TANPAN LAB

短パンラボ

Trade in the spirit of the town, that builds the shape of the town.

A multi-purpose space formed through the renovation of an old reception hall and terrace at the front of an iconic building in Jingumae, Tokyo.

The client was Keisuke Okunoya, well known for his character and commitment to the local fashion community. He came to us with the hope of making a place that could bring people together and encourage a new type of trade, focused on the process of exchange and shared experience.

Together we envisioned a shared lounge for apparel, an event space for cooking events, an exhibition space, a craft beer salon, and a lounge for performances and screenings. As the program became more resolute, we started to consider the project as a small theatre, a stage to showcase the character of the town.

Architecturally, we first focused on the design of 2 terraces as spaces for crowds to assemble, and spaces to be seen from the street. The existing terrace at the back was brought to life with a warm wooden counter, and the terrace in the foreground was made by puncturing the existing wall to open up the space to the street. As the form of the old reception hall is engrained in the local urban fabric, our design work focused on retaining the exterior image, while stripping back the interior and adding precise elements that change the flow of space, attune to the continuity of change so strongly felt in this town.

The materiality was all about adding a sense of handcraft and warmth, while retaining a kind of static beauty, allowing the activity of people to play a leading role. Each day we walk past and see the same space being used in a different way, and feel it really has become a theater for the people of our city.