past meets present in kenta nagai's industrially elegant watch store in tokyo

the japanese watch store is the definition of brutalist luxury

as if stepping into one of tokyo‘s abandoned, underground shrines, the askwatch store by interior designer kenta nagai is the definition of brutalist luxury. amongst the crooked concrete walls, the rare and high-end products are displayed like trophies on the illuminated shelves. the existing building’s fragmented architecture through the years becomes the perfect setting for the japanese watches, as the two time-frames meet. 

kenta nagai’s watch store is as immersive as it gets with the layered materiality and sophistication

all images courtesy of kenta nagai

kenta nagai keeps the fragmented rawness exposed

instead of covering-up and smoothening-out the various fractures, japanese designer kenta nagai chooses to highlight and embrace them. to stay true to his philosophy ‘simple’, ‘honest’ and ‘borderless’, the watch store‘s, crevices, cracks, holes and pipes are all exposed and beautified. over a span of 75m², the two floors take the customer on a quest to find what he desires where the interior rawness is coupled with contemporary yet industrial touches.

the existing rawness is highlighted with a contemporary industrial feel

industrial elegance shines through kenta nagai’s watch store

the white strips of  lights, the pebbles, stainless-steel display cases, built-in sitting booths and the walnut under-lit floor integrate profoundly the different layers in materiality with sophisticated, minimal touches. while the concrete shell hides the electrical and mechanical services, the dividing plasterboard panels showcase a seamless aesthetic. in a room filled with juxtaposition, a sense of elegance shines through. 

the concrete shell hides all the electrical and mechanical services

designer kenta nagai chooses to keep the pipes, cracks and crevices all exposed

modern touches highlight what feels like an archeological site

the watches are displayed like trophies on the illuminated shelves

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project info:

name: askwatch store

interior designer: kenta nagai

area: 75,15m²

photographer: kenta hasegawa / @kenta hasegawa

location: shinjyuku , tokyo

year: 2021