Jin's Global Standard Nagareyama -eyewear outlet

Most retail units lining the corridors of a shopping mall reveal all at a single glance. That’s the first rule broken by Ryuji Nakamura Architects, the creator of Jin’s Global Standard, an eyewear outlet that occupies the 104-m2 corner unit of a mall in Nagareyama. Filling the interior are diagonally positioned rows of floor-to-ceiling walls that satisfy Ryuji Nakamura’s wish to furnish the client with an uncluttered interior and products displayed on 5-cm-deep shelves along a series of aisles.

The only hint of colour in the otherwise white interior comes from wood-veneered shelving exhibiting a tawny hue that enhances reflections and shadows. Shoppers can see the sales counter through openings in the walls. Moulded panels along the bases of the walls conceal storage space. Cleverly positioned mirrors make the store feel more spacious and enable staff to keep an eye on customers. High walls on a shop floor are normally taboo for reasons of crime prevention and smooth store management, but Nakamura boldly ignores convention.

Shoppers can easily step inside and try on a pair of glasses without having the prying eyes of staff distract them. The layout results in much more display space than would have been the case had Nakamura opted for a conventional floor plan.

This simple yet strong retail concept makes an impact on the jury, as does the precise, sophisticated manner in which it has been executed. Large display windows beckon shoppers to enter nearly every retail unit in a mall, but architect Nakamura found another way to attract customers. Diagonally positioned elements star in his virtuoso performance: walls in a physical sense and mirrors in an optical sense. The performance is highly functional, however: it provides the shopper with privacy, while allowing the staff to monitor customers and merchandise. A shopping-mall unit boasting both a striking display system and an innovative spatial composition that influences shopping behaviour is a rarity, and Jin’s fits the description.