The Conran Shop, Nagoya

The Nagoya store is the first stand-alone Conran Shop building in Japan. The three-storey building houses retail spaces at ground and first floors with a smaller, set back third floor for storage and offices. The first floor also includes a café with views over the park. The summer climate in Nagoya is hot and humid and in response the distinguishing element of the building is

a series of louvres across the south elevation, wrapping the street corner at first floor level. The grand scale of these louvres is intended as a bold urban gesture and signals the customer entrance at street level below. The building is deliberately understated as a backdrop to the merchandise within.