The Playhouse in Tokyo, designed by PAN- PROJECTS in collaboration with Haruki Oku Design, addresses a fundamental shift in the function of physical retail space. Completed in 2020 and located in the fashion-forward district of Aoyama, the project reconsiders what a store should be in a world increasingly defined by virtual commerce. In the wake of COVID-19 and the acceleration of digital consumer behaviors, the project discards the traditional retail model in favor of an architecture rooted in cultural engagement, experience, and adaptability.
The Playhouse in Tokyo Technical Information
- Architects1-7: PAN- PROJECTS + Haruki Oku Design
- Location: Suginami City, Tokyo, Japan
- Gross Area: 1,367 m2 | 14,715 Sq. Ft.
- Completion Year: 2020
- Photographs: © Kenji Seo
If the act of purchase can be done virtually, the ultimate purpose of a physical store should be to elevate potential customers’ interest which will connect them to product sales.
– PAN- PROJECTS Architects
The Playhouse in Tokyo Photographs
Spatial Composition and Programmatic Flexibility
Rather than seeing the store as a fixed venue for product display and purchase, the design team proposed a theatrical model in which space itself becomes dynamic. Architecture is positioned as a medium for brand storytelling, social interaction, and event-based programming. This conceptual pivot reframes the physical store as a place of cultural immersion where products exist within broader narratives, not as isolated commodities but as components within shifting spatial scripts. The resulting architecture anticipates future models of retail that prioritize engagement over transaction.
The three-level structure is articulated as a continuously reconfigurable space that accommodates retail, performance, and communal interaction. On the ground floor, a system of rotatable walls defines an adaptable retail environment. Each wall is dedicated to a distinct brand and can be repositioned to allow a variety of spatial configurations. This flexibility supports a sequence of pop-up activations, workshops, and installations that shift the building’s program over time.
The central foyer on the first floor functions as both a circulation core and a curatorial threshold. It guides visitors toward the second-floor hall while framing a series of permanent display areas around its periphery. This layered organization enables a gradient of experiences, from temporary interventions at street level to curated exhibitions and events on the upper floors.
At the top of the building, the second-floor hall is defined by textile partitions that can be adjusted to accommodate events of varying scales. The use of lightweight, operable fabrics introduces spatial fluidity while maintaining acoustic and atmospheric control. The entrance atrium, designed as a fly tower, completes the building’s performative logic. A movable curtain system allows the space to function as a small theater, suitable for talks, concerts, and intimate performances. Together, these elements construct a building that is less a fixed container and more a responsive framework for use.
The Playhouse in Tokyo Material Strategy
The material language of The Playhouse reflects its emphasis on impermanence and transformation. Rotatable walls are constructed to allow ease of movement without sacrificing structural clarity. Their surface treatments vary by brand, reinforcing the multiplicity of identities coexisting within the same spatial frame.
Textiles are not decorative but performative. Developed in collaboration with Studio Onder de Linde, they are designed for flexibility, opacity control, and acoustic response. Their presence in the second-floor hall allows the space to be visually and physically subdivided while preserving a sense of cohesion. The curtains in the entrance atrium extend this logic, acting as both backdrop and enclosure, echoing the mechanics of stagecraft.
Material contrasts are deliberate. The balance between rigid millwork and soft fabrics reflects the duality of permanence and change. Construction by accamplish Co., Ltd. and Relive Co., Ltd. emphasizes precision in detail while supporting the broader architectural agenda of responsiveness.
Cultural, Urban, and Typological Implications
Set within one of Tokyo’s most active commercial districts, The Playhouse does not attempt to dominate its context but engages it through programmatic multiplicity. Aoyama’s layered urban condition is mirrored within the building, where cultural events, brand experiences, and everyday retail intersect in fluid configurations.
Architecturally, the Playhouse challenges the typology of the single-purpose store. It proposes instead a hybrid model where commercial, cultural, and social functions coexist. In doing so, it questions long-standing assumptions about the separation of these spheres. The building becomes a case study in architectural adaptability, not as a response to fleeting trends but as a framework for a more elastic, post-pandemic urban life.
By reconceiving the store as a theatre of engagement, PAN- PROJECTS offers a thoughtful proposal for the future of public interiors. In an era when the boundaries between digital and physical experiences are becoming increasingly porous, The Playhouse asserts that architecture still plays a critical role in shaping how we gather, interact, and discover.
The Playhouse in Tokyo Plans
The Playhouse in Tokyo Image Gallery
About PAN- PROJECTS
PAN- PROJECTS is a London and Tokyo-based architectural practice founded by Yuriko Yagi and Kazumasa Takada. The studio explores architecture as a cultural and social medium, often working across disciplines to design spaces that respond to contemporary global challenges. Their work is characterized by a focus on adaptability, material experimentation, and contextual sensitivity, particularly in projects that question conventional typologies and propose new spatial models.
Credits and Additional Notes
- Architects: PAN- PROJECTS (Yuriko Yagi, Kazumasa Takada), Haruki Oku Design
- Textile Design: Studio Onder de Linde
- Client: Crazy, Inc. & BLBG, Inc.
- Construction: accamplish Co., Ltd. & Relive Co., Ltd.
- Program: Retail, Cultural Venue, Event Hall
- Building Area: 1367 m²
- Levels: 3
- Source: BowerBird
