About the Whole experience of the Renovation
The initial impression of the facility before the renovation conveyed a sense of a single flow line and unified spatial design on the floor. While we acknowledged that the tenants and products were well organized, there was a recognition of the need to add a bit more stimulation and change, viewing a commercial facility as something enjoyable.
Consequently, we established the following major directions for the spatial design:
１．”Create features for each floor that align with the tenants.”
２．”Craft a lively circulation with changes in the flow lines.”
３．”Develop a rich sales area with numerous attractions by increasing functions and incorporating eye-catching areas.”
These directives aim to enhance the individuality of each floor in alignment with the tenants, introduce an engaging circulation with dynamic flow line changes, and enrich the sales area with numerous functions and visually appealing elements. The goal is to transform the facility into a dynamic and enjoyable space for visitors.
Design Concept and Key Words for 4F Men’s Floor
The concept behind the renovation of the 4F men’s floor at Yanji Department Store is “NOBLE MODERN MEN’S LOUNGE” — a vision of a simple, sophisticated, and relaxing lounge space.
Considering the client’s preference for less use of colors and a focus on luxury and texture, the following keywords were employed in the design:
BEIGE TONE:
The space was crafted with a gray-beige base color to impart a bright and luxurious ambiance. A monotonous impression was avoided by introducing a variety within the same color scheme.
LINE:
Line design was integrated to infuse dynamic movement and variation into the entire space, contributing to an overall sense of sophistication.
GEOMETRY:
Geometric designs were strategically employed to accentuate the space, creating a three-dimensional and visually engaging environment.
These three keywords guided the design process, resulting in the successful creation of a well-designed, high-quality space that aligns with the envisioned “NOBLE MODERN MEN’S LOUNGE” concept.
Upgrading tenants and making the floor more spacious by design
There are two main types of sales floors: the wall side section and the middle section. Wall side section have a large floor area and walls to display the products, and are usually occupied by leading brands. On the other hand, the middle section has a limited amount of merchandise and less wall space, so there is a preconceived notion that it is reserved for tenants that are not strong enough to compete. By eliminating this problem, we have reduced the gap between the wall side and the middle section by placing superior stores in the middle section as well, thereby upgrading the tenants on the floor as a whole. To this end, we aimed to make the middle section more attractive, first by improving the flow line advantage, and second by improving the design of the middle section.
Although the above efforts resulted in the leasing of another prominent brand in the middle section, the tenant’s layout requirements were at risk of disrupting the functionality of the floor design.
In order to prevent the creation of walls within the tenants that would create shadows and hide the wall stores, the middle section was designed with a high degree of visibility and design restrictions. As a design supervisor, we were able to prevent the entire floor from becoming closed off and achieve both tenant upgrades and a sense of spaciousness on the floor by persistent negotiation until the very last minute of the opening.
The most Difficult part of the Renovation: Lighting Planning
Lighting is one of the key elements that can significantly change the ambience and impression of a space with a single fixture.
In the renovation of the 6F kids’ floor that we worked on last year, the floor was darker than expected, and tenants in the middle section in particular faced a problem of insufficient illumination without additional lighting.
In China, due to the budget of the construction company, the replacement of lighting fixtures always occurs, and coupled with the Covid-19, it becomes even more difficult to procure the desired fixtures.
By confirming and clearing up the previous issues, while designing for the desired illuminance and effect, and taking into account the risks that may occur on site, we were able to significantly improve the illuminance issue.
The Path to the Renovation of the Men’s floor
Since there are fewer facilities and spaces on the men’s floor of a department store as case studies than on the Ladies’ floor, we communicated with the client a number of times during the image-sharing phase to determine what kind of space would be appropriate for the renovated floor.
For example, we discussed the color balance of the ceiling and floor and the degree of complexity of the design, and we used dynamic diagonal lines on the ceiling and floor in order to create the effect that visitors would circulate to all ends of the floor in terms of flow lines and visually. Through these repeated efforts, we feel that we were able to move one step closer to the ideal space.
The ceiling is simple and white, while the floor is covered in three different colors. Lines at the same angle on the top and bottom create a sense of unity in the space.
Property Information
Name: Yanji Department Store 4F Men’s Floor
Official Opening: May 31, 2023
Location: No.608 Guangming Street, Yanji City, Jilin Province
Design Area: 7600㎡
In the next issue, we will take a closer look at the story behind the renovation of the 2F ladies’ floor of Yanji Department Store.
After working on the design of large-scale commercial facilities at a domestic design firm, he joined Garde in 2021.While designing mainly large commercial facilities such as department stores, he has also worked on many specialty stores. He is currently working on a wide range of projects mainly in Asia.
