Coarse plaster walls offset glinting stainless-steel display fixtures in this restrained store that architecture studio Case-Real has designed for Aesop in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
The Aesop store occupies a glass-fronted retail unit in Shinjuku, a buzzing, tourist-heavy ward of Tokyo populated with bars, eateries and neon-lit billboards.
Case-Real used just two materials to create the store's simple interior
When it came to designing the store's interiors, Case-Real wanted to capture both what it describes as a sense of "artificial chaos" that permeates Shinjuku and the natural quality of Aesop's skincare products.
The locally based studio decided to use two contrasting materials that it felt reflected the dichotomy of natural and artificial ? plaster and steel. Plaster covers the store's walls, while steel has been used for display fixtures
All of the store's gently curving walls are coated with coarse beige plaster, which leaves behind a textured surface finish.
The same plaster has been applied to a section of the store's facade, creating a simple backdrop for Aesop's logo.

Paint in the same beige hue has been washed across the ceiling and floor.
A counter where customers can test products is also made from steel
Shiny stainless steel has then been used to craft a series of lengthy display shelves that bend in line with the walls and several low-lying cabinets where extra stock can be hidden away, complete with steel handles.
The metal has additionally been used to m...