Klein Dytham shapes aluminium into "silky drape of fabric" for Cartier Ginza facade
The photography is by Raphael Olivier.
GUEST BLOG / By Cajsa Carlson, Dezeen Magazine--Tokyo-based Klein Dytham Architecture has designed the facade for jewellery brand Cartier's Ginza store, which features swooping aluminium curves designed to evoke a wedding dress. The studio wanted its design to stand out among the bustling streets of Tokyo's central Ginza district, which are surrounded by linear rows of skyscrapers.
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| Klein Dytham wanted to bring a "gentle, sculptural calm" to Ginza |
"The concept was to bring a gentle, sculptural calm to Ginza's highly geometric streetscape by introducing a facade that feels fluid, soft, and sophisticated," Klein Dytham co-founder Mark Dytham told Dezeen. "Rather than compete with the vertical rhythm around it, the design uses layered, flowing forms to create an elegant sense of depth and anticipation."
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| Bespoke aluminium panels wrap the facade |
To create the curved shapes, Dytham and his co-founder, Astrid Klein, wrapped the facade in bespoke panels made from cast aluminium that were designed to resemble the drape of a wedding dress. "The sweeping curves create a sense of movement and softness, recalling a silky drape of fabric and giving the building a quiet, sculptural presence within the busy urban context," Dytham said. "They also catch and reflect light throughout the day, allowing the facade to subtly transform as people pass by."
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| The new design contrasts against the existing vertical louvres |
By using gentle curves for the facade design, the studio also helped to dissolve the fire-compartment lines between floors to create a more seamless look. Klein Dytham's design, which is anchored by a rectangular frame that borders the vertical louvres of the existing facade, comprises three stepped layers: cast aluminium panels, flat aluminium panels and a glass layer.
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| Cartier Ginza store lit up at night Cartier Ginza's facade colour shifts with the light |
Aluminium was chosen as the main material for the facade because of its versatility. "Aluminium allowed us to achieve the precise triple-curved geometry essential to the facade's softness while offering durability, lightness, and a beautifully refined finish that meets Cartier's exacting standards," Dytham explained. "Its versatility was crucial in developing the cast and flat-panel layers that give the facade its depth."
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| A Seigaiha pattern decorates the glass on the facade |
For the glass layer, the studio created a geometric print that draws on the traditional Japanese Seigaiha motif, a pattern of overlapping concentric circles. "The Seigaiha pattern – symbolising waves and good fortune – introduces a distinctly Japanese tactility and cultural resonance to the innermost glass layer, especially as sunlight filters through and gently projects the motif into the interior," Dytham said.
The project marks Klein Dytham's second design for Cartier, with the pair previously having designed an intricate wooden shop front for the brand in Osaka's Shinsaibashi shopping area.
Tokyo Project credits:
Facade designer: Klein Dytham Architecture
General contractor: Taisei Corporation
Facade engineer: Permasteelisa Japan
Lighting design: Illumination of City Environment
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