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.

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[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.

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[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.

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[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.

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[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.

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[Yohji Yamamoto's shop veiled | image source]

Comments

  1. Not about the veil, but...
    The guys at the shop explained to us that the cut through the building was a nod to the way Yamamoto designs clothes - cutting and reassembling. Also you might have noticed the clipped tip of the triangle, though I'm not sure what that's all about.

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  2. looks like some of the exterior lighting was for temp purposes only. It looks like something out of close encounters in the 3rd photo.

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  3. Cool Blog spot! I could not help to notice how complimentary the architecture is to the new Chinese architecture we are now seeing. So, I thought you maybe interested in the upcoming exhibition in Cincinnati, "China Design Now". I already have a copy of the catalog... OMG, incredible!!
    check it out:
    http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/1636_chinadesignnow/

    This link below is the actual Art Museum's link for the exhibition:
    http://www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org/absolutenm/templates/ArtTempExhibitions.aspx?articleid=661&zoneid=66

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