Well-known in circles interested in luxury vintage, Japanese store chain RINKAN specialises in the purchase and sale of high-end men’s apparel, bags, small leather goods, jewellery pieces. and watches, although the latter segment is taken care of by the affiliated ASKWATCH boutique chain. RINKAN has recently expanded its presence in Tokyo with yet another retail space, and this time it’s in the city’s business district of Marunouchi. Here, RINKAN has opened the doors of a store which only conducts purchases from private individuals, and as a consequence, no merchandise is on display, which obviously, also shapes the aesthetic. Situated on the premises of Marunouchi Building, a soaring 37-storey structure built in the early 2000s, the RINKAN store occupies a 20.33 sqm. (219 sq.ft.) unit in the basement section, at the end of an underground passageway which connects with the ticket gates of JR Tokyo Station across the street. Given the fact that retail space doesn’t showcase any merchandise, the chosen aesthetic has become more evocative.
As a result, the interior design, created by Tokyo-based architecture practice negu inc., is nothing less than a bold sculptural statement, and it’s also one that visually exudes the store’s compact dimensions. The entrance is made up of two huge steel and glass doors which allow passers-by ample peeks. When advancing further into the premises, a small abstract garden appears behind the cut-out wall. The soft lighting and the rhythm of the evenly-spaced cubes create a spatial experience that adds to the evocative approach. Wall sections of Ashino stone form an organic shape within the angular unit, creating a secluded and intimate space, furnished merely with a circular stone-clad counter and matching seating in the same grey hue. A steel door gives access to an office space right behind it. As said, the new RINKAN store only conducts purchases of high-end apparel pieces, bags and jewellery pieces. © superfuture
RINKAN
Marunouchi Building, 2-4-1 Marunouchi, Level B1 (Marunouchi)
Tokyo 100-6390
Telephone +81 3 62560190
Mon-Sat 11am-9pm
Sun 11am-8pm
Publishers Note
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