Jins Park Community Building, Maebashi, Japan, Community Center, Commercial Building, New Japanese Architecture Images
Jins Park Community Building in Maebashi
26 July 2022
Design: Yuko Nagayama and Associates
Location: Kozakai district of Toyokawa, Aichi, Japan

photo © Tomoyuki Kusunose
Photos by Daici Ano and Tomoyuki Kusunose
Jins Park Community Building, Japan
Creating new community value in a suburban eyewear store
This store for the major eyewear brand JINS is located on a busy suburban thoroughfare. As online shopping becomes more common, physical stores must go beyond serving as places to handle or try on goods; they must also offer in-person experiences. Because this store is located close to a residential neighborhood with many young families, our concept was to create a park-like space where children and parents as well as others in the community can stop by to spend time even if they?re not buying glasses.
photo © Tomoyuki Kusunose
Yuko Nagayama and Associates the project began by reversing the typical layout of roadside stores, with a parking lot located in front, and instead located the parking lot behind the building.

photo © Tomoyuki Kusunose
The landscaped approach and front garden lead through the building to a second-floor terrace, creating an interlinked, three-dimensional spatial experience. In stores of this type, the second floor is typically not open to customers. By utilizing it as a terrace and also including a bakery-café in the store,...