The Art of Unveiling

On the triangular site formed by Gansevoort, West 13th and Hudson Streets on the edge of Manhattan's Meatpacking District junya.ishigama + associates renovated a one-story brick building into a boutique for Yohji Yamamoto. The austere yet clever design splits the existing building into two -- shop at the tip and storehouse in the back -- via a walkway linking Gansevoort and 13th and providing an entry to the shop.


[Yohji Yamamoto's shop unveiled | image source (domus registration req'd)]

While I find the design appealing, and actually planned on featuring the project eventually, I was particularly intrigued by the wrapper that enclosed the project until its opening. These shots captured by Diane show the opening night of the Yohji Yamamoto store back in February.


[Yohji Yamamoto's shop veiled | image source]

The "skin" is a wood-frame structure covered with stretched translucent plastic. This layer curves up and over the brick building(s) in an embrace that even conceals the project from those trying to sneak a peek from neighboring buildings.


[Yohji Yamamoto's shop veiled | image source]

The overlapping planes at the corner is a nice touch, hinting at something underneath without reavealing it in its entirety. In essence this is the veil's function: piquing interest at something unknown.


[Yohji Yamamoto's shop veiled | image source]

Those who managed to gain entrance were greeted to the combination of brick and glass set a few feet back from the translucent liner. Most likely some were disappointed, expecting a more radical design to appear from the cocoon. But perhaps the shell is an appropriate temporary antidote to the store that must co-exist with its Manhattan neighbors for many days to come.


[Yohji Yamamoto's shop veiled | image source]