The multilevel Reality Lab in Tokyo, seen from its stairwell, is principal Tokujin Yoshioka’s 17th collaboration with clothier Issey Miyake. His studio, which was established in 2000, has also designed retail spaces for Swarovski and Camper.
Masaya Yoshimura The multilevel Reality Lab in Tokyo, seen from its stairwell, is principal Tokujin Yoshioka’s 17th collaboration with clothier Issey Miyake. His studio, which was established in 2000, has also designed retail spaces for Swarovski and Camper.
There are two street entrances to the store. Alongside one of them, a blue aluminum shelf displays several of the pleated light fixtures that Issey Miyake designed for the Italian manufacturer Artemide.
Masaya Yoshimura There are two street entrances to the store. Alongside one of them, a blue aluminum shelf displays several of the pleated light fixtures that Issey Miyake designed for the Italian manufacturer Artemide.
The other entrance is a bright spot in the streetscape of Tokyo’s Aoyama shopping district. Miyake’s Homme Plissé menswear line, which combines heavy fabrics with the designer’s signature pleats, inspired Yoshioka to create textural contrasts between construction materials.
Masaya Yoshimura The other entrance is a bright spot in the streetscape of Tokyo’s Aoyama shopping district. Miyake’s Homme Plissé menswear line, which combines heavy fabrics with the designer’s signature pleats, inspired Yoshioka to create textural contrasts between construction materials.
The architects went through many color combinations before settling on green and blue for the aluminum clothing displays, because, Yoshioka says, those colors “maximally evoke the texture of collections which will be contained at the store.” Blue racks are confined to the upper level.
Masaya Yoshimura The architects went through many color combinations before settling on green and blue for the aluminum clothing displays, because, Yoshioka says, those colors “maximally evoke the texture of collections which will be contained at the store.” Blue racks are confined to the upper level.
The lower level features green displays. Yoshioka’s office designed the steel tables with the angled legs for Italian furniture maker Desalto. Known as Element, the series complements the sculptural, freestanding steel clothing racks deployed throughout.
Masaya Yoshimura The lower level features green displays. Yoshioka’s office designed the steel tables with the angled legs for Italian furniture maker Desalto. Known as Element, the series complements the sculptural, freestanding steel clothing racks deployed throughout.
Yoshioka was interested in “incorporating the trace of time cultivated in the space,” he says. The view from the stairwell drives home, as Yoshioka says, “the contrast between the texture of peeled wall and futuristic, colored aluminum—the contrast between history and future.”
Masaya Yoshimura Yoshioka was interested in “incorporating the trace of time cultivated in the space,” he says. The view from the stairwell drives home, as Yoshioka says, “the contrast between the texture of peeled wall and futuristic, colored aluminum—the contrast between history and future.”

Project Credits 

Project   Reality Lab.Issey Miyake, Tokyo  
Client   Issey Miyake 
Architect   Tokujin Yoshioka, Tokyo—Tokujin Yoshioka (principal) 
Planner   Miyake Design Studio 
Cost   Withheld