Gateway Studio

Information Hub at the Station Front

Interior design plan for Gateway Studio, an information dissemination and community facility established before the ticket gates of Takanawa Gateway Station, which opened as a new station. The concept is “Nurture your ideas.” Its purpose is to share and communicate people's aspirations to try new things, expand our community, and nurture our city. It functions as a free space open to the public, hosting events sparked by these seeds of desire on an ongoing basis.

Soil like Materials and Seed Pins

We sought to design furnishings that would beautifully showcase the evolving charm of a public, simple architectural space where visitors' experiences leave traces. Inspiration came from fields and rice paddies that change with the seasons. Dyed cork was used for the “soil” that nurtures information. We sampled the color of soil from the city. Cork is used throughout the space, and the other motif, the “seed pins,” allows posters and books to be displayed or propped up.

Flexible, Adaptable Display Fixtures

The wall shelves surrounding the core of the space feature thickened, band-like end grain surfaces. By incorporating the earthy material (cork), large-format displays are possible using both the top and bottom surfaces.

The mirror-finished steel panels behind the shelves, reflecting like water surfaces, also allow magnet attachment.

Furniture inspired by soil blocks is scattered throughout the space. Pins can be inserted into any surface to hang hooks. Casters on the base allow them to be moved outside to the square on sunny days.

The whole space reflects the brand's concept

The motifs of soil and seeds are also carried over into the space's poster visuals. Within an urban information facility prone to clutter, the simple elements of soil and seeds create a refined sense of unity. The goal is for each piece of information to stand out while remaining organized.

“Nurture your ideas.”

Our curiosity is the seed for a flourishing city.