KAPTAIN SUNSHINE AOYAMA

An interior design plan for KAPTAIN SUNSHINE’s first flagship store. The location is on the first floor of a building tucked behind Kotto-dori a street in the Minami-Aoyama district of Tokyo. Due to structural constraints, the floor was divided into two spaces, one large and one small. Another defining feature was the approximately 16-meter-long façade and the narrow courtyard stretching along the back of the site. The challenge was how to shape the character of the two spaces while creating a unified atmosphere that takes advantage of these conditions.

In the plan, the larger, high-ceilinged space was designated as the main shop area, while the smaller, compact space was turned into a large fitting room with a sense of privacy. Inside, the spaces are divided structurally and functionally, yet the exterior is unified with a continuous gray sprayed-roughcast finish, giving the impression of a single, seamless volume. The walls and ceilings visible from the windows are treated with the same finish, while rounded edges were added to the openings to create a natural flow from the street into the interior.

The same approach was carried through to the courtyard. Finished with orange-brown tiles, the narrow courtyard links the two spaces, large and small. Benches and fixtures made with the same tiles were placed both indoors and outdoors, visually reinforcing the sense of unity. In the shop space, the finishes were kept simple to highlight the building’s existing structure: a single large flat ceiling plate consolidates air-conditioning and lighting equipment, while fixtures made of oak and sandstone, and a sisal floor in the fitting room, combine natural materials in a restrained way. By respecting the existing conditions and carefully balancing natural textures, the design was tuned to harmonize with the brand’s messages.