Kudo: This property was originally a dentist's, and it was an ordinary office space. The back was the office, and it was a structure that could be seen through the place where the hut is now. When I was thinking about how to create the function of the office and the shop, SIRI SIRI also makes jewelry in the office, so I came up with the idea of ​​connecting loosely with the shop. I think that the comfort was created by lowering the ceiling and creating a gap with the high ceiling of the shop. Conversely, as a function to connect to the office, it is a sales function such as a cash register. I wanted the shop to be a surreal space, so I put all the real money stuff in the shed. I wasn't sure if I should turn the surrounding area into a meeting space, but after it was completed, I felt comfortable sitting on the bench and talking with the people at the counter. rice field. When designing, I wanted to include one space that had no purpose. So, in a space overflowing with things, I consciously create a void that people can rely on, and I think that this time it became a hut.

Kamijo: Mr. Kudo was in charge of the space design and fixtures, and Mr. Okamoto produced some of the fixtures.

Okamoto: Yes, at university. I looked for it, reported it, and repeated it, but I couldn't find any good fixtures. I had a flash of inspiration that I could make it in a graduate school workshop, so I mastered the 90-degree bending technique and made it. You can change the shape by changing the combination, but it was also popular with the Swiss teachers.

Kamijo: It may be possible to commercialize it. This mirror is also very nice. The movement of the magnet type hinge is very pleasant.

Kudo: It's a brand called BP. HAND MADE TOKYO, which handles design, construction, and products consistently.

Okamoto: Shall we introduce the people who were involved in the creation of the store? Nakamura Paint Industry, who constructed the floor, and Kvadrat, who provided the fabric. This upholstery and red fabric were inspired by Milano Salone, and I went to Kvadrat's exhibition with Kudo during Milan Design Week to select them.

Kudo: Yes. Kvadrat ended up deciding between two reds.

Kamijo: Was it red from the beginning?

Okamoto: Black and light blue tend to be conservative, so I wanted to play around with it. Originally I like light blue, black and red, so when I said I wanted to use it as an accent, Mr. Kudo said, "Isn't it one of these?" It was so fast.

Kudo: Speaking of light blue, the blue color of the wall in the final sample for Mr. Okamoto was quite different from the one on the screen. I was very particular about the floor and walls, so I asked them to make 10 samples of the walls alone.

Kamijo: The rough texture of the wall is made of glass beads, isn't it?

Kudo: Yes. I like plastering materials that create a three-dimensional effect that makes the wall feel like a shadow, so I often use plastering, but the construction takes time and it is difficult to gather craftsmen. So this time, I used paint, but since it looks flat, I asked COAT LLC., a paint specialty brand that imports and develops paint materials, to mix SIRI SIRI blue with an original blend. Of course, the color tone and the size of the beads change the expression, so I was conscious of the rough texture that looks delicate.

Kamijo: What is your favorite part of the space?

Okamoto: Looking from the front of the small room, the rooms overlap and you can feel the rhythm. I thought that it was a work unique to an architect.

Kamijo: Kudo-san, what is your favorite?

Kudo: This is the view of the shop beyond the hole seen from the bench. I think it's a nice view as if you're looking at it from a window that cuts out the extraordinary.

Kamijo: By the way, what instructions did you give to take the completed photos?

Kudo: Our photographer Hideki Makiguchi is a writer and does not specialize in completion photography, so we ask him to get a feel for the space each time. I don't know what it's going to look like yet, but I've heard that it was a really good shot, so I'm looking forward to it.

Okamoto: By the way, Mr. Itami, who is taking pictures of SIRI SIRI, is also an artist, so I ask him to give priority to the artistry every time. Both of us have a common understanding that the artistry of those involved in design, whether it be architecture or jewelry, will become more important in the future. In an era where there is a lot of information, people's skills and preferences should have value, so I want to cherish them.

Kamijo: When Mr. Okamoto makes things, he collaborates with craftsmen.

Okamoto: What do you think? In the case of glass, I draw a detailed design, but in the case of rattan, I don't draw a rough sketch. After handing over the rough, we ask for the craftsman's experience and his own feedback. In particular, I can't imagine the suppleness of rattan only in my head. The reason I don't create as an artist is because I want to see something that transcends my own image. That's why I'm working with craftsmen, so I feel like I can't do good things if I follow the blueprints.

Concept of a small space created by SIRI SIRI

Kamijo: Now that this store is complete and you've seen it again, as someone who studied space design, don't you want to work on architecture yourself?

Okamoto: I like designing the venue layout and fixtures for the LIVING MOTIF exhibition, but I'm not good at houses because they look too realistic. But I am very interested in extraordinary places like hotels.

Kamijo: Something like SIRI SIRI Hotel?

Okamoto: I have an idea. In the agenda that I share with SIRI SIRI staff every week, I write about the architecture department every time. How we want to live and how we live is closely related to the space, and I think we can express that in a small space. That's why I have an image, but it seems that it will be difficult to operate, so it may be possible to partner with someone.

Kamijo: As much as the act of staying at a hotel occurs, it creates a more intimate relationship with the brand because you can touch it all night long. People from various industries are now entering the hotel business, and that is one of the reasons.

Okamoto: For me, architecture is a comprehensive art, so I admire it. Marimekko, who I saw in a movie the other day, was eventually trying to get involved in community development, so maybe this process is inherent in creators.