Klein Dytham Architecture has aimed to counter rock music snobbery with its design for guitar brand Fender's Tokyo flagship store, which is meant to feel welcoming to people who might feel judged in other guitar stores.
The Fender store sits across the bottom four floors of the glass-walled Ice Cubes building, a 12,000-square-metre space in the neighbourhood of Harajuku that was formerly home to an H&M store.
It is the world's first flagship store for the 77-year-old American brand, which is one of the most recognisable names in guitars and is particularly known for electric models like the Stratocaster.
The Fender flagship store is located in Harajuku, Tokyo
For the project, Fender asked Klein Dytham Architecture to create a space that would counter the perception of guitar stores as being intimidating, particularly for women and newer players. It hoped the store would offer a sophisticated and immersive retail experience that would encourage leisurely browsing and communicate the brand's heritage.
Klein Dytham Architecture answered the brief with a store design it sees as creating "a destination of discovery", with gallery exhibits, an event space, a cafe and a "care bar" for repairs.
The main browsing area on the first floor features display stands made of curved wood
The first floor houses the main browsing area, which features undulating wood benches and display units that are meant to echo the curves and materials of a Fender guitar. These cont...