What does it mean to open a shop in the city? During an era with rapid urban and cultural changes, what can we achieve by addressing retail interior design?

ARTS & SCIENCE is a select shop and brand run by the creative director, Sonya Park. The brand was started in 2003 and has offered various items; from original clothing to everyday items. ARTS & SCIENCE Aoyama, the flagship store, has a line of ladies clothing, jewellery, fragrance and additional items that are selected for their unique aesthetics.

The origin of the name ARTS & SCIENCE is based on the idea that one aesthetic connects all beautiful things from arts to science. Inspired by this simple philosophy, ATTA used the principles of geometry representing the freedom of art, Arc, and the discipline of science, Straight, for the design concept. The store design expresses the connectivity, expansion and continuity of the fundamental elements of life – From the first floor to the second floor, from the city to life, from straight to curved, from grey to brown, from stone to wood, from steel to brass, from cool to warm.

For the exterior, we created a closed private facade while allowing the penetration of sunlight. We opened the interior expressing a continuity of space, while at the same time allowing a visitor to discover small surprises throughout. Finally, we demolished a portion of the existing floors and ceilings and created a large oval void penetration that gives the impression of navigation as “1st floor to 2nd floor” instead of “1st floor / 2nd floor”. We believe that the meaning of an interior design can be discovered in the continuity of urban space and life experiences.