Written by Anna Canlas
Aesop recently launched its Kyoto store, a serene oasis amid the bustling district of Kawaramachi. The skincare label’s fourth shop by Tokyo-based Torafu Architects, the calming space marries industrial and natural elements, like flexible board shelves and Oya stone floors, grafted onto the existing raw walls and exposed concrete of the original building.
Spearmint sinks and gold faucets liven up the space, as do the spark of filament in the Edison bulbs overhead. As a nod to the architects’ experience in designing exhibition spaces, the two-level retail structure has a gallery on the upper floor.
Photography by Takumi Ota
See more work from Torafu Architects, www.torafu.com
