Louis Vuitton

Kyoto Daimaru, Japan

Photo © Daici Ano

Retail + Stores

Architects: Yuko Nagayama & Associates

Location: Kyoto Daimaru, Japan
Year: 2004

We restructured the "vertical lattice”̶one of the representing scenes of Kyoto̶and embedded into the facade of the newly opened Louis Vuitton on Shijo Street, Kyoto. The stripe pattern also represents the motif “toile rayée,” which were previously used for trunks by Louis Vuitton.

These black vertical lattice patterns, however, do not actually exist. They are illusions created by polarizing plates. These lattices that appear in front of us neither have any thickness nor texture. They do not “exist,” they are only “visible.” With the movements of the people walking by the street, the lattice patterns would rotate, disappear, and lyrically change their expressions to create a new scenery on the street of Kyoto. We intended to create a facade that would not be just a “substance,” yet would instead create an “experience,” through building an an interactive relationship with the people passing by.